During our trip back to the homelands Lisa’s long-time friend had mentioned that her partner was a climber and would be interested in getting out for a climb when we stayed in Torquay, Lisa’s old stomping ground. Now while the trip as supposed to give me some recuperation time to try and settle my niggling shoulder down, who am I to let someone down. So we found ourselves driving out of Torquay and up onto the iconic moorland landscapes of Dartmoor:
So while the girls caught up, Max and Elseya kept themselves by exploring the area including finding some 7 or 8 geocaches, and Mike and I had a climb mixed in with a bit of bouldering. Dartmoor is the largest area of granite in Britain. While most of this monstrous monolith is covered by peat deposits that provides the moorland landscape, there are granite outcrops protruding that form Tors. There are over 160 named outcrops with this name, and loads of unnamed ones:
The outcrops vary in height. The largest probably being Haytor with faces up to 35m but most of the Tors are much lower at 15m or less. On this trip we went to Hound Tor which is mostly no higher than 10m, bar a few scrambly and easy chimneys. It is also quite well known for its bouldering, and we did spy one boulderer lurking around the many buttresses and boulders that lay strewn across this hilltop:
With no guidebook to hand we walked around and picked lines that looked fun. It took a while to get used to the rock, which required jamming and complete trust on very rounded smear holds. We probably would have benefited from doing a bit or bouldering before we started to lead climb, instead we did that part way through:
Trying to grade the lines was tricky, Mike hadn’t climbed in some time and not being used to the rock and style made it hard to judge for me. It transpired that the first chosen climb, was rated a severe (Australian 12) but I would not have picked it. The next route we jumped on (below) was a steeper wall which didn’t have such obvious gear. It was there when needed but the flared rounded nature of the cracks, meant you really had to trust what often looked like iffy gear. This one rated about VS 4c/5a (15/16) and was really nice:
Hound Tor is a collection of outcrops, almost like a little castle wall defending the hill top. When we first got there I won’t deny I didn’t think the place had much to offer. However, the more we climbed the more the place grew on me, the routes were sustained and good quality and the rock, well it’s solid granite! So as the day wore on I started to spy more and more lines that looked appealing:
We aimed to climb lead for lead but Mike had managed to badly blister and open up the palm of his hand. He didn’t whinge about it but I could tell by the grimacing, especially on those big round slopers, that it was giving him grief. That said he took on some fine leads allowing me to relax on second and take in the great vistas that were all around us. We also bouldered on things that looked fun, and even soloed a few longer lines:
All up I think we managed six roped routes, and countless mucking about on other stuff. This is the last wall of the day, and it is also the place I had a chat with the boulderer who was working a V5 on the lower steep wall on the right. I caught up with him a couple of times and jumped on some of the problems he was working plus dipped into his guidebook to check out where we had climbed:
The last route came in at VS 4c/5a (15/16) and both Mike and I were by this time getting pretty tired. So we both had to focus hard on this one, the steep boulder start led to a rest at half height. It looked easy from there but the final moves were rounded and long, and required every ounce of concentration we had left to pull through cleanly. It was a great line to finish on and again quality all the way up:
For those eagle eyed people yes the gear we used does look like mine. That is because I took a selection of gear to mix in with Mike’s to make the day possible. Torquay has stacks of climbing options in close proximity, so maybe on the next trip we can dedicate a bit more time to get out and explore some more areas. But for today we were both stoked with what we got to do:
Then all that remained was the trip back down off Dartmoor, giving way to the Dartmoor ponies who couldn’t give a damn how much of a hurry you may be in. Eventually we crossed the cattle grids that marked the end of the roaming wildlife and brought us back to the busy streets of the towns. That evening we had fish and chips looking out over the ocean:
Thanks to Mike, Helen and Max for a grand day out.
Steve may be upset with me by sending this email so promptly, as he captured some images that show just how far I am prepared to go to get that perfect picture. Maybe I can send a few of those round another time…
We’ve been back in the country for a few days now after a three and half week stint in Europe. So what better way to get over jet lag than to get up at 5:30 to go climbing, and where better to go than the place I seem to have been drawn to for the last few trips out. Last night was the longest full moon eclipse for 100 years, but it was mostly cloudy this morning so we only saw glimpses of the moon as we drove in and then walked to the crag:
As we got closer it started raining and continued as we walked in. The ocean looked angry. Big messy waves were tumbling over each other to get to the shore, creating a single blinding mass of white water. The usual track across a small beach before the rocks was blocked by a high tide combined with the big waves. The bay shown above would normally be a clean sandy beach, but was today exposed bed rock:
When we got to Moses we ducked down to look at the line Craig and I had put up on my last trip here, Nothing too Serious. Today would have been a very exciting time to climb this one, and a wetsuit may have been advisable. Much as I tried to gently direct Howsie to have a bash at this fine line we didn’t get back to it, heading instead onwards to the main areas which we were hoping would be a bit safer:
Hand’s Up Wall was of course high and “dry”, safe from the angry white water but not the drizzle, that was easing up, nor the recent rain. The good news was that there was a slight off-shore breeze so we were not being coated with sea spray, well not as much as we might have been in different conditions. Before we decided where to climb we dumped the packs and spent some time watching the waves and checking the different areas:
Rumpole’s Rocks were on the tick list, but today while the large boulders provided a level of protection the base was sopping wet and the occasional bigger wave would have dampened the spirits of any belayer. So we wandered along, and for those that know the area we stopped at Tweddle Dee and Tweddle Dum. Even at this location some big waves managed to spray the base of the lines:
Next we checked the Zawn, not expecting to go in there but just to witness what it was like. These are by far the most extreme conditions I’ve ever seen. The boulder strewn base was visible between waves, but was swamped with every wave that came in. During the big sets the place got smashed. We saw several waves impressively crash all the way up the wall at the back of the zawn:
Back at Hand’s Up Wall we decided it was time to do what we came to do, the harness were pulled tight and Steve was first up for a lead. I don’t edit any images I provide in these emails, and today was particularly challenging with the contrast. The blinding white water making it hard to get good clean shots, but it also offered a few opportunity to capture the amazing atmosphere we lucky to have experienced:
The first line chosen, was in Howsie and my minds the worse possible choice. Gothic Streak is aptly named for its black look, which is created due to being the line where water runs down most frequently. We didn’t say anything and left Steve to it. He climbed slow and steady, looking solid and not grumbling once. As we followed up we were both glad he and neither of us had led that line:
The sun finally poked through the breaking clouds when we were all on top. Looking north and south it was bleak, but the window above us allowed the sun’s warmth through. The only problem was that it made looking at the ocean even more difficult than before. It was a slow exchange of gear and wander back to the base, Howsie in deep thought about what he would lead:
He plumped for Many Hands, and made short work of it. While this wall was still dripping wet this climb didn’t have the algae that Steve’s line had growing on it. I still felt nervous on second, but the friction of Moses pulled through despite the wet conditions. Trusting your footwork in these conditions made the lines even more of a mind game than usual:
I was, like the last time the three of us ventured here, happy to offer up the leads. So next up Steve picked an unexpected line. Maybe it was the draw of the bolts that made this feel a safe proposition, but Twist Till You Lock while a safe line still has some tricky moments. It took several attempts to get the plate and draw onto the first bolt, and then after trying the first hard move several times Steve realised that maybe he had bitten off more than he could chew:
So Howsie stood up the plate and made short work of the first crux before enjoying the much more relaxed mid-section. The top and harder crux proved a little trickier but soon he flopped over the horrible rounded top out. Steve and then I followed him up surprised at how good the rock had felt on this line, was it dry or did we imagine that? We dashed down for one last climb. I led the crag classic, Wheely Things, a route that just like Moses never disappoints:
As soon as we had stuffed our gear in the packs the clouds rolled in and it started to drizzle once again. We scooted back to the main beach, which like the small bay has also been smashed. The waves at times reaching close the base of the dunes. Large outcrops of rock, which we have not seen before, have been exposed where usually surfers, sun worshippers and the occasional person fishing would be lounging about on a sandy beach:
Moses, like the sound of the ocean today, was once again a roaring success.
After this weekend I’ll not be out on rock until August, and it felt like way too long a time without one final trip out. After our recent very enjoyable afternoon jaunt to Moses, a few weeks back, I suggested to Craig that a similarly timed trip would probably be good. So with nothing too serious in mind we agreed on Moses. Despite what some other people may think, we still regard as a very friendly crag that would offer us the opportunity for nothing too serious:
Our intention today was fun, and as we walked in there were a few lines that we always look at, but then as you approach them the angle looks a bit easy and the lines don’t look that sustained. One of them we walked by but this one took Craig’s fancy. He was also able to extend the route significantly by traversing in from where he was tying in in the first image. It was fun and as intended nothing too serious, that said the final moves could make many people stop and think:
Most of what we did was pretty easy and we struggled with grading. We kept other lines here in mind but our fitness on real rock and more importantly our general state of mind, which for some reason wasn’t quite as sharp as it usual is, did make it hard. So we decided not to write up the new routes we discovered as first ascents on the WA climbers forum. However, we decided that we would let you know about them… so Craig’s line above we called Elephants Arse (10). BTW we didn’t discuss names for all the lines so I have taken the liberty to do that… sorry Craig. Also all the routes were less than 10m so no lengths have been included. Then it was onto my first lead, a line I have long looked at:
The right conditions were needed, being dry rock and water below your feet, or very close to being so. A combination not that common at Moses. It proved harder than I had anticipated, the slopey hand traverse offered great protection but then at the nose it was time to leave the gear behind and head up the slab. It’s a pearler of a line, if only it was longer it may even gain a reputation. We struggled with what grade we would give it, on lead it was a bit of a puzzle but Craig managed it with relative ease so we plumped for Nothing too Serious (14). Sorry Craig this name seems more appropriate, than short and sweet. I highly recommend the locals give it a go, but be warned it may be a sandbag:
We’ve had a run of some wild weather of late but the weather gods were smiling on us today, a blue sky, light seaward breeze and a nice mid/late-teens temperature. The waves were barrelling in beautifully, with the trailing mist being blown behind them. I’ve said it before and will no doubt say it countless times again, but this trip reaffirmed to us that Moses is one of the most atmospheric crags in our neck of the woods. The swell was not too high and as the afternoon wore on the tide was heading out, which became a consideration for the last climb. We were however a tad surprised at just how hot it felt and the sweat was certainly dripping off my brow as I topped out on my first lead:
In the spirit of doing new stuff we decided after two very fun lines to attempt to only climb unrecorded lines. No doubt some if not all of the routes we climbed had been attempted or done by others but just not written up. Regardless of that it did mean that every time we were climbing into unknown territory. Craig’s next line may however have been our downfall, I couldn’t recall it being in the guide, which we didn’t bring with us. However, looking at the guide it is possible that this was in fact Hungry Fish (10). So digging a bit deeper… the topo in the old 96’ guide indicates that the recorded line may be the chimney to the right, but there is no description. The next recorded climb to the left is Pathetic Shark (10) which goes up the wall to the left… so I think we can claim this one that tackles the arête and call it Fish Food (10):
Looking for new lines that would be worth playing on was surprisingly easy, keeping in mind we were looking for fun stuff and the grade was not a consideration. So next up we went into the darkest recesses of Moses Rocks, from where I climbed up the initially damp rock out of the pit and into the sun. I could have stopped at the ledge below but the next wall looked and was fun, as did the next wall so I strung three good walls together. The longest route of the day and probably longer than 10m, at more like 15m. So came to be The Pit (10):
Craig had spied his next challenge and it was again a line I had considered many times before. Aesthetically the rock looks very cool, and we both agreed that this was a worthy photo opportunity. So I sat on a platform off to the side, and with a solid directionally piece of gear at the base of the route Craig began. The time between sets of swell was quite long and as such I asked him to climb slowly to get the best backdrop. He didn’t mind and soaked up the great holds and moves smiling the whole way. We have no doubt that someone must have bouldered this route as a sort of high ball problem so it seemed apt to call this No Balls (12):
I then scooted up a fun looking arête at the left end of Red Wall. An obvious line that had gone unnoticed until now. Nothing to serious, in keeping with the spirit of the day, but in a good position and sufficiently entertaining to keep me focused. Read into that lacking in gear in the upper half, but why should that hold you back? My imagination is letting me down so it is simply going to be called The Arête (11). For those keeping count, this was route number 6 of the afternoon:
We had at the start of the day looked at a wall to the left of the first route listed in the guide. There are a number of lines via cracks and flakes meaning this wall could be littered with a number of easy routes, if you considered it worthy of the time. Craig decided to start at the left end and I half expected a similar approach to his first route, a long extended route maximising the entire crag. Instead he went more direct stating that the holds simply looked too good not to be used. So with that Too Good to Miss (8) seems an apt, and possibly deceptive, name for the first recorded route on this wall:
Now I mentioned about the tide going out being a consideration, another being the timing between sets of swell. We considered this carefully, and decided it was worth a pop. This line, again one I have looked at before, is one where you are more than likely to get a little damp. I had always envisaged starting lower down than I did, but todays conditions would not have permitted that. Or was it that Craig would not have been happy belaying while being intermittently under water. We were a bit sensible and Craig tied in before I set off, just after a big set had just smashed the base of the route:
It wasn’t timed completely perfectly, although I have to confess I really did take my time for no other reason than to experience the water lapping at my feet. The rope in the following image belies where I climbed as I traversed into the blocks quite low down. I got a wee bit wet but it wasn’t too bad, as I was only hit by the spray and not the full wave. From the angle we had seen the route the arête could have thrown anything at us, so I was a little nervous to start with, but needn’t have been, after all didn’t I say Moses was a friendly place:
Craig came up and like me strolled along at a relaxed pace taking in the atmosphere of the waves crashing in below the line. Before I started on the route we talk about whether the blocks in the bottom half of the route would be loose, I told you we had some sense. In view of the pounding they were getting from the ocean we felt that any loose stuff would be long gone. True enough everything was rock solid. There are so many names we could give this line but I think I will plump for Timing is Everything (9), another one that people really should jump on (when the conditions are like yesterday):
As Craig topped out the sun was on the way down, and with 8 new lines under our belt we were very satisfied with our afternoons little jaunt. The seaward breeze helped keep the rock in condition the whole time. Although the gear and certainly rope had their fair share of salt spray, with part of the rope getting a drenching on the last line. So for those who put their life in the hands of my gear, you will be very pleased to know the rope and gear has all being thoroughly rinsed (back at home not in some salty rock pool at Moses) and is currently drying outside in the shade:
Tradition has it that climbing with Craig includes a cuppa. So with the sun going down, the moon already high in the sky, and the glowing colours that only the start or in this case end of the day can give us… the tea was poured. The gear was then stuffed in the bags with less sorting than would normally occur, knowing that it would need a wash. We then wandered down to find a good perch to watch the sun set with a very welcome cuppa:
A cloud bank stole from us the glory of seeing the sun dip below the horizon, no matter it was still a glorious sight. Moses Rocks once again delivered in bucketfuls. Eventually we did need to make a move so after the fun rock hop and a walk along the beach past a lonely fisherman we jumped in the car for a drive home in darkness, keeping a watchful eye out for any roo’s:
I’ve occasional seen cars parked on top of the hill just above Moses Rocks and thought it’s be great to drive in one day and save the walk in. So on Saturday we tried to get in that way but it wasn’t quite as straight forward as Google Maps indicated. We had to traverse a paddock and find a gate that would take us onto the track in the national park. We were just about to turn onto the track when a ranger came along from where we intended to go. He politely advised that it was a restricted area and that we had just driven over private land to get to where we shouldn’t be, oops. So we followed his advice and followed him back the main drag from where we went to the usual car park:
I’ve already let slip that Moses was our destination. We had decided to head there in the afternoon so we would have the sun on our backs. Normally the wind changes in the afternoon and turns towards the land, resulting in Moses being shrouded in a slippery salty residue. However, today I checked the forecast and despite high tide coinciding with our arrival time along with a 3m swell the wind was due to remain offshore. While it looks gloomy in the image below the sun was out and for most of our time here we were kept warm:
You may have noticed in the first image Howsie and Steve putting something on their shoes. One of the positives about not having parked at the top of the crag was that we then had to walk in along the beach. That then allowed the two of them to test out Steve’s invention of the beach shoe, a bit like a snow show and intended to make walking on the soft sand that bit easier. I’m pleased to say they both found them comfortable, easy to use and effective:
Once we hit the rocks and then the top of the crag the sand shoes came off. The wind was light and offshore and better still the rock was looking dry. We bypassed the main area, where we usually go, and headed along to Rumpole’s Rocks at the far southern end. As we passed the Zawn we did have a quick look in as it is such a great and atmospheric place to climb. We only gave it a cursory glance, as the high tide and medium swell resulted in the bottom being constantly awash with white water:
Rumpole’s Rocks starts at the waterline, which may seem like a ludicrous choice of crag on such a day. However, there are two good reasons we chose this place. Firstly, Howsie had never been here plus Steve (the gate crasher of this trip) had only ever been here once and on that occasion only did one climb. Secondly, while it seemed like wild ocean conditions the base of the crag is protected by a large rocky ridge. So while the spray of the waves do occasionally crash over this ridge, the crag itself is protected from the full impact of the rolling waves:
The old guidebook from the 90’s had indicated this was a 25m crag and when I read about it on arrival in WA some 13 years back that I was pretty excited. It’s only really 15m tops and that may be a bit generous. In addition it could be regarded as a bit broken and some lines a bit scrambly. What the place lacks in height and consistency it however more than makes up for in quality of rock, position and atmosphere. Having lead every climb here (several times) and needing to be sensible with my shoulder that is mending nicely I allowed the boys to lead away while I was on photo duty:
Howsie kicked things off and cruised up Finger Licking looking like a pro. Unlike the rock we had seen on the way in and due to being so close to the ocean the rock was a little damp, but not ridiculously so. The awesome friction this fine grained granite crag offers was not affected and the lines felt in surprisingly good condition. The calm rock pool below Howsie in this image belies the true setting, and the whole time here all we could hear was pounding waves, smashing into the rocky ridge protecting the belayer:
Steve was a tad nervous after seconding up the first route, so he picked the easiest line on the crag. This image really shows why this part of Moses is in such a wicked position. The waves roll into the bay the south and the rock ridge provides just enough protection. The wet and dry boulders behind the boys show just how close the waves get and maybe one day we’ll have a huge wave swamp us here. On this trip they were OK but while running round to get the good angles I did get hit by a couple of waves:
While Steve had started up Hot and Spicy, he soon lost any nervousness he had at the base and halfway up, where there is a choice of two lines, he chose Yogurt. I personally reckon this is one of the primo lines here, and not because Wiggins and I put it up. The side pull flakes offer great gear and solids moves, while in a great exposed position. Steve loved it and looked solid and strong:
Now some may know Steve recently said he wouldn’t be climbing for some time due to wrist issues. He’s been working on them and today was keen to get out not only to test his sand shoes but also his personally modified splint. One of the issues he has is with the thumb movements and so to keep his thumb in the optimal position he modified the inner part of this splint to create a cast. Just like his sand shoes it worked a treat and there was no discomfort and it didn’t look like it was holding him back:
Howsie then picked Chillies and Garlic and made short work of the line. I have seen it baffle a few people, but not Howsie. We only had limited time at the crag today and they were a bit surprised when I told them that we only had an hour left , which may have also contributed to his sped ascent of the line. Steve belayed cool as a cucumber as the waves continued to smash the rocky ridge, with a couple of them breaking over in spectacular style:
Just to even things up Steve hit Jugs Galore. It took him a couple of starts to figure out the lower crux, and once past that he motored up even neglecting to place gear in the upper section. There was a bit of contemplation as to whether another route could be squeezed in but that was short lived and we were soon walking back out, this time without the sand shoes. Once again Moses provide us with a great session, and better still there are plenty of good lines at Rumpole’s rocks to bring the boys back for another session:
Late last night I got a text from Craig asking if I was out climbing this weekend, seeing he had just missed out on the trip to Moses we went for a family trip to Castle Rock on Sunday. I allowed Craig the first two leads up the relatively easy cracks on the north face, seeing it was a another short trip we decided on easy lines just for fun. Then I showed him a line that I had been eyeing up for a few years, which had no recorded ascents. Despite me offering it to him he instead persuaded me to jump on lead and now we have another route at Castle Rock call Smear to Glory:
Howsie, Craig and I spent way too long pondering what to do… our hearts had been set on the long slabs of the Porongurup’s. For three weeks it had been looking great as the 28 day rain forecast had been indicating our chosen weekend was going to be perfect. Then once the 7 day forecast kicked in it changed to a 80-90% chance of rain with thunderstorms. It would have been way too hard to change weekends, due to needing to negotiate that with three families. So we came up with plan A, B, C, D and possibly E as to what to do and revisited that each day as the forecast for each possible location kept shifting. This carried on right up till the day we were due to head off, and despite the many words and pontifications we decided to stick to our original plan:
The rationale we used was that it was the closer of the destinations we were considering; it meant we could take Craig’s bus for a bit of glamping as opposed to camping, which with uncertain weather was worthwhile; we wanted long routes but nothing too hard due to repairing aliments and long absences from climbing; it was new territory for both Craig and Howsie and while I had climbed here once before a new online mini-guide had just that week been released for the area and it looked fun. So after five hours on the road we rolled up to the small unofficial parking area, which is conveniently located at the base of the walk-in to the crag:
As the images above indicate the drive down was mostly in glorious sun, just as the forecast had predicated. The question was at what time the storm would hit during the next day, the forecast was for it to start raining by mid-morning. After having checked the area out in the last rays of day light we pack our bags ready for an early start, had an early dinner and hit the sack. I set the alarm for 5:30, reckoning that would give us enough time to be up and fed before walking in at first light:
The timing was perfect and we were trudging up the rocky slabs and bashing through patches of bush, while the morning light was hitting the mighty Gibraltar Rock. I’ve done one great 200m route on this massive monolith, which was our original destination some four weeks back. However, with long runouts and the reduced opportunity for retreat should the rain come in we decided to go for the neighbouring and recently developed smaller crags of Angwin Peak:
The routes on Angwin Peak were still up to 60m, so a good length and longer than any of our local crags. There were even a few 40m single pitch lines allowing us to get completely absorbed into leading. The climbing like much of Gibraltar was slab climbing, so easier on the arms (just what we wanted) if you know how to use your feet. Better still the lines having been recently equipped were better protected than most of the routes on the big brother next door. The one route I climbed on Gibraltar was reputed to be, at the time, one of the best protected routes and had +10m runouts. That said more routes have since been developed and are better:
Howsie started the proceedings with a beautiful clear sky stretching out west, which is where the rain was due to come from. While the sun was warming the wind was very fresh and so we were rugged up. I took my twin ropes, which hadn’t seen the light of day for quite some time. They were useful having three of us and also made it easier getting off, as we could do a single abseil. In hindsight we should have taken another rope to leave set up as a rap line, but we were not in any great rush so that wasn’t a biggie:
Craig led the second line. He was a little apprehensive as he hadn’t been out climbing for some time and it had been even longer since he had led anything. We all agreed that this second long 40m pitch, which he bagged, was the stellar standout pitch of the day. Beautifully sustained and interesting all the way. It was great having three of us as I could run round to pick off the best angles for photos of which I took way too many and it was hard to culled them down to a sensible number for this email:
I took to the floppy end next and you’ll be happy to know that I handed the camera duties over, rather than take it up with me. The first three routes inched their way up in grade, so I was a tad nervous to start with. No need really, as I should realise by now I need a few climbs to warm up, plus you get into a different mindset on lead. So as clouds started to appear from the west we bagged another fun long pitch, which was only a little disappointing in that the difficulties were short lived:
We took our time at the top of each climb, taking in the views and kicking back rather than rushing up and down. Usually when there is wet weather in this area the high peaks of both the Porongurup’s and Stirling’s would attract and be clad in cloud. However, across the broad valley the Stirling Ranges, our proposed destination for the second day, could also be seen bathed in sun. The wind was whistling overhead and the clouds were moving quickly across the sky, but luckily for us as the morning wore on the winds shifted from westerly to north westerly. In my mind I was picturing the low pressure system that was due to come in from the south west, and was quietly hopeful the changing wind direction would keep any rain south of us:
It seemed that my quiet hopes were being answered as each time we climbed up and rapped back down the clouds looking west were breaking up before they got too close. Despite the sun getting higher in the sky we still remained fully rugged up as the speed was picking up. This made for exciting leading as strong gusts would occasionally make it feel like we were going to be blown off the rock. It’s not really a very pleasant thought to be falling on this rock, being recently developed is still possess a coarse and sharp texture that would have acted like a cheese grater during rapid uncontrolled descents:
Craig started proceedings on the first of the two pitch 60m routes. His pitch was the same grade as his first lead and in a magnificent position close to an impressive arête. He took his time and being so close to the edge it looked and indeed felt pretty exposed. That with the added excitement of a strong gusty wind meant he took his time. He slowly inched his way up and only seemed to lose his cool once, when he dropped a bolt plate. Yes this place, despite being recently equipped, had been fitted with those quirky Australian carrot bolts:
Howsie came up third. We worked out the order and method of transition, as the hanging belays didn’t offer the best positions to muck about with gear and rope work, especially with three of us. Good rope work was essential, so as Howsie joined us he could grab the second rope and lead with twins as well as grab any gear that we may have spare for his lead. This image shows what a good number of the holds were like, more like friction holds than edges. Nothing less than we expected on a good slab, and it has to be said these were very good:
The rationale for Howsie coming up last was that we decided he should take the hardest line of the day, at grade 18 (approx. E1 5b / 6a+). He didn’t look so confident as the pitch Craig had just led, at three grades less, had been a tough cookie. Both Howsie and I took our hats off to Craig for a brilliant lead, it seemed that unwittingly he had bagged probably the best too pitches of the day and the second was possibly also one of the hardest technically. The route descriptions and grading in the guide seemed a little suss at times, but they were all within our capability so that didn’t put us off:
Another great attraction of this location on a day that could bring rain is this big comfy cave. The perfect place to retreat from either rain or sun, on a hot day. With the threat of raining slipping away we decided we could relax even more. if that was possible. So we took time out to have a spot of lunch. Craig has a tradition of taking a flask of tea along whenever we go climbing, a tradition I am very keen of. So good food was washed down with a very welcome cuppa, as we pondered the next route:
I liked the look of the first pitch and so bagged it, the start was up a corner/crack followed by yep you’ve guessed it more slabs! It was a fine contrasting pitch and also had a couple of sections that almost made it to vertical, so provided some varied climbing that stood out from the other lines we did. Howsie came up second, meaning that Craig was due to lead the second pitch. As we three were at the belay he racked and roped up but hesitated before declaring he wasn’t up for it. His, lack of, climbing stamina was finally start to take its toll so he happily let the eager Howsie take it on:
What I hadn’t realised about this climb, and this comes down to not reading the guide properly, was that the first bolt on this line was at the top of the corner/crack approximately 8m up. The guide stated that a selection of large wires were needed, which seemed strange as out of the twelve pitches on the big slabs, not one other required natural gear. There were some scrappy looking trad lines on a much shorter wall up to the left, but it still seemed a bit weird. Craig just laughed, while packing the night before he was going to take a set of wires up and I suggested not to bother. So with memories of watching a classic TV series called Lakeland Rock when I first started climbing I set about following in the footsteps of those early pioneers and used rocks for chocks to secure slings:
Back on the ground Craig regained his mojo and took another lead; we did a bit of encouraging and nudging to help him reach this decision. The choice was helped by the fact it was the lowest grade pitch of the day. Halfway up he groaned and whimpered, declaring he knew “this would happen” as he faced an unnecessary and dangerously long runout. That was until he realised he had missed a bolt, which we could clearly see from the ground, and was right in front of his face. A sure sign he really was getting tired but it didn’t stop him and he clipped the bolt and finished the pitch off. He was rewarded with a big comfy belay ledge, very uncharacteristic of the others we had used:
I took the last pitch, which more by luck than judgement evened up the leads for the day. A bit different again with a traverse on steep territory, which stumped all three of us for a while. As I belayed the other two up the clouds were finally coming in with the threat of rain. Not from the south but north west, so we knew with the wind directions that there was no way it would pass us by. So despite there being one more route that looked great fun, we decided it was time to call it a day and head back to the bus:
Unlike the big exhausting bush bash I’d previously done to reach Gibraltar Rock this walk-in was a mere fifteen minutes and the bush sections were short lived and nowhere near as overgrown or difficult to read. We managed to get back down to the bus without a drop of rain falling on us, which we were kind of pleased about as the steep rocky/slabby decent would have become pretty hairy if the rain had come in. Half an hour after reaching the bus all light was gone from the sky… we had certainly made the most of a great day:
As the darkness fell so also did the first drops of rain. We had a cuppa as we watched the rain slowly get heavier, and agreed that we would still head to the Stirling Ranges. If it was too wet to climb in the morning, then the place would offer great walks. We drove northwards in the big bus, as the sky lit up like daylight and then darkened back to night time due to an amazing lighting storm. Despite this image being a tad blurry I couldn’t resist including it as I managed to capture an image of this horizontal strike, one of the many lighting strikes we were lucky to see:
The road into the Stirling’s was rough as guts and at times we were stuck in second gear for ages. Everything in the bus rattled as we made our way slowly to the base of our proposed climbing spot. Hats off to Craig, as due to needing a light truck licence neither Howsie or I could legally take the wheel. That said on these roads I’d he rather than one of us broke his bus. We finally reached the parking bay, where we cooked up a big well deserved feed in. When we hit the sack we lay there listening to the rain pound the roof:
The next morning the wind had grown stronger and it seemed it had blown away the rain. I had again set the alarm for 5:30, but I was up and keen earlier so made enough noise to get the others moving. Despite the earlier rising we somehow managed to take more time to get ready to walk in, Howsie and I had been here before and knew that the walk up to Talyuberlup was steep and tiring. Unlike yesterday we had to drag trad gear up with us so the packs were a bit heavier. At least we could split it between the three of us:
The walk starts up a gentle slope through tall (for the Stirling’s) trees but quickly changes and becomes a slippery scramble up the steepening hill until you arrive at the base of the cliff face that can be seen in the top image. With all the rain we were expecting to get there soaked and also half expected the steep sections to be a tad dodgy. Amazingly we didn’t get wet and never stumbled, the only reason we could fathom being the wind had dried everything up:
As we made our way up we got to see the Stirling’s wake up and marvelled at the lenticular cloud formations that capped one of the best peaks to hike up, Mount Toolbrunup. It wasn’t quite a sunny today, and while clouds abound what worried us most was the wind. It was pushing in from the north and we were going to climb on the northern faces. I’d played is down saying the climbs I had in mind would be protected, but there was a niggling doubt in my mind:
At the base of the routes I had in mind, two absolute Stirling classics established in the early 70s, there was a bit of discussion about who would lead. I was all up for the first lead but in the conditions we were not convinced that we would get two lines in so I didn’t want to bag the only lead, plus I’d done both routes before. That is my interpretation of the discussion, but Howsie seemed to think we ‘encouraged’ him to take the lead as the conditions were less than ideal:
I resumed mountain goat duties and scrambled to get a variety of angles of this mighty rope stretching line. It was hard to tell how he was going, usually he climbs at a good steady rate, but this time he seemed to be double checking everything and taking much more time than usual. I liked to think he was just enjoying the line, but as it transpired he kept rethinking his gear to make sure he had enough for the rope stretching 50m route:
Manicure provides a very clean direct line up this very impressive feature. We had decided to take the twin ropes, but at 50m we were not entirely sure they would be long enough to allow the leader to top out. I had a vague recollection that the last time I was here we used 50m ropes and it had worked okay. Luckily that was the case and eventually Howsie topped out and set himself up on the ledge underneath the big capping roof:
As Howsie was climbing Craig and I were very conscious that dark clouds were looming over the peaks just to the north and, every once in a while we could see wisps of clouds cross over the face above us. Craig was getting a little nervous that we may get dumped on, so started to talk his way out of going up to save time. We agreed that the conditions meant we were not likely to do the second route, and so I used this to encourage him to go for it and he was stoked he did:
Finally it was my turn. I had to warm my body up, as it felt stiff and achy. The rock was in great condition and the route was every bit the classic I remembered it to be. Wicked positions and exposure, and for the most great rock and certainly ample gear. I was however quietly pleased I didn’t lead it, while it was tucked into a corner the wind was certainly biting and the last steepening section seemed to cop the full brunt of the wind:
Howsie had not been brave enough to belay from the very narrow ledge at the top of the corner while Craig climbed, due to the wind. However, when I came up he shifted position so he could get the birds eye view down the crag. When I got to the top, not surprisingly, he was grinning from ear to ear. When we scrambled to the top of the peak we realised that the climb had been somewhat protected, as the wind almost blew us off our feet. The second climb being on an open face would have been even more exposed, so there was no chance any of us were keen to lead that today:
Once we got to a larger platform of the peak and felt like we couldn’t so easily get blow off it was time for a quick photo. The dark clouds that had engulfed the peaks to the north obscured the vista we had when we first arrived. Despite the wisps of clouds still occasionally coming across the peak we stood on, there seemed to be no sign of the bigger cloud banks coming our way as we scrambled back down to the base of the cliff:
We found a protected cave and sorted through the gear, while sipping a hot cuppa courtesy of Craig’s ever trusty flask. Well… Craig and I sorted the gear while Howsie took a well-deserved seat to rest and reflect on the great line. The walk down seemed quick and easy, and soon we were back at the bus where of course the kettle went on and the food came out. Then before the journey out we put the kettle on again, and finally hit the heavily corrugated road that provided a slow but scenic drive through the eastern half of the ranges:
Once we hit tarmac we realised just how noisy the dirt road had been, and as we drove along in what felt like silence ahead we could see darkness. Sure enough when we got to Cranbrook which is the closest town to the Stirling’s the heavens opened up. The rain poured down on and off most of the way home for another three to four hours, with debris strewn across many of the roads. The adventures were not quite over, as on one of the longest and quietest stretches of road with no phone coverage the fan belt partly shredded. Being a mechanic Craig was prepared for such events and soon got us going again:
It had been an awesome trip and made all the better by the unpredictability of the weather that had worked out very much in our favour. Then as I drove the last leg of my journey back into Peppy Beach a double rainbow appeared in the sky, telling me what I already knew and that was where my pot of gold is… it felt great to be home with my girls:
Yesterday I found myself back at Castle Rock, and while I was there to climb I also took a quick dip. There were more people fishing this time so I was a bit limited in where I could snorkel plus the water was not as beautifully clear as the previous week, but… I came across a Small Toothed Flounder and had to share the images with you:
This fella was very cool to watch and very strange to look at. His whole face looked contorted and mashed up with a vertical mouth and an eye, seemingly, located above and below the mouth. The colours looked striking as it swam over the weed, but once settled on the sand was amazingly well camouflaged. While I of course saw more than this guy it was the best find:
Then today seeing it was calm all day I decided to try my local beach in the late afternoon… only to be greeted with murkiness and weed flying through the water. It was not very inviting but I stayed out just in case there was something to see:
Of course if you look hard enough there is always something, and in this case I’m not sure what I found but it was very cool. Covered in tiny stubby tentacles with pale tips and looking similar to an anemone, but not having a body into which to suck the tentacles back in, this golf ball sized dome was tucked away in a crevice:
There was not a huge amount more to see but I did come across, as I usually do, a sea star or two. So I’ll leave you with this one, as I liked the contrast of the bright red against the funky bubbly green plants:
I’m already getting excited for the next snorkelling season.
Steve had organised to go for a fish with Alan this morning, but Will was not too keen when she heard about the dawn start. Steve explained to me it was the best time to catch those elusive fish, and sure enough a good number of people were already there when we arrived. Justin and I had joined Steve with an aim to make it for first light, it was close:
Steve set himself up on a rock and practised being a garden gnome, while I gave Justin a quick tour of the area pointing out the lines that are and are not mentioned in the guide. While it may seem that I have only just recently sent images from Castle Rock, it felt worthy to do so again as this time there are a few new angles:
The two of us polished off three easy lines on the west face. Well Justin did as he led them all, as he was keen to get more practise with trad climbing. I was on strict belay and seconding duty so I could be ‘sensible’. Steve meanwhile had been given a more suitable rod, bait and lures by some friendly fisher-folk and having resumed his garden gnome position promptly watched them reel in plenty of skippys while he caught nothing:
Hence he decided to give the fishing a rest and come and play on the rock. So we sent Justin up one of the longer lines and he again ate his way up the route placing bomber (as confirmed by Steve) gear. Having three of us climbing allowed me to run round like a mad chook scoping the best angles. From atop his throne Justin was lucky to see, for his second time, dolphins and this time they even put on a bit of a display jumping out of the water:
Steve was keen to jump on Lou’s favourite line, doing so in style and of course using only tri-cams. We followed this with Justin having his first bash with the Australian own brand carrots. I was about to send him up the line, when he looked in a puzzled at the little plates as if to say what the hell are these for. I’m pleased to say he didn’t drop them and better still crimped his way up the line:
As we were climbing Steve heard the familiar call of here they come… the salmon (all eight of them) where ‘running past’. So he dashed for his purchase, but was once again unsuccessful in catching a feed. Like a yoyo he was back with us and followed up the slab just as Will and Alan rocked up. Now at this point I was contemplating going for a bit lead on minty freshness, but was very happy when Steve decided to take the lead off me:
We all three had a fine old time on this steep, slopey line and then being all fired up Steve wanted to up the ante. So while the two of them did that and Alan and Will fished I jumped in the water for a snorkel. I’m told a school of salmon literally ran circles round me several times, but I didn’t see them and no one managed to catch any of them. I was however very chuffed to see a heap of other scaly creatures including this (in UK language) Place:
I popped my head up once in a while and saw that Steve was making quick work of his chosen line, for which he successful used his fishing rod to rod-hook the first bolt to make it a bit more sane. As I got out the guy on the far right of this image hooked a salmon (finally someone did), but it managed to get away before he pulled it in. I then followed Steve, while Justin swam with the fish after which we all agreed it was time to wrap things up. But not until Steve had just one (unsuccessful) last cast:
Eventually we headed off after another brilliant morning out in one of our many local playgrounds, leaving Alan and Will to fish. As we rolled back into the Capel pub carpark Steve got a message with an image of Will proudly showing-off a salmon they had just caught.
The intention was not to climb this weekend but Lou wanted to put some gear in to test her headspace. It’s been a long time since her fall and while she has got out once in a while, it has not been regular enough to truly get her back on the horse. So late yesterday afternoon, with a crew of young an old, we headed to Castle Rock for a variety of different pursuits:
I started my fun with a snorkel. I have been getting out heaps at my local beach but have not often strayed to foreign waters. This place I knew would be great, and unlike my home beach the water here was crystal clear. I have a stack of images but have only included this one of a Yellow Horned Blenny guarding his home made from an old barnacle, and just below him is what I thought was a Goby but might be a Threefin:
After my swim with the fish I got out to find Lou half way up a lead. Nana on camera duty and Craig and his boys were watching from above to see how she was doing. We opted for Castle Rock due to the short easy lines on this face plus the fishing, as the salmon are running and that meant Geoff and Craig kept an eye on the water:
I however managed to convince Geoff that seeing he was here he may as well have a climb. So I led one of the short but fun lines next to Lou. He too hasn’t been out for a while so was not keen to go on the floppy end, but thoroughly enjoyed the second:
There were also those in the group who were not keen to snorkel, climb or fish. They loafed about on the rock, soaking up the heat while the sun was out and high enough to offer some warmth:
Craig didn’t spy any salmon but was keen to throw a line in anyway. So he wandered round to the better spot with a nice rock ledge from which he and his boys could feed the fish. Only Charlie was successful catching anything and hooked a Zebra Fish, which was one to put back in. Despite there being a stack of fish out there, as I had seen them earlier, they didn’t get a feed today:
Lou was kinda happy to have had one lead and wanted to throw Denis on lead, but he has yet to try a full trad lead so was a bit hesitant. Instead we steered him towards a very cool and very aesthetically appealing (for the people with cameras) bolted line:
While Denis was upping the ante, Geoff and I played on another fun easy line. We made short work of it as we (read into that I) was keen to get back down and see how Denis was faring. It seemed that Denis scaling this fine face had attracted the attention of others too, including some walkers who had stopped on the path:
In addition a couple steered their tinny in our direction and anchored not far away, so there were all eyes on Denis taking on the mega face. He certainly gave it a good go but just couldn’t commit to the face. It did however allow for some specky photos. We all offered him good advice, which included a fair bit of niggling just for good measure:
As the image above shows the clouds were coming in and Denis finally gave up as the rain started to fall. By the time we were packed up it had set in and everyone scarpered for their cars. I helped Craig with the boys and the fishing gear and we were last to arrive at the previously heaving, but now empty, carpark pretty damp and cold:
A few of us decided that it was then time for a bit of nosh. So we headed into Dunsborough for a feed. This is something I would normally not be a part of but Lisa was keen so we went along. I’m glad we did and the food was awesome:
It was a bit of a bumbly late afternoon session but came with buckets full of fun.
The sun was shining again last weekend so I did risk another snorkel and while it’s wasn’t all that clear just putting my head under water and checking out what I might find was refreshing. I came across a few more gems that are worth sharing, such as this image of the creature that lives inside razor shells. I managed to sneak up and snap a good shot before it sensed my presence and snapped shut:
The other cool find was this little Stingaree, and by itself was nothing amazing as I often see them. However, if you look more closely you will notice that there is also a Sand Flathead, which followed the Stingaree around. I wonder if it may be the same Stingaree that I saw last time with a fish companion, maybe this one prefers fish as friends:
Yesterday I decided to risk another dip but I timed it wrong and the clouds came in as I was in the water and it rained. I stayed out and did see an octopus in the open, but with the poor visibility and cloudy weather I wasn’t able to get an image. I duck dived down to it, but it shot away at lightning speed and I was unable to find it again:
It cleared up a few hours later so I went back out. With the sun penetrating the water, when I went down, I was able to see some cool things. I found another razor shell, camouflaged with weed growing all up its sides. Bobbing about on the surface some three to four meters up it is hard to spy these, so sometimes it pays to just keep ducking diving up and down to see what you might come across:
I was also able to get this clear image of a Western Smooth Boxfish, I see them regularly but they do not often let me get this close. For a bulky and not very streamlined fish they can really motor when they want to get away. I’ve found from experience it is futile to try and keep up with them. The blue tinge on the fins looks stunning when they catch the light:
I’ve also been pulling together a decent collection of images of the many corals and sponges here. I reckon this is a Leaf Plate Coral but will be happily corrected, the pink sponge make the image for me. I’ve tried to get a good image of this coral for ages but seeing it is usually under ledges or in rock holes it is hard to get to and the light is often not that great:
Now for somewhere different. Yesterday afternoon a mob of us went to a place called Castle Rock, the intention was to climb. But I’ve snorkelled there a long time back and had memories of masses of fish, so I brought both my underwater and rock gear with me. I was very pleased I did as the water was crystal clear. There is no reef to be seen and the rocky coastline gives way (underwater) to a sandy bay, this means there is no weed and less particles to be stirred up:
At my beach the bommies are limestone with lots of, crack, pockets and caves but these are made from smooth granite boulders. These large barnacles don’t have an issue with sticking to the smooth surfaces and when they die off the shells make the perfect home for other creatures. I’ll take a stab in the dark and say this is a Coral Shell, but what really caught my eye was the Blenny living inside the barnacle:
The two prominent antenna give Blenny away, and my guess is this is the one below is Yellow Horned Blenny. I’m not that sure about the one above but it may be the same. I’ve only seen these guys once before. Years back I found one in a large Turban Shell back at my usual beach. I happened to have picked up the shell and he popped out and darted away. So I was stoked to find not just one but a few of these guys here:
You may also see in the image above there is what I thought at the time to be a Goby, at the base of the barnacle. Having checked my books this may have been a Threefin. Both of these fish use their lower fins to hold onto the rock, like claws. They seem to jump about rather than swim as they hold onto the rock to avoid being swept off. I’ve included the image below to give you an idea of scale:
There were stacks of other fish about, such as these Zebra Fish. I spent a lot of time hovering above them just watching and while I did take a fair few images most are of solitary fish so I could try and identify them. I lost count of how many other fish I saw and was pleased that my memory of this place held true. It is so very different to my local beach, so I’ll have to get here again soon before it gets too cold:
There were many big shoals of fish, and out above the sandy bay were thousands of bait fish. It’s easy to see why this place is a favourite for people fishing. So one more image from Castle Rock of a shoal of small but very pretty fish. These seemed to change colour, as they swam past. A great way to leave these waters, as I made my way back to the others who were climbing, fishing and/or just chilling on the rocks:
Now for something completely different, it tipped down on us late yesterday and as I drove Elseya to work this morning the early sunlight on the cobwebs along this fence line caught my eye. Covered in water droplets it looked amazing, so I stopped on the way back to take a few images. For those who don’t like spiders I suggest you skip the image after this one:
There are hundreds of Golden Orb spiders on this fence. Both webs and spiders were covered in water making for some very specky watery images, which is the loose connection that I used to sneak these images in. So after this slight change of topic the image after this one will be back to snorkelling:
Today back at Peppy Beach Geoff joined me for my morning snorkel. After such a great three sessions yesterday I thought it would be worth another go today. We went to the River Mouth end, so not my usual spot. As we walked in we could see dolphins out there and also three young black swans. It looked relatively calm but it was hard to read whether the water would be clear or not:
Unfortunately it was not that great, but that didn’t stop us. We headed out probably further than I would have gone alone in these conditions. Partly as I knew there were some good bommies and reef out there so was keen to show Geoff them, as he hadn’t gone out to this section before:
While we didn’t see masses I did add a few new corals and sponges to my collection. Unfortunately I didn’t find any black nudibranchs, which was what I was hoping for. We bobbed about moving from bommie to bommie and going down to see what might surprise us. After half an hour we started to cool off and decided to head back to shore:
On the way back we came across a good sized stingray, the largest I have seen this season. So I followed it round for a while as it lazily wove around the rocks, and while I managed to get pretty close the light was not on my side to be able to get a good image. Finally I stopped and just watched it disappear into the soupy water:
Back onshore the three swans had also come out and where busily preening themselves. I’m still a little surprised when I see swans bobbing about on the ocean, as I associate them with fresh rather saltwater. That said these guys seemed very at home here so we left them to it and headed home for a well-deserved hot cuppa:
I’ll stop saying this will be the last snorkelling email of the season, as I seem to have proven myself wrong too many times…
This morning Justin and I wandered down to the Bookshelf where the plan was for him to have a crack at trad. It was a crisp clear morning and the moon was still bright in sky as we walked along the rocky shoreline:
Being his first use of trad I set him to work on placing a heap of gear, without any info. The deal was to place wires, hexes and cams, so I could then check out and talk about the pros and cons of the placements. It soon dawned that this trad malarkey was a bit more fiddly that it may first look:
As Justin was busy working some gear in the rock I sat and watched the moon and waves. The swell was clean and broke in great sprays on the rocky ledges. Better still, with a seaward breeze all morning the rock was in great condition. The Bookshelf is one of the few crags that you can sit with your feet dangling practically in the water. It may be a very short face but the scenery and location more than make up for it:
After checking the placements and giving a few pointers, it was time to get on the pointy end. The great thing about this place, is that unlike most others in the SW of WA the low grade climbs have heaps of gear, which make them great for a trad intro. The one rule of the day was to stitch each climb up:
As the first lead was being finished the morning sun was hitting the top of Willyabrup and I noticed through the morning a fair few people milling about on the top. Reckon it’d have been a busy day there but we had this little crag all to ourselves:
After a successful first lead and belay set up, I suggested Justin check the crag out (without the guidebook) and pick a line that he liked the look of. He seemed to be drawn to the far end where the wall was that bit higher and also a tad steeper. His eyes were fixed on One Too Many, which proved yet again to be aptly named:
While I did wonder about his choice, as I knew it was double the grade of the first lead, but again it had a heap of gear opportunities. So with a bit of encouragement to keep placing gear he made his way up and a couple of times rapidly back down this line. The gear was good and held when it needed too, and eventually he topped out:
Another great thing about the Bookshelf is that you get heaps of practice setting up belays, and as the morning wore on Justin was getting quicker at them. The only problem with that being that he would be up for the next lead, after all he did come down to learn trad and that can only be done by leading:
After taking a bit of a hiding on his chosen climb I picked the next few leads. Carefully selecting lines that were never too hard but for which the gear was a bit more fiddly to place due to the stances. He made short work of them and was clocking up some good leads, placing solid gear:
I eventually steered him to what I reckon is one of the best routes here. It was a bit more sustained but not as hard as his second lead. The climb probably felt harder as I kept ‘suggesting’ it was time to get another, and another, and another piece in. His arms were definitely starting to tire on this line:
So for one last climb I led a route and let him have a relaxed second, as the sun was swinging round to hit the main face. That meant it was time to call it a day and plod back up the hill to the carpark where, as suspected, there were a heap of cars and even more coming in as we drove out:
It would seem that Justin has been totally taken in with trad and is super keen to get back out and place more gear. My work for the day was done and another person has been converted!
Sandbagged 