Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
|
|
|
May 20, 2009 - 09:43am PT
|
I hear they might make an honest man out of me
Good to sea.
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 4, 2009 - 04:16pm PT
|
The distant figure of a man on the rocks over the water attracted notice. He would take a few steps and then pause as though unsure what to do next.
A woman's faint voice floated over the water to him.
The man's attention was elsewhere. The voice entered his ears but sat in his brain a few seconds before it was understood.
"Are you scared?"
The man considered the question and gave the right answer: "Yes."
He wasn't scared of his photographic subject:
He was a little scared of the subject of the last few minutes:
He was mostly scared of the spiders.
Those and the crazy world that fractures one's mind into easily conquered divisions.
But the line between climbing and swimming is simple, friendly, and familiar.
|
|
duncan
Trad climber
London, UK
|
|
|
Aug 16, 2009 - 04:04am PT
|
My “Hail Mary” for contributing to a political thread.
Shining sea, slight return...trip to the north Cornish and Devon coast.
Port Quin. Chocolate box cuteness.
Approach to Doyden Castle, "Built about 1830 by local bon-viveur Samuel Symons to entertain friends to nights of feasting, drinking and gambling." You can now rent it for short breaks (feasting, drinking and gambling not compulsory, as far as I’m aware).
Doyden Point climbing, Mun on a pleasant VS (5.7).
After a day's sea-cliff climbing there is only one possible diner
The parish church of St Nectan, Stoke. “The cathedral of north Devon”.
Approaching Lower Sharpnose Point. The British Government is listening but the cows don't seem too bothered. This site does not appear on any official UK maps, a ludicrous charade that continues despite it showing beautifully on Google...
The crags in this area are made of Culm, a soft sedimentary rock that forms striking cliff architecture. Some of the crags are tottering death choss (which doesn't stop people climbing them of course) but Lower Sharpnose is as solid as Culm gets. The cliff is formed of three disconcertingly slender vertical fins of harder rock that have resisted erosion … so far. A unique feature that also has very fine climbing in the 5.8-5.12 range.
Andy on 'Last Laugh' E2 (about 5.10).
Fi on 'Last Laugh' E2.
Andy on 'Pacemaker' E5 (about 5.12a).
This coast has a large tidal range (picture taken from a similar point to that of Andy on Last Laugh).
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 17, 2009 - 03:53pm PT
|
Thanks, duncan.
Sites that do not appear on maps are appropriate for this thread.
|
|
Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
|
|
|
Aug 23, 2009 - 07:19pm PT
|
At least 2 people are missing, and others injured (including broken bones) after a wave
spawned by Hurricane Bill broke over a crowd watching the show at Thunder Hole (a natural
feature that amplifies waves) in Acadia National Park today. Most NE climbers know the
place, I think.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aITyeVIi54.Q
|
|
Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2009 - 04:38pm PT
|
Two friends of mine - we'll call them Dave and Dave - were the first to discover the seaside traverse featured in this thread, in the later 1970s. It is in a municipal park in a wealthy suburb, so access is a concern - parking is quite limited, which helps a lot. D & D saw the cliff from nearby, swam over, and after some effort figured out the line, which is perhaps 100 m long, from 1 to 5 m above the water at high tide. (Timing is, as they say, important.) Maybe easy 5.10. It took a long time for information about the traverse to trickle out, which was probably just as well.
For many years the three of us - we all started climbing at Squamish in 1973 or so - have gotten together on the Friday nearest midsummer's day to do the traverse, drink beer, and read poetry aloud. The last couple years we've missed out - this year one of the Ds was away, last year it rained and so we went hiking. So we went a few days ago. Here are the two Ds, en route. (We also picked up a bit of garbage.)
An early version of deep water soloing, not yet prettified as 'psicobloc'.
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2009 - 08:51pm PT
|
For many years the three of us - we all started climbing at Squamish in 1973 or so - have gotten together on the Friday nearest midsummer's day to do the traverse, drink beer, and read poetry aloud.
Do you swim across and does the above completely describe your ritual, or is a young lady offered in protection from your pagan gods?
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2009 - 08:53pm PT
|
And keep a lookout for Fast Eddie.
|
|
Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
|
|
|
Aug 29, 2009 - 11:15pm PT
|
And keep a lookout for Fast Eddie.
I'm having trouble visualizing Fast Eddie on the Lighthouse Park traverse. Where were you on 26 July? Or where was whoever took that picture?
|
|
Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
|
Aug 31, 2009 - 12:30am PT
|
I haven't seen Eddie, at least not the one depicted.
Dave N does nice invitations to the annual girdle traverse and poetry fest. If I can find one, I'll scan it.
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2009 - 08:30pm PT
|
Where were you on 26 July?
I was at the north end of the traverse. The picture below has some relevant details. Usually people cross low. A key large blocky chalked hold can be seen left of the kayakers. Or its shadow at any rate.
Once Guy Edwards and I had a try at returning by a higher line that occupies the upper part of the picture. We didn't do it that day, but I suspect he may have previously, but let me figure it out myself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE7HROM_SrE
The video is from a few years ago when the evening light was getting to the problem shown above. After the first session it was obvious that the indended audience, workmates, would be bored by the climbing stuff, and additional interest was needed. Going back a second evening I staged a fall, then realized additional takes should be had, but all 3 came out unexciting, really, because I dropped off instead of falling. The effort is redeemed only by the fortuitous appearance of the small boat and the guy asking, "Would you do it again, for us, please?"
And the Eddie referred to is the one who whisked up Pigeon Spire in the Bugaboos in 19 minutes.
|
|
richross
Trad climber
|
|
|
Oct 27, 2009 - 04:48pm PT
|
Casey Newman following A Dare by the Sea,1985 Maine.
Geoff Ohland down below.
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 27, 2009 - 10:16pm PT
|
Nice pics, Rich Ross!
to the Northwest:
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 22, 2009 - 12:13am PT
|
Through the forest primeval
Bearded in moss
for the tag end of aught 9
|
|
Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
|
|
|
Dec 22, 2009 - 12:30am PT
|
Andy, that third picture is cheating.
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 22, 2009 - 01:17am PT
|
Andy, that third picture is cheating.
You're allowed to do that at my age. Possibly even at yours.
|
|
bmacd
Social climber
British Columbia
|
|
|
Dec 22, 2009 - 04:00am PT
|
MH2 thanks for such a brilliant thread. This seaside crag of ours was were I discovered climbing for the very first time, 35 years ago. Nice to see those old familiar faces, both flesh and stone.
thank you for the effort put into sharing it here
|
|
richross
Trad climber
|
|
|
Dec 22, 2009 - 08:20pm PT
|
Climbing at the Precipice in 1985.
Mt Desert Island,Maine.
Geoff and Barb checking out a bike in Bar Harbor.
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2009 - 12:35am PT
|
This seaside crag of ours was were I discovered climbing for the very first time, 35 years ago.
Guess you mean LHP?
It's great to have your participation, Bruce.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!