Sharing the Love

BLAXLAND – 19 October 2019
As Kenneth Grahame said in The Wind in the Willows “believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about” well,  it was “in a boat”, but just substitute on a rope!  As most of you know, I love canyoning and abseiling and hanging off a rope.

Years ago I used to work with new people on practising these skills, but eventually gave it up.  Now, I’m back in the saddle, mentoring people new to abseiling on how to upskill and canyon with enough knowledge that they can “rescue” themselves – after all, I can talk them through something but I sure as hell am too old to be dragging someone up a cliff.

We have a number of new members in MSS who want to go canyoning, so I thought I’d run a workshop to introduce some self-rescue skills, everything from bottom belaying, tying off, prusiking, leg wraps, crossing a knot, to trying out the VT prussik.  Here are some photos from the day!

Fabulous venue, lots of lovely rock around, opportunities to set up multiple pitches (Photo: Alan)

Matthew abseiling (photo: Kylie)

Rob and Penny prusiking (photo: Kylie)

Matthew and Kylie possibly passing a knot (photo: Alan)

Dane – tying off that’s a camera boom off to the left, Alan G was doing some filming for a promo video.

Alissa and Matthew checking something out.

Alissa giving the single 9mm rope a work out.

Kylie abseiling on a single rope.

The A-Team (top l-r) Penny, Kylie, Rob & Alan; (bottom l-r) Alissa, Dane, Marcia, Matthew and Johan.

It’s no fun if I don’t stuff up at least once – Alan caught me as I’m descending after passing the knot (demonstrating for everyone), what you don’t see is that I got the knot caught in a carabiner and rather than doing the “right” thing, the guys pushed me up high enough for me to unhook myself … should have put the prusiks back on! but it wouldn’t have been as much fun for everyone.

Thanks so much to my off-sider Johan who helped me keep an eye on everyone for the day, and thanks to you all for letting me share the love of abseiling with you, looking forward to seeing you all in a canyon this season!