WAHROONGA – 7 May 2022
The older I get the more I wonder “when should I stop?” I have a few friends that keep telling me that I should ramp back on the types of adventures I do – even my eldest son chimes in from time to time with “maybe you should look at the type of trips you are doing Mum”. Mind you, that’s usually after an accident or some other mishap. So, when to stop?
I’ve had friends that have stopped cold turkey. One friend just quit canyoning, no ramping down, just canyoning one day – then never again. My heart still wants to do those epic adventures, I still want to be invited on epic trips, but realistically, at the moment I’m just not up to it!
So, what does one do with all that extra time one might have without an epic adventure every weekend. I’ve been doing skill development co-ordination for MSS for about 3 years now. I don’t know enough to deliver the training myself, but I’ve got a knack for sourcing people who are exceptionally good at what they do. I’ve been held back a little by not enough time in my own diary to run as many skills development days as I’d like, but now I don’t have those constraints, so, here’s a little peak at what I’ll be co-ordinating!
This skills development day was all about SRT canyoning, rigging, plus releasing that rigging quickly to create a 3:1 or 5:1 haul, this was followed by rigging a guided abseil.
Of course, if someone is injured, it’s far more efficient with an SRT rig to lower the person down. But occasionally, let’s say if a person has caught his foot in a crevasse and can’t go further down the cliff, hauling him up, just a short distance might get that person out of a fix.
Seven keen canyoners turned up to acquire some additional skills from David M (photo Onni).
Stunning spot to have a training day, and what great weather!
David M – coffee cup in hand thanks to Kathy G and Bella who made a coffee and donuts run for morning tea.
Anna picking David’s brains (photo Onni).
Kavita rigging up a 3:1 haul (photo Onni)
Louise and Anna, sorting out a 3:1 hauling system to see if they are capable of hauling up Onni when the three of them are out in the wilderness by themselves.
Haul him up Lou and Anna – they’ve already hauled him up about 3m only 1 to go!
They’re looking pretty happy about the job!
For a little fun towards the end of the day David and Shiva rigged up a guided abseil – essential for those times you don’t want the whole group to abseil into a pool and get wet – the first person is the one that gets wet, the rest of the group are dry-as.
John G at the bottom of the guided abseil (photo Onni).
Six hours later, everyone’s pretty chuffed and David M’s had a big day.
Big thanks to everyone who came to do the practice, plus a huge thanks to David M, it was a great day, but one of the biggest take aways was that “we still need to practice this”, let’s do it again!
So, don’t write my epic adventures off yet – have joined the gym again and am determined to get my fitness back up to where it should be for an extreme senior adventurer! Watch this space!