I`m on Mallorca right now (around Porto
Cristo, Porto Collom San Millor, Santanyi). The island
that is know for beach, party and holiday. Climbers know it more for
deepwatersoloing. (climbing over
water and if you fail/fall you fall into the refreshing sea)
I always wanted to try that kind of climbing. Pretty
easy! Only shoes, chalk, pants and a partner. No rope, no crashpad,
no harness, no quickdraws, nothing that stops your flow... but kind
of fear and for sure new experience in dealing with height if you`re
not at the save end of a rope! Now I`m here with my car, camping
close to the cliffs if possible, sleeping with the sound of waves in
the background, drinking coffie in the moring at the cliffs, waking
up in the sun.
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| wake up |
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| first view |
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| every morning! |
Starting easy to get used to the DWS is possible in Cala Barques. Low cliffs, good landings, many people to watch how not to fall and a lot sun to dry after a try. The blue and well tempered water here is mostly calm even if there`s strong wind on the open sea. Compared to the water in the swiming pool it is really soft and even a fall on the head from 7 meters (yes, I landed on my head from 7 meters, fortunately my head isn`t an important part of my body) isn`t painful!
There are some climber who have problems with the
height and the water, that they can`t move without shaking like Elvis
just 2 or 3 meters over the water. Luckily I`m not that kind of
climber. (I had the felling that I can deal with that.)
Feels great. Just climbing, really pure, relaxing and
if you fall you have to enjoy it, get into the entry position for the
splashdown. No splits! No belly flops! Don`t
fall on your back! Don`t look
don`t! SPLASH!
Swim to the surface, breathe, floating a bit on the
back carried by the waves, while looking up to the point where it
went wrong, already thinking over a new solution for finally topping
out at the wall.
After that you swim back to a water exit, sitting in
the sun, drying your chalkbag and shoes, talking to other climbers
and after some rest you try it again.
That`s deepwatersoling in Cala Barques!
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| smash it in (crux) |
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| smash it in (crux) |
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| smash it in (crux) |
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| smash it in (crux) |
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| smash it in (crux) |
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| smash it in (crux) |
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| smash it in (crux) |
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| smash it in (crux) |
Other cliffs we`ve been to till now:
Cova del Diablo...
nice name! It is different at this cliff. Exposed to the open sea and
higher. 18 meters almost everywhere and not so much easy routes.
Climbing is steep and powerful. Falling can be bad and getting out of
the water is also a bit more demanding than in Cala Barques.
We went here on our 3 day of DWS. Standing at the top:
"I won`t jump don`t here!" Caine did it on his first day,
but I didn`t dare.... why should I? pretty shure I`ll fall down
somewhere from the top, so I don`t have to test it :-)
For almost every line you have to down climb first to
get to the start of some routes, a traverse to left or right brings
you to other routes. Swmming with a dry-bag is also an option to get
to the start, climb up one of 3 ropeladders to reach a rest point to
dry again. It`s more work to start climbing. After getting used to
the heights here I wanted to try a route which is kind of a
dreamroute for me: Loskot and two smoking
barrels.
The route starts in the middle of the slightly
overhanging wall (Lobster area). First part is easy (around 6b+/6c),
followed by a rest and after that 2 harder moves to bring you into
the position for a dyno. The dyno isn`t that hard, but the fact that
you have to jump 11 or 12 meters over the water and all 4 points cut
loose is pretty demanding for your mind. After that you can rest in
the dynoholds to get some powerback for the last hard moves at the
top.
shortfacts: The first 6 goes I always hit the dynohold
but my mind always screamd: "what the fuck? are you crazy? don`t
stick that holds!" The hold is good!
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| my mind hates me! |
here is a little video over the route (I`m not climbing):
Ryan smashing in "Loskot and Two Smoking barrels" 8a+, at Cova del Diablo, Mallorca from Gus Hudgins on Vimeo.
There are plenty of other cliffs for DWS I want to go
to (Porto Cristo Novo, Cala Sa Nau, Santanyi, Cala Lombards... ), but
the weather isn`t that good.
So the thats why I traveld
around a bit visiting nice, little villages at the quite sea... NOT!
No romance
here! Only party, beach and holiday. It`s like in a big
shopping mall, with music in a phantasialand! Every village or
city is the same. No spanish flair!
Even the shops are mainly custom-made for... visitiors
from germany, netherlands and the UK.
I`m felling really save here, because even the
hospitals, doctors and dentists are specialized on germans... we're
different!
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| german |
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| deutsch |
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| duits |
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| alemàn |
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| allemand |
Finding a quiet place is really hard, every street here
is used for touristic purpose or is private land that leads to a big
luxury villa close to the beach.
Furthermore it is really obvious that they have a
problem with the rubbish. Cans, plastic, sodabottles, couches,
televisions and so on can be found along the streets that are not
part of the tourist route. Trash everywhere and it seems like no one
cares. Since the time I arrived it`s just getting more. Only in the
cities they take care. In the morning, midday and evening they`re
busy with cleaning. I`m wondering if the tourist or the inhabitants
produce more, because even on the majority of private land (without a
villa) it is hardly to miss that they don`t take care of it.
So we hope for better weather to stay away from there
;)
We`ll check out some more rope climbing on the northern
part of the island. Many climbers say it is excellent climbing... and
many tourists (yes, there`re also tourists) told me (I`m a tourist
too) that the landscape and the surrounding should be fantastic.
Some things to write down:
- If someone falls on his
back from 16meters. It hurts, but if he isn`t hurt it is really
funny. Still dangerous! Never climb alone on a cliff (a boat to get
the person out or to help him not to drown is really helpfull!)
- If you`re to weak to climb
up again! Don`t go down! Otherwise some people have to save you!
- Jellyfishes hurt!
- Climbers who swim in the
water where jellyfishes swim, can swim pretty fast if they touch the
jellyfish!
- While climbing with pants on your butt stays white the whole trip
VAMOS!
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