The word according to Al....

Fresh from tickling some monkeys at the weekend we returned to the island to be overwhelmend all over again by the sheer volume of rock on the island.

Having finished bolting our first big route "Make it Snappy", we wondered where we would turn next. Before the monkey spotting trip Si and I had made an attempt to climb Make it Snappy for the first time, we only managed mild concussion and a bruised behind respectively owing to the unexpected elasticity of our new rope and a few embarassingly spectacular falls. Our excuse; dirty holds.....Having now worked out the sequence of moves on the final roof of the second pitch, we're now trying to find the holds on the third pitch, we estimate the grade at F7b thus far (depending on how well we are climbing on any given day and the amount of Milo drunk beforehand.

Next up, well either the rainbow couloured honeycomb wall with the biggest jugs on the island or one of the numerous hanging slabs, the elephant skin pockets on the single pitch face or that massive roof looming over our camp....spoilt for choice.

We have been threatened with a visit from some super strong climbers from Singapore so I think we need to get Make it Snappy climbed very soon.

Alan

Life is still a beach

We have now finished bolting our first big bastard of a route, 5 pitches, first pitch now almost clean, fun pocketed climbing on a steep slab. The second pitch, my nemesis it seems, is a long, sustained and absolutely brilliant pitch. I will grow the bollocks (and the biceps) to climb it eventually. 3rd pitch seems the technical crux but I like it, sustained technical but it doesn't really feel like I need to pull. Bring it on! 4th pitch, big jugs, big gaps, big runouts cha ching. 5th pitch....who knows! Hopefully by the end of next week we will be at the top.

Looking forward to getting some single pitch routes done now, we have to get into a rhythm and satisfy the bosses so to speak before we get on with our next big project. By god theres a few left!

Simon