1-25-08 Deep Water Soloing

I was looking forward to Deep Water Soloing (DWS) since I learned what it was. You climb extremely steep rock over extremely deep water. You fall, you're fine! No ropes, no hassles, you're only limited by two things. Your fear and your imagination. Wee's Climbing School was doing a trip the day after my birthday for 600 baht ($20) so we signed up. The tide was high at noon (ideal) and so there was no better time.

We woke up, grabbed breakfast, lounged for a bit, then headed to Wee's. We chose some shoes that had two criteria - smallest holes and best fit, from the supply they had to offer and we were off! We jumped into the longtail boats and headed out to the islands you can see off the coast out in the ocean. As we headed out, I found out that one of the younger kids on the boat was trying David Lama's route from the movie First Ascent, a beautiful line that has a crux around 20m off the water rated 8a+ (13c). Apparently he was consistently touching the final hold, only to whip off into the air for a long, long fall to the ocean below.

This was our first stop, and there were a few easier options for sissies like me. From the longtail, you take a kayak over to a stalagtite. You climb a rope ladder and then head off up the large stalagtite to a ledge above. From here there are a few traversing options, I took the harder one traversing along the lip of a massive roof for about 60' until it turns a corner. Most of the traverse is 30' off the water, but it trends downward, and I was rewarded with a stalagtite I could climb down onto to jump off. It was my first DWS, and it was awesome!

Nath went with me next time, and she attempted the traverse I had just completed. A large step across early in the traverse to a stalagtite stopped her, and she opted to jump off. I traversed a bit more, but having done it already I just chucked off myself. It was so fun!

I did one more easy problem and jumped off, while Nath stayed in the boat. While we were there, the kid pitched off the last moves of the 8a+ twice to take the roughly 60' fall to the water below. Inspiring to watch! Eventually we all jumped back in the boat and rounded the corner of the island we were at to find a spectacularly idyllic beach! We ate some lunch, Nath and I did some snorkeling and skin diving to see fish, a beautiful giant clam, and I even saw a little squid or nautilus (not sure which one). After that fun, we headed back to the cliffs. The cliff on the side of the beach offered unlimited traversing potential, which I took advantage of until I pumped out and pitched off a few times. I rounded a corner and joined some of the other participants at the areas main section.

There were many features to climb, and you could go almost anywhere you wanted. I followed some Brits up some easy features to about 35' and we came to a blank vertical face with a few pockets. The moves involved matching in a sloping pocket while smearing your wet shoes on less than ideal feet. A true challenge at that height! The first Brit made it, the 2nd fell, and I managed to follow successfully. My heart was racing and I jumped off shortly thereafter from the easier territory I was on. The Brit returned later to continue to about the 45' height where he continued traversing on good holds until he made a huge reach out to a stalagtite and dropped off.

I felt rather scared above 30', and I wanted to push my mental limits. I knew I couldn't really be hurt from 45', so I went for it. Nath took pictures from the boat and got some pretty good ones. I repeated the tough blank traverse and gained some larger horizontal shelfs that were easy climbing. From there, I had to move up and right on ever shrinking holds, until I was about 3-4' from the stalagtite. I hiked my feet way up, and made the huge reach. It was hard, but soon I was dangling from the bottom of the beautiful feature victorious. I looked down, steeled myself, and let go for the plunge into the ocean below. The whole thing took so long, that I was the last one on the rock, and I got back in the boat for the return trip feeling like I got exactly what I wanted. I was challenged mentally, but I succeeded and attained my goal!

Nath did a little bit more DWS before we left, but it just wasn't her thing. She prefers the soft catch of a rope to the splash of the ocean. I've run into someone who may be headed out again, and I look forward to trying this awesome aspect of rock climbing again in the future!