Admitting Defeat (by Amy)
Okay, so Nolan has done a pretty decent job at describing the gem of a peninsula, now turned into a climbing mecca, known to most people as Railay. What we had planned to be a brief 5 day stay at in this beach-climbing-bum paradise turned into almost 2 weeks.
When we first arrived on the peninsula, we were a little discouraged by the climbing because all of the ‘easier’ routes – the same ones we wanted to warm up on to become reacquainted with the sport – were always full of beginner rock climbers taking lessons through King Climbers. When the classes would clear the cliffs at lunch time, we would hop onto the rock only to find it extremely polished* and not true to the grades** assigned to it in the King Climbers guide book. Crowded crags? Polished rock? Inaccurate beta***? How could this possibly be a world renowned climbing area?
Well, with a little bit more time to explore what Railay really had to offer to enthusiastic rock climbers, we discovered some great climbing areas that once found, had us hooked! We contacted Paul and invited him over to Railay, because we were going to be a bit longer than we planned.
After spending some time navigating the cliffs at Diamond Cave (one of the crags) and sharing the rock with a bunch of macaques who would skillfully flash**** the hard 5.11b route that we had been sweating, crying, and bleeding on for the last 3 days, we were hopeful to improve our skill by climbing every chance we had. With this mindset, it was very hard for me to accept the fact that I could not climb when I contracted some sort of GI-bug – GI as in: gastro intestinal. While at the Diamond Cave crag, I doubled over with an immense pain in my lower abdomen. The rest of my day was spent walking back and forth between the bed and the bathroom. I did not know exactly what was wrong with me, but one thing I knew for sure was that having the ‘bug’ was not as much fun as climbing.
At the onset of my fever, Nolan become more concerned over my physical state and advised me to take the medication that our doctor in Canada prescribed for Traveller’s Diarrhea. With nothing further that either of us could do to help my condition but let the medication work its way into my system, I lay in bed and watched numerous episodes of Band of Brothers as they played on the only English channel on our TV. As content and lively as I surely was, Nolan still decided to head out and find more entertaining prospects. Luckily, Paul had already made his way over to Railay and we had also befriended an English fellow named Lewis, so Nolan was not alone in his search for amusing comradery.
After 3 restless days, I was finally well enough to bounce back onto the rock! (Even though I had already tried climbing, however unsuccessfully, after only 1 day of being sick…perhaps I was jumping the gun just a little bit). With Lewis as our guide, Nolan and I were taken to a climbing area that required us to first ascend up into a giant cave through a series of ladders and next to navigate through the dark with our head-lamps, and finally rappel***** down to the base of the crag. How awesome is that!?! After a solid day of climbing, we gathered our gear and made our way back through the cave and down onto Pranang beach in time for low tide. When the tide went out, it left shallow pools of water filled with fat sea cucumbers, ragtag coral and feisty little crabs. Lewis, perhaps not feelings worthy of our strong Canadian presence, decided to grapple with one the tough crustaceans only to end up with it gripping firmly to his finger. I have to give Lewis credit, he did not flinch even for a second; not bad for an English bloke. Once the wrestling match had come to and end, we headed back along the beach as the sun set creating a picturesque scene behind us and the sea beckoned that we come and have a swim.
Pranang Cave beach was most certainly a spectacular little place. We could walk through the jungle next to the limestone cave system, stop and feed the monkeys, go for a dip in the South China Sea, and make our way along the beach and through the limestone bluffs only to end up at yet another climbing crag. The only bad memory I have in direct relation to climbing in the paradise Pranang had to offer, is the one climb that neither Nolan or I could complete. It was the only climb I have ever had to bale and the only climb I have ever ditched gear on. I was heartbroken.
From what we could gather from the inadequate guide book and from nearby climbers, the route that I climbed to the last bolt just before the anchor (end of the climb) at the end of the climb and baled on, was rated a 5.11d+ (that’s hard!). It was a slightly overhanging route that ripped out every ounce of energy we had bolt, by bolt. Working hard up the entire climb, the last bolt was perfectly placed just out of reach on an outcropping of smooth limestone. Finally building up the guts to make the move onto the outcropping 25 metres off the ground, I dipped each hand in my chalk******bag, nestled my left foot onto a small ledge just in front of me and reached over to my right only to grab onto a smooth bulbous piece of rock. It was slippery, but it was enough to get me over to the bolt, smack a quick-draw******* into it, and bring the rope through the other end. Fewf! I at least had some protection on this intimidating, polished, scarce rock. I looked up, and the anchor was about 4 metres above me. Sweating out most of my energy reserves on the move I just completed, I was not sure that I had enough jam to make it to the top. There was no way though, that I was not at least going to try.
By the time I had used up every bit of my strength, I had spent a good 20 minutes on the rock closest to the last bolt. I worked out the moves I thought might work to complete the climb, but by that time, 4 metres look awfully far and I was awfully scared. Not wanting to go any further but kicking myself for feeling that way, I aired on the side of safety and replaced my quick-draw with a screw-gate caribiner and had Nolan lower me to the ground. Once my feet were firmly set down to earth, I looked up at the piece of gear I had to abandon and my heart sunk deep into my stomach. Nolan, who had recently gained a bunch of courage from completing a number of lead climbs (including his first ever) and seriously dominating the rock, decided to give this heinous climb a go. Unfortunately, he only made it as far as I did.
It was an exhausting day for both of us, so we packed it in and headed back to the beach to grab some roasted corn from a beach vendor, and swim off our defeat in the nearby sea. Breathing in the salty air and becoming satiated with smoky corn, we both decided that we would just have to come back and try the climb again another day. Some time in the future perhaps when we are both better climbers, we will go back and we will finish what we started.
*polished – a term used to describe very smooth rock on a rock-climbing route. Polishing usually occurs when a route is climbed quite often and becomes slick making the climbing on that rock more difficult.
**grades – a climbing grade is given to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and the danger of the route. Climbing grades are inherently subjective as they are the opinion of one or few climbers who initially created the route or were the first to ascend it.
***beta – information about a route. Beta may be in the form of verbal or written advice on the techniques used (as found in a guide book with descriptions on routes and the rating of difficulty assigned to the route) or in watching another climber make the moves.
****flash – to complete a climbing route on the first try without falling or resting upon the rope.
*****rappel – the act of self belaying down the length of a rope to descend.
******chalk – a white drying agent used to keep a climber’s hands dry. Sometimes called “white courage”.
*******quick-draw – composed of 2 caribiners connected by a webbing (usually) or rope. Quick-draws are used to link elements of protection, or more commonly, to link the rope to a piece of protection such as a bolt.
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