Sea Cliff climbing is engaging, committing, intimidating and fantastic. They are one of the few remaining places in the UK where you can have an isolated adventure without tourists and cars, just you and nature. Sea cliffs are very capricious and from the moment you clip on to the abseil rope, you are committed to getting back out.
This post will provide a few key points to consider before you find yourself rappelling towards the ever-moving ocean.
What is the forcast?
This is the most important thing to do. Check the forecast, when are the high and low tides?
Is the belay ledge tidal? If you abseil in, can you get out before the tide comes? Maybe there is an option to walk to the start but is the escape path tidal? Can you get out the same way if you cannot climb out?
There is no such thing as over preparing when it comes to checking conditions and even if you know the proposed conditions, the ocean can have different ideas. On a visit to Carreg-y-Barcud, the ‘nontidal ledge’ was being battered by the ocean as the swell was enormous. That was not part of the plan. A few links to resources for information are found below
Being well informed of the expected conditions and the ability to identify when the weather is not doing what was forecast can keep you out of trouble. The RLNI and Coastguards do an exceptional job, but they will not be impressed rescuing you because you did not check the tide times.
How can you escape?
Knowing the escape options, the second most important consideration when climbing a sea cliff. This can be in the form of an abseil rope or climbing an easier route.
Buying a static abseil rope is advisable (and in some circumstances essential) which can be left dangling at the top of the cliff so if you find yourself in a tricky situation, you can ascend the rope. If you abseil the climbing rope as soon as it has been pulled down, you will be left with no escape option other than to climb out. Unless you can walking is an option.
Being able to ascend a rope is the best escape option in many circumstances but often it is not possible. For routes such as the famous A Dream of White Horses in Anglesey or Heart of Darkness in Pembrokeshire, you traverse away from the start of the route. Get a climbing guide out before you commit. Are there easy routes which you can use as an escape if required?
In February, when climbing Heart of Darkness, we planned to finish up the sensational New Morning E1 5b. Due to a slow start and an incorrect abseil we were running out light when the leader finished the first pitch. The options were climb New Morning in the remaining light and then the second attempts to climb a difficult crack in the dark or escape on the easier Diedre Sud HS 4b. It was an easy choice and I disappeared up the corner crack in the last of the daylight. A good mitigation to the risk of benightment is ALWAYS CARRY HEADTORCHES but I failed to abide by this rule.
Ascending a rope
Do you know how to ascend a rope? No? Learn.
There is a wide variety of ascenders available from Jumars to the prusiks. I use a Petzl Shunt as an ascender but being able to use it is important. There are countless resources available online but in reality, the option is to hire a guide and learn from an expert.
The fantastic last pitch of A Dream of White Horses has a sensationally exposed traverse. If the leader or second falls in this terrain, they will more than likely be hanging in space with no ability to climb back up to where they fell. Understanding how to get out of a situation like this or in the circumstance that you abseil into a route without your climbing ropes, yes, I did this, knowing how to ascend a rope is essential.
Ascending can be practiced at a local crag with an accessible top (i.e. an anchor point you can walk to). Build a bomber anchor and try to ascend small sections of rope. Good to do this with a friend so if you get in a pickle, you are not alone.
Where do you abseil in?
Getting the abseil right first time can be make or break when chasing a tidal cliff. Some cliffs have promontory positions which enable you to see the intended route. At times, rocks or stakes are marked indicating which route they are over. Some of the time you have no indicators other than guidebooks and descriptions on UKC.
Use everything available to locate the proposed abseil position. When rapping over the edge, have a good look around. Does it look how you expected? It is easier to escape from the top of the cliff than the bottom.
High faff, low climb ratio
Before you climb, you need to do the following:
- Find where to abseil
- Build an abseil anchor/prepare the available stake
- Abseil
- Find the start of the route
- Build an anchor
Now you have done 1 – 5, you are ready to climb. Climbing sea cliffs can be a huge amount of faff, sometimes the anchors are on good ledges but on other occasions they can be a hanging belay. In this circumstance, the first down the rope needs to build a bomb proof anchor to attach themselves to before getting off the abseil rope.
The Subliminal Area in Swanage has a big ledge to belay off, but it is still advisable to build an anchor just in case the leader takes an early fall off the wall or the second gets hit by a big wave. Both are possible and could make for a scary time.
Lower the grade
Climbing a sea cliff can be very intimidating. Everyone gets gripped at one point and the omnipresent crashing sound of the sea eroding rocks at the base of the cliff can become all consuming. It can drown out the belayer, your thought processes and mental fortitude.
My recommendation for getting on sea cliffs is to drop a grade, maybe even 2 for your first climb. If you are an HVS climber, find a classic HS or VS. That way you can get used to the ever-moving mass of water below you.
When you find a rhythm, and you climb confidently through a crux, looking back at the sea and basking in the exposure is a fantastic feeling. When climbing Via Christina HVS 5a, a short and powerful route with big moves between jugs through steep terrain, I placed solid gear at half height and ran it to the top, indulging in the sensational moves. It was not until approaching the anchor that I even registered the sea was there and looked back at the beautiful surroundings. That being said, I have had times where I wish the ocean was quieter.
I hope this blog has been helpful. Sea cliff climbing is incredible and makes for a memorable experience. If in any doubt, hire a guide. It will make the experience safer and much more enjoyable.
Happy adventuring.
