Rather than write up a complete trip report on each canyoning trip (partly because I can convince no-one else to do it), here is a brief run-down of the canyon trips held from March to April inclusive. Included in this is a brief description of the photography weekend at Tuglow (15-16 March), in the never-ending saga that is the Tuglow Bicentennial project.
An easy lilo trip, with a small party on a rainy, but popular day. We liloed along the middle section of Wollangambe, but unfortunately were held up for some time due to a large crowd of cubs and parents floating down the river. An enjoyable and easy day, with a few rain patches here and there, and lots of jumping off cliff edges into the Wollangambe river.
A big trip in a medium difficulty canyon (made more interesting due to the number of beginners in attendance). John confirmed the existence of a second exit. Rather than climb up the 40m slot which is very slow and strenuous, belaying each person as they climb, an easier route out is found if you continue 100m past the usual exit along the base of the cliffline. Here a short fixed rope is to be found, hanging 10m down the face of the rock. Although most people were belayed up this section it is much quicker and safer than the big chimney route. Everyone handled the canyon well and all reported having an enjoyable time. We arrived back at the cars soon before dark then went home via the pizzeria in Katoomba.
This trip followed the field day at Lindfield rocks, and was always going to be very popular. Running into a commercial group at the very start of the canyon did not make our progress any faster. Using two ropes we leapfrogged through the canyon, and kept just behind the commercial group up until about the 3rd pitch. Unfortunately, Nicole got her long hair entangled in her descender during an overhang pitch, and it took a while for Matthew and Phil to free Nicole from her predicament. Nicole’s day was made worse by careering into a wall during the 8th pitch (she was belayed), and stumbling on some mossy rocks. We dearly hope Nicole comes back.
This weekend was intended primarily as a photography weekend in order to polish off some of the photos for the Tuglow book. Several people (I think 5 in fact) pulled out during the course of the week, leaving us to our own photographic devices. Friday night was spent busily trying to un-pick the reflective stripes from our Tempus 4 suits, and lead to a late evening down at the Tuglow river campsite. Over the course of the weekend lots of pictures were taken, some that will probably be good enough for publication in the new Tuglow book. We spent 9 hours underground on the Saturday, made all the more pleasant by the fact that we were all wearing wet-suits.