The Kent group of Islands is in a remote setting about a quarter of the way to Tasmania from mainland Australia in Bass Strait. It has seen very few climbing trips, there isn't any guide book to speak of and I havent spoken to people who have been on previous trips. The routes we did may or may not be first ascents hopefully once back from the trip I can clarify this, but regardless this was an amazing trip and Erith island and the climbing on it is surly one of the most fantastic places on earth.
14/2/11
A cruisy start to the day Marcel and I brought the boat over to Erith Island and dropped anchor by the cliffs Kerryn and I planned to climb. Marcel outdid himself with a full fried
breakfast and without too much fuss we ferried across to the rocks in the inflatable launch.
We made our way over to some clean looking cracks in small buttress. Kerryn got psyched for the lead when we arrived and enjoyed a wideish left curving crack, really cool climbing at about 16. We rapped off and I started up a harder looking line got a few metres up the face couldn’t find any good gear and traversed right into a big corner and followed it to the top making another nice climb at about 16. I had left this 
rubbish cam half dangeling out a seam on the first route I tried so a rapped off to get it and realized that with a bit of jiggery pokery there was good gear. I climbed back up and the route went, the idea was that Kez would then rap I would take our slings and find a way off, but I thought heck and we both rapped and I led the route making a cool line climbing a face to a shallow left facing corner with a crux entering the corner and gaining a small ledge and great climbing into a large left facing corner probably about grade 23 with tricky and small gear protecting the hard climbing down low.
After a quick lunch we started up this big line we had spied on what we called The Tower of Erith I led all the pitches
Pitch 1 20m Broken rock leads to big right facing corners, climb till you reach two bottomless cracks left of slab. Flared jamming and funky body moves get you up these till you can step right into corner via horizontal break. Follow cracks to ledge on left.
Pitch 2 40m Take left corner and crack system from ledge till it is possible to move right across face below roof, get funky and groove your way to jug on right and pull roof. Up this groove for a few moves before moving back left into the ‘train tracks’ and fun runnel climbing leads to comfy ledge. A mega pitch!
Pitch 3 10m Step right along ledge up broken rock. From next ledge rock onto slab on right of boulder step left to gear and climb left arête
Pitch 4 15m From this block down climb back left via body size crack, when possible make ex
treme balance moves left onto slab. Find two crack one not visible till you in front of and take these to the summit.
Two 40m raps got us to the ground, the weather had picked up a bit and waves smashed our drop off point so we had to make our way along the coast about 500m to a small cove which offered some protection. Marcel drove the inflatable superbly and timing his runs with the swell could get along side some rocks where we could get down into the boat. This was by far the most exciting part of the day!
We chugged back to Deal Island and this time anchored at West Cove, went ashore for a bbq with some other boaters and relaxed tired muscles!
A cruisy start to the day Marcel and I brought the boat over to Erith Island and dropped anchor by the cliffs Kerryn and I planned to climb. Marcel outdid himself with a full fried
breakfast and without too much fuss we ferried across to the rocks in the inflatable launch.
We made our way over to some clean looking cracks in small buttress. Kerryn got psyched for the lead when we arrived and enjoyed a wideish left curving crack, really cool climbing at about 16. We rapped off and I started up a harder looking line got a few metres up the face couldn’t find any good gear and traversed right into a big corner and followed it to the top making another nice climb at about 16. I had left this 
rubbish cam half dangeling out a seam on the first route I tried so a rapped off to get it and realized that with a bit of jiggery pokery there was good gear. I climbed back up and the route went, the idea was that Kez would then rap I would take our slings and find a way off, but I thought heck and we both rapped and I led the route making a cool line climbing a face to a shallow left facing corner with a crux entering the corner and gaining a small ledge and great climbing into a large left facing corner probably about grade 23 with tricky and small gear protecting the hard climbing down low.After a quick lunch we started up this big line we had spied on what we called The Tower of Erith I led all the pitches
Pitch 1 20m Broken rock leads to big right facing corners, climb till you reach two bottomless cracks left of slab. Flared jamming and funky body moves get you up these till you can step right into corner via horizontal break. Follow cracks to ledge on left.
Pitch 2 40m Take left corner and crack system from ledge till it is possible to move right across face below roof, get funky and groove your way to jug on right and pull roof. Up this groove for a few moves before moving back left into the ‘train tracks’ and fun runnel climbing leads to comfy ledge. A mega pitch!
Pitch 3 10m Step right along ledge up broken rock. From next ledge rock onto slab on right of boulder step left to gear and climb left arête
Pitch 4 15m From this block down climb back left via body size crack, when possible make ex
treme balance moves left onto slab. Find two crack one not visible till you in front of and take these to the summit.Two 40m raps got us to the ground, the weather had picked up a bit and waves smashed our drop off point so we had to make our way along the coast about 500m to a small cove which offered some protection. Marcel drove the inflatable superbly and timing his runs with the swell could get along side some rocks where we could get down into the boat. This was by far the most exciting part of the day!
We chugged back to Deal Island and this time anchored at West Cove, went ashore for a bbq with some other boaters and relaxed tired muscles!
Anaconda at anchor in the morning
Entering 'bottomless cracks' on pitch one 
No comments:
Post a Comment