I got excited when I received a text message from Kuya Ambo, informing me that they will rappel in a falls somewhere in Kananga. Although I haven’t tried the said extreme sport, I was thrilled with excitement and the spirit of adventurism succumb me. I must admit that sometimes I have a fear of height but in a selective mood.
It was Sunday morning when we left Tacloban to Barangay Visares, Kananga, Leyte, which is more than an hour travel by van and bus from the city of Tacloban. What’s unique about Buro-Buro Falls according to Kuya Ambo is that only few people knows that the said falls exist which makes the place clean and the falls formation is good site for those who are into rappelling.
Aside from Kuya Ambo who is a member of MAPS we were accompanied by other MAPS members Uziel, Herbert and Ronnie and Joey, UP Saklang President.
From Visares we had a downhill and uphill hike to reach Buro-Buro Falls, of course equip with basic equipments for rappelling we reach the site after more than an hour trek and rested for while to eat for lunch and to prepare our self from the activity that we are about to do that day.
With a height of about 300 to 400 feet Uziel and the rest of the group prepare the basic equipments that we will need for rappelling. Although it was my first time to engage in such extreme sport I never felt fear and was succumb with excitement.
The first thing they did was to look for the best anchor where the rope will be tied for safe rappelling. After securing all the equipments and preparing them, we are Uziel instructed us (Kuya Ronnie and me since we are fist timers) on what to do and what should be our proper position when rappelling.
It was Herbert who first went down to the falls and followed by Joey, then Kuya Ronnie, me, Uziel and Kuya Bo.
Looking at how high the falls is I got scared for a while and to take away my fear I sung my favorite song “Thank You by Dido” as I was descending. It took for about few minutes to descend since sometimes I get off balance because the rocks are slippery especially on the part where the water falls.
After reaching the ground, the cold water at the lagoon awaits for me to cool my body, where I swim to the other side of the lagoon to keep my things off from the water.
After less than an hour we’re all on the ground and had a dip in fresh cool water of the lagoon. Then we had a few minutes hike to the barrio were a ride a “habal-habal” that took us to the town proper of Kananga.
In a talk with Kuya Ambo after the said activity he told me that I need to consider some basic equipment to safely rappel among these are;
Ropes with a standard length of 200 feet of 60 meters and one of the most important pieces of equipment for rappelling - Most climbers use the same dynamic ropes for rappelling that they use for climbing. These work well but every climber must remember that they stretch and that they can be damaged or cut by rock edges. Thicker ropes, those from 10mm to 11mm in diameter, have more friction when they feed through your rappel device and are less likely to be cut than skinny ropes. As a general rule, do not tie a thick cord to a thin cord (7mm to 9mm) for a rappel since the joining knot can work itself loose.
Another is Anchor Materials - rappel anchors are constructed from a wide variety of climbing gear, including cams, pitons, and bolts. Some anchors also incorporate natural features like trees and boulders. For these anchors it is best to carry some two-foot slingsor pieces of webbing or cord which can be cut to fit.
Then Rappel Device and Locking Carabiner - All rappel devices are not alike and some function better than others depending on your rappelling situation. It’s best to pick a rappel device that you also use as your belay device so you don’t have to carry extra gear. Rappel devices like Black Diamond ATCs and Trango B-52s are excellent choices. Some climbers like to carry a Figure-8 descender since they’re easy to use and offer a smooth ride down.
Another is Harness, fitted around your waist and upper legs, forms a comfortable seat for rappelling. Make sure the harness snugly fits your waist, is in good condition, and has, if possible, a belay loop on the front. If you don’t have a climbing harness, then you can make one from webbing, or in a pinch use a length of webbing to improvise a diaper sling or a two-foot sling for a figure-8 sling.
Then Sling and Locking Carabiner - To be safe when rappelling, you should always use an autoblock knot as a safety back-up in case you lose control of the rappel or need to stop mid-way down. To tie an autoblock you need a sling or length of cord that is 18 to 24 inches long and a locking carabiner to attach the sling to your harness leg loop
Then Gloves - While they are not essential, many climbers like to use either one or two leather gloves on their hands when they rappel. Gloves keep you from getting possible rope burns on your hands if you rappel too fast as well as keep your hands from getting dirty from rope contact.
And lastly Daisy Chain - Another piece of useful rappelling gear is a daisy chain attached to your harness. If you’re making multiple rappels down a cliff, going from rappel station to station, then you need to be able to immediately clip yourself into the anchors when you reach the bottom of each rappel. If you have a daisy chain already rigged on your harness, then you can clip into the anchors as soon as you reach them. Then, since you’re safe, you can unhitch from the rappel device and the ropes so your partner can rap down and join you.
Aside from the basic rappelling gears where are essential in the said sport, those who will rappel need to know the best knots to use in tying ropes together.
Four best knots are consider to be the best one to be used in rappelling and these are Double Figure-8 Fisherman’s Knot; Square Fisherman’s Knot; Double Overhand Knot and Double Fisherman’s Knot.
These are considered to be strong and safe if they will be tied correctly, because life of those who will rappel will depend on the knot being properly tied and all these knots, except the double overhand knot, are backed up with fisherman’s knots for safety on either side.
Aside from the basic equipment and knots to be used by every person who will participate in such sport, hey must consider securing the rappel anchor which in most cases tress are used a anchor, safety gear such as helmet. Those who will rappel must know that rappelling quickly can damage the rope, and the proper way to rappel is to do it slowly. Your breaking hand should remain by your hip at all times. Never let your breaking hand gets close to the figure-eight device attached to your harness. Your fingers could get pinched and you might let go of the rope. Control your descent with your break hand by relaxing or tightening your grip. Keep your heels down and toes against the rappelling surface. Your feet should always stay below your hips. During the descent stay in the fall line of your rope. Do not stray off to the side. Watch where you are going. Bumping into a ledge unexpectedly can cause you to lose control. Be care when maneuvering around overhangs. It is easy to smash your knuckles as you cross the overhang and you need to make sure your rope will not slide over a sharp surface that might cut into it.
No comments:
Post a Comment