Maybe it's time i learn to be a bit more selective

Despite preaching that climbing is an inherently dangerous sport yada yada... I guess a part of me has always felt safe within the arms of the belayer and the belay system. And yet this year seems to find me one too many close calls... Am I getting a bit too complacent perhaps? Climbing too long with the same person in the same locations does give you a sense of familiarity. You do feel comfortable that nothing can go wrong... right?

And yet this evening found me pairing up with a "climbing friend" as my usual belay buddy was stuck at work... On my second climb, the system failed when my belayer decided that the breaking rope was too challenging to hold and went grabbing at the climber rope instead. While the initial fall felt like your typical dynamic belay, when my fall was arrested after about four clips down I knew things was wrong, very very wrong. It was then I tried to grab the rope/wall/runner as I continued my decent and screamed for my belayer (very out of character here as anyone who has climbed with me can attest too but I guess my life/limbs were hanging by a thread there). Thankfully my scream did draw attention to the nearby climbers and someone actually managed to grab the breaking rope.

So I finally touched down safely. In one piece with nothing broken except my trust for said belayer. I was quite amazed at how calm I was about the whole situation. Questions of am I in shock did cross my mind but I guess a part of me felt stupid for ignoring the warning signs in the first place: 1. Belayer did not know how to load ATC properly. 2. Belayer was slow to respond when I shouted for tight. 3. Belayer hasn't belayed in a while.  I should have just bailed when I realise I was struggling on the route and not risk taking a fall.

Well. Everyone gets stupid sometimes but I guess the lesson learnt here is that let's not take for granted that people are smart about things least it costs you your life.

-- melly signing off

(two posts in a day after a three month hiatus... It's good to have an outlet again)