Heh guys. Hope all is well. I think its definatly time for another blog entry, im fairly sure by now you all know or have some idea what I have been up to, unfortunatly the information portrayed in the press has been giving an impression that is not entirerly true and not (in my opinion) focusing in on the important issues. So this entry is to give you (my friends and my family) my point of view of the events that happened on the 9/1/08.
For a while myself and friends have been discussing a trip through Howards Hole, the biggest cave systen in New Zealand and also the biggest in the southern hemisphere. We got info from relevant persons who had already been down and made sure we all had the necersary gear we needed. The day before, we kitted up and divided ourselves into two teams of four. We wake up early and head up to the top of Takaka hill where the cave resides. Originally the first team should of been already down the cave when we arrived but they were still getting through the abseil, we debated weather we should follow and decided to wait an hour for them to get moving. In this time we practiced rope skills and getting syked to go down.
The time came, and Ben went down first with no problems, he shouted up when he had hit the ground and I started to get ready to descend. Looking down is pretty scary, this cave holds a 170m odd abseil where you are in free air for the majority of the time. Once I was happy with my set up I started the descent. Once over the initial 'holy shit' of looking down and hanging around in space the appreciation of the cave sets in, its just incredible this hole in the earth is just magnificent. The abseil was going well, pretty steady and smooth, I look down and start to see the ground rise below me, couldnt wait to start the caving adventure.
I then feel something odd and look at my figure of eight (the device to abseil on) and see thread, not rope, for about 2 seconds I couldnt figure out what was happening and then it dawned upon me. I look up and see about 2m's of sheathless cord above me, its hard to remember what was going through my head at this point but I know I was scared. I tried to continue the abseil for a metre or so but was just impossible due to the mess the rope was in and was catching on my prussick (a safety back up). I shouted down to Ben and told him the situation (although comunication was really difficult due to the echoe). I calmed myself and went through possible options to either go back up the rope or continue going down, neither seemed possible to me without the risk of the 40m drop below me. I attached another prussick to the cord above me, not so much that I thort it would hold me but just for peace of mind. A state of hopelesness settled in for a short time, this was the point when I shouted up to my friends above to get help. Then I saw the ledge (the only one in the entire abseil). I tried to get to it but it was just out of reach, I called down to Ben to swing me. I managed to grab onto to some loose rock and got myself onto the ledge.
I was now slightly happier with the situation, the ledge wasnt great, but the foot hold was good and the crimps (small finger holds) were just about good enough for me to try to get weight off the rope,this was made diffacult with the tightness of the prussick and leaving me to tip toe on the ledge to reduce the friction on the rope.
And so thats where I stayed for seven hours or so, it didnt feel like seven hours, I dont know what it felt like. Comunication was frustrating as I couldnt understand much that was being said to me (again due to the echoes) and vice-versa with my friends. I could move into about 2 differnet positions to rest certain parts of my body, this became a regular thing for me to do. I thort alot about so many differnt things- my family, my friends, my life. This did not help me to much as I became emotional at one point and had to snap out of it as I needed all the energy I had. I was angry at times, and at other times I was laughing at myself. I couldnt get into my pack for warmer clothes due to my hands getting so cold, likewise with food and drink. I remember at one point I found some twigs in the moss that acted like straws so I was sucking water off the moss with my new found toy, this occupied me for quite awhile.
Hearing helicopters above shot a huge amount of hope into me and then that soon dissapated when they just flew straight over, this happened a few times. At one time I thort I heard people coming but it just didnt happen. Then at around 9pm (i did not have the time on me,this is just what I was told) a rope was dropped. At last it was over.
The SAR guy came down, and I emediatly asked him to get me onto a safety line, once that was clipped man I was so happy!! I asked the guy to look at my set up and asked him if it was my fault for the rope damage, he said it wasnt. We went through possible self rescue techniques, but even he said if I of had the relevant ascending gear it would have been 50/50 of success going up. He then equiped me with some gear and started to ascend up the rope. The cord was not staying in the jumar or the ascender so I was assisted with the first section of the rope. Once I was passed the damaged section everything was great. We ascended 140m of rope in a reletivly short amount of time.
I then hit the surface, got checked out by a medical guy and had a long awaited cigarette. I got escorted through the forest by some of the SAR team and police and even got a ride through it on a real sweet quad bike. We got back to the car park, which at this point was full of media reporters, big lights, huge tents, it was just over whelming. I found my friends and huge long hugs were passed around.
We gave a short statement thanking the teams involved, and answered some questions after being debriefed by SAR people. We then awaited the return of Ben who instead of ascending the rope had gone through the cave with a couple of SAR guys.
What followed from that, is what all you guys have heard on the news and pappers etc. We have received a huge amount of shit from the press and various people who are quite frankly not endowed with the facts, these are a few things I would like to clear up;
For the cave we had purchased a BRAND NEW rope specifically designed for long abseils. This was the main factor, in my opinion of the operatin going wrong. The brand new rope failed, it did not melt and the equipment involved was not the reason for it to do so. Yes, we were all not equiped with self rescue gear, however had I had the equipment necersary, I still would not have gone up the rope without a safety line of another rope. The only piece of gear I wish I did have would of been a com radio.
It seems the media are not concerned about this, which I find most distressing. Why is a brand new rope (purchased from a respected manufacturer) failing on the sixth abseil not the main headline? The only clarification we have had is a verbal report from SAR and the police that indeed the rope was faulty.
We have all been bombarded with unnecersary stress and agrivation, but now it seems to have cooled down a fair bit. Life is back to normal and I am still having a great time, I beleive this experince has made me a stronger and happier person. I love all you guys so much and miss you all dearly.
Untill the next time, my friends
peace
St Harvey, the patrent saint of crimping.
xx
p.s. photos will come soon guys........
