In Natal, where I lived, we had the luck of having the mountains nearby. Our town, Pietermaritzburg, was surrounded by a mountain range in the shape of a horse shoe with the open end facing towards the sea. These mountains were not very high, but they attracted many people who did trekking or free-climbing.
I always preferred the sea, but once a school friend of mine who liked dangerous adventures dared me and other boys to take part on a rock climbing outing. I knew I had problems with heights but brushed them aside in the back of my mind and hoped they would stay there. We climbed on his scrambler, because it was bigger and faster than my bike and set off on our adventure.
Three quarters of an hour later we reached a steep up-hill and drove for another half hour until we finally arrived at the spot my friend had been talking about for weeks. We got off the bike and started checking our equipment. He said: “the most important tool is a very sharp ice-axe to prevent us from sliding down, and once you plant it in the rock at its sharp end it is difficult to get it out again”. So it was a safe hold for the leader of the rope climb on the almost vertical rock face.
My friend went ahead using the ice-axe to pull himself up where he would hammer a big nail into the rock and fasten the rope to it. I was further down hanging on the rope, so we proceeded upwards for about twenty meters where the rock surface got really smooth.
I suddenly realized I was heading for trouble since I knew the problems I had with heights. I felt my arms and legs going stiff and incapable of moving. Cold sweat ran down my back and my head was slightly dizzy. I didn’t dare to look down, because from my past experiences that would mean losing my balance, so I tugged at the rope trying to signal to my friend that I was in difficulty. He tried to encourage me but I felt completely paralyzed, my legs now like jelly, I was stuck there twenty meters from the ground. I couldn’t move a muscle, that is I could not go up nor down.
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A cold air was going down my neck and back and I felt goose bumps on my neck, arms and chest. My teeth started clattering at first slowly and then faster and faster. I spoke to my friend trying to make my voice sound as serious as possible. I told him to go and look for help, because I was going to need it badly. He first laughed at me, then he saw me shaking violently, so he took me seriously and said he would go and find help. He climbed up and then down by another way in record time. I heard his motor bike ride away.
I was left alone in that insecure situation with my fears and doubts of what was to be of me. I then felt something very strange, it was as though someone was pushing me from the back towards the rock face. Slowly my shivering stopped and I relaxed a little. I felt my confidence coming back to me, my numb hands and feet started to come to life as the blood circulated again. My muscles became alive and I then found out I could move. I lifted a foot and found the nail half a meter down, as I put my weight on it I realized the nail held my weight and the rest of my body followed. This achievement gave me a great boost of energy and self confidence. I waited to get my breath back and to make the next step down.
The sun to my right was low on the horizon casting long shadows on the rock face. It was soon going to be dark and I still had eight meters to go. I had to try and keep calm although my head was thudding, my elbows and fingers were hurting and bleeding. I said to myself: “You dare not stop or else that nasty fear would come back and you would have to spend the night clinging to the rocks like a spider, only the spider does it better”.
It took me another hour to get down to the ground without too much difficulty. Just then I heard the unmistakable roaring sound of my friend’s motor bike. He was coming back to help me, that was really kind of him, I thought. He was really surprised to see me on the ground, maybe he expected to see me stuck up there in the same position. I had got down with the help of a mysterious inner strength that had assisted and guided me, and strangely I had never felt alone in all that time.
We got on his motor bike and rode back home. I have never since climbed higher than a step-ladder and I have never again tried to push my luck so far!
About Mauro
I got my inspiration for this website from the song called “Imagine”, and so I decided to go on this adventure. I have always wanted to put up something like this where my friends and I could express our memories and dreams for the future. Share them with us, because if many people dream the same dream it will certainly come true.
Wow, that must have been scary! Good job calming down and getting back to the ground on your own. I have always wanted to do some rock climbing, but the most I’ve done is climb the rocks on the Natal beaches ;) One day I’ll go rock climbing, but probably just at one of those indoor places where I know I’ll be tied securely and there’s no chance of falling.
Oh my gosh! Not a sockie would I even try rock climbing. You’re brave and by using your inner strenght conquered fear. Good man!