The Best Approach Ever

Alex and I were eager to see and climb something spectacular. Enough tame warm ups, we wanted the Tasmania in our guide book's color photographs: towering dolorite cliffs, crashing ocean waves, endless, brilliant white light... Thus, we headed (perhaps prematurely) for the most famous of Tasmania's climbing destinations, Fortescque Bay on the Tasman Peninsula - home of the Totem Pole.

Fortunately, the Totem Pole was just one of many sea stacks in the area, not all of which required swimming through shark-infested channels, Tyrolean traverses, or leading grade 25 (12b) on widely spaced carrot bolts. Thus we began with the Moai, started off that morning on what could only described as the best approach EVER (see pictures below).






3 rappels (abseils) took us down dolorite cliffs to the sea, and a shimmering tower of perfect proportions. A trio of climbers from Victoria beat us to our intended route, managing to out-do just about all we did that day - but we were proud to work our way up the classic 18 to the top, Alex leading confidently, despite ominous waves thundering below.







With two pitches between us and the top of the bluff we hike in on, it was dark before we started the 4-mile hike back. Nighttime afforded us a very special treat, however. The eucalyptus rainforest was alive with foreign shrieks and bird calls, make all the spookier by a mysterious rustle. LOTS of rustling in fact. But before our imaginations took hold, we were greeted by a flock of furiously waddling (and very photogenic) fairy penguins! They were everywhere!