SQUID BAY

This bay is found on North Shore Road approx 1 km from the junction with Spanish Point Road and just east of Deep Bay. A nice deep water soloing venue, but the water is only just deep enough at mid- to high-tide. It’s not advisable to get on the DWS routes below mid tide. The climbs are sheltered and face south. Keep an eye our for the frequently resident squadron of calamares. Try not to land on them.

Calamares of Squid Bay. Photo Grant Farquhar. 

TIMOTHY’S TRAVERSE 5.6 25m sea-level traverse

An entertaing excursion at sea level on the north side of the promontory. From the top of the steps scramble down westwards to sea level. Traverse west through caves to finish up an off-vertical wall.

Timothy Claude 2014.

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MAN NEXT DOOR 5.8

There is a man who lives next door… Dennis Brown.

From the ledge climb the obvious arete, stepping right as soon as possible to be above water.

Timothy Claude 2014.

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SQUID SQUAD 5.10c

A brilliant anti-clockwise circuit, taking the line of least resistance. Start traversing leftwards off the ledge into the bay along the obvious high line past a couple of thin sections to some big flat jugs and a shake-out in a scoop. The water is getting shallower the further in you go and is chest deep at high tide below the shake-out. Drop leftwards down the jugs to obvious large flat holds at water level. Traverse hard back right just above the water to regain the ledge.

Grant Farquhar 2002.

The Van Rensburg brothers tackle Squid Squad. Photo Grant Farquhar.

 

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SQUID VICIOUS 5.10c

Climbs Squid Squad in reverse i.e. clockwise. From the ledge drop down and traverse left at sea level to the big flat jugs at the base of the scoop. Move up to the shake out in the scoop. Finish via the high traverse back rightwards to the ledge. This variation has the disadvantage of being low when fresh and high when pumped.

Grant Farquhar 2002.

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SUICIDE SQUID 5.11a

An extension to Squid Squad which is only possible at mid-tide. There is not enough water to land in at low tide and the foot holds are underwater at high tide. From the lowest flat holds at the end of the leftwards traverse, continue leftwards at water level round an alcove to a flat jug on the arête, shake out here then traverse back right to finish along Squid Squad.

Grant Farquhar 2002.

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SQUID MARK 5.11b 15m traverse

The low level traverse of the entire wall to the beach is only possible at low tide and is definitely more of a shallow water solo. From the starting ledge drop down and follow the leftwards traverse (Squid Vicious) to the big flat jugs at the base of Squid Squad. Continue leftwards at a slightly lower level than Suicide Squid all the way to the beach. Reverse the route to the ledge.

Grant Farquhar 31/5/10.

The initial high leftwards traverse of Squid Squad stays dry in the rain. Photo Paul Van Rensburg.

BURTON’S BAY

Burton’s Bay is found immediately east of Squid Bay, opposite Ingham’s Vale. The west side of the bay has a high roof capped wall with reef underneath. Unfortunately although the wall is high, the water is shallow and a high spring tide is recommended.

CREAM CRACKERED 15m 5.10d R/X

Takes a line up the middle of the wall. A slow and steady Gogarth approach is recommended. Scramble down to the point west of the wall. Sea-level traverse to the large ledge underneath the wall. Exit the ledge from the left-hand side and climb directly on snappy rock to the break underneath the capping roof. This section is above waist deep water over reef on a 1m high tide and therefore serious. Rock-over rightwards onto the horizontal break. You are now committed; the safest way is to continue to the top or fall off trying, rather than reverse. Bail upwards and crank the roof (crux) to top out just left of the obvious flat rock. The crux is 45 feet above 8 feet of water on a 1m high tide.

Grant Farquhar 19/9/15.

Burton’s Bay. Cream Crackered takes the most continuous piece of rock in the foreground. Photo Grant Farquhar.