KAMIKAZE WALL

DRUNKEN MONKEY 5.11d 45m traverse

DIRTY SLAPPER 5.11d 13m

Jazmyne Watson fighting Kamikaze Sex Ninja. Photo Grant Farquhar.

 

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DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE ROCKS THAT I GOT, I’M STILL GINNI FROM THE BLOCK 5.10c 13m

An excellent climb up the wall right of the crack. Start from a small alcove & climb over a bouldery bulge to a ledge. Work up the pocketed face, using good side pulls. Search for good pockets/pinches while steadily moving feet higher until reaching large jugs. Be aware of the bulge at the start of the route if falling from a higher position. Kenny Chao and Grant Farquhar 5 Sep 2010.

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THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH 5.11a 13m

A right to left traverse of Kamikaze Wall which gives a sustained and enjoyable outing. Start up Kamikaze Sex Ninja for 5m then traverse left across the wall to join Kendo. Continue up and left on steep ground on to the slab. Moves across this lead to the finishing moves of Banzai. Jump off. Grant Farquhar 6/6/10.

GINZU 5.11b 4m

MUJINA 5.8 R 13m

KAMEOSA 5.7 9m

A wide and deep crack separates the little buttress taken by this route from the main crag. Start just right of the deep crack and make crux moves out the water onto the relatively easy wall above. Jump off into deep water. Davie Crawford 23/5/09.

Kamikaze Wall topo. The routes no longer start from the cave shown unless via boat. Photo Grant Farquhar.

YELLOW PEARLS WALL

This yellow streaked wall is 100yds west of Kamikaze Wall and resembles Trevallen limestone. It has a central chimney and a sunlight in the roof above

YELLOW FEVER 5.11c 7m

Can be contracted on this crimpy traverse. Start from a dry ledge at the base of the chimney. Step left around the overhanging arete to a large but wobbly jug. Traverse the wall leftwards to the arete. Grant Farquhar 1 July 2010.

SCHWEINSTEIGER 5.10d 7m

Thrust your way up this sweaty, devious pig of a wall climb. Mount the beast via the wobbly jug (used in the Yellow Fever route) and crimp your way up the wall to a tricky top out. Good climbing. Davie Crawford 3 July 2010.

Davie Crawford on Schweinsteiger. Photo Grant Farquhar.

GAIJIN WALL

This area of generally good white rock is in the North- West part of Harrington Sound, just East of the landmark of Abbott’s Cliff. Access by boat, or a swim around 400m metres from the Trinity Church Road area to a rock island which faces a deep crack line up slabby rock. The first routes described lie to the west (left) of the snaking crackline facing the rock island.

VAYU 5.10c 8m

This route tackles the attractive arete feature around 8m left of the snaking crack. Traverse at sea level leftwards to a niche. Make a couple of steep moves onto the arete and wall above. Davie Crawford & Grant Farquhar 19/4/09.

NIU BI 5.10c 8m

In English when something is good we say, ‘that’s the bee’s knees’; in Chinese they say, ‘niu bi’ which translates as: the cow’s vagina. This route is a  counter-diagonal to Vayu. Gain the wall left of the arete from the water. Climb up then right to join Vayu at good holds and a resting place. Continue rightwards on the lip of the overhang and finish up the right hand side of the arete. Grant Farquhar 23/8/09.

FUJIN 5.10b 8m

Follow Vayu onto the arete and traverse the wall at around mid height- taking the line of least resistance. Gain a sloping ledge and top out or jump off. Davie Crawford 19/4/09.

NI SU YAO FANG PI 5.10c 8m

Chairman Mao had a famous saying: 

Ni su yao fang pi, Jiu fang pi

Ni su yao la shi, Jiu la shi

Which, I’m told, translates as: Don’t fart when you need to shit and vice versa. Wise words indeed. This route climbs directly out of the water at some obvious thin flakey holds in the left side of the wall left of the obvious arete of Vayu. Continue directly to join Fujin and then the top. Grant Farquhar & Davie Crawford 23/8/09.

The next routes are east (right) of the snaking crack.

AIKIJITSU 5.10c 8m

Get yourself fired on to a bulge right in front of the island, about 8m left and around a corner from Yakuza arete. Make a wee note to try and jump clear of this bulging slab in the event of falling off. Set off confidently more or less straight up, tearing off loose shrapnel and exposing angry ants as you go. As the holds become rubbish near the top have a wee gander again at yon slab waiting to catch you. Finally, fight your way through some dead twiggery to top out. Steve McGill 31/7/09.

GWEILO 5.10c R 7m

The white groove left of the prow of Yakuza. Gain the ledge underneath from the water. Climb the groove to the mid-height ledge. Devilish bridging leads to the top. Jump off. Beware the evil ledges underneath as poor footwork could lead to an uncontrolled fall with risk of striking a ledge. Grant Farquhar & Davie Crawford 23/8/09.

The Josh factor- in flashing mode. Josh Hill (left) on Yakuza and Josh Stevenson on Kitsune. Photo Davie Crawford.

YAKUZA 5.10d 7m 

Join the brotherhood with an intense initiation ceremony- a finger slicing ascent of this brilliant samurai- sharp prow 10m right of the crackline. Start left, traverse onto the arete sinking copious Sake before extorting success from the summit jug. Davie Crawford  31/7/09. Second ascent Grant Farquhar 23/8/09.

KITSUNE 5.10b 7m

The white- streaked, slightly overhanging wall just right of Yakuza.

Davie Crawford 23/8/09.

JAZMYNE’S ROUTE 5.10c 7m

The overhanging prow.

Jazmyne Watson 2011.

Jazmyne Watson on the first ascent of her eponymous route. Photo Davie Crawford.

MONKEY ISLAND (aka HALL’S ISLAND)

Access- by boat, or swim c.200m across the Northern part of the Harrington Sound. Continue round the Northern side of the island to a cove with a little rock island and a large roof.

Monkey Island is the eye-catching, craggy island in the Northern part of the Harrington Sound. A line of crags curve round from the North to the Northwest side.
The rock quality on this venue is esoteric and it is advisable to inspect the depth of water below the routes before an attempt.

Davie Crawford on the FA of Tripitaka’s Travels. Photo Grant Farquhar.

TRIPITAKA’S TRAVELS 5.9 50m

This route starts from the little rock island in the cove on the north side of the island. Step off the rock onto the obvious foot rail of good white limestone and follow this from right to left. The crux involves negotiating a constricted roof at sea level and is much harder than the rest of the route. The footholds are good on this one but the handholds tend to be very fragile.  Davie Crawford & Grant Farquhar 14/3/09.

MONKEY MAGIC 5.10d 10m

This unusual but worthwhile route traverses the slabby white wall underneath the large, chossy roof in the buttress from left to right. A 5m swim from the rock island leads to the start at the left edge of the white wall. Technical moves on small and fragile holds lead to enlightenment at the arete taken by Monkey Love. Finish up Monkey Love or jump off. Davie Crawford & Grant Farquhar 14/3/09.

MONKEY LOVE 5.8 10m

Takes the arete right of the large roof in the prominent north facing buttress. The rock is poor. Grant Farquhar 14/3/09.

Davie Crawford on the FA of Monkey Magic. Photo Grant Farquhar.

Josh Hill celebrates his first ascent of the un-named wall below him. Photo Davie Crawford.

The next routes lie on the west side of the island.

MOONSHINE (5.9) 7m

This takes a pocketed, undercut wall of good white rock 7m right of the cave. Be careful not to get stung by any 15″ moon jellyfish that may be in the landing zone. Davie Crawford 23/7/11.

NIGHT RIDER 2

This wall is to be found in the north-eastern part of Harrington Sound. It is just off vertical with excellent rock. Unfortunately the water underneath is too shallow for DWS. Beware.

CERTAIN DEATH CRAG

Certain Death crag is found just South West of My Lord’s Bay in the western side of Harrington Sound. Just one route has been climbed here so far- for obvious reasons. The (X) rating indicates a very serious (and possibly life threatening) danger element to the climbing.

CERTAIN DEATH 5.10b X 8m

Let the allure of this great looking, touch- me- big- boy, overhanging lay back hand crack out- weigh the fact that the water is 4 foot deep and rocky below. Just follow that sweet crevice straight up, laying back this way and that alternately. Half way up stop and make a note to belly flop in the event of a ping- that would maybe save you. On you go, carry on up, no stop, whats that noise? It’s the frenzied barking of not one but two Alsation attack dogs. The dogs are a good 30m away and can’t see you- yet. Your friends can distract them from just off shore. Make for the top and beat your chest several times. Fight your way rightwards through thick jaggy bushes and sloping pine needle footing until you reach a low enough point to jump in without hitting too hard. Finally, taunt the dogs from the safety of the boat and and also any friends that are just too gay to do Certain Death! Steve McGill 31/7/09.

NOTE- the name Certain Death Crag turned out to be prophetic as the crag itself fell down during the poundings of Hurricane Igor in September 2010. The above description is for posterity.

COCKROACH ISLAND

Cockroach Island describes a collection of rock island boulders lying below the imposing Abbott’s Cliff. The boulders used to be part of the main face of Abbott’s Cliff, before detaching themselves in the mists of time for some of the best rock trundles ever seen in Bermuda. The climbing here is on the triangular south face of the main block which rises 8m out of the Sound like a Mayan pyramid.

It offers some fairly dangerous off- vertical problems on small positive finger edges.
The crag is part of a nature reserve so it is essential not to damage any rock or plant life.
The (R) rating indicates that these routes have shallow water under them, with serious injury (or worse) a possibility in the event of an uncontrolled fall.

HUEVOS GRANDES 5.7 (R) 6m 

Juke out the water centre of the boulder and head left for two pure gallus, nanbos shaped holes. Gingerly put your entire hand in the hole like Flash Gordon fronting off Eagle Man with that alien- filled moon rock thing. Enjoy the use of the long thin ledges and a juggy top out. Bob’s your uncle. Avoid roaming conches as you return to the sea. Steve McGill 31/7/09.

TRES GRINGOS LOCOS 5.7 (R) 7m

Overcrowd your tiny, dangerously under- equipped, thirty dollar, two man inflatable and navigate with your essential cargo of beer and fags for a stealth mission over miles of open, deep sea to the distant pyramid of Chichen Itza. Pulling out of the water taking a deep drag on a Marlboro, follow a zig- zagging natural line up the centre of the face balancing a Corona Extra in your free hand. Pay homage to the god Quatzequatl as you arrive in a drunken state part- way up the summit arete. Davie Crawford 31/7/09.

ABAHO LOS PANTALONES 5.10a (R) 8m

Feel obliged to claim the highest peak unless, of course, you’re a big Jessie. Seek out the golden nub of a five inch wide tree stump on the right hand side of the towering face. Sacrifice your chicken here. Wait for Quatzeqautl’s sign to continue. Set off over a bevvy of insecure holds and hand gashers aloft the rock strewn shallow waters. Top out and receive a beam of light from the parting skies. Or, alternatively, smack the sea bed whilst gripping onto the hold which broke off to spite you. (This route is serious). Steve McGill 31/7/09.

TRUNK ISLAND

Trunk Island is the large central, and private island in the Harrington Sound.
It offers a Southern line of very small and very undistinguished crags for the desperate.
Access by boat.

ELEPHANT DUNG 5.7 4m Steven McGill 31st July 2009

You’re here now, you might as well fire up the wee over hang/ arete to the left of an of eye catching sort of streaky thing. Climb up using your hands and feet, biff boff done. Now head off elsewhere or risk being a plamph.

LOOK AT THE SIZE OF MY TRUNK (ISLAND) 5.7

On the right edge of this craglet is a nice little cove with very shallow water under it. The steep left arete is very hard (and unclimbed) but this route climbs an easier version up the line of the wall and arete, next to a small tree. Davie Crawford 31/7/09.

Unfortunately, the cliffs on the north side of Trunk Island (below) look promising from a distance but have poor rock and shallow landings.