Ascents in Kawakawa Bay as Clean by John Pitcairn

Had led before as a DHMK linkup. Bloody great jamming and bridging. Only let down by a sandy unprotected traverse in and loose topout. Started up GOTG to avoid the grot, long sling on the DHMK anchor and the bolt before it. We sent a few missiles down. Fixed up the core shot GOTG hand line then rapped down that.

Up for a 3-fairy all day cleaning session on this, Natural Selection and Safety In Numbers. Much cleaner now.

Thanks to Aidan for the clean! The closest thing to quarry climbing you'll get here. The big midway flake is now starting to hinge outward at its midpoint, it needs to be removed soon.

Nice line, could use a brush.

Snuck in before the sun started cooking the wall.

The Angela move for the win. Don't stuff yourself in.

Finally ... some Euro twatbag decided it was OK to throw their rope down without asking when G reached the anchor, rap past me seconding and then start to pull the ropes. If you don't like being sworn at don't be such a massive dickhead. And pad your bloody hammock cord.

Always good. Still pretty clean, present me thanks past me.

Quite a change in character after Korimako...

Hard to believe I've never done this, it's great. The name is all the beta you need. Pitch 2 is a wee ripper, dancing up the overhanging wall on decent jugs.

Still like it. It could be cleaner at the top. Some interesting complaints from G.

Good lead from Gareth. Unparalleled VCS dialed in nicely now, the forefoot sensitivity coming on strong, toe-top rubber is good in a crack.

Had an epic. After the Sunset finishing after the sunset on New Year's day, for a 10-pitch day? What a great plan. Got out there at 6pm, still bastard hot, but got on as two ropes of two, following a pitch behind. Cooked like prawns up P1-2, and the P2 topout is now very dirty and uninspiring. By sunset we were mostly all at the bottom of the crux pitch, but Greg had mistakenly gone right after bolt 2 into the Mexican Americans crux, was falling repeatedly and knackered. After discussing the unappealing bail options, I swapped into leading the crux pitch by head torch, then settled in for top belay while Jonno seconded, Greg and Gareth jugged up. Topped out just before midnight, then soon lost the ridge track in windfall. After an hour of nervous random bush bashing near cliffs, we failed to pick up the track again, took a phone topo map bearing toward the kinloch track and bashed over to that for another hour behind Gareth the Sweary Bulldozer, then slunk down to camp, getting in at 2.40am on the 2nd. Camp-to-camp time: an appalling 9 hours 10 minutes. Swim, beer, snacks, more swearing, bed, rest day. More could be written. Type 2 fun.

A new year's morning multi with 3 on a rope, before the sunshine hits the rock. The P1 tips crack always provides entertainment. P3 cave exit could be 17-18 with the right beta I think, though Greg did a much harder full high heel and mantle effort. Managed the P4 crux much better this time. The big pillar before that with the chalked X is probably more secure than it looks. Took a wander left off the bottom of P2 and down via Welcome to Kawakawa hand line - not recommended at all, don't do that.

About time ... good lead Grant. Seemed like I faffed around for ages at the start.

All good gear.

A fun outing in good company. Had a windy chilly time at the crux pitch belay with little communication possible while events unfolded below. Walked off.

Thin crack start, good gear from Grant.

Started up at 6pm, back down just after 9 in a party of 3. Nice to lead pitch 4, veered a bit left for extra overhang stardom in front of an audience of 26 boats parked up in the bay. Would give 3 stars if not for the hand line in the middle.

Gareth pruned on lead and it's now looking a lot less vegetated. Really quite cool 3D climbing, reminiscent of Kestrel at Arapiles, but less plentiful protection and some fragile rock in places. A really good exercise in gear/rope-drag management, and perhaps an acquired taste, but I still rate it as a good long thinking trad lead.

Checking out G's gear, all good, with bonus tight tricam placement for me to swear at.

Feels more 16 than 18, unless you're not supposed to stand on the scary detached block at half height (but if not, why is it still there?). Chimney start is fun.

Gave Pete a lead belay. P1 is very nice as a route in itself, as it was originally.

Waited out the rain, shagged around, better climb something. A little gardening. Gareth could have placed more gear before the runout, cavers eh?

Wow. I forgot how good this is. Lichen on the RH face doesn't detract much (but could use a clean), bomber and plentiful gear, really fun crux jam sequence above the roof. We were both absolutely fizzing at the top, got down and wanted to jump straight back on lead. Four stars in a 3 star system.

Not Gareth's best lead effort but a fun jammy second.

Cleaning the anchor after Rosie's success.

Access for cleaning.

Gnarly inverted lead fall from Gareth at the offwidthy bit. Good gear though eh. Borderline 2 stars.

Hand still coping. 3 on a rope, a fun ramble with a nice view of a crux plummet. Gareth got the money pitches. We had left gear at the bottom so abseiled off, which took 1.5 hours for 4 raps on a single 60m rope and was a fairly suboptimal experience with a cramped first anchor and plenty of trees to get the rope stuck in on the way down - definitely walk off.

Started up the thin crack of Blindman's Bluff only. Hand doesn't like fist jams (yet).

First climb after hand surgery, seems ok with a glove on. The climb is a lot cleaner than it once was.

Testing the tiredness level. Good jams.

Only 3 minutes walk past secret garden! Got on about 9.45, back down 3 hours later with sun on the top pitch only. Getting out of the roof on P3 is pretty memorable, not sure my style there was as good as Grant's. Good solid cruxes on P1, 3 and 4, I think the P4 crux was technically the hardest (balancy, borderline 20?), skipped the bolt above it because I wasn't in a good clipping position. Recommended, would be 3 stars if not for the hand line traverse, a fair bit of dodgy looking rock, and some dirty ledges.

A nervy flash lead from Grant, given the amount of lichen and crack dirt. We should have cleaned it on the way down off Human Intervention. I think this will be really good if clean, another one for the list.

On arrival after an overnight tramp and a tummy bug. How am I feeling? Not so good.

Another go at the P1/2 linkup on gear, still not entirely happy, need to spend more time looking at those pockets, but doing those on gear makes it a lot more interesting. P3 is the money if you don't climb 23. Hot rock at the top of that. You can rap down from the top of P2 on a single 60m rope if you don't mind downclimbing the bottom 3m of Dirt Free.

Might as well...

It's getting a bit overgrown now but is a good long adventure requiring gear and rope management, nice lead Grant.

Easy sport clip-up, not my thing.

A very tight squeeze indeed, after an epic FA by Gareth. Had to park my helmet, didn't quite need to unbuckle my harness, thrutched out the top in light rain. Won't forget this for a while.