[petejh]

The Diamond, on the Little Orme, is usually bird restricted between March 1st - August 15th for a colony of Kittiwakes that nest on the RH side of the cliff. In 2013, following site meetings between local climbers, the BMC and NRW's bird expert, an agreement was reached that each July somebody responsible from 'the climbers' could check the cliff to see if the Kittiwakes had fledged and left - the climbing restriction could be lifted as soon as the birds had left.

Elfyn from the BMC checked about two weeks ago but there were still birds on the nest then. Elfyn's now away on holiday until the 5th, so I went in last Saturday to check and all the kittiwakes have now left and there are no birds remaining, except for the usual full-time resident cormorants on the slope high above the cliff. I took pics and video and sent them to Elfyn, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's on some remote island/cliff with no comms to the outside world. It seems a bit of a shame not to make hay while the sun shines etc. so, while I'm not the BMC's RAD, it's clear that the cliff is open for business going by the agreement we came to last year with NRW.

For those going in:
the handline's looking very battered this year and needs a lot of sections changing out - more than usual after a winter - so people should take a sharp knife and some spare static and do the business; make it tidy and take the old stuff home! The line isn't safe in it's present state. I'd normally do it but I won't be doing it this year as my finger's too messed up to go along the line. I've got loads of spare static and live local to the cliff if anyone wants to pick some up - or just pester Messrs doyle/robins to do it for you.

[Luke Owens]

That's great news, thanks Pete!

I'm really keen to finally check it out, what is the beta with the tides there? I've heard you can walk in/out too?

Cheers

[Gus]

Great stuff! Good one Pete!

Time to launch HMS Smash! I'm almost sorry that we're going DWSing in Devon this coming weekend now! Psyched to get back to the Diamond!!

[slackline]

what is the beta with the tides there? I've heard you can walk in/out too?

Bookmark this for all your tidal information.  That doesn't necessarily make it a walk at low-tide though (I don't know if its possible I'm afraid).

You can always take a canoe (I recall El Mocho has used this method of approach before).

[Nike Air]

Great stuff! Good one Pete!

Time to launch HMS Smash! I'm almost sorry that we're going DWSing in Devon this coming weekend now! Psyched to get back to the Diamond!!

http://37.media.tumblr.com/0cf4815fea29390f5e023f0a10009011/tumblr_mte4fzR1Hc1sj342go2_r1_1280.jpg

[Gus]

YES!!!! There she is!

[Luke Owens]

I can never find anyone keen to go!

Anyone fancy going this eve? Tides are good!

[cheque]

Bookmark this for all your tidal information.

Bear in mind that it's in GMT so you need to add an hour in the summer.

Not that I've ever been caught out by it or anything...

[Doylo]

Remember August is most reliable conditions folks. Things go a a bit more temperamental mid September onwards. Get to it!

[Luke Owens]

I'm hopefully going this eve, I only have a short amount of time so I won't be able to fix the handline today. If I can get down on a weekend I will.

What condition is Rub a Dub Dub likely to be in, as I guess it hasn't been climbed on in awhile? Should I expect dust and guano?

[slackline]

I'm hopefully going this eve, I only have a short amount of time so I won't be able to fix the handline today. If I can get down on a weekend I will.

You are mad keen...

The line isn't safe in it's present state.

[petejh]

Rub a Dub should be fine as long as it's dry, which it should be. None of the routes are affected by guano or dust - it isn't like the Gorge or Cheedale Cornice - no cleaning required. The thing with the Diamond is conditions i.e. greasiness. Windy, low humidity days are best, failing that direct sun, although the sun doesn't hit until about 4pm this time of year and by Sept it's more like 5pm.

<geek> I have a theory about predicting Diamond greasiness by looking at the gap between dew point temperature and air temperature. It's a bit geeky and most people can't be arsed looking at the data but my amateur investigations suggest that if there's a gap of 7 degrees between dew point and air temp than the likelihood of good conditions is high. Of course there are lots of variables and you have to use the same source of dew point/air temp for it to mean anything. </geek>

Tides - to walk in requires a spring low tide of below 1m (I hopped across some rocks with my trousers rolled up last Saturday when the low tide was 1.20m, so my guess is somewhere between that and 1m allows a proper walk-in). However the walk-in/out option only gives you about 2 hrs at most to climb, and that on the lowest of tides. So it's only useful if you happen to get lucky i.e. use it to walk in, but go out on the handline, or vice versa.

The handline isn't safe but you're all big climbing boys and girls, you'll probably be alright but it might snap and take one of you out.

[Ally Smith]

Where's the crap bit Pete? Or is it in need of more general maintenance?

[Stu Littlefair]

What's the high tide situation like if you take the HMS Smash approach? Is there any beach left at high tide?

[Ally Smith]

Depends how high the tide is Stu.
I've stayed in over a high tide and still been able to climb on the far lefthand side; warm-ups through to Never Get Out The Boat

[petejh]

What Ally said -  the tide gets up to the base of Boat People on a spring high and The Brute on a neap high.

The line has numerous sections (approx 8?) worn to the core with some of the core worn though as well - much worse than the usual this time of year. It's easy to change out and do a tidy job if you're a practical type but I can imagine a brainiac used to working out complex flow dynamics having a mare with tangled ropes and stanley knifes 

[SA Chris]

It's not like it's astrophysics or anything

[SA Chris]

<geek> I have a theory about predicting Diamond greasiness by looking at the gap between dew point temperature and air temperature. It's a bit geeky and most people can't be arsed looking at the data but my amateur investigations suggest that if there's a gap of 7 degrees between dew point and air temp than the likelihood of good conditions is high. Of course there are lots of variables and you have to use the same source of dew point/air temp for it to mean anything. </geek>

But localised microclimates can spanner that completely?

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/gfnkjf1th

(click the "more detail" bit)

shows % humidity too, which can sometimes be useful, although microclimes can spanner that too.

[petejh]

Yeah I'd guess it's highly localised.

I read that relative humidity isn't as useful as dew point for gauging the effects of a parcel of airs' moisture content because it's relative to the air temperature, whereas dew point is an absolute measure. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/soo/docu/humidity.php

This is the station I use to get the dew point/air temp and wind direction data, it's an amateur weather station about 500m from the Diamond!: http://www.wunderground.com/personal-weather-station/dashboard?ID=ICONWYLL2#history

If you scroll around on the map and look at other local weather stations the figures can be quite different, hence why my dew point theory relies on only using the readings from that particular weather station (LL2).  God I'm a

[petejh]

Just an update to say the handline has had the worn-out sections replaced and is safe to use up to the first (the usual) exit onto the beach - for anyone who's never been it should be pretty obvious what's what, just stop if you see worn-through bits, reverse and drop onto the beach at the obvious point below the diagonal crack.

The extension (which only gives an extra 40 mins) still needs 3 sections of rope changing out.

[Ally Smith]

Thanks Pete - sterling work as always

[Gus]

Or Just have a boat. HALAM. 

[Stu Littlefair]

Gus, does HMS smash have a motor, or do you row in?

[Gus]

No need for a motor with me and sam in there!

[Gus]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150992985241570&set=t.578736569&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xfa1%2Ft31.0-8%2F340439_10150992985241570_1883394163_o.jpg&smallsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xfa1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2F390951_10150992985241570_1883394163_n.jpg%3Foh%3D8200562b15d71149627f0f9756d7fced%26oe%3D543B0388&size=2048%2C1536