Quote from: SA Chris on June 25, 2018, 10:08:13 amStart low, work your way up. Avoid in anything other than flat calm seas!Disagree with this. Very calm water has more surface tension and is more likely to hurt on impact. On the other hand, rough seas may make it hard to exit the water and/or risk smashing you against rocks. So slightly choppy water is optimal.
Start low, work your way up. Avoid in anything other than flat calm seas!
My DWS experience has been limited to a couple of snatched hours on a few family holidays - Pembroke, Mallorca, Portugal. Thus I haven't really been with a crew and had a proper go.From my limited experience (and this advice might not really be suitable for you if you're a fearless wad):- never ever go DWSing alone. If a freak accident happens that puts you in the water, possibly knocked out, and there's nobody watching you, you are definitely dead. This has happened, tragically, to some experienced DWSers;- have a look at what cold water shock is and be mindful of it. I'm not sure what the water will be like near Sagres at this time of year (post winter, might not have warmed up yet?), but I've climbed there in November and the water was gorgeous;- always check your exit point before getting in. It might be that there is normally a pull-out line in-situ which has vanished etc. Don't just rely on what the guide has told you, go and see it for yourself.- check the swell direction and size on a surf forecast (loads of relevant forecasts for where you're going, just be mindful that the beach that the forecast is for will not necessarily be at the same orientation as the crag you're climbing at!). Not sure what the weather is like at this time of year around there but it can get very wild.- Look for some nice low venues with easy exits to get you started- jumping into the water from sea level, and then doing a few bigger jumps is absolutely vital for your head. You'll feel loads better once you've seen that falling in is nice and not frigid;- don't sweat too much if you haven't got an absolute mountain of shoes - DWS is more often on steep, juggy rock, and wet shoes doesn't actually make that much difference to performance;- If you take a sandwich bag (or something a bit sturdier) and duct tape some thin wire around the outside (to hold it open) this makes a neat dry wipe chalk bag that you can keep topped up.- Enjoy it. It can be a bit stressful at first, but once you're more used to it it's an incredibly liberating way to climb.So now, some more Portugal specific beta. I climbed at Ingrina a couple of times. I was on holiday with wife, baby, and a few climbers of varying keenness and DWS was limited to a morning's/afternoon's activity when my wife didn't mind being abandoned with our daughter.- If you forget an climbing stuff then there's nothing in Sagres - it's a surf town. You'll probably have to go to the bouldering wall in Faro: https://www.facebook.com/vertical.adr/It's a bit of a weird place to find - it's in a sports centre, on the other side of an astro turf pitch. At least one of the blokes who staffs it is psyched and is happy to share info (though if you don't speak Portuguese then language is a problem).- I never actually climbed at Sagres itself (what Rockfax calls Ponta Garcia I think). From what little I heard from the locals, the approach to it was awkward (some sort of sketchy high level hand line? Easiest by blow up boat?). Logistics are probably not going to make this all that easy for your first time. Do Ingrina first and then progress to Ponta Garcia later.- Ingrina is really good. There's some lowball stuff in a cave blowhole thing that might be nice opening gambits. The wall on the right of the Main Cave area (facing in) also has some excellent lowballs and jumping in practice. Keep upping the height until you can jump in safely from the top of Ilvico. The approach to the left hand side of the main cave area (facing in) is exposed and not to be fallen off (it's not above the sea). Be very careful. The sea will probably be rougher on the Atlantic side of the main cave (below the down climb). You might find it easier downclimbing just to the left, facing out (i.e. towards the main cave), than is first apparent. We didn't get to climb on the wall next to the blowhole as the sea was too rough on that side.From the "Best of 2017" thread:Dromedario (6b; DWS); Ingrina. Absolutely epic. You get a decent way above the sea and then you just start firing out across this overhanging wall on titanic jugs. There's a tricky move near the top and then you do this cool rock over into an undercut on the top slab. Amazing.