places to visit > abroad
Meeting DWS-ers in Mallorca/ how busy are places in May
remus:
--- Quote from: Liamhutch89 on January 26, 2024, 10:53:11 am ---I can't answer your specific question, but there's a lot of DWS in Mallorca that's as safe as DWS can be and i'd be happy to do it alone. There's a possibility you could drown just like there's a possibility you could fall off a normal boulder, hit your head on a rock and die.
--- End quote ---
Personally I think this is over-egging how safe it is on your own. A friend of mine fell off (seemingly not particularly weirdly, but hard to know for sure given upcoming events) and passed out under water while on their own. Fortunately it was brief and they regained consciousness before they drowned, but they spent 5 mins choking out sea water afterwards. Another friend broke a hold off while really high up (20m+), smashed in to a ledge and then hit the water. If his pals weren't there to swim him out I think there's a fairly decent chance he could have died. Then of course there is the Cook brother who died while DWSing on his own in Mallorca.
Having said that I've done quite a bit of DWS on my own, but I think you need to be aware that if you fall off badly in the wrong place it's more risky than bouldering, because you're in the sea which means it's easy to drown.
Johnny Brown:
Not been in spring but word on the street is the sea doesn't warm up until later. Suspect the 'low sun' advantage in autumn is also related to lower diurnal temperature ranges meaning less condensation in the first place.
Barques was the only place that seemed popular. Big XXL was the best easy thing I did, really fun jug fest across the roof of a cave, never very high.
I'd also caution against DWS on your own, somewhere easy and vert like Ferrera maybe (just treating it as soloing i.e. no falls) but not if you've any chance of falling. I nearly drowned just laughing at a mate's attempt at a dive.
User deactivated.:
Remus, I don't disagree with what you've said, but the key bit for me is: "if you fall off badly in the wrong place it's more risky than bouldering". Don't be in the wrong place when doing it alone, certainly not 20m up! There's plenty of DWS in Mallorca below 10m where it's basically impossible to hit something on the way down. Freak accidents can happen but the risk can be very low if you choose sensible spots. Loads of surfers are happy to be out alone, but not so many who'd want to be out alone when it's double overhead!
Will Hunt:
I've done stuff at Barques when I was there on my own but with other climbers around. In hindsight I'd rather go with a spotter who was actually looking out for you. I always thought this sounded like cold water shock (which can occur from around 15 degrees) but it seems unlikely given that it was June when the Mallorca water temperature ought to have been 17 at least (ignore the headline, he'd just jumped in from the bottom of the crag).
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2251260/British-tourist-nicknamed-Captain-Caterpillar-drowned-jumping-100ft-sea-free-climbing-Majorca.html
There's other dangers than rockfall/falling off badly. What your tolerance for risk is I don't know.
Johnny Brown:
It doesn't read like cold water shock at all. More likely a faceful of water at the wrong moment.
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