Brac intermezzo

My first week on call just started. 7 long days, when I can expect emergency calls all weekend long and in the evenings. I also get to work and medicate the animals in the hospital. But, all fair and square, I am getting a big chunk of the emergency fee, and I also had Wed and Thu off to prepare myself for this first week of trial.

Did I stay at home? Did I shop for food, did housework, any regular activities? Nooo, how could I?

I went to climb ... this <-------:

There are 2 smaller islands besides the mother Grand Cayman... Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. The latter is the only one that contains some sort of height above water, more specific this "bluff" area, a long rocky cliff at the eastern end of the island. I heard there are routes set up there, so off I went. And boy, what a surprise was I to get! Truly spectacular climbing. There are several climbing places, and this one in the picture above is one of them. To begin with, one approaches the shore, sets an upsails and lowers itself at the bottom of the cliff, above the water at a reasonable distances, sets up the belay point (hardly even a ledge to sit on) and then, up we go again. It does take a bit of a commitment to get down 35 m above the sometimes raging see, but here's the thrill for you.

In exchange you get to climb while huge turtles swim underneath you and all sorts of birds come to check you out. It is very special. The rock is not as sharp as I would have said, but there are bits that are a bit wet and salty at times. And most of them, negative routes, pretty difficult.

All in all, an experience in itself:)

The flight over was another experience. Wish O. and I. were here, really! The feeling of a small bus station in rural Romania. All knew each other. Baneasa is a busy airport in comparison. One leaves with a small plain, a twin Otter for the connaiseurs, and the pilot didn't even bother to shut the door. We could see their every move:) And the main pilote had a cool fan planted right in top of his face. They said simply "Good evening folks" and off we went. Incredible. They made one stop in Little Cayman, and the passangers saluted the pilote by his first name as they went off. I love small plains like that.

Cayman Brac has some snorkeling to it, the reef is shortly off shore.

But that is a whole different story. I am off to bed, my week on call has began. Oh, boy...