Table Mountain was recently voted one of the seven natural wonders of the world and glimpses of it can be caught up certaincity streets. Watching it over the 4 days I was there, I saw it in some of its many guises including when its flat top is covered in clouds, otherwise known as the ‘tablecloth’.
I went up the mountain on the first and last day I was there and fortunately it was a clear day on both, albeit incredibly windy. It was even once aptly named ‘Windberg’ (Windy Mountain) as winds canblow up to 130 km per hour here.
In spite of the wind (evidently less than130 kmph!), Dom, Lee and I attempted the 112 metre abseil down the side of the mountain, touted as ‘The World’s Original Highest Commercial Abseil’.
Starting from one of the main viewing platforms at the top, you naturally attract a lot of attention. Instead of focusing on the beautiful view, tourists tend to focus on you in your harness and hard hat, ‘crazily’ climbing over the edge.
It almost feels like you’re a celebrity – although probably one with a death wish.
Having canyoned and abseiled many times before, including the 200 metre multi-pitch abseil, Malaita Point, in Katoomba, Australia, I was feeling pretty confident. I was confident going over the edge, leaving the safety of the viewing platform. I was even confident when hooked onto the safety rope, scrambling down over rocks to get to the starting point.
Lee scrambling down rocks on the safety rope
But then when I was waiting for my two friends to abseil down first, my confidence started to crack.
Lee...upright!
Dom hadn’t abseiled before but he didn’t seemto have any trouble sashaying down the cliff face. Lee, on the other hand, who had also done some canyoning, was slowly commencing her descent when suddenly I heard her yelp and then saw her boots sticking up in the air – Lee had flipped upsidedown! My initial reaction was to laugh but then concern for her safety took over. Luckily, however, the instructors were only concerned about her safety and swiftly got her back ontoher feet. I asked the instructors if that happens often and they took a deep breath and said ‘No…’ Lee’s excuse now is that she apparently ‘wanted to get a better view’…
Once they both made it to the bottom, theropes were hauled back up and it was then my turn to be hooked up. The wind had frozen me right through by that stage, and I couldn’t work out whether I was shaking from the cold, the adrenaline or both.
The hardest part of abseiling for me isalways leaning out over the edge of the cliff. This time it seemed even more daunting as when you look down, you not only see the part of the cliff face you’re abseiling down, but also all the way to the bottom of the mountain, some further 900 metres below! I reluctantly let go of the ropes as instructed to get a photo taken leaning out over the edge, and then quickly grabbed them again to re-establish my (false) sense of security.
The abseil started off a little shaky as I struggled to get sturdy foot holds and felt like I was slipping. I could feel the weight of my body in the harness, and whilst it was reassuring it was also quite uncomfortable, and left me feeling bruised for the next day or two.
I took my time, having dismissed the idea of doing a few jumps down the cliff very early on and stopping briefly to attempt taking a few photos (relatively unsuccessfully as I wasn’t very steady!).
As I was lowering myself, I suddenly realised there was no more cliff face to walk down. The instructors told me they always know when we get to that point as there is a moment of hesitation, before we work out exactly what to do. It was a big overhang with a remaining drop of about 30 metres, and I gradually lifted my feet off the edge and let the rope slide out from behind me, enjoying the 360 degree views.
All three of us were shaking at the bottom, again either pumped from adrenaline or just frozen stiff.
But what an incredible abseil. Definitely the toughest I have ever done. (I’m pretty sure Lee would agree!)
The walk out was also a tricky one as you then have to hike back up or down the mountain, along the path that is marked ‘This is not an easy way down’.
We opted for the quicker option of hiking back up the mountain, whilst watching our step on the thin path that just seemed to crumble away in parts. Once we rejoined the well-trodden paths at the top, we then took the easy way back down the mountain, this time from the safety of the cable car.
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