Abseiling, also called a rappelling, is a controlled descent down a vertical drop, such as a rock face, using a rope.
"Does anyone in the group have an existing medical condition like Asthma that we need to know about?" asked John Mogau, the Abseiling instructor at Canopy Tour, an outdoor activity park in the beautiful hills of Magoebaskloof in South Africa.
As it turned out, this was the last call for what would turn out to be a terrifying but electrifying experience for us.
“If everyone has signed an indemnity form kindly let us proceed to the site.”
The indemnity form stated that the participants were aware of the dangers of abseiling, the sport that I was just about to debut in, and that the company would not be held liable in the event of a mishap.
Abseiling, also called a rappelling, is a controlled descent down a vertical drop, such as a rock face, using a rope.
“We have just signed our lives away,” a friend joked.
After a three-minute drive on the George’s Valley (R528) Highway leading to Tzaneen, we took a left turn into the Woodbush State Forest and proceeded on a bumpy road for about five minutes before coming to a halt.
Here, we would make our way to the abseiling start point, which was carpeted with wood for a better take off. One of the instructors climbed down the 150m rock and landed by River Letaba’s side to set up a platform on which we would all land.
A quick introduction of the process followed and thereafter the only man in the group made a quick descent.
Eight ladies then followed him down, although saying they did it neatly would be an overstatement as a number of them almost gave up midway, probably, from the obvious danger that climbing down a vertical rock holds.
I was the last person to make the trip down; and I must say that just pulling the courage to get to the edge of the rock, from where the climb down begins was a feat on its own. I felt like I was willingly jumping to my death.
But this had to be done because nine other people had made the trip down before me and from their safe zone were jeering at me for my apparent cowardice. But I was not going to let them have the pleasure of using my name in stories telling of how “only one girl chickened out of the descent”.
But I must admit that I was clumsy; and after holding on to the edge of the rock for what felt like an eternity, Mogau demanded that I let go and concentrate on climbing down.
To abseil one uses a rope tightly secured at the top. It is basically the fastest way of getting down from any vertical incline. The rope runs through a friction device attached to the harness worn around the waist.
“You need to relax and use the rope as I instructed you, I will not let you fall so try to have some fun because I am not going to pull you up,” Mogau said.
Essentially, one is required to lean backwards and lower their body down while using one hand to hold onto the rock surface for breaks. The other hand should hold onto the support rope, while manipulating a friction which slows the descent and makes it possible for a person to control the speed of the climb down.
Abseiling in a rocky area requires a person to be watchful of sharp stones that may cause grievous injuries. To enjoy the adventure, it is of utmost importance to wear comfortable hiking boots and clothes.
My descent was terrifying and lasted about 15 minutes-Professionals would cover the distance in less than two minutes.
But I made it all the way down in one piece, and that’s what matters—I went, I saw, I conquered; I would probably have gotten the t-shirt too, but I think my clumsiness will remain the talk of the town for years to come.
