Climbing Tree?!

I'm Tarzan?!!!

I'm sure you guys heard about rock climbing or mountain hiking right?

But do you heard about tree climbing before?

Of course we do not climb up the tree with bare hands.

Why tree climbing? you might ask..

Actually this is included in my course syllabus of Canopy Biology.

To study about the canopy ( The top tree layers in the forest), first we need to access into the canopy.

How to go up to the top?

Well, by Climbing of course!!

Most of the researcher use the Double Rope Technique to climb up the tree.

One rope is the working rope which we used to climb and another rope served as the safety rope.

They are tied to different branch of the tree so that if the working rope snapped, the safety rope will still support the climbers.

The equipment used in tree climbing is 

the canopy access personal protective equipment (PPE) 

which includes sit harness, chest harness, cow’s-tail, karabiners, maillon rapides, descender, ascender, helmet and rope.

Look like rock climbing actually~

Me volunteering to try on the harness.

 

My lecture briefing us about the climbing technique, the rules and the equipment.

To learn tree climbing, we have 2 facilitators from Danum valley to demonstrate and teach us.

It is very expensive if you wan to take a tree climbing course outside..

If I'm not mistaken, it is around RM2K!!!

You can have a look at the courses offered here. click here .

We are so lucky as it is free for Conservation Biologist student~

Ngek Ngek ngek~

Before we start climbing, we need to learn how to tie different knot to connect our climbing kits to the tree.

The knots that we practiced that day includes overhand, overhand on a bight retreated, figure eight , figure eight on a bight, figure eight on a bight retreated, figure nine on a bight, figure nine on a bight retreated and bunny knot.

Figure eight knot. 

Can you see the eight shape?

Figure nine knot on a bight.

On a bight means we fold the rope into double while twisting it.

Rabbit Knot!!!

Cute~

Every one is so serious while tying their knots~

After knowing all the knots, finally we start climbing!

Firstly the instructor demonstrated how to climb up and climb down the tree~

Me climbing the tree!

To Go Up the tree, first we need to push the jammer ( The blue thinging that I hold with my hand in the picture) up along the rope 

and moves up by stepping up the foot lop( The lop that my leg stepping on).

 Then we sit back down again to raise the jammer further up, the croll ( a loop at the middle of sit harness) will clamps and holds our position. 

To come down, we need to switch our rope to clamp to STOPS (show in the picture above) near the croll.

Then we stand up in footloop and releases the climbing rope from the croll.

 After that, we sits down again and removes the jammer from the climbing rope.

Lastly, we slowly descent by pressing the handle of the STOPS.

Reach the ground safe and sound~

Say hi to my Buddy~

A buddy is very important when you are climbing.

He/ she will be your partner that check all you equipment and hold your rope.

One of my course mate being saved by the instructor. 

But AWKWARD position.... Hahaahahahaha!

Climbing was so fun!!!

Although I was stuck on the tree for quite some time during the first climb...

I don't have enough strength to hold my body weight with my left hand while standing straight when I try to release the croll from the rope.

But I learnt from experience~

Getting better during the second climb~

We do enjoy ourselves that day~

We even PICNIC while resting~

Actually It was my first time to come to ODEC, a beach within my University,

although it is my 3rd year now...

It is a wonderful place with sand and beaches for BBQ , we even have our own Jetty here too!

Well, I ended my post with a "better looking" picture since I look terrible during the climbing session.. :)