Tide times

I always check the tide times before heading down to climb on the chalk as getting trapped by the sea while i'm wearing a rucksack doesn't appeal. Last night I knew it was low at 1800 and high at 2400 but that didn't really help me as I waded out from the Thunder Dome through waist deep water.

Scott and I picked up Simon on the way so probably arrived at Telscombe about 1900 then met Toby and Shelle in the Dome. The low traverse of the Dome is a good boulder problem/route with interesting moves through the steepest section. Everyone was climbing well and being entertained by a couple of flat-on-the-back ripped holds (the bread basket sized, heavy chalk blocks ripped off as a hold breaks always aim to land on the climber who broke them). Then Scott saved some serious trouble by letting us know that the tide was well on its way. I was pretty shocked when I saw where the milky water had got to, it was at least knee deep at the start of the first of two butresses we needed to pass to get back to safety. By this time It was probably past 2100 (will have to check the stopped mobiles) with choppy seas and a 6.5m spring tide. Interesting. Not quite dangerous by 15 min max.

Check the tide 3 hours past low tide.

I hadn't planned on making swimming part of my training for the winter (or sport climbing!). I spent June to September working and saving money. With weekends climbing if the weather/enthusiasm allowed. October: France/Turkey. And now I'm thinking that the comps and hopefully some Ice are not not very far away. So I have joined the gym, been running and done a couple of chalk sessions. The biggest headache is working how I am going to get around the comps (Russia, Italy, Switzerland on consecutive weekends) without spending all of my savings or doing no climbing.