You know its the right time to leave Arapiles when...

Stu working his magicon Voodoo 19

Easter weekend and off to Arapiles almost the whole of the climbing Melbourne community goes. The Pines campsite was packed, think free Font campsite on Easter weekend during foot and mouth year.

I had the best of weekend. On Friday I managed High Dive second go - my first 23 lead on trad gear. Did some other good ones on Sat, then pulled it out and climbed Oresties second go on Sunday (I got suck first go while putting in the gear and could not move) - my first 24 on trad gear.

The botton part of Oresties 24
Mid way and on the top traverse of Oresties

Sunday afternoon I managed to talk Mark into climbing with me even though the sun was out as it was my last day climbing at Arapiles. We soloed ?? up the front of the Watchtower, ran down, soloed Watchtower Chimney (12), ran down and ran up Skink (18) in two long pitches. Excellent fun! BUT the strangest thing...

Back in November Jo and mines first climb in Australia was Watchtower Crack, we had a good climb but it rained quite hard when I was leading the top pitch. Now, then I was sat at the top of Skink belaying Mark a lone dark cloud came over and large drops of rain fell for 3 mins or so. Others were there, I'm not making this up.
This was at the top of my first climb in Oz (and so Arapilies) and the top of my last climb at Arapiles as we are off to New Zealand soon.
Is this a freak event or what? (and if its what, what is what?)
Time to leave Arapiles.

I had to leave a day before everyone else (including Jo) to go to work on Easter Monday.

Photos will of course be added when Jo arrives back with my camera.