Cat Ba Day 1 | chossclimbers.com

Go back to Arrival In Hanoi.
Go back to Vietnam.

Pitch 4 of Screw Loose.

We headed out into the Bay at the alpine ass crack of dawn (8:30) the following morning. Though we were expecting to be in a small basket boat for the day, the three of us instead ended up taking a large junk boat suitable for three dozen people while a small basket boat shadowed us. This would enable shuttle access to the climbs. The Bay offers an incredible setting: a maze of turquoise waterways in-between limestone karsts with many floating settlements peppered throughout. The area closer to the port is bustling but things become a little more tranquil further out. The first goal for the day was a ~30 meter tall tower called Hon Dua, a 90 minute boat ride from the port. The formation looks as though it’s not long for this world: a stocky tower sitting (teetering?) on a highly eroded base. Here we climbed the original route called Tightrope (rated French 5c); a nice warm up for the limestone trad climbing to come. Back to the junk boat for lunch (huge quantity; somewhat underwhelming quality however) and an afternoon climb of the area classic called Screw Loose, 4 pitch 6a+; the only bolted route we’d do in the Bay. Very nice position and climbing on this one…and no bushwhacking.

Photos

Shirley and Andrew on the top deck of the junk boat enroute to our first climbs; the whole thing to ourselves…roughing it (Nov. 2018).

Ha Long Bay sights (Nov. 2018).

Ha Long Bay and its human activity (Nov. 2018).

Floating settlements and the fish farming operations (Nov. 2018).

Weathered, razor sharp limestone (Nov. 2018).

Stranded fishermen (Nov. 2018).

Another floating settlement (Nov. 2018).

With a couple of canine occupants (Nov 2018).

Bay sights (Nov. 2018).

Chu Bien pulling up to the junk boat (Nov. 2018).

Chu Bien, Andrew and Shirley in the basket boat shuttling over to the first climb (Nov. 2018).

Hon Dua: I believe it’s Vietnamese for “not long for this world” (Nov. 2018).

Tightrope route (5c) starts up the ramp just left of center of the face and follows the bushy, left side arete to the top. Single pitch with a cool summit (Nov. 2018).

Shirley belaying me from the boat. Convenient but feasible only if the sea is sufficiently calm. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Leading Tightrope (Nov. 2018).

Shirley starting up Tightrope route on Hon Dua. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Shirley low on the route. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Summit views including some sharp and jagged limestone (Nov. 2018).

Shirley higher on Tightrope. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Shirley about to pull over a slight bulge (Nov. 2018).

Turquoise water and sunshine – it did not suck (Nov. 2018).

More of Shirley on Tightrope. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Arriving on the summit of Hon Dua – watch your step (Nov. 2018).

Shirley enjoying the summit ambiance (Nov. 2018).

The register and the abseil anchor (Nov. 2018).

Shirley rapping off (Nov. 2018).

Back to the boat (Nov. 2018).

The landing. Time for lunch (Nov. 2018).

One last look at Hon Dua (Nov. 2018).

OK, what’s next?

But first – lunch! An overabundance of food on the junk boat (Nov. 2018).

Shuttling over to Screw Loose route next door to Tiger Beach (Nov. 2018).

Shirley belaying me on the first pitch of Screw Loose; technically this first pitch is called Peanut Butter & Jelly. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Shirley belaying me on the first pitch (Nov. 2018).

Views from the pitch 1 belay inside the chimney (Nov. 2018).

Pitch 1 views (Nov. 2018).

Shirley starting up the first pitch. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Topping out on pitch 1. Lookee that huge stalactite (Nov. 2018).

Into the crux of the route early on pitch 2 (Nov. 2018).

A closer look at the crux. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Fun climbing! Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Easy bit of pitch 2. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

View of Tiger Beach from midway up Screw Loose (Nov. 2018).

Shirley at the crux. Photo by Andrew (Nov. 2018).

Shirley exiting the chimney belayed by yours truly (Nov. 2018).

Shirley following pitch 2 (Nov. 2018).

And topping out on pitch 2 (Nov. 2018).

Andrew chilling and taking some cool photos (Nov. 2018).

Shirley topping out on pitch 3 (Nov. 2018).

Pano view of Tiger Beach from high on the route (Nov. 2018).

Shirley starting up pitch 4 of Screw Loose – easy but steep-ish (Nov. 2018).

Higher on pitch 4 (Nov. 2018).

Some more views The Bay (Nov. 2018).

Shirley topping out on Screw Loose (Nov. 2018).

Rapping off Screw Loose down into Chu Bien’s boat (Nov. 2018).

On the way back, approaching the port (Nov. 2018).

Ha Long Bay (Nov. 2018).

End of day beers back at our hotel (Nov. 2018).

Go back to Cat Ba Day 2.
Go back to Vietnam.