Babylon Wall, Mt Ngungun

Hoping for some clear skies we left Brisbane early Saturday morning and made our way north to the Glass House Mountains. We headed to the previously unexplored Babylon Wall on the north eastern face of Mt Ngungun.

Walking through the damp scrub we arrived to wet rock and several small waterfalls cascading down some of the climbing routes. 

Undeterred we found some lower graded climbs and set off trying to tick off a few routes in the wet. We managed Dang Fool (14), Fool's Errand (14) and Herzinator (13) without slipping off the slick and slippery wall before the sun and heat of the day dried up a few more routes.

We then climbed Hijinx (17) and Gossamer (19) before running out of dry routes to attempt. We called it a day and heading back to the township for the customary post climbing pizza and coffee.

An enjoyable morning, I will return with things dry out.

Some photos here

Wakeboarding on the Nerang River

Just some photos and videos from a scorching hot day down on the Gold Coast. Biting sun, blue skies, beautiful water made it a hot but fantastic morning of wakeboarding and tube riding.

Photos and videos below.

Double Island Point camping

It had been too long since I had camped on the beach, so when I saw a weekend on the calendar that ticked all the boxes (outside of school holidays, decent tide times, not too hot) I organised a trip back north to Double Island Point.

Anton, Kaz and I left after work on Friday night, and drove to Tewantin where we rendezvoused with some friends who were joining us. We hit the beach around nine o'clock, timing it perfectly with the dead low tide, and went about finding a suitable camping site.

We spotted a decent sized spot and proceeded to set up camp in the howling northerly winds. After a couple of beers and handfuls of chocolate coated coffee beans I eventually called it a night around 2 AM, and retreated to my tent that was barely staying upright in the winds.

I woke at the crack of dawn to this, the reason I love camping.

I walked to the beach and started digging for pippis, hoping to start the early morning with some fresh fish for breakfast. Unsurprisingly it wasn't to be, only catching a few smaller fish that we far from legal size. I settled for a few cups of coffee, sausages and eggs and chilled out in the heat of the day.

After a quick nap we went looking for a more productive fishing gutter, having no more luck we returned to camp at dusk and settled in for the night with cold beers in front of a hot fire.

Another late night, another early morning start. Two-thirds of the crew had to return home so we fished and relaxed while they waited for low tide to return home. After a successful fishing session (thanks Kaz) and another midday nap we sat on the dunes and watched the darkening skies slowly creep towards our camp.

We missed the majority of the storm and decided to go for a drive to rainbow beach and explore. Anton suggested we visit the sand blow, so in the late afternoon sun we found our way there.

We stayed until the sun went down then made our way back to camp, our mouths watering with the prospect of pippis and fresh fish waiting to be roasted over an open fire.

Sated by the delicious meal, and drowsy after beer, red wine and whisky, I made it back to my tent one last time. I awoke several times during the night as the fierce winds threatened to steal collapse the tent, but I made it through the night to discover the tent barely standing and full of sand.

At least I still had shelter! After a pole failure during the second night, Kaz and Anton had to sleep on the sand under the tarp, shielded from the now onshore winds by Anton's longboard.

The sunrise cheered my spirits, and after a few coffees we decided to pack up camp and hopefully get away before the rain as more storms were approaching. We managed to beat the rain, and made our way back down the beach towards Brisbane, sandy, tired but content.

Another memorable trip. More photos here