“Take a look to the sky just before you die”
Hmmmm. Don’t really have much to say, a bit of a bummer update.
Did the Boven weekend, arrived Friday mid morning and had a lovely day. Was pretty useless on Saturday, but the highlight was definitely “Little Bonsai” (16). A really nice climb of about 25m. Dinner was fabulous: Fillet with ostrich wors and braai samies. Later that night another group borrowed our fire to make espetada’s, and insisted I have a taste – divine!! Apart from some other secret herbs & spices, they stuck the meat on bay leaf sticks and threw bay leaves on the fire to further flavour the meat. Quite a treat, I must say.
But then Sunday turned out a disaster. While making breakfast, news came in of an accident close to the campsite. From Climb.co.za:
“Heinrich Kahl passed away this Sunday at Waterval Boven. He was 27.
Heinrich was well known as a top level sport climber (competed in a couple of Roc & Road’s) and was fast becoming one of SA’s hardest trad climbers.
He and his wife Carlien prepared to climb All’s Bells (19 trad) at Tranquilitas. At the base of the climb was a refrigerator sized boulder which one has to scramble up on to get onto the climb; as Heinrich mantled onto the boulder it came lose and toppled over on top of him. Heinrich sustained serious internal injuries and died on the scene. Carlien broke her hand and got bruised badly but is otherwise okay.”
News24 article here.
Did not know him personally, but did chat to him once or twice. Good guy, very easy to get along with and had a lekker conversation with him.
No more climbing for me that day.
Farewell…
