Canyoning in the Blue Mountains

Butterbox…butterbox. It has such a lovely sounding name. Sounds like a delicious box of biscuits that your grandmother brings out for special occasions. I am, however, of course talking about the canyon in the spectacularly scenic Blue Mountains. I was going canyoning for the first time butterbox just sounded wonderful.

It was a beautiful mild sunny Sunday morning when we arrived. I felt good. Looked forward to the exciting day that was planned ahead of me.

As a fairly fit mother of a one year old I thought carrying my baby around for a year might be good preparation for this canyoning caper and was actually looking forward to the opportunity for some other physical activity.

Having given birth, I knew I could tolerate an extraordinary amount of pain and thought this might be a walk in the park. Some park. Some walk.

So there I was with my good friends Scott (canyon expert) and Sebastian (recent canyon convert). We began walking along the apparent path (apparent to some) through the long grass. I remember stepping in a puddle of water that went up to my ankle. “That’s uncomfortable” I thought. Ha. If only I knew what lay ahead.

Before too long we were in the depths of the canyon. Feeling like Tarzan hanging off tree vines so I wouldn’t plunge to my death, but having fun no less. The sun was disappearing above our heads as we were going deeper and deeper into this wonderous landscape. We hit our first abseil. Well I had abseiled down the Parkroyal Hotel at Parramatta so I’m thinking to myself “I’ve got this caper under control”. As I leaned over the rock, I realised this is very different but really really exciting. No problem. Done. Bring it on I thought.

Abseil two, abseil three by the time abseil four came along they were becoming tricky.

Abseil number five. Well. 25feet down I was told. By this stage, I had swum through icy rivers and damn they let you know you’re alive. Abseil number five required us to abseil through a waterfall. I could not do it. I just didn’t have the strength to hold the soaked rope.

Trusted friend Scott lowered me down through the waterfall and into another icy river. “Aaaaarggghhh!!!!” I exclaimed back.

“This is it Maria. Just onto that rock, one more swim and we’ll be back in the sun so you can warm up.” Scott said. What Scott should have said was, “Climb this small mountain, swim 20 metres through icy cold water and if you’re lucky you’ll catch a ray of sunshine” Okay, I’m being a bit melodramatic but this I’m starting to realise that this canyoning caper not only requires physical ability but strong mental ability.

Unfortunately, by the time we hit the sun again I was shivering quite badly and couldn’t eat a thing. By this time I was thinking why in the world did I come here.

So now we were on the way out. But it just wasn’t coming fast enough. There needs to be a chicken’s way out. There needs to be a Westpac Chopper stop where we can wait and be flown out.

But stop, back up. I’ve given birth. I can do this. I stopped to look around and almost had a heart attack. We were walking along a cliff face with no apparent path. I had never felt exhilaration and fear at the same time.

Hours passed and we’re still walking. When the hell is this going to end. Labour didn’t take this long. And it was at this time I decided that I would rather give birth again then go canyoning again.

I’ll confess, I am a drama queen. The boys tried to help me as best they could but I’m a chick with chick hormones. Boys should never try to help.

The hardest thing for me was the relentless climbing. There was never just ordinary bushwalking. What’s wrong with just ordinary bushwalking? I understand that we need to get out of a canyon but for the love of god, please give us some reprieve.

My muscles were really hurting. “We’re really close to the end”, Scott said about a hundred times. It just didn’t seem that the end would ever come. The sun was setting and we had “just one more rock to climb”, “just one more gully to walk through”. We took a small break and as I sat down and looked over the canyon looked I quoted Darryl Kerrigan from ‘The Dish’, “How’s the serenity?”. This view was amazing. I could have sat there for hours. Not only because I thought I couldn’t move anymore, but sitting on this rock and sucking in the air, taking in this view almost made me forget how much pain I was in.

It was 6 o’clock before we got out of the canyon. 9 hours after we started. Longer than expected I’m sure.

It was dark when we reached the car and all I longed for was nice long hot bath. I was buggered but I had done it. Another check off the “What I Must Accomplish” list.

It took a while before I actually appreciated this exciting day and now I am glad that I’ve done it once….but….never again…maybe!
Those of you contemplating canyoning for the first time, be prepared. It is one of the toughest physical activities and most definitely a tough mental challenge.

Rewarding? Most definitely yes!

N.B. I’m expecting my second child in 6 months and I’m starting to think that this canyon was great training for childbirth. Not the other way around.