request for information on changes to rock shores

[botaylor]

I am looking for assistance from the climbing community in documenting when storms or other natural events alter the position or character of the large boulders and rock outcrops that you frequent. When you are climbing, could you or your friends take photos of the rock faces and boulders and save them. (I know you already do this!) When you return to the location later this year or in xx years time if you see a major difference take another photo with the same view so that we can all enjoy the impact of natural processes and I can use the photos assess the impact of various storms. For example following Hurricane Juan Todd Foster sent me before and after photos of Fish Mouth Boulder on Dover Island which you can view on our web site COASTWEB http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/coast/storms/jua ... hore_e.php .

I am presently monitoring shoreline changes along NS and other parts of Canada and the rock shore is an important component of our coastline. I do not know the rock shores as well as you do so I am asking for your assistance to document changes using photographs or any other suggestions you may have. If you already have before and after photos of some boulder /rock locations or know any storms that moved or broke up your boulders, I would like to hear from you.

I will acknowledge all information that I receive from you or others and the photos etc remain your property. I only ask for permission to use the photos in publications and web sites. In return we have aerial coastal video covering Nova Scotia (not all outer islands, unfortunately) and much of Atlantic Canada (excl Labrador) taken from a helicopter at generally less than 500 feet. If you are looking for new sites to climb, the video provides an efficient way to search, for example, view the rock shores of Guysborough County.

If you have information about changes in the rock shores and/or are interested in viewing or getting a copy of a section of aerial coastal video, you can contact me at 902-426-7736 or thro this website. Thanks
Beach guy

[The Teth]

Just posting up to confirm the original posters credentials. He is a prominent scientist with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. This is your chance to contribute to important scientific research.

I remember when I first turned him on to this source of data. “You mean you guys have names for individual boulders? And you have photographic documentation of their positions and configuration?” OK, I am paraphrasing from memory here, but you can imagine his astonishment to discover that the rock climbing community could be such a great resource for scientific research.

So yea, if you see that any boulders have moved, take a snapshot, and give him a call. Let him know what the change was, and when you think they took place. If you can track down any old photos of the same spot, that is extremely helpful.

Bouldering and Science, what a combination

[Scooter]

This happens all the time in NS! We have lost a number of boulders on Dover Island and Duck Head! As of more recent, there have been some boulders that have moved and opened up at Prospect Bay! I'll be sure to take some photo's next time I am out to get their current state. I'll try to dig up some past photo's to compare and send them along.

On Dover we have lost: Cassidy Prow boulder, Fishmouth Boulder, One Scoop Boulder.
At Duck Head we have lost the big boulder that once housed Comfort Zone (HUGE boulder).
At Prospect Bay there are 2 or 3 new problems and Sang de Dragon has opened up again.

[Quinn]

This areal footage sounds like the holy grail for scouting for new coastal climbing destinations. Maybe there is the next dover island hiding out there just waiting to be explored...

Crystal crescent beach has had some changes as well. The stealth pants boulder is missing a large piece, a boulder showed up in front of aquaman, and and rumor has it an entire area has disappeared, but I can't remember which one.

[botaylor]

Climbers
thanks for the replies about your support to obtain photos and monitor changes in your climbing areas-the biggest problem I have is knowing where the individual named rocks are located relative to each other, in a particular location and relative to high tide level -I need to know if the rocks were moved by waves or other rock falls . Did the waves washover the whole area and when? if you have a request for aerial video contact me. Thanks again
Beach guy

[Quinn]

All of the above mentioned boulders were most certainly moved by waves. All the movement seems to take place in the winter. Going out in the spring is always interesting, because you never know what changes have taken place since the fall.

[Quinn]

They are all above high tide, usually by just a few meters. There aren't any popular bouldering areas that need to be coordinated with the tides. All of the changes take place on the coastal climbing areas that are along the barren coastal rocky shelf. No lichen grows on the rocks that move - they are completely swept clean by wind and waves. Anything elevated several meters, or that isn't swept clean already seems to be safe.

[patzer]

That's maybe not entirely true - Duck Head may need you to pay attention to tides? But there's not many people who go there anyway, so not many eyes on it... I think I remember hearing about some changes there in recent years too though!

[Quinn]

Yeah, I thought about duck head right after posting, but you can't edit posts. There is even a classic problem "High Tide". With a 45 minute "fast" approach and top-outs blurring the line between free soloing Duck head doesn't see much traffic these days. It's always cute watching the spotters on Eastern Tides with their arms up as climbers top out 25 feet. I don't like their chances of altering the trajectory a 70 kg projectile moving at 44 km/hr !!

The Splat Calculator

[ben smith]

Duck head has seen substantial changes with the loss of the enormous boulder that used to be home to skin graft and comfort zone ( approximately 30 ft high by 30 ft by 10 or 20 ft wide) as well as another large and menacing boulder behind it that appears to have been knocked out at the same time. I don't have old pictures but I know ben b. and zig probably do, as does the guide book. I can get new pictures documenting the changes in the next couple of weeks. This location has likely seen (to my knowledge) the most substantial alterations of the coastal areas (possibly barring the changes in the talus area on dover) and is certainly the most striking example due to the loss of a single enormous boulder.

[The Teth]

Beach Guy, I suggest you purchase the Halifax Bouldering Guidebook at the Trail Shop on Quinpool Road. It has locations and photographs for most of the boulders mentioned.

[botaylor]

the teth
thanks I will certainly purchase the bouldering guidebook book -it sounds like just what I need to be better informed-also why don't you approach CBC Maritimes and suggest they do a special program on Land and Sea about boulder climbing -I think it would be great just like the one they did on the surfers last year-great publicity for your activity but maybe ........you do not want that??
Beach guy

[Eager]

I remember when the stealth pants boulder shifted there was talk that it may have been assisted by ice that had formed from seepage? Not sure if that is possible? Another shifted boulder is the Robar at Duncan's Cove, I think that was one of the first instances the bouldering community noticed that many of our favorite problems were mobile. Maybe some sweet new boulders will wash up one day to entice Zig to move back to NS.