Breeze Bay
Summary
Copyright: This route guide is copyright and may not be reproduced without the express permission of Phil Stuart-Jones.Introduction
Several crags are above this bay between Farm Park Crag and Godley Head. Only three have been climbed on so far (Nov 96) but there is potential for further development.History
Development started in Spring 1996 with the first routes being done on the 19th of October by Lindsay Main and Phil Stuart-Jones at the western-most crag.Access
Park your car at the Farm Park car park. Either head east along the walking track until you can go down the gully about 500m along (Breeze Bay West) or around a kilometre for the eastern crags. For the western crags, the alternative is to sidle down and east below and past the first scrappy bluff. There is a pine tree on a ridge east of the western cliff which is a useful landmark.Character
The rock tends to be a peculiar cross between The Tors, Lyttelton Rock, and everything in between with sweeping smooth slabs, textured walls, and flakey loose overhanging cracks. Something for everyone. Unfortunately, the crags tend to have large areas covered in the white lichen we all love to hate - slippery under most conditions, lethal when wet. There is a solution. When the lichen is wet, it comes off fairly well and before the rock gets polished. Unfortunately this means cleaning routes is easiest in the rain!The crags dry fast and the eastern ones are not only protected from easterly winds, but catch the afternoon sun! Top belays are from natural bollards and/or belay bolts.
Crags and routes are described from left to right (west to east).
Breeze Bay West
Breeze Bay West is the small buttress just east of the second(?) gully. Descent from the crag top is by abseil or via the gully on the western side. A long sling around the top block(s) provides most routes with a top belay.
| Zephyr | 12 | 8m | Lindsay Main 96 |  |
At the left end of the wall, move up on good holds to the prominent short hand crack.
| Squall | 16 | 9m | Phil Stuart-Jones '96 | |
Up the shallow groove on good holds (but little pro) to the crack. Place pro, pull through, walk off.
| Flatus | 18 | 12m | Phil Stuart-Jones '96 | |
Take the wall right of the shallow goove to the horizontal slot (thread?) then to the loose block. Stabilise this with some pro before mantling onto it. Gain the alcove then up.
| Roaring Forties | 19 | 12m | Lindsay Main '96 | |
The most obvious natural line of the crag. Place gear in the crack and crank through to the offwidth slot to recover. Bridge/jam up the crack (good pro higher) to the jumble above.
| Twister | 19 | 8m | Phil Stuart-Jones (top-rope) '96 | |
Edge up onto the small ramp on the wall right of RF using the recess on the wall, then reach carefully up onto the arete for a rounded pinch/lay away. Grapple your way up on more rounded holds to easy ground. A bolt would make this leadable.
On the wall facing the harbour is a ledge about 2m up with roofs above and crumbly crud below.
| Hurricane Lili | 20 | Phil Stuart-Jones (top-rope) '96 | |
About three metres in from the left end of the undercut it is possible to gain the wall above. Place a nest of wires around a block, then pull up and right to a stance. From here, bridge left a little then go straight up using a series of rounded holds. Bolts required.
A further route may go left and up from the precarious stance.
| Sirocco | 19 | 14m | Lindsay Main '96 | |
Start as for HL but move right from the stance and continue on a rightward trend following the holds and reasonable pro. At the left-leaning crack head left and up to anchors. Major earthworks may result in a direct start which is likely to be very strenuous.
At the right hand end of the wall is a left-leaning crack which can be used to gain the vertical dirt-filled groove above. Cleaning of this may allow the wall above to be gained. This will lead up to the textured headwall of promise but unknown quality. A bolt or two may be required to supplement the thin pro.
Breeze Bay East
Breeze Bay East is a pair of crags with probably the highest walls, including routes around 20m long. New crag rules apply:- just because it's there, doesn't mean it's solid
- debris at the top is likely to be still loose
- things are likely to be dirty still
- don't remove vegetation unless you have to
- watch out for geckos
Left Hand Crag
The left hand crag starts at the left end with a narrow bit of wall and a chimney. This is followed by a deceptively steep but well-textured wall with several cracks and a cavelet at the bottom. Right of this wall is a dirty crack and pinnacle, then a blank left-facing corner with a roof, and lastly, a short steep blank wall.
| Left Arete | 10 | 4m | Phil Stuart-Jones (solo) '97 | |
The left hand arete of the left crag provides a rather trivial bit of climbing which has to be noted for its unusual large hex placements on the wall. No other redeeming features.
| Paté | 20 | 7m | Joe Arts '96 | |
The large flaring chimney, which was full of loose blocks, at the left hand end of the crag. Natural pro. The grade is for the hard move topping out, the rest of the route is only around 12-14.
| Dirty Rotten Chicken Town | 18 | 8m | Joe Arts '96 | |
The wall to the right of the big chimney. Uses the right edge of the chimney somewhat. One bolt.
| Radical Proteins | 21 | 8m | Joe Arts '96 | |
The blank wall. Perform the strenuous moves past the bulge, then follow the crack left and up. Move back right past the second bolt to top out. Two bolts and other pro.
| Lame Duck | 22 | 8m | Joe Arts '96 | |
The crack in the wall above the left end of the small cave. Technical start to vicious finger locks, then follow the crack most of the way to the top. One bolt and other pro (including a thread!).
| Tossed Salad | 19 | 8m | Joe Arts '96 | |
The right-hand-most crack which curves in two planes. Short but surprisingly strenuous. A rack of CD's (1-3) will see you to the top.
| Lost Arrow | 17 | 8m | Joe Arts '96 | |
The wall/pinnacle just right of TS. Use the edges but not the grass or make things more interesting and don't use the edges at all... Two bolts and a big sling for the top.
| Pin Pincher | 19 | 8m | Joe Arts '97 | |
The black left-facing corner with a wide crack where the corner meets a roof. A technical start leads to awkward moves and jamming through the roof. One bolt, CDs and a rap chain.
Right Hand Crag
The right hand crag starts with a steep blank wall with cracks/chimneys around it and a prow above. This is followed by an easier ramp of vegetated steps which leans right and ends left of a promentary high on the wall with cracks up both sides. Right of this, a steep stepped gully runs up left of a steep wall above a small cave. A groove and arete follow (belay bolt), then around the corner there is a large slab followed by a final roof and crack.
| Evening Stroll | 12 | 9m | Phil Stuart-Jones (solo) '96 | |
Up the arete swinging right low down. Up and left into the ferny groove then up the gully/chimney above. Good pro.
| Updraught | 15 | 11m | Phil Stuart-Jones '96 | |
Start at the corner to the right of the blank wall below the prow. Follow the crack left under the prow then up the chimney. Sparse but adequate pro. Take large CDs.
| Foxtrot | 12 | 13m | Phil Stuart-Jones (solo) '96 | |
The groove and chimney second right of the blank wall below the prow. Enter from the left trying to avoid disturbing the creeper. Get on top of the large block from the right then up the chimney with the hardest move near the top. Reasonable pro.
| Eviction | 8 | 14m | Phil Stuart-Jones (solo) '96 | |
The ramp of vegetated steps leaning rightwards. Bridge up over the creeper using a convenient hold, then up the 'steps' and onto the ramp. Continue up through the contorted features above exiting just left of the bush lawyer. Reasonable pro.
A hard route may go up left of the prow.
| Mustered Arms | 17 | 12m | Phil Stuart-Jones '97 | |
Head right up the steep ramp with tussocky start and poised blocks (long sling for the top block) then traverse left along the distinctive yellow balcony to a rest. A couple of steep moves take you up to the top right of the prow. Adequate pro.
| Giant Slugs Ate My Fingers | 16 | 13m | Phil Stuart-Jones '97 | |
A fairly hideous safari experience up the stepped gully left of the small cave. Scramble over the ferns and up the corner. Bridge, mantle and squirm your way up to the ferny ledge then bridge up the final steep corner. Exit left or right, watching out for roosting owls in the holes under the top block. Poor pro. Take wires, small CDs, and a big CD for the small hole above the fernery.
| Swing In, Spin Out | 18 | 14m | Phil Stuart-Jones (top-rope) '96 | |
Climb the bottom couple of moves of GSAMF. Traverse right at the obvious sharp ledge, then follow the (initially wide) crack up the left side of the steep wall. Veer right at the top to finish near the arete. Needs bolts.
A fairly desperate route may eventually go up the overhanging arete above the cave, but may necessitate a traverse start.
| ** Deception | 20 | 14m | Phil Stuart-Jones '96 | |
A very apt name for a quality route. The prominent steepening corner right of the small cave. Two bolts and other pro (wires and small CDs). Single bolt belay.
| * Neopolitan | 19 | 14m | Phil Stuart-Jones '96 | |
Named for its three flavours. Start below the prominent arete with the offwidth break. Gain this via gymnastics in the angled groove, or arete just to the left. Wander up the left hand edge of the slab veering right a little when it becomes tricky. Summit left up the bulging prow. Two bolts and other pro. Single bolt belay.
| The slabs | |
There is room for a route up the slabs above the large bedraggled elderberry tree, but it would be necessary to remove large amounts of native vegetation from the ledges. For this reason, the area has been left.
| The final crack | 14m | |
Large amounts of gardening may produce a (probably very easy) route up the right side of the slabs.
| After Dark | 14 | 10m | Phil Stuart-Jones (solo) '96 | |
Up the corner with the tussock. Continue up the shallow crack in the black wall, going right under the roof and out the exit crack. Poor pro low down.