In September of 2003 hurricane Juan came ashore in Halifax and 
pounded the eastern coast of Nova Scotia. It left devastation in it's wake by taking many huge boulders and classic problems. Dover Island took the brunt of the force. The Fish Mouth boulder was picked up and smashed in half in the bottom of a gully. Orangutan was also scarred by loosing a really nice incut at the lip. The problem still goes but it sure has changed how we looked at the island and the power of the ocean.
This past fall we were surprised again by the raw power and unpredictability of the Atlantic ocean. Dover Island and much of the coast around Halifax was assaulted and changed due to the remnants of Hurricane Noel. Orangutan again took the hits loosing another small crimper on the right lip. Apparently it still goes but people seem reluctant to change the grade from V4. Several other boulders were effected during the storm. In today clip you can see the "One Scoop" boulder looming in the background, it was also displaced during the fall storms of 2007.
(I'm not sure witch hold is gone from this picture, comments any one?)
Boulderfest is coming up again this year and i encourage anyone who hasn't done this three star Dover Island classic to get out there and get it done. Orangutan may not be there after this fall!
Here is a re-cut of Orangutan (with lots of extra footage) from Eastern Tide: One Season in Nova Scotia.
Bouldering Nova Scotia - Orangutan from Todd Foster on Vimeo.
Music By: hisboyelroy
Song: Revolve
http://www.hisboyelroymusic.com
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Dover Island - Orangutan
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3 comments:
After visiting Dover a couple weeks ago and seeing the carnage it is crazy to compare what that area looks like now to the old footage. I think displaced is an understatement when talking about the new location of the one scoop boulder. That rock is gone! The whole ledge that came out near the start of Orangutan that had a traverse called where the sun don't shine or something is also gone. There is now a Spider Monkey V2? and a Banana Fish V6 hanging out in that area, FA's by Adam Benjamin and Nate Smith. I am not sure which hold is left for Orangutan, I don't think it resembles either of the two that were there. Also the big left hand pinch on the end of Orangutan is severly changed. One Scoop did not leave quietly. I proposed that Orangutan should now be called Amputated Monkey, but people (Adam resent it first I think)didn't want to rename or regrade it. Adam also put up a longer traverse start into orangutan that began down the wall near Spider Monkey. Not sure if he named or graded it. The storm took more than it created that is for sure. It is a little heart breaking to see some of the lost classics, and very awe inspring to see the power that came through when Nature re-set her climbing gym for us.
Jeremy Benjamin
Thanks for the details Jeremy. I'm going to start a list of the boulders and problems that have been lost. What i find amazing is that we have been bouldering on Dover for probably almost 10 years and have really only seen major changes in the last few. I wonder what the island would have looked like 20 years ago?
Todd
The First hold (closest to the start) of Orangutan is gone along with the arete/pinch at the end used for throwing.
Nate
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