Climbing Knots

The climbing instruction weekend was a success. On our first day we headed to an outdoor natural massive rock structure. It was my first time climbing outdoors so I had an instructor all for myself who went through all the process with me. This meant that I spent a lot of time learning knots that are used for securing, belaying, abseiling one's self and your partner while climbing.

Below are the knots that I have been taught and which I used all throughout the weekend:

• the Italian hitch (halve mastworp)

• the clove hitch (mastworp)

• the figure of eight 

• the double figure of eight

• the friction hitch (prusik)

What's interesting is that I climb using the Dutch language, not the English language! This is because the knot names are different in English, so if I climb with Dutch people I have to make sure that everyone knows what I am talking about.

[Image Credits: Wikipedia Prusik, Wikipedia Italian Hitch, Wikipedia Clove Hitch, Wikipedia.org Figure Eight Knot, Chockstone]