nokowaki

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The weather suddenly lifted as we approached Nokowaki-iwa, a large rock cliff dropping vertically into a fjord-like inlet. This is a very popular place to visit by boat, and now that the air was clear we could see that the place is indeed quite scenic. Two yachts cruised by (by motor, of course; we never seem to see a sailboat actually sailing) but no other kayaks were seen today or any other day on this trip, for that matter.


We were excited because the cliff seemed to be of rock-climbing quality. Examining it carefully, we saw no trace of bolts, pried off flakes, or any other hint of established routes. Could it be that this cliff is still virgin territory? For better or worse, a number of moderate routes could be established on its 50-70 meter face.