Thanks again all for the latest responses.
Chris, it's a good job I didn't see a post like yours before I did it. SHORT ROPE !! Nobody mentioned that possibility.
I doubt very much if it would have been mentioned on South Today as it must be a very common thing there, unless you were referring to somebody having been given a short rope of course.
I must admit, that after we had been for a look round Portsmouth following the abseil you hear people commenting on those still coming down, saying they wouldn't be mad enough to do it. The adrenaline was high enough for me to feel like interrupting them and say "Well, I just did!"
The Ellen Macarthur lads and lasses made a big fuss of me,calling me "Legend", but that was because I was the oldest one taking part for them yesterday. There was a father doing it but no grandparents.
I did the right thing (for me anyway) of checking out all the videos before hand. I felt very familiar with where we were taken and I wasn't shocked by the tiny platform etc. I got off the edge OK and as I had asked if I could go down at the same time as my grandson I was stuck in mid air for over 5 minutes why they waited to hook him on. In the end I had to call up to them and say tell him he'll have to catch me up.
My right hand isn't particularly strong because of arthritis and the left wrist has a metal plate in it which is also a bit weak so hanging in mid air was putting a strain on them and it was easier to start going down.
You are warned that at about the midway point, the rope will feel like it wants to get away from you and when I suddenly started speeding up without me consciously doing it I was, well I think surprised is the word, well something like that!
I had to use both hands at one point just to have the strength to slow me down, by which time my grandson had only just been able to start off so was a way behind me.
Naturally, because of that, I got to the bottom first so now they are teasing him that his grandmother beat him to the bottom.
I stupidly didn't charge my phone so it was as dead as the proverbial nail after I'd done the abseil so had to wait till I got home to update you all.
It was a long day. Hornchurch to Portsmouth on the train, so early start and didn't get home until gone 8.
Mind you, that did include some therapeutic shopping for my grandsons and daughter, John and I are not into that sort of thing in particular.
Would I really do it again, maybe.
John might have something to say about that though. He really didn't want me to do it so might have his say about a repeat.
Thanks again all, I'm sure I couldn't have done it without the support.
Special thanks to those who gave me tips regarding leaning into the harness etc.
That really helped. I remembered to do it and felt it was surprisingly comfortable (well as comfortable as you can be 300+ feet up in midair).
It also meant I could use my feet flat on the wall, unlike my grandson who didn't get the same advice and used his toes.
They are painting the Spinnaker in Emirate colours of yellow and blue so the toes of his trainers got stained.
Edited by member 20 Sep 2015 at 08:47
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