Page 9 - Salamander News Letter September 2023

The only way is down
Ducking under some waist high pipes you come onto the last couple of feet or so of the flat roof. Parapet man tells you to face inwards and hold
the pipework in front of you; he takes a red rope with a figure-of-eight descender threaded on it, clips it to the front of your harness and tells you this is the rope you hold to control your descent: all unnecessary slack on ropes is taken up.
The moment of truth has arrived. Still facing inwards, Parapet man says: “place both feet on
the piece of matting on the parapet edge; hold the descent rope firmly in one hand and the anchorage rope in the other; shift you heals back so they overhang the edge and begin to lean back, place both hands on the descent rope and slowly begin to ease it through your hands as you lay back with both feet against the parapet edge”.
Holding firm while you are given further instructions about placing your feet once you begin to descend, you’re invited to smile, and your attention is directed to the parapet photographer who will capture the moment.
With an OK nod to the parapet man, I step off and begin to ease the red rope through my hands, lay back and look where to place my feet against the wall beneath the parapet. Pause for more photographs. The face of the building beneath the parapet is further way and your feet seek it whilst laying back trying to prevent yourself hanging vertically on the descent rope. It takes a little
while to settle into it, but once relaxed the journey downwards can begin. The wall you are trying to walk down is not flat, there is structure to negotiate at each floor level, sets of what looks like pipework that must be stepped over at regular intervals.
As confidence grows a little boldness can ensue
– push off from the wall firmly with both feet, pass the descent rope more quickly through the gloved hands and literally hop down a few feet. Repeated whilst keeping stable and under control, quite rapid progress downwards can be made.
Occasional glances upwards towards the parapet and sky beyond reveals the progress being made. It’s a guess how much further there is to go until you begin to sense that the journey which started in a light airy open space at the top is beginning to close in around you. Glances to the side begin to reveal glimpses of more buildings, people, and traffic – ground level is approaching.
Back on Terra Firma
Nearing the comparative gloom of street level, I’m conscious someone is calling me to “stand up, put your feet down” Terra Firma is reached and I’m
facing one of the ground level abseil team clutching the free end of my descent rope and reaching forward to unclip and release me from the harness. A contented inward smile
– ‘done it’ and a few congratulatory greetings from people nearby. I collect my complementary official photograph, check- out with the Corporation reception team who tell me the Lord Mayor is nearby being kitted out for his descent.
An opportunity not to be missed to offer my support for his Appeal, Good luck for his descent and hopeful for a photo shot - yes!
An enjoyable and worthwhile challenge raising funds for others in need, and an opportunity to promote the Livery and its close association with The City of London Corporation
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