Cliff Hangers

Every once in a while we read of a child or an adult falling over a cliff on to an almost inaccessible ledge and the resultant efforts made to rescue him. Members of various organisations connected with tramping and search and rescue saw how such a rescue was effected recently when a Woodbourne search and rescue team brought a "badly injured" climber down a sheer rock face at Cable Bay. Using a complicated system of pulleys and ropes, the four-man team walked the patient straight down the cliff-face.

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The team, with "patient" Bevin Brett strapped in a special stretcher, on the way. The team comprised Geoff Ford, Paul Field, Graham Pearson and Michael Puryer.

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The team approaches a tricky section of the cliff, with the cliff-face falling back into a cave (at this point all five were dangling from their ropes as they eased themselves to the ground).

The Woodbourne team are all volunteers and members of the R.N.Z.A.F. at the Woodbourne station. Members raised their own funds during the team's 18 years of existence to buy the equipment and endeavoured to train at least once a week.

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Team leader Flt. Lt. R. R. Parsons (centre) explains the methods used by the team to club and organisation representatives before the operation begins.

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The climb up the cliff to commence the demonstration was the most hazardous part of it all.

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Rescuers, on the cliff face (ringed) haul up the stretcher.

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Preparation of the ropes for the exercise was long and very thorough.