February 26, 2017December 13, 2017 by Basil @ Editorial

The Magnet Anchor

ropes for radicals
anchor, climbing, creative, education, equalization, greenpeace, load sharing, magnet, magnet anchor, radical, rigging, rope guerrilla, ropes, training
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I’m an advocate of creative approaches to ropes and rigging — both in training and in the field. These are the spaces that turn gears and illuminate light bulbs. These are the spaces where we evolve as vertical practitioners.

This little experi magnet ment all started with the simple pull of a magnet fixed to a refrigerator. The magnet popped off in my hand. “That must be around 5lbs of force,” I thought. I just wrapped up a section on load sharing anchors while leading a climb training for Greenpeace USA in the Summer of 2014 and curiosity got the best of me. Could I build an anchor out of these simple magnets? How many would it take? And so it began.

I weigh around 160lbs. Divide that by 5lbs (my estimate of how much force it took to pull the magnet off the fridge) and I was left with 32 — the minimum number of magnets needed to hold my weight. This is assuming that my estimate was accurate, that I would be able to equalize all the magnets ‘perfectly’ and that additional forces don’t exist when getting onto or suspended from an anchor. Knowing better I decided to double the amount but after searching the warehouse for every magnet available I was left with 51 magnets so 51 magnets it was.

My friend and fellow rope nerd, Van and I quickly got to work tying loops made from random bits of 2-4mm accessory cord to the plastic knobs on each magnet. These would become the individual anchor points for each of the 51 magnets.

photo by Basil Tsimoyianis

We divided these into clusters that we painstakingly equalized into seven load sharing anchors. These seven anchors were then brought together and equalized to create a single master point.

photo by Basil Tsimoyianis

The end result was one master point made from eight equalized anchors whose loads were shared across 51 individual anchor points – in this case magnets.

Untethered magnets will fall if they fail so if using this for training purposes don’t make the same mistakes pictured here – wear a helmet, have a separate belay line, and place a crash pad underneath you. Photo by Basil Tsimoyianis

The anchor was weight tested by people of varying sizes/weights and some even chose to bounce test it. Minimum breaking strength was never determined but I think it’s wise to call this one body weight only.

I’ll be the first to admit that this magnet anchor is not the most practical when it comes to field use but it’s an excellent training tool that highlights the concept of load sharing anchors and importance of equalization.

WARNING: Magnets are not reliable anchors. Using a magnet or magnets as life support can and will likely kill you. Untethered magnets will fall if they fail so if using this for training purposes don’t make the same mistakes pictured here – wear a helmet, have a separate belay line, and place a crash pad underneath you. Heck, grab yourself an umbrella while you’re at it. Have fun but be careful.

May 12, 2016December 13, 2017 by Basil @ Editorial

Radical Soles

Stone mountain tops

Used, worn, passed on

Spattered paint

Soles

Artifacts of actions past

Traversing society

Actions where boots (pictured above) have been worn: Mount Rushmore. Keystone, S.D. July 8, 2009. Fisk coal-fired power station. Chicago, IL. May 24, 2011. Agios Dimitrios lignite power station. Kozáni, Greece. December 9, 2015.

February 19, 2016December 13, 2017 by Basil @ Editorial

Vertical Tools of Protest

Climbing, ropes, and rigging can be used to draw attention to an issue, communicate a message, and/or directly interfere or stop an activity from happening — events often referred to as actions. All climb actions will fall under one or more of the following categories.

noun_camera-Alexander Blagochevsky

Photo-ops: Used to boldly articulate a demand, to rebrand a target, or to provide a message frame or larger-than-life caption for an action. Photo ops are reliant on third party media to carry and spread a message/image.

Direct communications: Speak directly to the target. They take place at the location of a target audience (CEO, shareholders, etc.) and are not reliant on media.

Occupations: Used to hold space, to pressure a target, to reclaim property, or to defend against development. Occupations at height can take a myriad of forms and are often used to heighten a message or to stop something directly.

Blockades: Used to physically shut down something, to protect something, or to make a symbolic statement. Aerial blockades can be used as a form of direct action or as a means to support another activity.

Tools and Tactics

Knowing the category/objective behind an action is essential when thinking thru tools and tactics. They range from the very specialized to the multi-purpose and there’s a lot to be considered. Below are some examples of tools and tactics used by radicals in the vertical world – keep an eye out for future articles exploring these and others further.

Reclamation

Removing, covering, or changing something as a form of resistance, expression, and/or direct action. Flag poles can present strong opportunities for this.

Bree Newsome takes down the confederate flag. Photo: Adam Anderson/Reuters Media Express

“You come against me with hatred, repression, and violence. I come against you in the name of God. This flag comes down today.” – Bree Newsome before taking down the confederate flag from the South Carolina state house grounds on June 27, 2015. The flag no longer flies. Photo: Adam Anderson/Reuters Media Express

Banners

Most often made of ripstop or similar materials — net banners are also used in cases where wind is of high concern. Banners are used to boldy articulate a demand or message. They can be extremely large requiring multiple people or small enough to be handheld by a single climber.

Three protesters climb the Golden Gate Bridge cables and unfurl a banner reading, "One World One Dream, Free Tibet", in protest of the Olympic Torch coming to San Francisco, CA on April 7, 2008. Photo: Jim Herd/SFCitizen

Three protesters with Students for a Free Tibet climb the Golden Gate Bridge cables and unfurl a banner reading, “One World One Dream, Free Tibet”, in protest of the Olympic Torch coming to San Francisco, CA on April 7, 2008. Photo: Jim Herd/SFCitizen

Painting

Painting, like banners, can boldy articulate a demand or message. It can be used to tag/rebrand a target and has some staying power after things are cleared out.

Greenpeace paint “Go Solar” onto the cooling tower of the lignite fueled Agios Dimitrios Power Station in Kozani, Greece on December 9, 2015. Photo: Takis Grigoriou

Platforms

A platform is a strong sturdy frame, usually wood, designed to be suspended from height. They’re very rigid and can be fairly comfortable for extended periods of time. Platforms are commonly noted for their use in tree sits and can range from the very simple to complex.

The impressive platform built for the Jerry Treesit in Freshwater, CA as see on August 12, 2004. Photo: Aaron Maret.

The impressive platform built for the Jerry treesit as seen on August 12, 2004 in Freshwater, CA. Photo: Aaron Maret

Portaledges

A portaledge is a packable and deployable fabric-covered platform surrounded by a metal frame that hangs from a single point and has adjustable suspension straps. A separate cover, called a stormfly, covers the entire system in the event of bad weather — think hanging tent. Their portability make them great for urban, industrial, or even marine based actions.

Activists with Greenpeace occupy a portaledge hanging from the side of Gazproms Arctic oil platform, Prirazlomnaya, off the North-eastern coast of Russia in the Pechora Sea on August 24, 2012. Photo: Denis Sinyakov/Greenpeace

Nets

Nets are a packable and deployable alternative to a portaledge that must be stretched and anchored between multiple rigging points. The result is a greater footprint with the capacity to take up a larger amount of space and hold more people.

Greenpeace activists occupy a net rigged to the conveyor of a coal-fired power plant in Brindisi, southern Italy on July 8, 2009, making it inoperable. Dozens of activists from 18 countries simultaneously occupied four coal-fired power plants across Italy calling on leaders at the G8 summit to take the lead in fighting climate change. Photo: Max Frigione/Associated Press

Tripods, bipods, monopods

Made of wood or metal a tripod is a three legged structure that is occupied by a person on top — safely out of reach. They can vary in height and are great for blocking vehicle traffic, entrances, or intersections. They can also be used to display a banner and/or occupy space. Bipods (two legs) and monopods (single leg) serve a similar purpose but are more difficult for authorities to take down — they’re also more difficult to set-up. Train and take caution!

Climbers practice with a variety of pod formations during an Earth First! Climbers Guild camp outside of Eugene, OR. Photo: Basil Tsimoyianis

Climbers practice with a variety of pod formations during an Earth First! Climbers Guild camp outside of Eugene, OR in July of 2012. Photo: Basil Tsimoyianis

Aerial Encampments

A combination of methods used to occupy space suspended from or in the path of a target or something of interest. Highlines and/or traverse lines are often used as a means of transit within encampments and can be rigged to make them more difficult to remove.

Activists with the Tar Sands Blockade occupy platforms and scaffold constructed in the path of TransCanada’s planned Keystone XL pipeline construction. September 2012. Photo: Laura Borealis

Activists with the Tar Sands Blockade occupy platforms and scaffold bordering the tree camp they’ve woven in the path of TransCanada’s planned Keystone XL pipeline construction on September 26, 2012. Photo: Laura Borealis

Suspended Body Blockades

Placing or suspending a climber in a position that physically shuts down something, blocks something, or protects something — this may include other climbers.

Climbers suspend themselves under the St. Johns Bridge in Portland, OR and join kayaktivists in an effort to block the Shell leased icebreaker, MSV Fennica from meeting with the rest of Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet on July 29, 2015. Photo: Tim Aubry/Greenpeace

Climbers suspend themselves under the St. Johns Bridge in Portland, OR and join kayaktivists on July 29, 2015 in an effort to block the Shell leased icebreaker, MSV Fennica from meeting with the rest of Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet in Alaska. Photo: Tim Aubry/Greenpeace

Pods

A pod is a hard shell enclosed capsule designed to keep a small team of activists warm and dry in the face of extreme weather and violent opposition like water cannons and projectiles during an action. Sleeping accommodations, communications equipment, food supplies and water can all fit into a pod — making it possible for activists to stay in place for weeks at a time. The use of pods in the vertical environment is most associated with Greenpeace who have regularly used them in marine environments when taking residence on ships and oil rigs.

A Greenpeace activist stands on top of an Arctic Survival Pod secured to the Leiv Eiriksson oil rig on May 29, 2011 during an attempt to interfere with Cairn Energy’s Arctic drilling schedule. A Danish navy ship can also be seen in the background. Photo: Greenpeace

RG-jolly-roger-5x7

Have something to add to the vertical toolbox? Send a photo and caption with proper credit, location, and date to contribute@ropeguerrilla.org.

Icons via the nounproject.com, created in order of appearance by Alexander Blagochevsky, Gardenia Fair, Mete Eraydın, and Luis Prado.

April 7, 2015December 13, 2017 by Basil @ Editorial

Climbing Shell’s Polar Pioneer Oil Rig

4.8.15 | Updated with additional insight, video, and revised topo

As I write this a multi-national team of six climbers from Greenpeace are camped beneath the main deck of Shell’s Arctic-bound oil rig, the Polar Pioneer. Greenpeace intercepted the oil rig the morning of April 6, 2015 in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 750 miles north-west of Hawaii, in protest of Shells plans to drill in the Arctic. The Polar Pioneer is being transported on a 712 foot long heavy-lift vessel called the Blue Marlin and is on route to Seattle where it will meet up with the rest of Shells drill fleet before heading to the Alaskan Arctic.

Why are they doing this? Read this campaign briefing on Shell’s Arctic failures to learn more and hear what the climbers have to say in the video below.

I’ve seen Greenpeace climbers scale oil rigs before but I found myself intrigued by the intricacies of this climb as I looked thru photographs and followed social/mainstream media. The climb is not over but one thing is for sure — the skill demonstrated by the climbers is impressive and worth noting.

The Climb | April 6, 2015

Note: The following account is an attempt to cover the ascent of Greenpeace climbers as they made their way up the Polar Pioneer oil rig. It’s accuracy cannot be guaranteed as details can only be verified by the climbers themselves.

A team of six climbers — Andreas Widlund from Sweden, Aliyah Field from the USA, Johno Smith from New Zealand, Miriam Friedrich from Austria, Zoe Buckley Lennox from Australia, and Jens Loewe from Germany — left the Esperanza shortly after 0600 onboard an inflatable boat which they used to access the base of the oil rig on the starboard side. It was from this point that a throw line was used to gain access to one of the skids hanging beneath the pontoon of the rig.

Greenpeace climbers start their climb on the Polar Pioneer. © Vincenzo Floramo / Greenpeace

Greenpeace climbers come along side the Blue Marlin where they gain access to a skid of the Polar Pioneer and begin their climb. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

What follows is likely the most technical climbing thus far. A section of aid climbing that many would try to avoid. This first portion of the climb navigates a series of what appear to be sacrificial zinc anodes going up the side of the pontoon. It was climber Andreas who led this section using an extendable pole with a hook on the end (often referred to as a “cheat stick” by climbers). Attached to the hook was a caving ladder. Using the pole he carefully hooked the ladder to the anode above which would otherwise be out of reach. After getting a stable hook placement he free climbed the ladder to the anode where he re-attached himself using a second hook as a temporary anchor. This allowed him to take his weight out of the caving ladder so he could use the extendable pole to reach the next anode — these moves were repeated until he was able to throw a long lanyard to reach the stairwell. The fact that this style of climbing was done on a moving vessel at high seas is extraordinary. Something that was captured thanks to whatever genius suggested using the “cheat stick” as the most bad ass selfie stick ever — as evident in the video below.

The start of the aid climb. © Vincenzo Floramo / Greenpeace

The start of the aid climbing section. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

Andreas Widlund aid climbs between sacrificial zinc anodes on the pontoon of the Polar Pioneer oil rig. © Vincenzo Floramo / Greenpeace

Andreas navigates between sacrificial zinc anodes on the pontoon of the Polar Pioneer. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

A Greenpeace climbers uses a long lanyard to aid in a final move as they finish climbing the pontoon section of the Polar Pioneer oil rig. © Vincenzo Floramo / Greenpeace

A long lanyard is used to access the stairwell after climbing the pontoon of the Polar Pioneer. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

Once at the stairwell Andreas gained easy access to an outer leg of the Polar Pioneer and continued upward to one of the eight sea anchors. It was at this point that he fixed a line for the remaining five climbers to ascend. This proved to be highly efficient as it allowed for the climbers to bypass the pontoon by ascending directly from the inflatable below.

Six Greenpeace Climbers Scale Shells Arctic-Bound Oil Rig

Andreas makes his way up the outer leg of the Polar Pioneer. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

A Greenpeace climber ascends a fixed line to one of eight anchors on the Polar Pioneer oil rig. © Vincenzo Floramo / Greenpeace

Aliyah climbs a fixed line onto the Polar Pioneer. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

Jens just before taking his first step onto the Polar Pioneer. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

Greenpeace climbers gather at an anchor on the Polar Pioneer during their ascent. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

Less than an hour from when it began and all six climbers were at the anchor hauling bags with enough rations for 24hrs. From here the climbers continued upward to a high point among catwalks beneath the main deck. It was here where they chose to make camp.

Greenpeace climbers reach their high point beneath the main deck of the Polar Pioneer. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

Greenpeace climbers take a moment for some much needed r&r after reaching their high point. (Photo: Jens Loewe/Greenpeace)

A successful resupply of materials from the Esperanza was delivered to the climbers in the afternoon making a prolonged stay possible. Additional footage of the climb can be seen below.

General view of the camp set up by Greenpeace activists underneath the main deck of the Polar Pioneer oil rig more than 24 hours after boarding it in the Pacific Ocean. (Photo: Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

follow the story at www.savethearctic.org/en-US/live/.

 Photo and video courtesy of Greenpeace

March 11, 2015October 1, 2015 by Basil @ Editorial

Life Goes On | The Massive

Rope Guerrilla gets the mention in The Massive Volume 4 Sahara! Don’t miss out on this introduction by Rope Guerrilla founder and editor Basil Tsimoyianis. Visit Dark Horse Comics or your local comic book store for more of The Massive by Brian Wood.

click to download – cover pages and introduction only

ROPE GUERRILLA

Radicals in the vertical world.

Tag / greenpeace