Got nothing quite as dramatic or potentially deadly but here we go, first year working with Stephen, pruning a large spreading Albizia saman raintree, high TIP lateral branch walk (shuffle) to take the end off before making final removal cuts. the diameter of the branch at my first cut 300mm length out beyond my position maybe 7m. The walk out was made ok, my rope angle was not too great so pretty comfortable, undercut the branch then began the top cut...next thing you know the branch snaps away well before my expectation and I'm flying through the air running chainsaw in hand, reach the stretch on my rope and begin a very large swing through the air heading under the long stub from my cut then arcing up the side...not much I could do since I was below one limb and above others, had to wait till the swing subsided by which time my revolutions had made me feel quite unwell, managed to clip the saw (stopped) back on by then. Just like Weta felt I had to maintain the air of control and confidence despite it being plain that neither were the case!
Lessons
....always, always run through scenarios in your head before you put the saw in timber, how much tension, which way, will make the limb do what, will effect me how.
....should have had 2nd point of attachment rather than trying to give the impression of great balance in my branch walk (simple eh?)
....when older more experienced climbers tell you or suggest something to you listen to them and think about what they just said, before you go ahead and do what you thought was right.
__________________ Sean  Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran
|