Canyoneering (Waterfall Rappelling) Podcast Show Notes with Joshua Lambus

Joshua Lambus is one of those people who is very magnetizing. He is Kona based and is a world-renowned photographer, check out his incredible photos! Josh is an experience lover whether it's underwater with Tiger Sharks, falling through the sky, walking on a slackline high above the earth (high-lining), or waterfall rappelling, a part of canyoneering. In this episode, we are exploring the world of canyoneering (or canyoning depending on what part of the world you're in).

What Is Canyoneering?

Canyoneering is more than waterfall rappelling. It is essentially figuring out how to get down a canyon by rappelling (or abseiling), scrambling, climbing, jumping, swimming or other. This is not a walk in a park, it requires many different skills to be able to navigate a canyon safely, and a beginner route could take all day.

What's Great About Canyoneering?

Every experience is different and requires problem-solving in order to make it out. Josh, was first introduced to canyoneering when he was slacklining in high places (hi-lining), and originally thought canyoneering was a means to an end, meaning it was a way to slackline, however along that process, Josh fell in love with canyoneering.

Many times Josh and his friends do exploratory canyoneering. They look at various maps and enter an area that hasn't been explored.

5 years ago, Josh and his friends went to a place that was a black dot on a map, where the shade and shadow met. They found themselves over 400 feet of exposure, which was exactly how much rope they brought (thankfully). They dropped down a 2-tiered waterfall, one 180 feet, and another 200 feet with a small section of ledge between the two. It was breathtaking and was one of Josh's largest rappel.

One day Josh took his helicopter pilot friend to a small canyon, quick and easy (8 hours). There were massive boulders, tunnels, old train tracks, and his friend was blown away. The next time he took a flight, he saw the canyon from his helicopter, and it was a teeny tiny canyon and it was a canyon he had never seen before. It's amazing how we pass by things every day and don't realize the secrets the canyons hold until you're in it.

Photo by Joshua Lambus

What Does Canyoneering Feel Like?

The first time you get to a drop and look over that edge (like 100 ft, 150 ft), you first get that feeling of how am I going to do this. Many times people walk to the top of waterfalls, but that is as far as they go. But in canyoneering, you are stepping over that edge and the edge now becomes the beginning.

Once people start to go over the edge, their perspective starts to change as new possibilities are created. You go from seeing something as impossible to possible.

We are 2-dimensional beings, but once you get into Scuba Diving, Skydiving, or Rappelling, you add in a new perspective and a new dimension you can live in.

Sometimes you might be rappelling into a cave with a waterfall, then you might swim through a cave that pops out into a river. Josh never realized this experience was possible until he did it.

Photo by Greg Chavdarian

Goes to show, that you don't know what you don't know, and you may need to question yourself like Steph Davis, that the Edge is Just the Beginning.

The Edge Is Just the Beginning - Steph Davis

How Close Are You to Waterfalls?

You enter at some point into a canyon,