I'll do my climbing in the rain

I never plan to climb in the rain.

In fact, logic suggests that you must be pretty out of your mind to even think about it. It's almost elementary: Rain = lots of water = wet rocks = slippery = fall to death.

To make it worse, falling is not a very good option given the current circumstances. We are right by the sea and there is a storm approaching which makes the equation a tad more dramatic:
Rain = lots of water = wet rocks = slippery = fall to death into sea = if not dead yet, drowned = swept away by storm = lost forever

So when Beanstalk and Teabag pointed me to the wet crags and ask me to go for it before the storm gets any worse, my heart leaped out of my mouth.

"It's very do-able", they said [in cantonese]. "The sea rocks are rough and there are positive holes. Just be careful where you place your feet. Smearing would be a bit of a challenge on wet rocks."

Smearing is a climbing technique climbers use when there are no footholds available. You place the front of your feet against the wall and pushes against it. If executed quickly with good momentum, the friction created will give you enough leverage to move a step up. The key operating word here is 'friction' and any primary school kid will tell you that water gravely reduces friction.

'Smearing will be a bit of challenge' is a gross understatement.

Nonetheless, we did it to save our ego and oh boy, it was damn exhilarating! Gripping and hanging off wet rocks, stopping after each move to wipe off and in SecretaryPig's actual words, "It is a f***ing waterfall up there!".

Two days have passed since that climb but I am still discovering new wounds on my battered body.

These Hong Kong climbers are absolutely mad! I wanna move there!