Most climbing accidents on Kalymnos can be prevented. Always do a partner check to ensure climber safety. Do this before starting each climb, regardless of how much experience you have or how smart you are. It takes less than a minute, but it can save your life.

Image: petzl.com

1. Belay system setup
Check that the rope is installed in the right direction in your belay device; the carabiner is connected to the right place on the harness; and the carabiner is locked.

2. Harness
Check that the harness waistbelt is above the hips, and that the harness is adjusted to fit snugly.

3. Tie-in knot
Check that you are tied in to the right place on the harness; that the knot is correct; that the knot is completed and tightened.

4. Knot at the end of the rope
Make sure a knot is tied at the end of the rope. Failure to tie a knot is the most common cause of climbing accidents on Kalymnos.

Image: petzl.com

When you remove the quickdraws from a very steep route, do not unclip the first bolt as you lower back down. Keep yourself clipped in to the rope until you reach the ground (see 2 and 3 above). Then, remove the first quickdraw from the ground, if you can reach  it, or by re-climbing the first few moves.

Otherwise, you risk a big swing. With the rope stretch, the swing can easily cause you to hit the ground or another obstacle at speed and/or to pull your belayer  off their feet and cause them injury as well.

On almost all the routes in Kalymnos the first bolt is placed close to the ground (2–3m), so you can strip your quickdraw by re-climbing the first few meters after you’ve untied. Or, re-clip the third bolt on the way down, then lower to strip quickdraws 1 and 2 before re-climbing to strip quickdraw 3 and swinging at a safe height.

Some crags, in particular, have the first bolt placed deliberately very close to the ground for this very reason. Sikati Cave, Secret Garden, Utopia, Rock n Roll Cave, and Iannis all have steeply overhanging routes which are equipped with this scenario in mind.