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Ashley’s Bendby Roioli Schweiker The week after I learned this knot, I had an excellent opportunity to test it out. The canoe party stopped to scout a wide, shallow ledge which sloped gently at the start, dropped steeply, and was followed by a rocky rapid. The water level was medium, and the ledge offered several possible routes, none of which was either obvious or easy. The bank was steep and scrubby, and some persons chose to follow another boat which had scouted it.
A young and not too experienced kayaker grounded on the ledge to stop when the canoe ahead became stuck. Since their route entailed jumping in and out and pushing off twice, he could not very well follow, and really wanted to be pulled back upstream and start over. The lead and sweep boats were waiting well below the drop, set up for rescue. In those days before personal throw bags, rescue ropes were retired rock climbing ropes and equipment, plus a winch. Many of us climbers used to canoe between winter mountaineering and spring rock climbing. The ropes were also useful to tow cars. Since canoe season coincided with mud season, and most access roads in rural Vermont were unpaved, groups unskilled in salvaging cars from the mud frequently had to hire a farmer and team for the job. (The only 4 wheel driver vehicles then were roofless, surplus military jeeps.) To return to the kayaker: I borrowed 7 ropes of disparate sizes and kinds, mostly canoe painters, tied them together with Ashley’s Bends, and managed to wade out far enough on the ledge to throw him the "rope." He was duly hauled up. Everyone was astonished at the ease with which the ropes could be untied. One person confessed that he had expected to have to cut the knots. For an added bonus, while scrambling around on the ledge I found an obscure diagonal route which was straightforward and barely passable for the rest of us to use. Copyright 1998, Roioli Schweiker. All rights reserved.
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