Sunday 15th March – Waterlining

Waterlining

After a quiet morning at home, Bronwen and I drove into South Bank, parked at the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, bought some chips, and watched some of the Brisbane Slacklining crew waterlining.

I don’t know the proper slacklining terms, so I have made up my own.

The “twirly rotator” The “look at me” The “very far away, long way to go” The “semi-controlled air-grab” The “fall enthusiastically into the bull sharks” Dom practicing his trade mark “fall onto my head in the rocks” move The “power sit” Touching the void The “I don’t believe it” The “pants on fire” The “run like a chicken” The “it can't be true” The “casual air stroll” The “water is bouncy” move Entirely non-slacklining gymnasts The “my gravity is different to your gravity” fall The “air swim”: A new form of high-speed swimming, inspired by the hydrofoil The hero leap The “the moment he realises he is a long way from the ground” The “roll and tumble” The “suave air lounger” The “confident flyer” The “oh crap, I am a long way from the ground”

A detailed guide on how to fall off a piece of string: Right side

Step one: fall off piece of stringStep two: look for your piece of string Step three: look for bull sharks Step four: avoid bull sharks

The “oh yeah, that’s the spot” The “crouching tiger” The “check for bull sharks” The “sideways jogger” The “punched by an invisible giant” The “generic backflip” The “I can fly”

Detailed instructions on how to fall off a piece of string: Left Side

Step one: stand on piece of string Step two: leap to the left Step three: run very fast Step four: keep running, there are bull sharks in the river Step five: stop running

The “facial expression leap” The “tuck and spin” The “confident backfall” The “land-not-quite-on-the-rope” The “water flower” Bronwen watching the slackliners Dom pretending he can tightrope walk Gymnasts flying through the air