Cape Pillar Sea Cliffs – Tasman Island, Australia - Atlas Obscura
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Cape Pillar Sea Cliffs

Tasman Island, Australia

The tallest sea cliffs on the Southern Hemisphere are a climber's worst nightmare. 

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The Cape Pillar sea cliffs are intimidating, holding the record for the tallest sea cliffs in the southern hemisphere, and also the unofficial title of ″The Scariest Cliff in the Known Universe.″

The two gigantic cliffs of Cape Pillar are separated only by the emerald waters of the Pacific and the dark depths of a drowned sea cave. At a height of over 300 meters, these cliffs stand guard over the rest of the island.

There are a few adventurous rock climbers who have tackled the terrifying cliffs of Cape Pillar, and their excursions up its flat stone walls have been the stuff of legend. The winds and the water below aren’t the only things to watch out for when ascending the chasm. 

Various climbers of the chasm tell stories that sound like they belong in the pages of The Odyssey. One of the climbers recalled seeing a great white shark lurking in the waters, and another climber believes that the Australian rock climbing grade of 22 (medium-hard) could not properly explain the amount of the fear and difficulty such a climb entailed. Tales full of rope burn, broken digits, and a few unexpected swims in the water below pepper the tales of the brave few who have climbed these jagged walls. Fortunately, there are no reported casualties. Yet.

cliffs geological oddities islands natural wonders geology nature
Nearby
Totem Pole
5.68 miles
Remarkable Cave
8.54 miles
Port Arthur Penal Colony
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