"To boldly go where no man has gone before" William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek original series
WNMHGB essentially piggybacks on the Star Trek theme “Where no man has gone before”. This has somehow been stuck in my mind since childhood… Hum… Should it be called “What No Man Has Done Before (WNMHDB)”? … Nah… for some reason the former seems a more fitting title for this exploratory series.
The first leg of this series turned out to be extremely exciting and so the desire to plot and execute more WNMHGB missions was born. The objective of these missions is to explore uncharted territory while overcoming high endurance challenges over technical terrain. The chosen routes would perhaps not have been trodden by anyone before; if they have, it would be very very few!
WNMHGB 1 - Argyle Uncut
This is the mission on which the Coolblue Adventures Argyle Uncut River Exploration Tour is based. Back when I lived in Tobago, I did a fair amount of exploration on the North Coat ridge. I once went on a hike to a small pool quite high up on this ridge with some tourists. I always remember asking Gervais (one of my adventure buddies who now resides in Scotland) where the river leads. In true Gervais fashion he replied, “Dunno… perhaps to Argyle?” Since then, I had it in my mind to find out where it goes. This persisted for a couple years, until one day I decided that I must find out. I packed a rope, supplies some carabiners and set off on the mission.
The Start
The full loop was approximately 20miles/32km and took me about 7hrs to complete. Starting in Roxborough Village, the initial approach poses a steady and scenic incline along the Rainforest Ridge Road. Entering the rain forest, I faced a short easy going trek to the pool I visited those years ago. Following the waterway and making my way down, I eventually heard the thunderous sound of the first waterfall encounter. If you ever take up this challenge, you will surly hear her roar, long before you see her!
The Journey Ahead
The robustness of this first fall could only have meant one thing… I was now at the source of the Main Argyle waterfall; what lay ahead was however a mystery at that point. I roped up and braved this first (approximately) 80ft/25m drop, knowing fully well that the possibility of turning back after would be very slim. This descent was quite testing! Eventually making it to the bottom and gaping at what was just traversed, I remember thinking... even if I wanted to, backtracking now would surly be a near impossible mission. I was now fully committed to finishing the trek!
The Terrain
I eagerly continued with great anticipation. Little did I know that I was facing a 14 mile/22 km endurance trek, filled with dubious climbs, descents, cliff jumping, rock hopping, rope work and just over 5 hours moving time. Other than this, the day was filled with the most magnificent topography coupled with pristine crystal clear pools; perhaps the best Tobago has to offer.
This expedition does cover a lot of ground and the terrain is fairly technical. The spectacular landscape of this route and the excitement it provides, will however make the time pass quickly. It is a day etched in my memory forever!
If you want to unleash the thrill seeker in you... the Argyle Uncut tour would certainly do the trick! Visit https://www.coolblueadventures.com/ for more details and stay tuned for the continuation of this series.