Alphabet Tower Climb + BASE Jump/ Georgia, Batumi 🇬🇪

FreeBASE:  Alphabet Tower, Georgia 🇬🇪 Batumi, on the edge of the Black Sea.

The Alphabet Tower had me the moment I arrived in Batumi.

This is not the first time my blood line put in work on the edge of the Black Sea. In 1854 my great (x3) grandfather, Private Peter Huddlestone of the 17th Foot, crossed this sea in a wooden troopship during the Crimean War. He fought in the siege of Sevastopol and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, one below the Victoria Cross, for outstanding bravery.

The records say that on 17 February 1855, in the trenches at close quarters, he was shot in the head: the round tore through his right temple, smashed his skull and took an eye, but somehow missed the vital parts of his brain. He survived, lived to see Sevastopol fall on 8–9 September 1855, and after 14 years and 213 days of service was finally discharged. Victory for the Red Coats 🇬🇧

A few generations on, my chapter on the Black Sea isn’t fought on land but on buildings.

Hello, Tower.

Once I set eyes on it, it follows me everywhere I go. I can’t escape it.
Hello, George. Hello, Tower.

Constant silent conversation between us. I become obsessed with its structure, this ribbon of Georgian letters wrapping around her from bottom to top. A crystal ball sitting on her head. At night she comes alive with colour. Mystical.

For a week I fantasise about her. I long to meet her properly.

The weather gods give me a date and a time: sunrise.

I cascade up this urban helter-skelter taking in some incredible visuals. When I’m on the WEST side of the building I absorb visuals of the city, as I’m on the EAST side I absorb the visuals of the mountains and the NORTH the sea. It’s not common to find a structure where you can climb around it progressively in this way… this is special.

I reach the top. The crystal ball.

I leap and watch the ground rush up to meet me. Features on the ground grow bigger and bigger. I feel everything. I see everything. Seconds stretch into minutes as I get trapped in time.

I land.

I spend the rest of the day at a waterfall outside the city in Mtirala. A beautiful day to be alive.

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#batumi #batumigeorgia #basejump #extremesports

#shardclimber

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