Vision Quest (9a) Deep Water Solo FA by Chris Sharma

Chris Sharma reports on Instagram that he has done the FA of Vision Quest (9a) in Mallorca, after some 30 sessions spread over six months. Although Deep Water Solo has been practiced for almost 50 years, it did not gain global recognition until 2006 when Chris made the groundbreaking ascent of Es Pontas (9a+). Since then, the 43-year-old legend has made the FA of Big Fish (8c+/9a), Alasha (9a) and last year Black Pearl (9a+). This means Sharma has completed all five of the world's most challenging DWS routes, and every single one of them is in Mallorca! (c) Isaac Estévez, Helena Clancy

Can you tell us more about the ascent, the process behind and how you explore them?
I’ve been developing deep water solo routes in Mallorca for 20 years now. I found this wall from a boat, marked a spot, and later hiked back in. Alasha? I stumbled upon that one after swimming for three hours. Others, I’ve discovered by kayak. Then it’s all about rappelling down with cams, sky hooks, and whatever else I can use. If I had bolted it, it would’ve taken just a few hours, but doing it this way? It took me six days before I could even start from the ground.

When I’m up there, it’s just me, a GriGri, and the moves in my head. Rappelling down solo like that—it’s pure exploration, but yeah, sometimes I’m hanging absurdly high over the water, burning an hour on just a couple of moves, and thinking, What the hell am I doing up here? This is just crazy 😀

When I start climbing from the ground, I always have someone with me. I’ve taken a few 15-meter falls—those were fine—but my worst fall? Easily when I slammed on my back from 10 meters. That one was brutal.

DWS is often characterized as vacation climbing. It’s certainly super fun but it’s also seriously hard, challenging work—especially in December.

The route itself has an 8B boulder crux, followed by relentless 8b+ climbing. It might only be 28 moves, but man, they’re sustained and seriously pumpy. Super happy of this new addition to the collection of hardcore DWS climbs in Mallorca!