As an avid rock climber, I frequently enjoy assailing rock. Red rock, granite rock, tall rocks, and short rocks. Although the descent often involves a rappel or two, the primary goal is to move upward. 

Canyoning (at least in Madeira) is about moving down – it’s the opposite, the yin to rock-climbing’s yang.

In the United States, we typically use the term “canyoneering,” but in Europe, “canyoning” seems to be the go-to word to describe the activity of exploring a canyon through rappelling, jumping, swimming, etc. For a long time, I have held a loose interest in Utah’s famous canyons, but I decided that Madeira would be as good a place as any to get my feet wet (pun intended) with this adventurous activity.

The sun was already beating down on me as I squished, squeezed, and persuaded my body into a wetsuit, replete with neoprene socks and special canyoning shoes. I completed my outfit with a harness and helmet, eager to get into the shady canyon that was just a walk away.

I had scheduled the trip through Epic Madeira, a local guiding company that provided all of the equipment and made sure you arrived alive at the end. After a short safety briefing, we officially began our four-hour journey in which we’d gradually overcome obstacles while making our way to the ocean.

Because it is a volcanic island with relatively mild weather, Madeira offers consistent canyoning year round. There are countless canyons that have been carved by water over time. This water now continues to make its way to the sea (thanks gravity) through waterfalls, cascades, and sometimes a simple downhill flow. We were in Ribeira Funda, which is considered rather advanced for newbs, but I felt confident I could face whatever might come.

Our first rappel was easy-peasy. A good warmup for the crew as we got used to the system and the feel of wetsuits. I typically use a double-strand rappel as a climber, so I was fascinated by the single-strand set-up. This meant lots of questions for my guides which they graciously answered time and time again.

After a short scramble, we reached the second rappel, a 190 ft waterfall that was absolutely gorgeous. The sun hitting it at just the right angle created a rainbow that framed the rappeler as they descended. The mossy covering on the rock felt green and lush. It was more amazing than I had hoped or dreamed. Halfway down my rappel, I could feel the fatigue in my core. Apparently there are some muscles that my regular HIIT workouts don’t quite hit (pun not intended).

Down, down, down I went. I slowly but surely entered the shady bottom, and it felt like a true canyon now, with the tall rock towering above me. It was cooler and quieter – like being in a slightly different world.

I waded through waist-high water.

I scrambled up and over rock piles.

I swam through deep canyon pools.

And I rappelled a total of ten more times.

It was a beautiful experience unlike any I had anything I had ever done. At one point near the end, we rounded a slight bend in the canyon, and there was the ocean! The last abseil was a pretty frisky waterfall; if I looked up during the descent, it felt like I was getting waterboarded.

Once I was officially at sea level, I took a moment to watch the ocean waves and celebrate the day. I was tired but energized, excited but content, thirsty but not hungry. As our small crew headed towards our pick-up spot, we gradually shed our wetsuit layers and walked in silence.

Sometimes words simply aren’t enough to capture the epicness of a day.