Climbing Coconut Palm

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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I'm pulling together a collection of photos and will post the link soon. But I thought this photo was interesting enough to post now.

If you look at the trunk you can see the indentations that circle the entire trunk. These are left behind each time the palm fronds fall. So as the tree grows taller, there are more and more of these indentations--which serve as steps for the Dominicans who climb these trees. You can clearly see in this photo how the climber is pressing the side of his foot against one of the indentations.

Children in the country start climbing palms at an early age. Because they spend much of the time barefoot, they develop thick callouses on their feet. If you have worn shoes most of your life and try to climb one of these palms the way they do, you will quickly see why it is very helpful to have callouses on your feet.
 

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cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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I should have a video of a kid climbing a coconut tree in Samana ready in a couple of days, Ken...
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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our cocero is an oldish dude, about 60? all muscle. wears shorts only, always topless :)
he puts a machete in the back pocket of his pants and climbs the tree faster than a monkey on NG channels. amazing. no fear of height either, our neighbours have really, really tall trees and he climbs them with ease.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Here is a closeup of the climber. You can more clearly see in this photo how he is making use of the indentations made by the falling fronds with the toes of one foot and the side of the ball of the foot with the other.

Cobraboy, I'll be interested in your video. i have videos also, but like the photos because you can stop the action, so to speak, and getting a close look at what is going on. I put a slideshow, How To Climb A Coconut Palm, on YouTube a few years ago and will probably do another with the new photos. Or maybe I will combine photos from the two in order to give a really good look and detailed explanation of the palm climbing process.
 

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Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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These indentations on the trunk of the palm are actually scars caused by the fronds when they tear away from the trunk and fall.
 

DOMINCAN JOE

Bronze
Aug 15, 2006
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I'm pulling together a collection of photos and will post the link soon. But I thought this photo was interesting enough to post now.
Here is a photo of my step son he used to climb palm tree when he was in the D/R
WILLY.jpg
 

Givadogahome

Silver
Sep 27, 2011
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I was having a look around youtube for something funny, instead I found this strange tree. On thinking how it could grow so strangely as it has no limbs and so could not be trained, isn't it weird. That's all I got, just interesting.
[video=youtube;RfZ1hFuWnrM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfZ1hFuWnrM[/video]
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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Santiago DR
Wow..............
Never saw a tree with peyronie's before...........
On Givadogahome's advice, I can now post stupid posts.......
without feeling bad about it.......
But it will be tough keeping up...........lol

B in Santiago