4^th August: Karajini

We are all weary tonight. I think if we staying here longer we would have to have a rest day! Climbing down, along and then up these gorges is hard work and our bodies are crying out “Enough!” But it has been great!

This morning, we went down early to the Circular Pool which we had seen from the lookout. So hard to photograph as the sun lights it up only for an hour in the middle of the day. It is reputed to be freezing and I can confirm it lived up to its reputation. Gail and I sat on a rock and paddled – I went in up to my knees- and we couldn't feel our feet in no time flat! What a beautiful place! And we had it to ourselves after a guy swimming got out, stripped off, dressed and left. Awesome! (The peace in such a lovely place – not the naked guy!)

From above-too much light!

On the way:

The Circular Pool.  (yes, that is Glen over there!)

What astounded me were the number of veins of asbestos present in the rocks. In many cases, the fiibres were exposed and very clear. It made me wonder how much is in this area. Certainly, my little book tells me that it is one of the minerals laid down when the volcanic eruptions occurred millions of years ago. And it isn't just in Wittenoon!

A hard climb down and a tiring one back up. But with my trusty hiking stick, I made it. But my shoulders as well as my legs are tired and I have bruised my hand because I land very hard on the head of the stick! But well worth it as it is a wonderful place; deep, green – blue, fern and tree-lined and hidden away down in Dales Gorge. And to have it without the hoards of young Europeans rushing about, screaming in the water and rushing out was just lovely. (I don't want to deny them the opportunity to see such a wonderful place but I just wonder how much of it they appreciate. All they seem to do is rush about and jump into any available water and then leave, making a lot of self-absorbed noise. Ah, well, maybe it is their way of enjoying these magic places.)

After lunch, we went back to Kalamina Gorge which is not as deep as the others and wider for the most part. The sun reaches the bottom more than the others and so there are many trees and reeds arouind the constantly running stream. One end is a waterfall which is spring fed and flows over plate-like rocks and we finally found the spot where we had photographed the children, in their knickers and sneakers, standing on a ledge beside a waterfall. We obnviously were able to get them down into it

 The waterfall and its pool are great but because there were people there we walked the other way for an 1 ½ hrs through the gorge. Beautiful! The stream cascaded over a series of flat ledges and into a succession of pools, some shallow and reed-filled and others deep, dark and green. (A lot of algae!) We edged our way over ledges and around cliff faces for a considerable distance, again mostly alone as this is not a spectacular gorge, just very pretty. (We did see a young German? girl climbing up the wall of the gorge. Now that really annoys me. So irresponsible. If she fell, the SES would have to rescue her and there would be even more restrictions placed on the rest of us, besides the fact that she would be horribly injured.)

But we did enjoy Kalamina. It was accessible and the most we could achieve on the last afternoon. We were rather silent as we drove back to Dales Gorge. All the gorges are different and all have their attractions. I think this country is amazing and I will be sad to leave tomorrow as it has been fantastic to experience it all again! Photographs don't do it justice as it is impossible to capture the grandeur and the spectacle of the Hammersley Range and the gorges. Neither is it possible to capture the awesome, ever-present spirit of these places. But I will remember how moved I have been to be here again!