Broome to Port Hedland and Karijini NP.

Saturday 15.9.12

Happy birthday to our grandson Alex who is 14 today. We were lucky to talk to him on Skype this morning. How grown-up he is getting and how time flies!

We left Broome today and drove down the west coast of WA to 80 Mile Beach. The tide was low when we arrived so we walked along the beach and collected some interesting shells. People have said that the sea snakes are bad here so not many people are swimming. The fishermen are catching threadfin salmon and sharks which they say are good eating but hard to fillet because of their tough skin.

Tonight we had the most incredible sea mist. After being away from home nearly 5 mths and not seeing a drop of rain or any other moisture from above, I must say it was a refreshing change. Every uncovered surface was wet and the air cool and moist. Lovely!

Collecting shells for grandchildren

Onwards then to Port Hedland. We were impressed with the place which gets such bad press, previously from us as well. The entrance to the town is awful with mountains of salt, the ugly rail line, all the trappings of a busy port city and boggy ponds along the roadside. We drove through the town centre which is quite small and along the beaches which were extensive. A lot of landscaping, greening and upgrading of public space is being done and as we drove out to Cook Pt., which isresidential, we noticed a wide range of sporting facilities, pre schools, playgrounds and skate board ramps, all with shade provided. The yacht club was bursting at the seams with Sunday diners so we had lunch at a picnic table on the esplanade watching the boats in the bay. The coastline is interesting and the horizon has lots of shipping in the distance waiting to enter the port.

Sunday 16.9.12

Road train.

Wide Load!!!!!

We drove over 300kms today.. ..a lot for us... in an attempt to reach Karijini NP to meet Paul and Kerry. We fell short by about 50 kms and ended up in a bush camp called Bea Bea Creek which was lovely. We lit a fire and cooked lamb chops, sweet potato in the coals and beans. We ate under the huge heavens dotted with brilliant stars and kept an eye on the cattle wandering around nearby! There were at least 6 other vans in the area with us. Love it! There were fish trapped in the waterholes along the cliff base, waiting for the wet season and the birds were in great numbers in the trees. We also saw our first live snake, a green with rusty tail end about a metre long....In fact I almost trod on it trying to photograph a pair of quails.!

Bea Bea bush camp

Bea Bea bush camp

Monday 17.9.12

The drive through the Hammersley Ranges was very impressive. The rugged cliffs, rich in iron ore, were deep burgundy in the morning light, and the light green colour of the spinifex in between the rock outcrops, created a striped pattern on the mountain sides from a distance. Most unusual!

We arrived at the Karijini NP and went to the Dales campground where we found Kerry and Paul's van but they were out exploring. We set up and went to the Fern pool in Dales Gorge for a swim. We walked across the flat to the trailhead through spinifex and flowers moving in the breeze under sparse, low trees

It was a steep walk down past the Fortesque Falls and into the gorge but the pool was cool and shady. It was a very hot day so we weren't surprised that water coming over the falls was warm.

When we got back to our camp, Paul and Kerry were sitting in the shade having a cold beer so we joined them and caught up on all the news. It was good to have their company again, if only for one night. The campground is typical of National Parks with basic facilities which are toilets (pit in this case but sometimes they are combination or flush), a bore water tap, gas bar-b-que, and camp hosts who collect fees..$5.00pp. per night for seniors. Often there are showers and laundry tubs where there is plenty of water. The sites here are red dirt clearings in a sea of spinifex with low growing mulga and eucalypts to provide limited shade. All kinds of creatures harbour under the spinifex clumps in the heat of the day where temperatures are markedly lower and humidity higher.

Tuesday 18.9.12 Dales Campground.

After waving good bye to the Garnseys, we walked out of the campground, following the track markers to the rim of Dales Gorge and stood looking down into the Circular Pool, about 150 metres below. The views of the gorge were stunning and flattened trees were testament to the force and height of the floodwaters in the wet season. We walked down the very steep and rough track to the bottom and then scrambled up and down ledges of great slabs of flat rock along to the pool. It was very pretty and maiden hair ferns draped the rock face in areas of deep shade and softened the hard, angular surfaces. We had a refreshing swim in the pool and then continued the walk along the floor of the gorge. The rock strata was a lot like Zebra rock with colourful layers which included metallic blue asbestos. It was amazing to see the fibres in the asbestos layer, so separate and visible that you could pick them out with tweezers!

There were beautiful gum trees, grasses and flowers, water cascades, birds and small lizards, and deep cool waterholes, clear and clean and perfect for swimming. There were a couple of families with kids who moved from one pool to the next, noisy as coockatoos, obviously loving every minute of it. Talk about agile little rock-hoppers!

We swam again in the plunge pool below the Fortescue Falls and watched the youngbloods climb the vertical cliff face and jump into the deep water below. The pool has high tiered rock walls on three sides providing amphitheatre-like seating in a semi-circle from which to watch the action! A great day!

Wednesday 19.9.12

Our refrigerator in the van has been playing up and suddenly gave up the ghost altogether on gas. As a last resort, Glenn disconnected all the lines and we took it out, upended it, shook it, checked the jet was clear, cleaned it and reinstalled it. That seems to be the current advice from other caravaners who have had the same problems, so we will see if it's working when we get back from our walking!

The upside down fridge being 'rocked'!

 

Well we are back and the fridge is working!!.. The freezer part anyway at this stage.

Today has been exceptional. We drove 50kms to Weano Gorge in the western Karijini NP over dirt road to experience the spectacular views, precipitous cliffs and narrow passages of the gorge. The banded iron rock formations towered over the valleys and our feet burnt on the hot rocks as we made our way through the gorge. We had to take our hiking boots off and lift our packs as we waded through waist deep water over slippery rocks, sometimes scrambling along the cliff face when the water was too deep. As the gorge narrowed we came to the section before the 'Handrail Pool' where we walked with a foot either side of the fast flowing water as it tumbled towards the deep pool below. The banded rock walls on both sides were beautiful, close and steep.

At the top of the falls there is a handrail provided so we could negotiate the slippery rocks on the climb down into the pool. Footholds were bolted into the rock face and the climb down vertical, foot either side of the steel rail and a quick prayer that the engineers knew what they were doing! Below was the perfect pool, cold and noisy with the 6 French and Irish girls who had followed us down. There was a swim through a narrow passage from the circular pool to the next pool down, through more of the amazing banded rock and then a small waterfall. This gorge was an experience like no other we have had and one of our most outstanding adventures.

A great day was ended with barbecued lamb chops, interesting conversation and a bottle of red shared with Anne and Basil from NZ.

Thursday 20.9.12

Another challenging day exploring this amazing part of the country. We went to Hancock Gorge to do a difficult class 5 walk which started with an easy walk through gorge-top vegetation including flowering plants, to the trail head. Then to the gorge edge and down a vertical ladder to the floor of the gorge. The Karijini gorges differ from others in that they are entered from above because they crack into the land surface. Most others you walk into and they rise from the floor upwards!

The walk takes you through a natural amphitheatre and then into a section that rapidly narrows where we had to climb closely against the terraced cliff face, changing levels in search of footholds. The rocks walls were highly polished where water, small stones and hands had smoothed the surfaces, and the colors were many shades of reds, oranges, blues and browns. Very beautiful.

The next stage was scary! It's called Spider Walk and you'll see why. The gorge narrowed even more and the water flowing through became a racing torrent. The way through was to span the water by walking like a spider with right hand and foot on one side of the gorge and left hand and foot on the other side, and then edge forward searching for some grip on the polished walls. It was extremely taxing for a short person with only four legs I can tell you, but so worth the effort to see such a beautiful place.

 

 

 

At the end we reached the 'Kermit Pool'..... A deep, cool place where we perched on the rock ledges between swims. Beyond, there was a steep water chute down to another two pools, but they were class 6 requiring climbing/abseiling gear.

The way back wasn't so daunting having done it once successfully, so we wallowed in the calm water and talked about what we had just done! Then we moved on and sat in the sun in the amphitheatre to warm up and eat lunch. Fantastic! How lucky we are to be able to experience these amazing places!

Ww

Oxers Lookout.

From here we could see over Juction Pool which was the meeting point of four gorges. It was interesting to see the vastness of the area and the way the gorges just drop down from the earth's surface like giant cracks.

Kalamina Gorge.

This was the final gorge of the day recommended by our camp hosts Ann and John... A gentler, pretty gorge which we did late in the afternoon. From the car park it was a short walk to the rim of the gorge and then a steep downhill to a ladder. A little way along at the end of a section of cliff was a lovely waterfall and trees full of screeching cockatoos. We then turned back to go to the opposite end of the gorge and really enjoyed the lengthening shadows of late afternoon. It was so peaceful. The walk mostly followed the gorge floor with sections of flat rocks, soaring cliffs, pools and small cascades. We swam at the end, then, very leg-weary, headed back up to the car. For the second day in a row we missed showers at the Visitors Centre which closed at 4.30.... Not a problem really with all the swimming.

For the second day in a row we missed showers because we were too late back to the Visitors Centre which closed at 4.30. Not a problem really with all the swimming.

Dinner with our Kiwi friends and then a game of cards.

How we have enjoyed magnificent Karijini NP.