Alex and Andrew arrive
Trip Start
Dec 29, 2010
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88
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Trip End
Dec 05, 2011
El Questro, Western Australia, Australia
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
We were booked in at Emma Gorge, permanent bijou tents which could fit us all in (at a squeeze). We treated ourselves to lunch at the restaurant and were thrilled that Alex and Andrew turned up much earlier than we expected. By all accounts we were all really excited to see them - nice to have some different company for the first time since mid May.
We pottered over to their campground, at the main Station of the property and had a relaxing afternoon and evening catching up.
Next day we did the walk to Emma Gorge, clambering over rocks all the way. The waterfall at the end was beautiful. Andrew was the first brave soul to swim in the pool - properly freezing cold - and Brad, not wishing to be outdone, joined him.
Later in the afternoon we did some 4 wheel driving to the Pentecost River to a great barbecue spot. We all collected lots of firewood then set up our picnic way before sunset to ensure we had the best spot. It was a fantastic evening - great sunset, great food, great friends.
Wednesday morning saw the Wickens contingent upsticks yet again and move from Emma Gorge down to a Bungalow at the Station to be closer to Alex and Andrew. The tents at Emma Gorge were freezing at night, and 20km away from all the action at the Station.
We were all keen for a dip in Zeberdee Springs, the natural hot springs at El Questro. The hot thermal water bubbles out at the base of a small gorge then flows down via a number of small water falls and pools, each pool getting a little cooler as it cascades down. The lushes palms, plants and mosses were stunning, almost painfully green against the dry rocks of the gorge and the light form the sun as it entered the deep gorge and penetrated the canopy really set a beautiful scene. A couple of the pools were plenty big enough to swim in which the boys loved, chasing fish through water as warm as a nice bath.
After lunch we headed to Chamberlain Gorge, and rented two 'tinnies' - small aluminium boats powered by a small engine. The gorge had been dessimated by the unusually large wet season of 2010-2011, the biggest since records began and an event that they are calling "The BIg Wet". The destruction was phenomenal, the gorge was full of boulders the size of houses and 1000 year old Boab trees carried downstream by the waters that rose 15 to 20 metres above the usual high water mark. I guess nature will heal itself but it will take a long while.
Jamie, Zach and Brad spent the night in Andrew and Alex's "pop-up" Britz, a vehicle the boys have been eyeing up throughout the length of the West coast. They were so excited to finally sleep in one, and poor Alex and Andrew were relegated to the 3 man tent.
