Next morning we booked a return helicopter flight from the falls for me and set out on the 2.5 hours walk to the Mitchell Falls.
There were many people on the track, which took us along easy walking tracks,
up and over rocks and boulders,
through impressive scenery,
over more boulders,
across a couple of river crossings,
passed Big Mertens Falls
and finally across the Mitchell River (where, I have to confess, I lost my footing and sat down in the water - very refreshing but totally unplanned and undignified!) By then the heat of the walk was starting to get to me, but after washing my face in the water, and my "dunk" I felt much better - and my clothes dried in time for the flight home. Brandt, on the other hand swam in the river, first changing into his togs, after I had left. Don't know why he changed as his clothes would have been completely dry by the time he got back to base.
To the left of the crossing is a swimming hole. Plenty of people as well as Brandt took advantage of it.
After a brief stop for lunch we walked the remaining 100 meters to view the Falls
There was a good flow of water over the falls (Brandt was worried there would not be much flow as they have not had a big wet season up here). What wet season they had came late. Hence the good flow of water.
In no time at all it was 1pm and my helicopter was landing, ready to take me (and 4 others back to base camp)
I was a little disappointed with the photos I got from the helicopter. I feel that the ones from land are better. One excuse is that the head phones lifted my glasses so that instead of looking through the distance part of the lens I was looking through the reading part. However I did manage to get one shot I am happy with.
Next day we departed and retraced our steps back to the Gibb River - Kalumbaru Road. In many parts the road is lined with palm trees:
No comments:
Post a Comment