Day 63 Windjana Gorge

 It was nice to have a slow morning and take our time. We headed out on the gorge walk and the first section has this narrow gap to walk between the huge rock walls of the face of the gorge. The path was sandy, as it led us past the body of water. There was a good amount of teal green waters, with the odd freshwater crocodile sun baking on the other side. The path took us along the right hand side of the gorge, and if you looked up at the rock face next to us, you had to keep craning your neck until it almost snapped off, so your eyes could reach the top that was towering above. Corellas and Cockatoos flew usually in pairs through the gorge, the sound echoed throughout the gorge when they screeched. There were trees dotted along the bank and within the crevices of the cliff face, some trees had fallen down and we had to climb over them. The path split and we took the high road and walked along beside the cliff face, which had some cracks and crevices big enough for smaller people to explore. Going from the foot traffic on the dirt track, you could see lots of little people had done just that. Cockatoos were munching on seeds in trees, screeching when they flew away, and then the echo of their piercing calls could be heard from anyone there. The path led us back down to the water and the end of the trail. We opted to sit on a log beside the water for awhile and just enjoy. A tour group came through spent literally less than five minutes there before turning around and heading back. One old bloke took longer cause he dropped his walking stick and had to pick it up. . But if you stopped like we had, you could observe the suspected bubbles across the water, and watch the movements that would be a croc. You could enjoy the sheer cliff faces before you and how the shade and sun changed the colours, you could see that cattle had come to the water to drink the night before, as their hoof marks were in the mud beside the waters edge. You could see lots of algae and river weed growing at the water’s edge and wonder at what was causing the steady stream of bubbles from a few areas. You could see little Archer fish swimming in the shallows. We then walked along the waters edge and spied a large cane toad sitting in a hollow in the mud made from a cow hoof. If only we had a way of dispensing it. We found another spot further back towards the start of the walk to again just sit and observe. We watched a suspected croc log and once the sun had left the area it was sitting on the bank across the water from us, it ever so slowly and carefully slipped into the green waters, without a splash or wave. It swam almost completely under the water and unseen, until it reached another rock in the sun. It then quietly left the waters and hauled itself up not the bank. It stayed there until some guy decided to disobey the rules and jumped into the water for a swim. I think he was from far north QLD. so he didn’t care.   He made such a noise that it scared the croc back into the waters. It also prompted a comment from a lady walking the track “oh well looks like someone’s dead “

We headed back and watched smaller freshwater crocs sunning on the bank of the waters. This place was a place of beauty and majesty. We rested up for the rest of the day back at Bridget, doing chores and repairs. As I sit and write this blog for the day, the sun is starting to set. The cliff faces that we can see are lighting up. I can spy a little wallaby, venturing out from the golden grasses, it is trying not to be seen, but I can see it moving about, having a scratch, looking around maybe for its friends. We have had lots of action in the tree beside us, a great bowerbird hopping around the bottom, magpie lark getting confident and getting close to our chairs and being busy around us. A large bird is busy making a nest and coming and going with components for it. The coming and going of campers, choosing a spot and capably or not so, trying to reverse their vehicles, setting up campsites quickly or not. Younger kids giggles or singing songs, teens whinging and complaining and not being willing to help or participate. People hanging their solar panels vertically under their awning in the shade 🤔. You can observe a lot. It’s starting to get cooler, after another perfect day here in the Kimberley, time to cook dinner for Matt.

We’ve covered over 10,000km so far , about 1000 of that on the dirt with quite a bit more before we get home but we are 2/3rds through the trip now and starting to wonder how we will adjust back to everyday life, cause it doesn’t seem that appealing at this point. Much rather be doing this… but then I’d have to monetise all my videos and start talking like an influencer to fund the travel by making you guys watch ads  every time you click on something. That would wear thin pretty quickly  I can’t talk to myself that fluently