Zebedee Springs was our first stop for the day. The others were out of bed and on their way before us.
We found them out there. Colwells had already finished their soak in the lovely warm pools. Al and Zita were still luxuriating, moving from small rock pool to small waterfall for a massage and showed us the best spots. They left us to it and went off for their breakfast. Zebedee Springs is only open to public till midday. It is beautifully calm and ferny with Palms overhead and the red gorge sides towering above. The water is between 28 and 32 degrees-no shock to get in.
After a relax there we hopped back in the hilux and decided to divert in and take a look at Jackaroo Waterhole on the way back. This is quite a large lagoon and would be lovely for swimming except for the salties. A group of people was already taking up the one beautiful shady spot so we moved on.
Since we were on the same track we decided to go and check out the deep water crossing that we would need to cross if we wanted to get to El Questro gorge. We parked just before the crossing, and set up our chairs and had a cuppa. While we watched the traffic back and forth we decided that we had a fairly good idea of the state of the crossing and were confident that we could do it ok- but we did need to remove the gear from our storage boxes on the outside of the box down low as they are not water (or dust) proof.
On the way back to camp we stopped to look at the guided tours on offer here and decided to book a boat tour on Chamberlain Gorge for Thursday morning (the morning we leave). This process probably took us the best part of an hour.
Arriving back at camp we found the others about to leave and go to El Questro gorge, so Trev quickly emptied those storage compartments and I fixed us a packed lunch.
We beat the others out to the water crossing as they stopped to book their tours on the way there. Al and Zita will join us on the boat trip and Ev and Craig are going horse riding.
Al and Zita hitched a ride with Colwells across the long water crossing (they don’t have a snorkel) and up to the start of the gorge walk. We followed them across.
The walk into El Questro gorge was another rock-hopping job and hard on the knees and ankles. A grade 4 (out of five) hike to the halfway pool and then a grade 5 to the end. Ev was keen to do it all and it was already past 1 pm, so time was getting short. So they went on ahead at their faster pace. Surprisingly, when Trev and I reached the pool Ev and Craig were still deciding whether to go on from there or not. In the end they did go on. Trev also did the rock scramble to the next section, but then jumped back into the pool with me. We were finishing our dip as Zita and Al arrived, and happily soaked in the atmosphere of the lovely pool and camaraderie of those who had made the trek in. Then back to the rock hopping out of there, toting Ev’s bag and camera with us -no way she would have wanted to take that through the water and up the rock. There was a cute little olive snake on the way-we all kept away from that little rocky space.
We enjoyed a sit with cuppa and cider to follow while Zita and Al came out and then fed them a bit of food ( they had missed lunch). Al and Zita had lost their ride back across the crossing and those with vehicles looked already loaded so they followed the example of some walkers who were on a Kimberly Adventure tour and walked out, taking the rather squishy path near the water crossing.
The showers were beckoning, so we stopped for them ( oh so good) and then we went and grabbed a table at the cantina and ordered a pizza while we waited for Al and Zita to grab their showers and join us. It was delightful in the balmy air, watching the kids play on the grass beside the boab trees while their mums and dads relaxed.
Back at camp we parked, did the pop-up and basically went straight off to bed. I was exhausted from a long and energetic day. We both slept pretty well, but Trev did get cold at one stage. Surprisingly the nights have been quite cool even though the days are in the high twenties/ low thirties. it is warm in the sun but with a breeze most of the time. So comfy in the shade.
Luvapuzzle 