Pilbara - Karijini National Park - Joffre and Knox Gorges May 15 2018
 
  Gorged out, we spent a couple days doing very little. Preparation of a paper, a fruitless search for a pebble mound mouse (despite a ranger giving us some good clues on where to look and what to look for), a constitutional each evening, defrost the fridge, bake bread, etc.

And a quick evening trip to look down on the circular pool.

Again.
     
  After 6 nights, on the seventh day we headed towards Joffre and Knox Gorges.

Waved to a bustard along the way, head in the air again.

A minor tyre pressure reduction of 4 psi, from 38 to 34, made the corrugated road lots more palatable.
     
  We sort of bounced of Joffre Gorge.

Remember the waterfall with the people halfway down. This is the top of it.
     
  We ventured a little way down. Impossible to take a good pic with the sun where it was. And no lens cleaner.

We also weren't going to descend far down the waterfall.

It really does get steeper.
     
  Alongside the gorge for a bit then down.

These two people were coming up. It looked steeper than the top part of the waterfall.

Apart from having less strength in legs and arms we also have a little less balance than we used to have.

So this is as far as we got. Tall steps, shiny rocks, no hand holds, and feeling our age.

We did get as far as putting the camera in the pack. But discretion is the better part of valour. If only we'd remembered the rope!
     
  The descent into Knox was much less eventful. Steep scree, which we are well used to.

A gentle pool and a small waterfall at the bottom.
     
  Each of the gorges have their own character, while following a general pattern.

Knox is a series of long thin pools with broken slabs of rock around and in between. Even some gravel.
     
  And like others it becomes narrower as we walk through it.

There's a particular spot where sidling round a pool was required.
     
  At the end, or at least where the parks people have defined the end, it narrows and falls rapidly.

A good place to stop.

That's water visible through the gap.
     
  A broader view. From a different angle. We find the colours fascinating.
     
  There are gorges where a round trip is possible, and gorges where the way back is the same as the way in.

Knox is one where we have to retrace our steps.
     
  But conveniently the sun has moved round a bit in the sky .... or is it the earth has moved?

Either way, the light has changed.

Some of the vertical cracks have begun to form side gorges.

If we return in a couple of million years they may have developed further.
     
  Just below the waterfall we saw when we first descended I surprised a duck. Or did it surprise me.

Two ducklings, alternately hiding in the reeds and popping out to play.

We put the camera back in the pack and walked up the scree slope with two hands available. Steep, but easy for us.
     
  We take the west exit from the park.

We've saved Mt Bruce, which used to be WA's highest mountain until Mt Meharry was shown to be higher, for another day.

 
     
  We don't know what this is called, west of Mt Bruce.

We turn right towards Paraburdoo and Tom Price.
     
  Camped beside the Hamersley - Mt Bruce Road, opposite, but away from, Marandoo Mine Village and their irrigation project.

A surprise visit from a red-capped robin within a few minutes of arriving.
     
  And Mrs Robin.
     
  Followed by a black-faced cuckoo-shrike having an early tea of grasshopper.

Tom Price tomorrow. We've almost run out of chocolate.

Then hopefully follow a couple of tracks into the south west of Karijini.

The park has left as lasting an impression as it did in 1978. Though it is much more accessible, and much more controlled. It is a quite special area.
     
Pilbara - Karijini National Park - Milli Milli Spring and Coppin Pool May 16 - 20 2018
     
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