So Madie had a big weekend of canyoning lined up to ̶c̶o̶m̶m̶i̶s̶e̶r̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶, um, I mean “celebrate” her turning 30. Unfortunately I had to pullout of the Claustral trip on Saturday due to other commitments. Apparently there was a bit of excitement on the trip as Matt scampered up onto the hulks fist and dropped down on one knee and proposed. Luckily Madie said yes. It would have been an awkward 7hr walk out otherwise…
Anyhoo, I drag Tal out of bed Sunday morning and we meet up with the others at the campground.
Options were discussed. An easier, drier day dismissed. And we eventually headed off to do Water Dragon canyon.
The walk down to the Wollangambe was uneventful and we made short work of the hill on the other-side then scrambled down to the start of the canyon where Matt pointed out that had we dragged him all the way to the top of the hill only to descend most of the way back down…
At the canyon we look nervously at the cold water but suit on up and slip on in.
Tal descending into the depthsNeither age nor engagement has dulled her sense of funWater Dragon is such a pretty little canyonof course the people you share the adventure with adds to the experience
This is a tricky little down climb into a cold pool then onto a small ledge for the big abseil. Matt gets to about here, There’s no more room over here Matt can you wait there until we get ropes set up and stuff…. Um yeah, hurry up… Those walls are super slippery. We fire off a few photos…Stunning abseil with sun beams trying hard to show through
The waterfall is wetter than it looks here
Madie!Below the abseil is a lovely dark section, complete with glowworms. This can be visited from below, which seems to be the more popular way to do it. The alternate name of the canyon is Kelvinator canyon as it is much colder than the relative warmth of the wider Wollangambe
And when the canyon begins to open up there is 1 more cold swim to deal withNaomi and Matt enjoying the cold poolThen a pretty section of more open canyon leads down to the WollangambeEmerging into to the Wollangambe is like stepping into a warm room
Then it’s a bit of a float down stream to the exit
The Wollangambe
The Wollangambe
The Wollangambe
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and then up the usual Wollangambe 1 exit track and back to camp
Wollangambe 1 exit
Wollangambe 1 exit
Wollangambe 1 exit
Wollangambe 1 exit
Wollangambe 1 exit
Wollangambe 1 is rated an easy canyon but groups often underestimate it and this climb out has thwarted a few groups in the past.
Another great day in the bush with awesome people
Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers: Edmund Lee
sleepwhenwearedead 