21/03/2025
Kylie, Jason, Vince, Darcy, Rakesh,Tanya and me
Twister and Rocky Creek at night is pretty special
We are all but worms, but I believe I am a glowworm: W churchill
Rocky Creek Glow worms
wildswimming
A grand way to juggle back into it.
08/03/2025
Gadget, Darcy, Charity, Jess, and meeeeeee
Maddy A was organising an introductory canyon trip for her friends and a couple of the 9D staff were coming up for it.
And, missing her former work mates Kylie was super keen to catch up with them.
Do you think you’ll be up for it? Asks she.
I’d been recovering for collar bone surgery and was recently free from the sling.
What are they doing?
Juggler
Hmm. I reckon I could handle Grand.
She is equal parts excited and cautious for me.
We meet Darcy and head to the car park.
There is a girl parking a very nice looking car a bit of a walk out.
We offer her a lift. Turns out she is Jess, a friend of Maddy’s who ends up joining us.
There’s a big group assembling.
Maddy gathers us in. We are splitting into 2 groups. Beginners will be with her
More experienced or those wanting to do Grand as well are with Kylie.
That’s Darcy, Jess and Chasity.
At the last minute I decide to join them in juggler as well
We are through juggler fairly quick and head for Grand. Charity has to get back to the big smoke so bids us good bye. The rest of us skip on
We take our time descending the canyon and enjoying the company.
It was an awesome way to easy back into adventure life.
Grateful.
Lower North Bowen
16/11/2024
Kylie, Jason, Matt, Jamelia, and me.
The “Gobsmacker” section of the North branch of Bowen creek is fun and spectacular.
And as a smaller day it was just the ticket.
And a steady hike back up to the hill. About 5hr car to car
They say a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, but not one half as bad as a lot of ignorance.
Marihuana Canyon
18-05-2024
Gadget and meeeeeeseeee
Go Go Gadget had been in a moon boot with a broken foot for the last six weeks and now she was out we thought we’d ease back into it.
Or sumfink
We’d thrown around a few options and settled on Serendipity canyon at Mt Wilson. But, um well, Unpopular opinion: I’ve never been a big fan of Serendipity. Just always thought it was overrated. Gadgets wasn’t a fan either.
So we changed plans last minute and headed to a little one off the Bells Line that neither of us had visited before.
Named after an elaborate pot plantation in the head waters that got busted in the 90s I had not given too much thought to Marihuana Canyon before and had low expectations but it was something new so why not.
Scrub bashing down we avoid the upper cliff lines but get to the lower cliff and decide to rope up.
And we shall never speak about the tiny shrubs we used for anchors ever again.
As I use to joke with my old mate Della, if it’s wider than your thumb it’s ok. We never did clarify if you held your thumb vertical or horizontal.
Anyhoo
We enter the creek a little high (see what I did there.)
And before long it drops into a stunning little canyon.
We work our way upstream through some very nice canyon section.
TBH it was hard work making our way upstream so we got to our exit and hauled out.
He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it: D Adam’s
Lean in to it.
05/05/2024
Russ, Brook, Aimee, Jason, Madie, Leo and me
Yileen?
Why not.
Yileen is pretty after a bit of rain so today should be schaaaaaweeeet.
Plans were made and oddly not changed.
To be honest the water wasn’t too cold. Autumn is as warm as canyon water gets.
It was warmer in the canyon than on the ridge top walk in
And then we skipped back up the hill and caught up with Jen, Libby and Millie at the pub.
“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”
– Aristotle
Water Dragon
17-02-2024
Gadget and meeeeeeeeee
We were looking for a quick and easy one for a lazy weekend and Kylie hadn’t done Water Dragon, A.K.A Kelvinator , before so we thought why not.
It’s been a while since I’d done it so we double check the notes and as usual Ozultimate is spot on with up to date track notes and condition reports.
We stroll down to the Gambie and skip up the other side.
This section is accessible without abseiling by scrambling up from the Wollangambe .
It’s then a pleasant swim down the ‘Gambie for a long lunch at the exit before making our way back to the car.
And a quick stop at Winnie’s rock to admire the storm rolling over the Wollangambe Wilderness.
I think I made a better boy than I do a man, I admitted ruefully to the wolf.- Fitz to Nighteyes. Robin Hobb.
Flynny’s freaky fiftieth
09/11/2024
Lots of truly awesome people and meeeeeeeee
Talking about dragging out your birthday.
This was suppose to happen before Christmas but a big rain event had NP jumping at shadows and closing things down.
Even though it stayed dry for the next 4days the parks were still closed and we had to postpone.
Until now.
First up pizza and beerios at Evans lookout.
Oh, and as a 70s child a 70s theme seemed to make sense.
After posing and yakking and general shenanigans we make our way down the Grand Canyon trail under a setting sun and drop into the slot to say g’day to the glowworms.
I really am lucky to be surrounded by amazing people and it was a great night.
And backing it up the next morning with a trip through Twister and Rocky Creek was a great idea
How could the weekend get any better?
I’m glad you asked
Fill what’s empty. Empty what’s full. And scratch where it itches. A Roosevelt Longworth
BACK oh and once again I’m raising money fir the Westpak Rescue Helicopter so please consider a donation
Claustral capers
03/02/2024
Leo, Madie, Brook, Achi, Toni and meeeeeeeee
Cruisey social trudge through Claustral?
Sounds ace.
In the spirit of cruisey we push that start time 30min later..
That might have been a mistake. As I role up the mountain it seems like every second car in NSW is trying to get a car park at the trail head.
Are you with them? Asks old mate pointing at a large group as I step out of my car.
Not me.
Come on boys let’s get going. Says he. Oh which way is it?
I point old mate and his 2 sons(?) in the general direction.
I notice Leo T marshalling the aforementioned group. That’s a relief. A commercially guided group that all bought their own cars making it seem like it’s a bigger group than it is. I know Leo is efficient and quick with his groups so not too fussed there .
Another group jumps out of their car and heads off to beat the rush.
Madie and Leo arrive and introduce another two of the people milling around. Achi and Toni are with us. Excellent.
Everyone ready to go? let’s get going before anyone else shows up. Says they
Um we aren’t due to meet for another 10 mins and Brook’s not here yet. Says I
Bugger say they.
Another group of 4 arrive. Leo knows them from rescue they banter about getting the jump on us and head off.
Brook arrives. Ok let’s go.
A quick walk becomes a slow jog becomes “keep up!”
Oi! I was promised a cruisey social trip.
By the time we get to the wetsuit change spot we’ve over taken all the groups who started before us.
As I always say, it’s not a competition. Unless you are winning, and right now we are winning.
Winning
Ok get changed and get into it. We’ll slow down when we get to the abseils.
Thank fugg for that.
Still winning we make our way down the canyon and because half of us haven’t been here before we take the detour up Thunder canyon as well.
We enjoy the 2 glowworm caves then make our way back to the junction and then down to the exit.
Despite the three thousand two hundred and forty eight cars at the car park we haven’t seen any one in the canyon since one of the groups got to the top of the first abseil just as our last member was roping up.
We figure most of them would have leapfrogged us while we were in Thunder but we catch back up to the group of 4 at the exit and have a chat while we dry off and have a bite to eat and it appears no one else is in front of them.
then it’s up, up and up.
There’s still a gazillion cars at the car park
And while winning is winning, my legs don’t work anymore.
we farewell Achi and Toni then head for a well earned beerio
Part size 6
Time 5.5hr car to car mixed pace.
When you’re dead, you’re dead. Guy Martin
Dove Canyon
10/01/2024
Gadget and meeeee
After delaying for a day to allow water levels to drop a bit we were keen as mustard to get into this little gem.
Dove Canyon is the quintessential Cradle Mountain canyon and the awesome folk at Cradle Mountain Canyons have done a great job at opening the canyon up and maintaining the entry/exit track as well as the anchors so it’s well worth booking a tour with them if you are in the area but don’t have gear or white water experience.
The canyon has several aquatic hazards to be wary of so most people would be best to book a tour, especially if you aren’t up on how to recognise, navigate and rescue out of that stuff.
Anyhoo. We got going early to get in front of the guide groups and after one of the easiest and prettiest walk-ins ever we reach the get in point.
We gear up, go over our notes and abseil in.
A gorgeous little creek greet us. The water was cold but not Bowen creek middle of winter cold so the seland 5mm jacket and John’s were prefect.
We make our way down stream. Already the water is more pushy than anything in the Blue Mountains at normal to high levels so we take our time with the down climbs and assess the eddies at each little jump.
Then we come to the first the first of the major obstacles
Once I tested the drogue and worked out the current Kylie just went for it
Then a couple of scrambles and one more slide on Horsey falls
All in all Dove is a beautiful little micro adventure at Cradle Mountain. Heaps of fun but you have to know what you are doing in water.
Once again a massive thanks to the locals for sharing their knowledge and to the crew at Cradle Mountain Canyon for care taking this little gem.
She taught me to relight, relight and relight again: the Avalanches.