Time has come to post a real blog so I have started with my trip to Kalbarri
I am up here for a bit of a winter break to escape the cold of Margaret River
The first few days provided some interesting weather being very windy and then some heavy rain during the nights, the days however were mostly sunny so I was able to get out and do some caching.
Some new caches had appeared over the river since my last visit so I set off to complete this mini series and had a very pleasant day
Below are the cache logs from my days caching.
Across the Channel # 2 GC7GQJ3
Visiting Kalbarri for a couple of weeks during the school holidays
Today I decided to cross over the river to find some caches which had been placed since my last visit here last year
I went down to the boat hire concession and paid my $5 to be ferried across
Cleo the retriever joined us for the trip and she sat next to me for company for the crossing
Once we landed on a small sand spit Cleo jumped out to explore and I cleaned the sand off my feet and put my shoes back on
A quick look at the phone App showed the direction i needed to go in and I set off across the dunes weaving in and out following little valleys between the grass covered hummocks
I overestimated the distance I needed to travel and found that i had overshot my first target
I was closer to this second cache now so I adjusted my course and headed to the new GZ planning to get cache #1 on the return journey
Picking the easiest track through the dunes I made my way to the top and soon found the cache in the first place I looked
The view from here was wonderful and i decided to stay and relax for a little while to enjoy the scenery
After taking a few photos I consulted the App and set off once again to the next cache in the series
Across the Channel # 3 GC7GQJ9
From the top of the hill at Cache #2 I could see the direction I needed to go
The compass was pointing towards a small copse of hardy silky oaks clinging stoically to life on the waters edge in the lee of a mud flat along the river
I picked my way down the dune to the bottom choosing the path of least resistance. Once at the bottom it was an easy walk to the area of GZ
Along the walk I came across many animal tracks, clearly many were goats as their pellets were in great abundance. Others looked to be of cats or maybe foxes. There were very prominent tracks of what I assumed would be horses which may be part of a horse riding tour. Hard to say for sure.
Under the trees there was the scattered remains of a bird which may have become a victim of a feral predator or even one of the local dingos. The skeleton of what appeared to be a goat was also nestled in the shade of the trees partly buried in the fallen fronds of the silky oaks.
Evidence of previous human activity presented with abandoned heavily rusted chains, looped around the base of trees and padlocked shut.
A short search of GZ revealed the cache and the log was soon signed and container replaced.
Checking the App revealed that the next cache on the list was in a northerly direction following along the river bank.
The compass was pointing towards a small copse of hardy silky oaks clinging stoically to life on the waters edge in the lee of a mud flat along the river
I picked my way down the dune to the bottom choosing the path of least resistance. Once at the bottom it was an easy walk to the area of GZ
Along the walk I came across many animal tracks, clearly many were goats as their pellets were in great abundance. Others looked to be of cats or maybe foxes. There were very prominent tracks of what I assumed would be horses which may be part of a horse riding tour. Hard to say for sure.
Under the trees there was the scattered remains of a bird which may have become a victim of a feral predator or even one of the local dingos. The skeleton of what appeared to be a goat was also nestled in the shade of the trees partly buried in the fallen fronds of the silky oaks.
Evidence of previous human activity presented with abandoned heavily rusted chains, looped around the base of trees and padlocked shut.
A short search of GZ revealed the cache and the log was soon signed and container replaced.
Checking the App revealed that the next cache on the list was in a northerly direction following along the river bank.
Across the Channel # 4
GC7GQMY
From my find at Cache #3 I continued along the river bank in a northerly direction.
More animal tracks showed in the soft wet sand and I stopped to get some photos along the way.
Flotsam and jetsam were scattered along the shoreline and I collected plastic trash as I walked along. One larger piece was a large marker buoy or bollard washed up on the high tide mark. This one was too large for me to take so I left it where it lay as it would have to be retrieved by someone with a boat.
Once I arrived at area GZ I discovered that I had to a change my plan of attack to get to the right place. With a bit of a scramble through some gnarly old trees and the rock face I was able to make a quick find in an obvious spot.
Log was soon signed and container replaced.
The next cache on the list was Cache #1 however I decided to climb up to a higher vantage point to get some photos of the surrounding area.
More animal tracks showed in the soft wet sand and I stopped to get some photos along the way.
Flotsam and jetsam were scattered along the shoreline and I collected plastic trash as I walked along. One larger piece was a large marker buoy or bollard washed up on the high tide mark. This one was too large for me to take so I left it where it lay as it would have to be retrieved by someone with a boat.
Once I arrived at area GZ I discovered that I had to a change my plan of attack to get to the right place. With a bit of a scramble through some gnarly old trees and the rock face I was able to make a quick find in an obvious spot.
Log was soon signed and container replaced.
The next cache on the list was Cache #1 however I decided to climb up to a higher vantage point to get some photos of the surrounding area.
Across the Channel # 1
GC7GPA9
Having completed the 3 other caches in this series I left #4 to make my way back here but first I wanted to get to a higher vantage point for a view of the surrounding area.
Up and up I toiled trying to find the easiest path up the dunes and on to the next highest point.
Finally I came to the top of the tallest dune which revealed a wonderful panorama in all directions.
To the east was the town and the river winding its way down between the hills to the north and east.
Looking south was the river mouth foaming in the turbulence of the sea and the running tide.
In the west the surf pounded onto the shore, heavy waves smashing into the rock shelf, shooting plumes of spray into the air then charging across the rocks and up the steep sandy beach.
Behind me the hills to the north climbed ever taller, beckoning exploration, but not for me on this day.
I stopped here for a while to have some lunch and to enjoy the scenery, once I had rested I set off down to the beach to explore the rocky shoreline. From here I had spied an access road which lead to a carpark in the sand dunes above the beach. A couple of cars were parked here and the occupants were walking along the beach with their children and a couple of dogs.
Once I had made my way down onto the beach I chatted with the other adventurers who were camping by the river nearby.
The rocks here were very interestingly piled up in large flat boulders along the beach, nearby at the ocean edge the rock shelf extended into the ocean. Heavy waves crashed against the shelf and rushed across it to the beach.
A raised edge framed some of the blocks forming the shelf, trapping water in shallow pools.
This would make an ideal Earthcache here.
I continued on along the beach for a while before cutting back into the sand dunes towards the cache. At GZ the cache was an easy find and the log was quickly signed and the container returned ready for the next finder.
I made my way through the dunes to the bell which I needed to ring to signal to be picked up by the ferry boat.
This was a very enjoyable series and a great excuse to come back over here for another look around. I was pleased to find some new and interesting places.
I would strongly encourage the CO to add to the series, this is a really worthwhile place to visit and I would welcome another excuse to come over and wander around some more.
Up and up I toiled trying to find the easiest path up the dunes and on to the next highest point.
Finally I came to the top of the tallest dune which revealed a wonderful panorama in all directions.
To the east was the town and the river winding its way down between the hills to the north and east.
Looking south was the river mouth foaming in the turbulence of the sea and the running tide.
In the west the surf pounded onto the shore, heavy waves smashing into the rock shelf, shooting plumes of spray into the air then charging across the rocks and up the steep sandy beach.
Behind me the hills to the north climbed ever taller, beckoning exploration, but not for me on this day.
I stopped here for a while to have some lunch and to enjoy the scenery, once I had rested I set off down to the beach to explore the rocky shoreline. From here I had spied an access road which lead to a carpark in the sand dunes above the beach. A couple of cars were parked here and the occupants were walking along the beach with their children and a couple of dogs.
Once I had made my way down onto the beach I chatted with the other adventurers who were camping by the river nearby.
The rocks here were very interestingly piled up in large flat boulders along the beach, nearby at the ocean edge the rock shelf extended into the ocean. Heavy waves crashed against the shelf and rushed across it to the beach.
A raised edge framed some of the blocks forming the shelf, trapping water in shallow pools.
This would make an ideal Earthcache here.
I continued on along the beach for a while before cutting back into the sand dunes towards the cache. At GZ the cache was an easy find and the log was quickly signed and the container returned ready for the next finder.
I made my way through the dunes to the bell which I needed to ring to signal to be picked up by the ferry boat.
This was a very enjoyable series and a great excuse to come back over here for another look around. I was pleased to find some new and interesting places.
I would strongly encourage the CO to add to the series, this is a really worthwhile place to visit and I would welcome another excuse to come over and wander around some more.
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