Whilst we packed up at Home Valley Station the girls had one last play at the babysitters, or should l say, the playground across from our campsite. We had to get quite stern for the girls to get in the Nissan to go, they just wanted to keep playing on the playground all morning!
Our second last pack up of the tent and we were off 40km down the road to El Questro Station, our final stop on the Gibb River Road. We crossed the shallow Pentecost River and marveled in the landscape of sloping ranges and boab trees scattered throughout. Although the road itself has been unspectacular, the gorges and walks we have done have made up for it, most being amazing! I was excited to be coming to EQ but Marty would have been equally excited to be heading back to the van, he had had enough! We stopped off at Zebedee Springs for a quick splash, even though we hadn't purchased our permit yet (god we're bad ass!). The short walk took us through a lush tropical forest with wooden planked bridges, arriving at a cascading spring. The water was welcomed, even though slightly warm, it was better than freezing like we had encountered in most of the gorges. We had a ball before the bus load of people arrived, which was our cue to leave! We would return later with my tripod to take some pics....
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| The Pentacost River crossing! |
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| Small white wash from the crossing.... |
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| Got a bit deeper in the end, but still a bit of a let down..... |
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| The surrounding Cockburn Ranges... |
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| Short drive down the road but we're here! |
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| Cool off time! |
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| Just sit back and relax buddy! |
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| Some under water fun with the GoPro of the girls... |
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| Family pic in Zebedee Springs! |
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| El Questro horses... |
We booked into EQ for three nights at $40 per night, plus a $40 parks pass which is a total rip off! Don't mind paying for a pass but if your staying at the station they should at least give you a discount. We set up and saw that Andrea, Brad, Evan and Sam were there also, Brad coming over and inviting us over to pizzas for dinner that night. So nice of them, but think their happy for Evan having someone to play with. The girls and boys hooked up for a play while we finished setting up and cooking snags for lunch.
After lunch we took off to conquer one of the walks, Emma Gorge. Like always, Meg not in the mood for a walk, even though it was a shaded and easy one. We walked thru lush beautiful tropical growth, thru creeks on stoned steps and scrambled over boulders to arrive at the spectacular Emma Gorge. This was the most impressive gorge we had seen on the GRR yet. So tall, rock face lined with scattered ferns, a dribbling waterfall and crystal clear water pool at the bottom. The girls got in straight away, with a squeal due to the coldness of the water. I got Marty to try and skim some stones over the water and take some pics, didn't work as good as l'd hoped. After an hour, the girls were begging me to put my camera down and get in, and l followed their commands and froze my ass off till they took me around to the right to the warm spring water pool. Boo and l swam over to the waterfall and l heard a loud hum above, Marty yelling out to look up, l thought it was a motorbike or swarm of bees (idiot l know) but it was a drone!! Sounds the same if you think about it.....ok maybe not!
Next day we woke early once more to the sound of crows and got organised to set off.....what does Boo chuck in? A sleep in! We had to wake her at 8am. We had organised the night before for a day out checking out EQ with Andrea, Brad and the boys, so by 9am we were all set. We crossed over the Pentecost river to Jackaroo's Pool, which although looked inviting with palm trees lining it, it still looked like croc country to me so we decided not to take a dip. Next we were meant to cross "deep water" which ended up being just at the top of the wheels. Maybe in the wet it might be a bit different?! We arrived at El Questro Gorge walk and set off around 10am. This was a grade 4 with some parts being grade 5 walk. Now these are for fit and experienced walkers, which we felt we were. We set off, all bags filled with water and snacks, we expected it to take us about 3-4hrs. It started off being wonderful, walking thru lush fern filled landscapes, small falls and creeks and having to scramble over stones and rocks. If we wanted to take pics you had to stop or you would fall from the uneven ground. Always needed to watch the ground as the footing changed all the time. There were tight squeezes thru boulders and needing to slide down them on our bums. Boo and Meg were handling it well, it wasn't the worst walk we had done, but Evan and Sam struggled a bit. Evans mood was turning fast and we were only in the first stages of the walk, even though he struggled with his footing a little, l was really surprised with his physical ability. We arrived at the first water hole and the kids all stripped their shoes off and were in, enjoying the refreshing coolness of the water. We all decided to keep going up to the next water pool which meant a harder walk and having to get up over two huge boulders first. Marty and Brad got up first whilst we waited waist deep in the water lifting our bags up to them. Next we had to get the kids up, then the women. It was pretty good, so glad l had been working out at the gym back in Gero as l needed the upper body strength. Lucky for my long legs too!
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| Jackaroo's Pool... |
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| Finally some semi-descent water crossings... |
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| Sam, Meg, Boo and Evan at the beginning of the big walk to end all walks! |
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| Love the Palms |
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| Happy to be stopping for a swim! |
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| Evan and Boo... |
We were all up the top and the next stage of the walk was bloody hard, with everyone being pushed to their limits. It was slow going, and quite humid with the heat and water surrounding us. It was getting too much for Evan, and in hindsight, they should have pulled the pin instead of continuing, but oh well. After nearly another hour, we were nearly the last pool when l was following Evan and trying to calm him down, next thing l know Evan lost it, grabbed a palm branch and threw it behind him hitting my foot. With my foot caught, l fell and smashed my R) knee open on the flat rock, bruised my wrist and worst still, smashed my camera lens!!! Marty had panic in his face as he help me over to sit and assess everything. I was in shock, Andrea was absolutely devastated, Evan was crying and my girls were scared. With bloody pissing out everywhere, l stubbornly wanted to patch myself up and keep going, but after Marty saw how deep it was he wouldn't allow it. Andrea was apologising profusely, but as l said to her, it wasn't anyone's fault. It just happened. You'd think me being a nurse l would have a little first aid kit l carried around with me hey? Not even a band aid, and l needed more than that! Lucky Andrea came to the rescue, l dabbed Detol ointment on the wound and put a huge band aid on, then it was time to stand up....that would be the test. Thankfully l could weight bear on it, so Marty, the girls and l set off back to the car whilst Andrea, Brad and boys said they wanted to stay for a while and rest. Eventually the shock and shaking wore off, whilst Marty still had the look of fear in his face. If l thought the walk was hard going on the way in, then shit it was tougher on the way back. My knee was killing me when l went to bend it and bear weight on it to climb the rocks. Boo was amazing, helping me down rocks and guiding me with her hand, so caring. Meg on the other hand didn't get it or didn't want to get it, she sooked about not being able to go for a swim at the top of the gorge. We eventually got to the boulders we would have to slide down into waist deep water, this part l had been fearing. Surprisingly l got down with ease, the band aid giving up hold halfway back and now the water filled with blood. After getting out of the water, we stopped to allow the girls have a short swim, which ended up being worse for me as my leg stiffened up and the pain got worse. Eventually we got back to the car, Marty having been amazing carrying all the bags, tripod and camera while Boo was my savour helping me every way and anyway she could. We arrived back at camp, packed up and as we checked out the staff at EQ were amazingly understanding and empathetic, refunding us for our last 2 nights accommodation.
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| Brad and Andrea enjoying the stroll... |
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| More rocks to scale over... |
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| More creeks to cross... |
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| Boo's still all smiles! |
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| It's like the biggest playground ever! |
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| Tough going for the little ones...doing so well! |
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| Now thru a huge crack! |
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| And up more ledges! |
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| Don't slip... |
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My last pic of the day on my good old Nikon...action shot
while I'm falling! That's Evans leg on the left side... |
Marty was getting his wish, getting off the Gibb and back to the van but l am positive he would have wanted it under different circumstances. I made him stop at the GRR sign for the famous pic before making our way into Kununurra.....such a deflating way to end our Gibb River Road adventures.
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| Patrol survived the Gibb River Road...even if l didn't! |
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| Marty knackered, Meg buggered, but Boo and me still put on a happy face! |
Marty dropped me and Boo off at the hospital while he went and set the van up. I got in really quickly and two stitches later, l was patched up and needing to get into bed, the pain becoming worse as the day went on. I returned to Kimberleyland sore and sorry, upset with our GRR journey and the way we finished it......At least Sam and Pete were there to cheer me up and have a laugh about it, but it was too early for me.......Goodbye GRR and hello to new adventures, first l need to mend both physically and mentally!!!!
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| Before.... |
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| ...After! |
So, maybe my back injury was the universe trying to tell me to forgo the GRR at the beginning of this two week journey, in the end it won and beat me. Next time though, l vow we will conquer it with brilliance!
Bell Xxx
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