It was great to visit Claustral Canyon again. Bob had suggested the canyon and conditions looked good, so we set off up the mountains and were soon on our way.
It turned out to be an excellent day. There was a good flow of water through the canyon – which made it more spectacular.
Here is Bob heading down the entrance gully –
Now at the first water jump –
And then the second water jump –
we were now at the first abseil into the Black Hole of Calcutta.
Bob on the first abseil –
Looking down the second of Calcutta Falls –
I was now in the Keyhole Chamber. Looking up the second of Calcutta Falls –
Bob on the second abseil –
Looking down the third fall of Calcutta Falls –
Now in the Black Hole of Calcutta –
We moved downstream to the Ranon junction.
And then into the long constriction.
Fantastic. That is a really great section of canyon. It ends when the creek joins Thunder Canyon.
We then continued down Thunder Gorge. Near the Tunnel Swim are some serious obstacles.
Looking down at the Tunnel Swim –
With one small drop to negotiate.
Here is Bob at the end of the Tunnel Swim –
And then another small drop to negotiate –
We continue oohs the junction of Rainbow Ravine to reach the exit.
On the way out, in Rainbow Ravine, I find this nice fungus – Cordyceps tenuipes –
It is going off a beetle larva.
We stop for lunch further up Rainbow Ravine, at a spit just before the rainforest ends. We then climb up to the Camels Hump. We stop for a rest at an Aboriginal engraving site. We notice these marks. Are they an engraving or made by a tree rubbing on the rock?
These are sharpening grooves –
And further along another Cordyceps tenuipes –
This had been an excellent trip down one of the showcase canyons of the Blue Mountains.