It was a bright, sunny day for our group's hike to the Newnes river caves yesterday. We had been warned that we would have to wade through water, possibly waist-high, and to dress appropriately and bring extra footwear for wearing in the water. Fortunately, the deepest pool came only to mid-thigh so most people were fine in their shorts. I ended up with wet pantlegs, which I preferred to scratched legs from the bushes lining the track. The sun quickly dried me off as we made our way back to our starting point at the top of the plateau.
It was dark and cool at the bottom of the chasm, although not as dark as my photos make it appear. Where sunlight penetrated the gloom, opportunistic seedlings had sprouted.
The spots on the lens are from droplets of water seeping from ledges above us.
Between the pools, the water had to find a path among massive boulders.
Tree ferns (
Dicksonia antarctica) thrive in the cool, moist conditions at the bottom of the canyon.
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