by johnw » Tue 04 Feb, 2014 10:38 am
This is not true canyoning as a purist would see it, but it is my first attempt at something that fits within the broad description, other than bushwalking through them on tourist tracks. My son Andrew has become more involved with canyoning over the past couple of years and had been asking me to try an easy canyon with him for a while. He has the abseiling/rope skills etc for the more serious stuff. We had been tentatively planning Grand Canyon, which is OK for beginners, but it is now closed for several months while they work on the walking track that skirts above it. So he suggested a liloing trip through the Wollagambe One canyon instead. It was going to be a hot day.
We originally thought of using our Klymit LWD packrafts to traverse the canyon's considerable watery parts. But got a bit nervous about their fragility negotiating sharp rocks, scrub, sticks etc. We eventually decided to buy cheap rubberised cotton lilos, the traditional craft for this type of trip. Relatively heavy but relatively indestructible. I identified a source near Andrew's workplace and they had 2 in stock at $35 each; perfect. A test inflate proved them seaworthy and we just had to decide what else to take. From his previous canyoning experience he tells me I need thermals and a wetsuit. "But it's going to be 30 degrees at Mt Wilson tomorrow." "Yes, but you'll get cold in the canyon." (he is about 6 feet, with no body fat and feel every bit of cold). "What does Tom Brennan's Ozultimate web site recommend?" I ask (I trust Tom, I know his online presence). We look it up and the key says Lilos - both wetsuits and lilos are recommended. "OK I have a cheap spring wetsuit, I'll use that. It's light and compact." "No you'll get too cold, you need a full steamer." "It doesn't fit properly, I can't move in it." "OK take the spring suit then; and you'll need your climbing helmet as well." "But I thought there are no abseils?" "Correct, but you should really use one in any canyon due to rockfall possibility."
By now I'm starting to wonder how I'm going to carry a 2kg+ lilo and all this other clobber. Saturday morning I eventually sort out what I'm taking, keeping everything I can to a minimum. Acknowledging that I'm going to get wet, I double and triple dry bag everything should it get submerged.
Mid-morning Saturday, somewhat later than planned, we leave for Mt Wilson to do the trip. Around 11:45 am we arrive at the car park next to the Mt Wilson rural fire brigade building. It's packed and there are young and young-ish people everywhere. It's hot. I'm mildly disturbed by the number of brand new $15 Kmart inflatable boats being removed from their boxes for the first time. And the lack of gear, adequate clothing and footwear. We can't find a parking spot and have to park across the road.
It looked like possibly two very large groups would be ahead of us and we started to wonder how that would affect our progress. We decided that they would take longer than us to get ready once at the start of the canyon section. That should give us a chance to get going relatively unimpeded. We sort out gear and comfort stops. Eventually we are underway but immediately have a minor stuff up locating the access track. I had bushwalked from here a couple of times but not for many years, and it now looks different to what I remember. I'm confused by the new signage at the track head. We head off down the correct track but decide it's wrong then head down the wrong one. Eventually realising our mistake I ask for either the topo map or the Jamieson canyon guide that Andrew brought along. "They're at the bottom of my pack". Groan. At this rate we'll never get there. We unearth the book and ascertain that we can simply continue and will link up with the correct track, which we do. I now recognise this as a walk I had done before down to the Wollangambe River and back. This time I'll be heading downstream.
The walk-in is not difficult but gets steep in places. My dodgy knees object now and then. The extent of the recent bushfires is quite confronting, but recovery is underway and there is clear evidence of regrowth despite the dryness. When it arrives good rain will improve things immensely. Arriving at the river it looks like possibly the second of the two large groups is still getting underway. There is literally a flotilla of inflatable craft of every description, and a cacophony of blowing and pumping going on. We try to outmanouvre the masses and manage to get started ahead of 50% of them. Those ahead had stopped at the first deep/wide pool, probably waiting for the others. While seemingly underprepared they look to be having a good time. We negotiate our way past them and they seem friendly. The water wasn't very cold. Feeling completely overdone and hot in my wetsuit and thermals, I now concentrate on trying to understand the navigational capabilities of my lilo.
The canyon is quite wide and open here but bound by high rock walls. We continue downstream and the first portage arrives quickly. I complain that we have hardly gone anywhere and already have to get out and walk. Andrew has done this canyon once before, a couple of years ago, and comments that there was a lot more water then and it now looks much different. I've done a reasonable amount of riparian rock scrambling in the Blueys but not while trying to drag/carry a 2m x 2.1kg fully inflated rubber air mat up and down slippery rocks and through the scrub with me. I find that part of the trip tiring and a bit frustrating at times. Particularly as there seems to be a lot of portages; likley more than usual due to the low water level. I could see the tidal marks on the cliff walls providing some evidence of the usual depth. At least it was quieter now that we had left the entourage some way behind.
We needed a lunch break and found a shady spot on a rocky ledge where we could put ashore. A few from the large group arrived as we finished lunch and I noticed one young girl floating past on a pool lounge of some description, barefoot, wearing a bikini and carrying no other gear except a tiny plastic shopping bag tied to her craft. Minimalist canyoning? While her appearance was good for my eyesight I hoped she at least had footwear for the walk out.
More portaging, arrgh! It becomes clear from watching others behind me that you simply throw the lilo and hope it lands approximately where intended. My arms are getting tired, so the lilo throwing helps. We pause to admire a particularly large Eastern Water Dragon sitting on our next target rock. Conditions start to ease as we get more long, deeper pools. Having established considerable distance from the others the canyon becomes very quiet and it is relaxing to simply float downstream enjoying the scenery, with an occasional course correction. I've decided that lilos are strange beasts, I found it almost impossible to get mine to travel in a straight line.
We complete an easy portage arriving at what I consider the best part of the canyon. It changes to a narrow constriction, a little more like a true Blue Mountains slot canyon. The walls are scalloped into a number of separate "chambers" along its length. I had packed my small P&S camera but it was triple bagged for its own good. This was the best photo opp I had seen so I dug out the camera for my one and only photo session of the trip. Back underway we do more liloing and less portaging (thankfully). We observe the fire damage from our vantage point and understand why most of the other canyons in the area have been closed for recovery. We pass a side creek that is thought to be Water Dragon canyon.
Time is now marching on and we speculate on how close the exit is. I have to make a quick bathroom stop. Not easy but I find an environmentally acceptable spot a reasonable distance from the river. As I get going again the leader of the large group and her partner catch up to me and ask for advice about negotiating the 1/2 metre wide, 90 degree angle slot that I'm trying to persuade my lilo through. I attempt to sound knowledgeable and advise not taking my approach. They also ask if we know how far the exit is then soon shot past us pointing out a large yabby further downstream.
We reach the exit, which is somewhat further along than estimated, just behind the leaders of the big group. The bottom of my pack has been immersed for most of trip and needs to be emptied again. It's still hot and I'm grateful to relieve myself of wetsuit, wet thermals and climbing helmet. I start wringing things out and hanging them on a log to dry. Now down to undies which double as swimwear I dive into the deepest pool I can find to cool off before preparing for the walk out.
The exit track is initially a very steep climb with some mild exposure. Being somewhat vertically challenged and with 1.5 bad knees, I struggle to negotiate the first bit of it and have to pass my pack up. We are wedged in between members from the large party and have to queue along a narrow rock ledge above a drop awaiting our turn for the exposed climb. I'm told I have to get both myself and pack up the hairy bit. I feel less intimidated when one or two of the younger males in front are having difficulty with it and need a hand up. When my turn comes I manage to find enough hand and foot holds and do my best impression of the arm and leg actions of a rock climber. Happy that I've climbed up unaided we leave the other group behind and set off up the easy but relentlessly steep track back to the car.
John W
In Nature's keeping they are safe, but through the agency of man destruction is making rapid progress - John Muir c1912