The spectatular abseil into the second section. Photo by David Connard
Particpants: Joan Chan, the accident prone Jason Chu, David Connard (TL), Jenny Mee, Andrew Naylor, Roland Truscott
Only this small group of six chose to come canyoning on this beautiful weekend. A pity, as it was a really great day - mild temperatures, sunny, not even the merest hint of rain on the way. Joan had even managed to convince one of her work-mates to come along - the slightly accident prone Jason Chu... I'm sure that workplace rumours will soon start circulating about how he came to be injured in exactly that way, whilst on a weekend away with her... And if they don't, I'd be more than happy to start some...
Of the group of six, just Jenny, Joan and I had abseilled before. And for those who know Tiger Snake canyon, the first drop could not be described as the easiest introduction to abseilling. In fact, it would be better described as a right pain in the ass1. The canyon starts as a small creek, dropping away into a very narrow slot only about 50cm wide at the top. You have to squeeze your way down this slot, whilst trying to abseil at the same time... As the drop is only about 5m, it is almost easier to climb down than abseill... although this would risk getting dunked in a deep pool of water should you choose to fall instead.
After some tentative starts, everyone had completed their first abseil, and it was time to get our feet wet. Although this canyon has been described by John Oxley as a "dry" canyon, this is in the same way that Starlight canyon is a "dry" canyon. That is, you definitely end up with the appearance of being a little wet. Though, some of us were soon appearing wetter than others...
| The spectatular abseil into the second section. Photo by David Connard |
The canyon immediately drops away again, into a small pool that is no more than knee deep at its deepest point. If done correctly, you can avoid getting wet much above the ankles. However, our accident prone party member made the correct choice of a stylish slip above the pool and thereby falling in - and so got wet well above the knees. A second short abseil soon follows - again into knee deep water - and by this time we are all wet and cold. "Dry canyon, my arse!", I'm thinking...
Just around the next constricted corner, however, is the first big abseil of the day. This end the first section of canyon with a spectacular 18m drop down a big wide waterfall into a pleasant creek. Everyone coped okay with the biggest and most exposed abseil so far, and we were soon on our way to find a patch of sunlight for lunch.
After lunch, the canyon starts again with a second narrow and constricted section. At the beginning of this are a couple of small pools, followed by a short abseil into waist deep water. This looked a bit cold, to say the least, and we smartly decided instead to try to find the bypass route around this wet bit. Whilst backtracking past the small pools, the accident prone member of our party did it again... I would have thought that it was commonsense not to have two people at the same time walking across a thin log precariously placed above a yukky looking pool... but no - soon enough, we had a broken log, and two wet people.
 | At the bottom of the big abseil. Photo by David Connard |
The bypass route involves going up high on the left hand side above the second section of canyon until a rock bridge crosses the gap over the canyon. You then abseil in from there. This route into the canyon has to be one of the most spectacular canyon abseils that I have ever done. It goes down 24m in a tight, dark and twisting canyon section with the walls less than 2m apart all the way. You can't see the bottom as it is hidden from sight below you by the curving canyon walls - and in any case, by the time you get there it is almost completely dark and very hard to see until your eyes adjust to the dim light. This breathtaking abseil would alone make the canyon more than worthwhile.
From here, it is worth taking a look at the upstream section that you have just bypassed. There is a spectacular rock arch to be seen a short distance upstream, if you are prepared to climb up a slippery waterfall. Downstream, this tight, serpentine canyon continues for a hundred metres or so, before opening up into a wider section surrounded by very high clifflines. After a few scrambles down rocks the canyon immediately fills with light, tall tree-ferns, and the sounds of our accident prone party member laughing in pain and shock after slipping down a rock and landing really hard onto his now very bruised hip!
 | Strange for a canyon... Photo by David Connard |
At this point, the creek has gone completely underground. It is soon found emerging from a low cave on the left had side. For a group with torches and caving experience, a short but entertaining underground through trip can be made - start by following the creek upwards if you can't find the hole in the rockpile that is the top entrance. There is only one way through. There are squeezes, so the trip is not for the claustrophobic (or for those with very bruised hips!). There is even some "cave coral" in the creek section of the cave.
From here, it is not far to the exit gully, and then about 1.5 hours walk back to the cars. We made it back before dark - but not before yet more scratches and scrapes from a certain party member (guess who?!) on the climb out. Some people just seem to have all the luck...
Footnotes:
1. Although, you'd have to get the ass there first to properly test this analogy.