There are some excursions that are only for the boys in our family, and this is one of them. I found John filling the dry bag with rope, flippers and wetsuits. I wondered if this was just a contrived way to make sure he uses every single thing we have brought with us. Alas, it was all part of the “I’m taking the boys down the gorge in their winter wetsuits and if you want to swim in ice cold water you can come too” kind if trip. So I said, “Fine, I’m good with an hour or two round camp, and a trip down Joffre Gorge, no swimming involved. Go for it.”

He said they’d be back before dark. At 1.40pm, this gives them four hours. We agreed they would turn around at 3.30pm, which I understand Fergus strictly inforced. Thanks Ferg.

Here is Ferg’s own Blog of the adventure:

As we set off, I thought that we would be swimming the entire way (we weren’t!).

Our first obstacle was a big terraced waterfall. We climbed down most of the way, except at the end where it dropped straight down for about two metres. If we jumped down we wouldn’t be able to get back up so we pulled out the rope and tied it up for on the way back and then jumped down.

Apart from a few long portages there weren’t any other big obstacles. The cliffs on each side were spectacular when you lay on your back. At one spot there was actually a big vertical rock pillar connected to the main rock face both at the bottom and the top. Every bit of cliff was different.

Finally at the end when we had come all the way back to the start and up the gorge the other way for about 50 metres we were at Joffre Falls. It was awesome. The water ran straight down the middle of a natural rock amphitheatre you could also climb up.

After that was the end.

P.S

We were disappointed we didn’t see a mulga (western brown) snake because apparently they do inhabit the area. They are also extremely venomous.

By Fergus

Thanks Ferg. I should add that they were back 5 minutes early – just like they promised. So reliable.

And here’s a video John took during the trip.