Day 41 - Jim Jim Falls - Twin Falls

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAIDEN!!!!!!

Today we decided to tackle Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls.  We were told to allow 2 hours for the 50km stretch of road, but we were very pleases to discover that the road had recently been graded, once again and we had scored big time, as we were able to skip along at about 100km/h.  Very happy, it was only the last 7km to Jim Jim that was a real nightmare but we could cope with that.  We then had a 900m walk into the falls, "great" I thought, however, not so great, a very challenging walk over rocks, that got bigger the further we went in.  Every stretch of water we stopped to admire had huge signs say "no swimming" and one spot had a massive crocodile trap.  At 10am the temperature was also making a rapid ascent. We were lucky enough to hook up with a small tour group.  This is always handy, as they are these people are the ones with the real local knowledge and it is always nice to have a few more people around in these isolated places.  The frenchman on the tour comes across a really long, thin, orangy coloured snake, I didn't stop to take a really good look, but discovered I can scale big rocks really fast when need be!!!!

You can see the croc trap in the background here!!!

We eventually arrived at the "beach" area, and wouldn't you know it, another snake wrapped around the rock just where we would like to enter the water.  Yes, you can swim at the end of this track.  We are assured that the rangers have taken any unwelcome crocs from the holes at the bottom of Jim Jim falls.  A bit unnerving after just walking passed all the danger signs.  Anyway, I wasn't being left on the beach with the snake, so we all swim around to the bottom of Jim Jim, as it is the only way to get there. The kids just love it and none of the tourist group are being eaten ahead of us so I relax a little!!!!  Unfortunately Jim Jim is not flowing however, it is still a spectacle and well worth the walk in.

The family climbing over rocks to swim to the plunge pool at the bottom of the falls.  Plunge pool is 100m wide and 40m deep!!

After this, we take the very bumpy road further on to Twin Falls.  This requires a 200m walk to the creek and then a small boat ride for $25 to the end of the creek where, once again we have to trek over some big rocks.  No swimming here, which is such a shame, as it is one of the most beautiful spots we have seen.  We had been told we can't swim because of the crocs, but we find out from the "skipper" that is actually because the aboriginal elders have put a stop to it.  People were coming in and trashing turtle nests and making such a mess in the water with sunscreen and insect repellent.

There was a 3km walk we could have done at the top of the escarpment, but we decided against that at 2:30 in the arvo.  The 13km back to the main gravel road takes 45 min, the road is really sandy, windy and rough, then we only have 50km of reasonable gravel to go.  So the kids hit the pool again when we get back, it is a welcome relief in this heat.