It was our 7th Day and the adventure destination was Manning Gorge. The group had breakfast but did not break the camp that morning. Scotty, our guide explained something in the group even before the walk starts. He explained in the group that there are options to choose. First option was walking to the gorge will be the same walk going back to the camp and the second option was walking to the gorge while swimming back to the camp. Since I was not really a good swimmer at all, I chose the first option and we were just few to chose the first option, the rest chose the second. Since there were two groups in the camp, the other group came from Broome joined us in the activity.
Then, we started the walk after passing Manning Creek using a small boat. At first the walk was easy but because the sun was up, we felt the warm in our bodies. We thought that the walk was a short one but it took us more than an hour to reach the gorge. There are parts of the trail that were too rugged because of rocks and boulders stray along the trail but still pretty well-marked and visible to which most of the group or individual can follow the track.
Along the walking trail
When we were almost near in Manning Gorge we had a bit of trek as we descent towards the gorge. When we reached the gorge, I felt that we discovered a remote paradise from nothing in the wilderness to something amazing. Along the walking trail, I never imagined that there is a magnificent waterhole at the end of the walk. Because I was too mesmerized in the waterhole and my surroundings, I took a lot of photos that I felt that I did not want to miss anything. Someone can say, why don’t you take a video of it? To be honest, I was not really a fan of taking or recording videos, but sometimes in some of my travels I did capture videos. The reason I preferred photos than videos is because photo is like frozen time, taking photo means capturing a second or a moment.
Aboriginal Arts in Rocks in Manning Gorge
As I approached the main waterhole where the waterfalls tracks is visible, during my descent I saw some Aboriginal Arts drawn in a rock wall which significantly shows that the place has been lived by ancient people.
Manning Gorge
At first, I didn’t have a plan to swim in Manning Gorge waterhole as I can see that its depth was not for me. But our guide Scotty invited me to get into the water and the rest of the group did the same thing. They showed to me that there was a shallow area in the waterhole that I can stand. When I saw the lighter color of the waterhole, I decided to join the group with a thought that the whole group were there that can help me and assist me so I can enjoy the water too.
At Manning Gorge Waterhole
We spent hours in the gorge. But before lunch time, we decided to return to the camp. As mentioned earlier, the group divided into two. One group will return to the camp the same way reaching the gorge which was walking back to the same trail and I joined that group. The second group was group that will swim from Manning Gorge following the Manning Creek towards the camp.
We reached the camp an hour earlier from the other group that swam through Manning Creek, then altogether had lunch at the camp site. After lunch, we went to Mount Barnett Roadhouse to refill our truck since the previous day was unsuccessful as it was already closed.
At Mount Barnett Roadhouse – Looking at the information about Toad in Western Australia
We returned to the camp to spent the rest of the days. For the group to maximize the resting time in the camp, some of the group went at Manning Creek to swim and play which just beside the camp, I joined the group and had fun. And some just rested in the tent to rest and sleep.
Soaking myself in Manning Creek near the camp
We spent another night in the camp. And since there were two groups in the same camp, it was kind of fun because there were lots of people having dinner altogether, helping out together in preparing and cooking the food. Even in cleaning up the mess we made during the dinner. I kind of like of that way of mingling with people though we were strangers at all personally but it feels like we were a big one family at that time.
Until then.
