Fri, 12th Oct, 2018 Dalhousie Springs Campground, Witjira National Park, SA

7am 15 degrees, clouds to the east so no sunrise colour this morning.

High cloud in the east but blue sky to the west.

After breakfast we joined two ladies for a swim – they have been working on stations and have decided to do a road trip north. It was 20 degrees outside so the 40 degree water was heavenly.

The sky is clearing. I got started on my blog while Steve did the domestics – washing up, washing the clothes etc – this is a great life!!

While the laptop was charging I made some curry pasta salad – always something to be done.

We went for a walk to the Information Hut. There was a book for the local Aborigines to mark in what animals they have killed – it was empty. Info about dingoes and some other things to look at in this area.

Headed up the track – cute little flowers.

Checked out the water trough near an old well, old yards and sheds which is now being used for storage by the National Parks.

A pinker flower.

Nice light breeze – 31 degrees at lunch time.

The girls and another camper have left and a couple more cars pulled in for a swim before heading off again.

Steve is enjoying the David Baldacci books – I haven’t seen him read this much in all the years we have been married. I am getting more of my blog done, lots of photos and videos to sort through – I love the digital photos age so much easier than getting them printed etc.

3pm 36 degrees – some galahs have moved into the tree beside us. A few strong gusts of wind and still some cloud cover.

More clouds coming over. 4.30 we heard a few rumbles of thunder in the west. 

The wind is picking up. The storm cells are moving around to the north and we can see lightning forks and hear the thunder as we head down for a swim.

Did the nature walk first but I didn’t bring by camera in case it starts to rain. Followed the track around past other mounds springs and the end of the pool where the water comes out of the ground but you can’t see anything. Further around – watching all the lightning strikes as we go – we see a reed surrounded pool. This is the Rainbow Serpent Pool then further along is the Medicine Hill. No information other than on the walk guide so will get that tomorrow. We passed the edge of the pool then continued along past a sign saying ‘no access - new mound spring being created’, well there was a small rise. Across a bridge over a narrow stream of water coming down from the big pool. Steve checked the temperature – still quite warm. There is another walk that goes off from here 3km to the other main mound spring called ‘Mother Spring’ but I don’t think we will worry about that now as the clouds are moving right around us now. These mound springs have more vegetation and water than the ones further south which seems to only have a few reeds and built up bigger cones from the minerals being deposited.

Enjoyed our swim watching the lightning flash across the sky.

The wind is blowing from the north now as the sky darkens. More campers have arrived and have set up camp. The wind settled as the storm appears to have gone around to the east. The sun is shining in the west.

Black clouds went all the way around now and just when I thought I would get a nice sunset the black clouds blocked out the sun.

Chatted with two other couples who pulled in with their vans. One from Melbourne, the other from Brisbane. The Melbourne couple are heading down the Oodnadatta Track so I said to make sure they pick up the Oodnadatta Pub mud map.

Left-overs for dinner. Heard the dingo howl from a distance tonight – he probably doesn’t like the thunder. More lightning flashing in the north and south now and some distant rumbles.

We walked down for another swim – took the big spotlight as there is no moonlight tonight. It was lovely except that the mozzies found us. We didn’t stay in for long as they were very annoying. It would have been lovely to stay outside and watch the ‘fireworks’ across the sky. Dried off – that will do for a bath tonight as there are too many mozzies in the shower block.

Played cards – I could see the lightning flashes in the west again now. The wind started to pick up and we were just finishing a game when we felt it change and get stronger and a few louder rumbles of thunder got us moving. We quickly packed up everything and moved the shade screen across the bed side to give us some more protection. We can hear the other campers getting their camps sorted too as the wind got stronger. Then a few drops of rain started so we climbed into bed and pulled down the door. 9pm – I was just about to have a coffee.

We read our books to pass the time and by 10pm the storm was gone and I could open the door again for some air. We could watch the lightning in the distance. Turned off the light and went to bed.