17-20 Sept, 2024 Various bush camps, 80km north of Meekatharra, WA

Tues, 17^th

13 degrees min, clear sky.

8am the wind is back, 19 degrees.

Packed up and drove around to Window Rock for a photo.

Followed the track to a dry blowing area under pending lease and set up camp on where someone has gridded and dragged a chain - won’t be any gold left here then.

Still windy but not strong.

Went wandering. Steve took a couple of photos on his phone of the rock formations.

The wind settled so Steve got a fire ready for later on when the flies go to bed.

It was a lovely evening under the stars with a near full moon shining on us too.

 

Wed, 18^th

17 degrees, min, no wind.

Packed up and drove around looking for other spots to detect. Went around an old mine shafter area called Golden Grindstone Mine - used to be a live lease but that has been relinquished so it is under the pending lease. Steve had found some gold near here so we pulled in to have a go. Drove down over the rocky rise and parked down by the dry creek.

Went wandering - 4 other vehicles pulled up on the salt & pepper ground but when I waved they ignored me.

I went back to camp and Steve kept wandering. He found a couple of the guys further over and got them to say hi. They are part of a detecting group of 40 of war veterans. One guy got a bit chatter and said they are all camped just in off the highway and just drive and try different spots. One chap is very happy apparently as he found a patch and got 3oz off it! The others haven’t found much.

After lunch we decided to go up onto the ridge to camp for tonight so we can enjoy the views with the full moon tonight too. 

Looking out over Window Rock and further in the distance was a big red willy willy.

Warmer day, 3pm 33 degrees and the wind comes and goes.

Went for a wander - found two of my old cairns. Old mate and his chain has been everywhere. The rock holes are dry at the moment. Steve had cleaned the one out on top of the ridge and put a stick in it for the lizards to get in and out. No gold but a lovely view.

Watched the sun set then the Super Moon arise. The photo didn’t come out well with the redness and how big it appears as this cycle it is closest to the earth, hence the Super Moon title.

Keeping an eye out for the big asteroid that will cross within a million miles of earth sometime soon. Spotted the usual satellites - some zoom across, some go slowly and one just gives us a couple of flashes. Two planes went across too.

 

Thurs, 19^th

18 degrees min, clear sky and the wind is back.

Moved camp, still on the pending lease but closer to Don Well. Pulled in below a small hill and went wandering. Big rocks, ironstone, calcrete rock blow and some quartz.

Went wandering.

Our Tassie friends are at Streaky Bay in Sth Aust, heading to Gawler Ranges tomorrow. They head back to Tassie early October so enjoying some sightseeing along the way.

I messaged Margaret - she said they will probably head off after Bob’s eye appointment on Tues. Will ring them then to let them know where we are.

The clouds are coming over at lunch time.

Steve went for another big walk, I got out my cross-stitch to continue on Beau’s 1^st Christmas stocking.

After a cuppa we moved camp back towards the highway to try some salt & pepper ground tomorrow that looked interesting.

Drinks inside away from those pesky flies.

The wind stopped but we didn’t bother going back outside as the sky is cloudy so no sunset and no moon or satellites to look at tonight.

Warmer night, still 30 degrees at 7pm. Lots of little bugs trying to get in which we haven’t had for a while. There is some rain forecast in a couple of days - maybe they come out before the rain! We left a light on outside and just the TV inside so they will all just die there tonight and I’ll clean them up in the morning.

 

Fri, 20^th

Warmer night, 21 degrees, cool wind blowing and clear sky.

Went wandering on the flat salt & pepper ground. Looked perfect but no gold under our coils.

Had a cuppa then packed up and headed back towards Nipple Hill and continued down the fence line to try and get to another pending area. Unfortunately we came to a new fenceline going across our path so we had to turn around as there was no gate to get through.

Decided to head back to the highway and then south to the Ashburton Road turn off to see if it is open.

It is ‘with caution’ so we drove up a little way to the track to Ruby Well 2 area where there had been some shallow workings and parked up.

The wind has come up and is rocking the camper with some very strong gusts. A big willy willy came hurtling along the side of us at lunch time - got a fine coating of dust come in as all the windows were open.

Went for a wander and only found rubbish and a few hot rocks while the wind was trying to blow us over.

I worked on my blog while Steve kept wandering. No joy.

We read our books with a cuppa as the wind kept blowing.

At last the wind stopped as the sun set behind some thick clouds - forecast for a few drops of rain over the next few days.

Still quite warm at 9pm, 27 degrees. Forgot to take a camp photo!!