Ranon Canyon

Trip report by Greg Salway

Chief: Major Tom Brennan

Indians: Zky Stardust, Eva - no nickname unfortunately - Mak, Corey "I'm spewing about the camera" Robinson, Jarret "The Kid" Napper and yours truly - Stoli

Greeted with one of those perfect summer days and after running off the road to avoid a certain head on at Agnes Banks, this hastily arranged jaunt consisted of the usual NRB (Nth Richmond Bakery - see if it catches on) rendezvous.

From here, cars were consolidated and the compulsory car shuffle organised. (Sing it), B4 2 long ... we were bashing scrub on our way down to a sidecreek. Hopes of keeping feet dry were squashed as we squished our way towards Ranon Brook. En route, a number of yabs on the same roids as the Bulgarian weightlifting team were sighted - HOOmungus!

After a short morning tea break at Mistake Ravine junction and some more creek walking, we donned our gear for our first compulsory swim.

Try as we may to avoid it, everyone bar Tom ended up in the sinkhole at the bottom of the first abseil due to the slippery bottom. I was the only one who managed to get a leg over the rope and self-wedgie though.

Moving on there was a nice jump that gung-ho Geronimo Corey, Jarret and I took advantage of, and an awkward downclimb for the girls. Following on, a nice little two part abseil where Corey managed to give himself a little fright by slipping a metre or so - temporarily silencing him - followed by some more creek walking.

With eyes firmly fixed upon him, Tom eased down the big slippery log with apparent ease. With everyone else safely down, I took my turn and unluckily hooked my shorts; lifted a cheek to unhook and was unceremoniously dumped into the sand - pretty much ripping the a%$e outta my shorts completely thus exposing my green reg grundies for the remainder of the day

The time slowed to a trickle as we walked and waded our way through varying temperate rainforest environments. Coachwood, sassafras and tree ferns dominated the landscape. The creek kept changing from narrow sandy sections to wider boulder hopping bits. We spent much time looking up at the canopy and back behind us in appreciation of the area we had been moments earlier.

The lower half of Ranon Brook is where the real highlights are; two double abseils down four waterfalls. As I was first down, one by one these grinning heads would appear as we descended through this area. Claustral comes in on the left which we all had a good look up. Some nice plunge pools and swims followed by about half an hour bought us to our lunchspot - Glowworm cave.

Post gourmet lunch and an impromptu physics lesson from Corey where the words "pivot, leverage, fulcrum and torque" were tossed up, we continued on through the boulder-laden lower Claustral section before the power walk up to the tower and vehicle(s).

Match Stats

28- chocolate bars it felt like Corey brought. I haven't had that much in a single day since I was a little kid.

11 - days after Chrissy I'm still eating ham! Go away!

50 or so - yabbies everywhere

2 - canyon snakes

31 years old (Tom). Happy Birthday for Thursday

6 - people, happy and weary at the end. A magical day out with great company in amazing surroundings