My journey as a human raindrop started early with the cloud blowing around the tent and the rocks frosty with overnight ice. As a raindrop my main mission in life is to go downhill and find other raindrops. This was sometimes easy and sometimes hard as the steep dolerite rocks funneled into crevices full of snow and ice. With gravity on my side I tumbled onwards, mostly in control, and did indeed find little watery mates along the way. Some crept into my boots and some went down the back of my neck.
Cirque 2 Sea Day 8 : 08-08-2016
Human Raindrop
The rocks eventually gave way to thick mats of Bauera (a hardy creeping plant) and larger alpine yellow gums. You can see in one photo where I passed the contact or meeting point of dolerite (on top) and sedimentary rock (on the bottom). The slope became gentler and the trees closed in overhead so that the forest floor was open and green mosses and epiphytes covered trunks of old myrtles.
Finding lots of raindrop buddies in Stony Creek I followed that until it crossed the famous Overland Track. I said goodbye to the creek as it continued downhill towards Lake St Clair and headed up hill to Bert Nichols Hut to warm by the gas heater. On the way in there's a whole sign devoted to talking about cirques and glaciers and how this extraordinary mountain valley formed. There have been a few questions about what motivates me to do these adventures. Days like today where I can explore a creek and share it with you are a good reason.
T-shirt winner: William P from Shelldep
Royal Life Saving Society winner: Rolling Stone from wildkids
Cirque 2 Sea is a partnership project between the Bookend Trust, the Derwent Estuary Program and our supporters.
