Trackway Paradise in Australia's Kimberley Region

A new trackway in the Kimberley region of northwest Australia was recently announced. Here are two photos and the story is here.

And thanks to reader and friend Joan L., here is another story about the find. To see more fantastic rock photos of the Kimberley, see here. And finally, a map and description sent to me from Joan L.

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Geology and Geomorphology of the Kimberley 

The rocks of the Kimberley region contain a geological record that spans the last 1900 million years of the Earth's history. The oldest rocks in the Kimberley form the Lennard Hills in the west Kimberley and the Bow River Hills and the Halls Creek ridges in the east Kimberley. These comprise metamorphosed sediments,volcanics and granites.

Geological Map of the Kimberley Region 

The main part of the Kimberley, known as the Kimberley Plateau comprises of generally flat lying sedimentary rocks. These sandstones and quartzites were deposited about 1800 million years ago by major river systems that flowed from north to south across the whole region. These rocks also contain considerable volumes of concordant basalt lava flows that are a characteristic of the Mitchell Plateau. Subsequent to around 1790 million years ago the region has seen several periods of geological activity that has resulted in deposition of further sedimentary sequences, largely around the margins of the Kimberley Plateau, and there is evidence for periods of major glaciations.

The current landscape of the Kimberley has been evolving over a period of at least 250 million years. Periods of uplift resulted in peneplanation of the land surface and deeply incised rivers. A lengthy period of tropical conditions 70-50 million years ago resulted in the development of a lateritic cap, particularly over the volcanic rocks which are more susceptible to weathering. This is a characteristic feature of the Mitchell Plateau.

As sea levels rose from approximately 120m below current levels following the end of the last glacial maxima 18 000 years ago, the Kimberley coast line became drowned with the sea filling what were once river valleys. This phenomena gives the coastline its distinctive irregular outline.

Reference: Geology and Landforms of the Kimberley. I Tyler. Department of Conservation and Land Management. 2000

Funky Valparaíso Chile

There's no other way to describe Valparaíso. Starting as an important port in the southern Spanish Empire, it then became the center of the Chilean Navy. In 1990 the National Congress of Chile was moved here from Santiago. However, the main purpose of our visit was to see the Historic Quarter of the city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The colorful street art is not to be missed. No words can describe it  - so I won't. Enjoy the color and textures of Valparaiso.

The Ever-Incredible Torres del Paine National Park

Another trip to Torres del Paine National Park.

There were clouds but very high clouds such that the highest peak in Patagonia was visible for perhaps the first time to me. Monte Balmaceda (elev. 6,677 ft.) is the squarish knob in the background. Both the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers flow off of the peak - one of them is visible here.

Crossing the Pingo River - only six folks allowed on this swinging bridge at a time.

It leads into the southern Beech forest.

A walk on a long gravel beach to the mirador...

...where we got a great view of the Grey glacier. This is usually clouded over and impossible to see but the clouds were quite high today.

A nighttime shot with the half moon.

And sunrise the next day from our hotel. Can't wait to bring Helen here!

Later in the same morning.

I had never seen such calm weather here - not a hint of wind! Look at the reflection on the Pehue River.

The Perhue Lodge at the foot of the Cuernos de Paine.

Driftwood on the shores of Lago Nordenskjöld.

Lago Nordenskjöld.

Seeing the guanacos on the west side of the park.

Great views of flamingos on Lago Amarga.

Flamingos on Lago Amarga.

Guanacos in the Rio Paine.

The granite is a mere 12 million years old and was likely intruded at a depth of no more than two miles. The intrusion is technically a laccolith with the confining black shale clearly visible as eroded remnants on top of the granite.

A visit to Chile is never complete without a typical asado, this time with lamb.

The chef carved off pieces of the juicy flesh for all to taste. Thanks for reading. This has been a great trip with wonderful weather and a fantastic group.

Rounding Cape Horn and Other Sights in Tierra del Fuego

Our expedition cruise to Cape Horn and Tierra del Fuego was unusual. The high pressure system that was blistering Buenos Aires in 90 degree heat had a pronounced effect in the latitudes of the 50s such that the weather systems moved from east to west. For this reason we approached the island of Cape Horn on its western side, normally the side that feels the brunt of Pacific storms. As we rounded the Horn from west to east, items flew off of my table in my cabin as the ship rocked and rolled. I knew it was an unusual event - we never feel rough seas when facing the east here.

Cape Horn! The southernmost point of land in the Americas. The rock type is diorite and is part of the South American batholith.

Looking northwest from the cape toward the snow-capped peaks of Hoste Island.

Waves batter the rocks. This was taken with my telephoto lens (300 mm) and so the distance is deceiving. Those waves are likely rising up 25 feet on the rocks.

I was standing on the 2nd deck here shooting right out into the waves, which rose up higher than I was.

An even bigger swell. To stand next to something this large and powerful is a humbling feeling. I was extra cautious standing out here on the open deck as any fall would certainly be a trip into the drink. Nearly 2,500 sailors are known to have lost their lives rounding the Horn, most of them in the winter when real A-1, first class storms rock the region. Staring into the waves was an eery feeling.

Later in the day we visited Beautiful Bay, called Wulaia in native Yagan tongue. My 2nd lecture was about the native people that once lived in these islands, a canoe-going group that wore no clothes in this harsh environment (clothing got damp and held disease). The Yagan were the ones who greeted the Beagle and Charles Darwin in the 1830s voyage through the Beagle Channel.

Low tide exposed these glacially rounded boulders covered in bright orange lichen.

This landscape is part of the Brecknock Peninsula. Note the light-colored granite set within a darker igneous rock.

A long glacier exiting from the Darwin Range Ice Sheet.

I have only seen Mt. Sarmiento (elevation 7,369 ft.) twice in all my years sailing down here and this was a fantastic view from the Agostini Sound.

Agostini fjord.

In Agostini National Park, we visited the Aguila Glacier, here seeming to plow through a grove of southern Beech trees of the genus Nothofagus.

Close-up of the Aguila Glacier. We walked through the forest to its base. Next stop is Torres del Paine National Park.