DAY EIGHT – YOUNG DRILLING PROGRAM
The countryside is just stunning……
I think I’m falling in love with outback NSW. The colours change with the sunrise, the granites cast purple glows and the sky is always changing. But today we had rolling mists, fog in the valleys…..and it was cold! Crisp and cold!
Gawd….it’s just beautiful!
We set up the drilling rig as the sun rose over the mists. The cows once again graced us with their presence – I swear the pressure of having them watch us constantly, I feel the need to break into a song and dance repeatedly. If I was a paranoid person I would think they were plotting to kill me……
We named this one Wilson……because he has a big head and well……he looks like a Wilson.
I LOVE DRILLING!!!! Watching the dirt come out of the cyclone into the bag in all it’s different coloured horizons. How exciting is it to know that we are seeing what lies 20-30 metres below the ground! And to think of how it got there, the story it has to tell about floodplains, and droughts, and volcanic eruptions, and…..and…..!
….ok….so you may think I am overreacting and it’s just dirt……but look at the rich, beautiful colour of this……
That, my friends, is a laterite! And Australia is famous for it’s beautiful rich, red laterites. Laterites are weathered rocks, and are formed by intense wet and dry periods. They are rich in iron and are really fertile for growing crops. I just love watching the different colours of the horizons as they come out of the drill core……
The team is gaining momentum now and we are working like a well rehearsed play! I thought I would include a photo of the splitter – the piece of equipment we use to “split” the sample into two equal samples, one to bag and one to analyse. It’s a heavy bugger and we are thoroughly sick of hoisting it on and off the trailer……but I have an odd affection for the bloody thing, as it is simple and reliable….something that is very underrated in the field…..!
And of course…..today’s favourite free-pee spot! I give it an 8 out of 10! Privacy was good, it had a bit of a branch to sit on while squatting, there were no nettles, but it lost points because it stunk of cows! It must be their favourite free-pee spot too!
