Today was a very short drive for a ride up a dugout canoe up the river (including the exploration of two different caves) followed by a hike through the labyrinths of the Small Tsingy. It was a very different experience from the Grand Tsingy. More climbing and crawling through caves and the Tsingys.
We learned about a snake that shares a burrow with the ants. Legend has it that the ants feed the snake until it becomes to large to escape the burrow, and then the ants eat the snake. I think certain parts of the Small Tsingy are the same, to trap Americans (tall and less narrow than the average Malagassi). The pictures will show.
Getting into the dugout canoe
Inside the first cave. The river rising/falling in the wet/dry seasons also erodes and carves the limestone, creating a number of caves along the river. Subsequent dripping into the caves does create stalactites/stalagmites and other formations.
Interesting erosion feature outside a cave.
View from the canoe
Another cave formation.
The black dot in the center is a bat. The caves are full of them.
Some more complicated fin structures in the cave.
In the cave, making music with the limestone.
View of the river from the cave.
The outside of this cave included a natural relief map of the world. kind of.
The horizontal bedding planes are distinct along the river. When the sun hits the limestone it turns black. The areas that are underwater during the rainy season erode faster and remain white.
On the way to the Small Tsiny - a zebu.
The Small Tsingy covers less area and is less tall, but was still a remarkable labyrinth of structures. This area fills with water during the rainy season, so there was much more growing within the structure.
A view from the top.
Hiking along the top.
A natural picture frame.
In the labyrinth below, looking up - a butterfly.
Another view of the landscape.
As I mentioned above, I felt like the snake trying to get through this passage.
Another chance to make music with the Tsingy.
Climbing over an obstacle.
More undercut erosion. Another place for the snake to get stuck.
On the way back out to the village: A butterfly, with bright purple spots.
No comments:
Post a Comment