Pictures from Tasmania - at last!

Looks like I might have finally figured out how to do this with multiple pictures... so here's hoping! It appears that I can only upload four images at a time, which is why the system was having such conniptions before. So I'll do a series of short posts with the best of the best of my Tassie pics:

Hastings Caves

In the Hastings Caves... this is a giant stalagmite (rock formation growing up from the floor of the cave). There's a stalactite above it and the water drips down off the stalactite onto the stalagmite. Minerals in the water precipitate out and harden to form these crazy shapes. This stalactite is likely thre times as tall as I am - but I couldnt' get right up close to it because there was a barrier in the way.
This is looking up at the ceiling of the cave... you can see all sorts of stalactites pointing downward. It was a little unnerving... I kept wondering exactly how "solid" all those needle sharp bits of rock really were, and whether or not they were going to come crashing down on my head at some point. I did learn that many stalactites are hollow! The water runs down a channel on the inside of the stalactite and then when it reaches the tip and drips off, that's where the minerals get left behind. Cool.


Me, Jen and Tara in the cave - just to prove we were actually there!