As flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder roars in the
background, I can happily report that the team survived one of the longest days
in field school history. The day began with unforeseen technical difficulties
resulting in the need of a locksmith and a newly cut set of keys for one of our
vehicles, the rest can be left to the imagination. Thereafter, we departed the
overnight stop in Ermelo and continued over rolling hills of the Karoo
(Stormberg Group) before entering Kwa-Zulu Natal and being warmly welcomed by
numerous speed-cops (welcomed; nothing more I should add). Our stay in KZN was
a short one, as we continued into the Free State and headed toward the Golden
Gate Highlands National Park (www.sanparks.co.za/parks/golden_gate/).
The Golden Gate National Park is renowned for its majestic
golden cliffs of the Clarens aeolian sandstone formations (upper Stormberg
Group within the Karoo Supergroup). The team was left awestruck by the
spectacular views and numerous photo opportunities. The Clarens sandstone was deposited in a
desert environment where large quantities of wind-blown sediments accumulated
to form the iconic cliffs of this region. In addition, oxidation processes were
common and resulted in an array of rust-stained colours spread over the cliffs.
A close association was the emplacement of the Karoo Igneous Province. This was
of course associated with the breakup of the Gondwana Supercontinent. This igneous
province covered an area of more than 100,000 square kilometres and its start overlapped
with the final stages of Clarens deposition. Because of this, the Clarens is
often interlayered with layers of volcanic units, as well as cut by later
dolerite intrusions.
Scenic views within the Golden Gate Highlands National Park
As lightning now strikes my abode and kills the electricity,
I will sign off and look forward to a palaeontological-rich day 2. No further
spoilers will be given, so be sure to check soon!
To download the days route (kml) click here: Day 2
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