Chautauqua Gorge is one of my favorite places. The water is so clear, the atmosphere so peaceful, and the scenery so beautiful that it is a perfect place to visit on a warm afternoon. The water is very cold (year-round), but the kids don't mind splashing around in the swimming holes despite the low temperatures.
Matthew found a bazillion fossils (all cephalopods), though I had to convince him he was not carrying this stone back out of the gorge!
Nolan actually went for a swim in the water, which was very cold. Nolan has so little body fat that he came out shivering a few seconds later.
Matt preferred to hunt for fossils, so he wandered around the gorge and turned over pieces of shale, looking for different specimens.
Nolan was a little overly cold and tired, so he took one of the paintbrushes I had brought along and "painted" with water. For little guys, this is a great camping or hiking activity.
There were also fish in the gorge, and the boys tried to catch the ones under the waterfall. They didn't have any luck, but it was worth a try!
The rocks were slippery, which always makes me nervous. Matt is pretty sure-footed and he never fell, though I nearly did!
Nolan did a really great job, too, and he never slipped. We wandered upstream to another swimming hole and he did a really good job at navigating the rocks.
Matt never got in the water. He's not my "water kid" and he doesn't like the temperature. He did wade in a tiny bit, though!
We'll definitely head back to the gorge again soon, as it is a perfect place to spend a sultry summer day!
1 comment:
What a gorgeous place to hike and play and cool off :D
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