Pilbara Convection

It’s well over due once again, I know. Work being crazy, trying to chase down storms and now footy pre-season in full swing it’s hard to get on here to post some pics haha.

Convection Wonderland

This is standard of this time of year up here. My work mates must think i’m crazy, as we progress through the day my excitement grows. Lunch time and after it builds. And what causes it is not only home time- it’s storm time! The classic Pilbara day in the wet season is perfect morning, then few puffy clouds around lunch, then some of these nice fluffy lil clouds decide to grow some balls and go off! Up they rise, how ever many thousand feet, and all within a 5-10min period sometimes. These can keep building, and turn into a nice lil thunderstom, or they collapse on themselves and fade away to nothingness just as quick as they formed.

It’s an awesome experience, and trying to pick what cloud is going to be a winner is one hell of a gamble. Sometimes you get it right, other times not. But really it comes down to luck, and just putting yourself out there in the first place.

This summer is far from standard for the Pilbara however. We have just come off over 2 weeks of really sub standard temps, mostly under 35deg, and quite a few around 30. On top of this there’s been consistent rain, with decent falls of 5-10ml, or more recorded nearly every day for over 2 weeks also. Definitely not what I was expecting coming up here- and not used to either with a couple of months up around or over 40deg. But still, seeing the region like this is something to treasure. Most locals have never seen it this way, and i’ve managed to get it in one year. So I’ll enjoy it while we have it Makes it difficult however with most roads being closed though haha. 3 roads out of town and for much of the last 2 weeks- 2 have been closed totally.

Anyway I hope you like this pic. My partner came up from Perth around New Years so we headed out to my favorite spot just out of town for sunset. There were a couple of storms building, but then this beautiful lil convection built up over Mt Newman in the distance.

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Sounds of then

Out on the patio, we sit, and the humidity we breathe, we watch the lightning- crack over cane fields, laugh and think, THIS IS AUSTRALIA!

Sounds of then

These famous lyrics by Ganggajang, of course from their hit song Sounds of then (This is Australia) is some lyrics (well and song) I find going through my head quite often. Well more times then not when I’m out and about, imersing myself in this great land. Funny thing is, i’ve never owned this song, not got the CD, not got the MP3, I simply think I don’t need it, it’s always going through my head.

For me, the song sums up love for this magnificent country, I feel the artists have a similar passion for it to what I do. In saying this, never have these words rung more true to me then here in the Pilbara. No we don’t have canefields…. the humidity we do, the patio’s we do- and thank god the lightning we certainly do! So often I find myself driving through the lands, with the biggest smile on my face. I simply can’t help it! There’s no one around to see it, so why do I need to express such joy and excitement when there’s no one else to see it?? As I said, I simply can’t help it.

During these times I realise how lucky I am, how lucky I am to experience what I have, to see what I have, to go where I have, to live where I do- to be Australian. I’ve not been elsewhere, but not once have I ever thought of living elsewhere, really not even within other states to be honest. I am a passionate Ozzie, but also a passionate Western Australian. Yes we have to drive some huge distances to get between places. But those places are well worth the journey, and the journey for me is just as good. Amazingly I’m just scratching the surface too, seen so much- but there is oh so much more I want to see and experience.

But that’s enough of the state divides, we are one at the end of the day. And every single state has it’s own amazing locations. Of which I hope to one day be able to visit also. As yet apart, from Sydney and the High Country, they have not been able to pry me away from my home state yet. It is a very big YET though, and I look forward to being able to get there and travel the other states, very much look forward to it actually. But in the mean time i’m proud to say this is my state, this is my country, this is my home- This, is Australia.

Now where was I going before all this ramble you ask……. well of course a post like this has to have a lightning image to accompany it. This is taken from the hill just near town, overlooking East Newman, and the main road into town. I’d been out North of town and hiked up into the hills to get a decent look at a storm that was building. Unfortunately for me it decided to run parallel with me and head on towards town, so no shots there but it did give me a chance to try my luck with this image, one which i’ve had in my mind since I moved here. Bit more ground strikes would have been nice, but that will come 15 sec exposure with 1 nice beautiful lightning strike in it

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