More reccying south of Ajui

With just Jan, Gill and me left, after some serious work with Google Earth images, maps and GPS we decided to have a go at finding the carbonatite exposures south of Ajui and the migmatite in the Barranco de Aulaga so that we'd be better prepared for future trips. First off, the carbonatite: we followed a rather circuitous path around and through some new villas that seem to have been abandoned in mid-build and made our way out to the headland. There seemed to be some 4WDs probably belonging to fishermen, so we aimed for those hoping that there would be a way down to the shore platform below the cliffs. There was, but only for the more agile and longer legged (specially the bit where the directions say to 'cross a 2 metre wide tidal gully'... ! We three elderly ladies decided to view from afar but at least I can take people there so they can have a look if they want.

Punta de Nao, south of Ajui.

The carbonatite could well be some of the lighter bits here!

Giving that up as a bad job, we trekked back over the ridge into the Barranco de Aulaga to see if we could find some more tumbleweed to attack Gill, and perhaps some carbonatite further inland. On the way we happened to spot something I'd seen before and think were bee nests in the caliche coating over the hillside. They look rather like the bowls of old fashioned clay pipes. If anyone knows do say! (Later... Jesus, on the Iberianature forum , says that they are wild bees - and to keep away in spring and summer! ... and later still ... that they are Family Halictidae, genus Halictus or Lasioglossum)

Burrows or nests in caliche

Geology in the making in the Barranco de Aulaga - mud cracks and rain drop marks

Epidote crystals on a basalt joint face

 So - plenty else to look at but we still hadn't found the carbonatite (later checks with grid refs and Google Earth show that it is quite a way up the hillside so we were in the wrong place)
However we did find something we'd been looking for all week - a close up view of pillow lava in the submarine volcanics!

Good shape, chilled margin all around - has to be! 

Tomorrow - last day - the closest point to Africa!