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The Swamp
There is one peculiar feature that appears at a few places in the plateaus of the Blue Mountains. These are 'Hanging Swamps'. They are formed courtesy of capillary action. Cracks in the rock that reach down from the very top of the plateau can reach very deep down to natural water courses in the rock or further down into the water table. These cracks draw up water through capillary action all the way up to the top of the plateau, which can be several hundred meters. This water then keeps being drawn up and spreads over the rock if evaporation cannot draw more than is being brought up. When this happens, a 'hanging swamp' is created.
There is one such swamp on the grounds of the Airfield. There is a clearing located in the northern wedge formed by the two runways. This clearing is a natural formation and is where the swamp is located. There must be some mineral brought up by the water that most trees and plants just do not like, and very little actually grows here other than grass as a result.
This clearing is only occassionally boggy too. It is also used by scout troops for camping, as well as other community groups.
If things are a bit breezy tonight, it might be an option to use the swamp camp ground for some shelter from the wind. If there is no one set up on the concrete slab we normally use on the runway due to wind, most likely we would have set up at the swamp camp ground.
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