The year 2018 was the peak of the drought we experienced. Capetonians were looking at the dam levels with much misgiving, We faced “Day Zero” – the day the City calculated we would officially be without water. The City of Cape Town drove us to the edge with Water Restrictions, higher pricing in usage bands and lots of media coverage but to good purpose because we avoided the dreaded “Day Zero” People drilled for ground water and installed rain water harvesting systems. It was near panic…
Now in 2020, nipping at the heels of Corona Virus, came our Cape Winter… It seemed like it was the coldest winter; the rain & snow seemed like it would never stop. I remarked to my wife that nature was making up for the harsh drought of the last few years.
Last week the City announced that the dams supplying the Western Cape were at 90% capacity, with the Clanwilliam dam overflowing with sluice gates wide open. The Theewaterskloof dam was at 86% and the rain had not yet stopped and snow was still falling on the mountains. Even our Table Mountain just last week had a snowfall which is very rare.
The following clip shows photographs taken in 2018 to show the Theewaterskloof dam at the peak of the drought, and what it looks like now in 2020.
The banner picture to this article is of Theewaterskloof dam taken in 2012.
The other night (Sunday the 9th of February) night I was once again struck by the beauty of our moon. It was a full moon. This one is dubbed the Snow Moon. The Algonquin tribes along the East Coast of … Continue reading →
Hyenas are terrifying creatures. I remember during South Africa’s 23 year long bush war I found myself as a conscript doing my National Service as an Ops Medic in the Eastern Caprivi. We did many bush patrols looking for traces of the enemy’s presence, spoor tracks, any sign and so on… As a general rule we were out in the bush for 3 days at a time with a platoon of 15 guys (if I remember correctly) and we would set up a temporary base (TB) mid afternoon and ready ourselves for the night. This was the first time that I had encountered African Wildlife other than at Cape Town Zoo. We would sleep in a circle partnered up with a buddy who would be “standing” watch with you. I say that in quotes because in reality you would be lying down on your belly because the TB would be setup under a thorn bush with vicious thorns of the “haak-en-steek” (hook-and-prick) type. Once hooked it is not easy to get out of it’s clutches without tearing clothes and skin.
During the night there would be very little sleep due to the sound of Hyenas howling and yip yipping, Elephants knocking over trees and trumpeting. In the morning you would never-the-less kind of wake up and notice spoor of Hyenas and other animals around your encampment at times coming very close to one’s head. There were tales, bush myths (as opposed to urban legends) of hyenas taking a bite out of a soldier’s head while he slept.
It may be just a tale, but make no mistake, a Hyena is not one’s cute and cuddly lap dog. These animals you do not want to hand feed, you might feed him your hand.
Hyenas consider it a challenge to bite the tyres of stationary tourists vehicles with the occupants distracted and viewing other game at a distance: Being of the rather large toothed type of animal with arguably the strongest jaw (in PSI being applied in a bite) they will naturally chew on anything. Including tyres.
There are 2 main Hyena types in Southern Africa. The brown Hyena & the Spotted Hyena. the brown hyena is found more on the Botswana and Kalagadi side whereas the spotted hyenas are found more or less all over the northern South African border, in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Namibia. Of course in Kruger National park there are plenty of the spotted variety. As menacing and dangerous as these animals are, though, they do have the sweetest looking little pups. Here I have a video clip that I call “Hyena Nursery”.
This blog covers Shingwedzi Rest Camp. Easily our favourite camp, it is situated in top half of the Kruger National Park. To get there from the south of the reserve you would enter at Malelane Gate and follow the H1 (main road) heading north. You would go past Skukuza, Satara, Olifants, Mopani and Letaba before reaching Shingwedzi. You could alternatively enter at the Phalaborwa gate which would be quicker as the speed limit inside the reserve area is limited to 50 km/h on tar roads and 40 on gravel, while outside the reserve the roads allow between 60-100 km/h depending on which route one takes.
Moving on from Shingwedzi are Punda Maria, Pafuri, and Crooks Corner. Crooks Corner is not a rest camp but it is a site where one is allowed to stop and leave your vehicle and take in the view. It is quite famous for being the north-eastern corner of the KNP, and is at the border of three countries. South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Crooks corner has a history that is rather colourful. You see, this was where erstwhile crooks would evade the officers of the law of 3 countries by skipping over the border to gain the temporary “asylum” in the neighbouring territory and disappearing quickly into the bush.
Crooks Corner is the point of convergence of the Limpopo & Levuvhu rivers and it is populated quite heavily with crocodiles. Some of the largest crocs I have seen are to be found there. So I am sure some of the crooks trying to evade the law may have evaded them permanently…
Shingwedzi is a delightful restcamp. Typically it also has a very well stocked camp shop where supplies and what -not can be purchased. There is also a Restaurant and a Fuel station for Petrol and Diesel are available for the motorist. There is also a service centre nearby, nit in the camp but not too far. This is useful. I actually had to make use of their services one day as my vehicle had developed a flat tyre. They very quickly assisted me with that, and I was able to make the approx. 2500 km trip back home after our holiday uneventfully.
Shinwgedzi makes a nice base camp to explore the northern part of Kruger. I have so many Photos of this part of Kruger that I had to split them into 4 different videos. I have included 2 videos in this blog…
First off is a short amusing video, as with most of the videos I have posted they are really only slide shows of pictures I took set to some music. This one I call “Cape Buffalo”, We spotted the Buffalo coming down the embankment to drink water and while they were doing so they were spooked by a crocodile and took off in a panic…
Cape Buffalo spooked by crocodiles
Shingwedzi – wildlife part 1
I have only covered some of the main restcamps in this blog. Mainly those that I have camped at , or visited. There are many others including some private camps which would be excusive to their visitors. Normal tourists are not allowed entrance unless one has specifically booked some time there. Some of these camps are not protected by electric fencing and some also have no electricity – so if roughing it is your forte then then by all means go and visit these camps. You will definitely enjoy the experience. The South African National Parks Board manages most of the Nature Reserves in South Africa and you can find a host of information on their website: http://www.sanparks.co.za as well as make bookings there as well.
I find elephants fascinating to watch. These are dangerous creatures and it should be obvious to visitors to the African Bush that the necessary precautions should be taken when driving around near Elephants.
A thing to watch out for is a spot high up on the male elephants cheeks – more or less between the eye and the ear. This is a gland duct that weeps when the elephants are in a high testosterone state, i.e., breeding season. It is referred to as “being in Musk”, or, Musth, This hormonal secretion is a dead give-away for a grumpy elephant. This is telling you to back off. “Don’t come close and give me any grief” is what you should be hearing… Their testosterone levels are heightened by up to 60% and they are quite capable of overturning vehicles and killing people.
If that hormonal secretion is not present then the chances are that the elephant will ignore you and may browse (eat) on the leaves of mopani bushes and may come quite close to you. Even so… even if there is no secretion, do not make any sudden moves that may seem to be aggressive to the elephant. They are wild creatures and deserve the respect of visitors to their habitat.
I have also noticed that adults are less aggressive than teenagers. Adults will casually browse along and walk past you searching for the next tasty bush. The “teenagers” on the other hand still have something to prove. They will vigorously shake their head & flap their ears. The trunk will be pointed towards you and lifted. Quite often they will blow and trumpet while kicking dust up with their feet and they may even start a mock charge. This behaviour is most likely found when there are also very young elephants in the herd. I would advise that if one encounters this it would be best to stay at a respectful distance. Do not approach as this could be interpreted as aggressiveness and may just ignite the ire of a nearby adult. It has happened that I have been caught between two parts of a herd. And then one must carefully and as silently as possible wait until they pass. If there is a way to reverse out of the area without driving into the herd then do so. Slowly and without revving the engine unduly.
It is also very interesting to see the interaction of different herds towards each other. At one time we were parked near to a watering hole and a nearby reservoir where a smallish herd were drinking and splashing. Along came another bigger herd. They got quite aggressive and harsh with the smaller herd and started chasing them away, as if to say, “Be off with you now you’ve had enough – this is our time for water!” and the smaller herd dutifully obeyed.
Baby elephants are very cute. They have this thing see, it’s called a trunk… and it has so many sensitive nerve-endings at it’s tip which help with the senses such as smell, taste, touch and even sensing vibrations… these poor babies haven’t a clue of how to control this peculiar thing. The trunk seems to have a will of it’s own, waving about in reaction to all the smells and vibrations occurring around them.
But for me the best part is in the rivers, or in the mud… play time… or bath time… whatever. It is such a joyous occasion for these big mammals and to see them experiencing such happiness is absolutely amazing.
I must state that I am not an expert in matters of the elephant or any other wild creature for that matter, but I have had the privilege to visit the Kruger National park many times and have observed elephants under many different circumstances. I think the right term to use is “respect their space”.
No, I haven’t finished my series on Kruger National Park yet… there is still more depth to explore there… But today I am tackling something more current. This week we took our grandchild to the Spier farm near Stellenbosch where Eagle Encounters is located.
These people deserve a huge shout-out for the enormously good work they are doing. They rescue birds (Raptors) from captivity where that were kept under sometimes horrible conditions. Birds that are injured on roads by vehicles are also brought in to them. These birds are rehabilitated and when healed are returned to their natural surroundings. Sometimes though, the birds cannot be returned to the wild as a result of their injuries and have to be kept at Eagle Encounters. These birds are kept for educational purposes and are very well looked after. The primary concern remains to return healthy birds into the wild.
This is most definitely a place to visit. I believe that children should be introduced to wildlife at an early enough age – when they can enjoy and appreciate the animals and birds.
Aside from the numerous raptors of various sorts, They also host some pigs, a pair of Cape Foxes, a few snakes and some tortoises. Our grandson is of an age where he found the pigs & tortoises very exciting. The birds not so much yet – he is after all only 2 years old. We will bring him back another day.
This article is all about Letaba. One of my 3 favourite places in Kruger. For us this camp is different from the others. There is so much to see here that on one occasion we stayed in camp for 3 days without going outside of the gates. The reason for that is the birdlife. During the day, the chatter of the birds is constant… until they all settle down for the night. All the different voices are wonderful to hear.
Apart from the birds there are bushbuck that have taken up residence in the camp and they wander around from tent to caravan in search of something to eat. They are very shy though and are slow to approach humans.
One is not allowed to feed them because they will make a nuisance of themselves and human food is not very healthy for them to eat. Their are signs posted about not feeding the animals but alas, there are still some people that choose to ignore the rules.
We camp near the fence (in a tent as I mentioned in the first article) and we do so because there are Hyenas that patrol the fence also in search of a handout, especially when the barbecue fires are being lit and the smell of meat being cooked starts appealing to the sensitive noses of the carnivores – human and otherwise. The Hyenas take up station on their bellies, front paws crossed, and stare at the people cooking their food – willing them to toss a chop or piece of sausage over the fence. There are horror stories – the truth of which I cannot testify to – of a young girl sticking her hand out holding a piece of meat for hyenas and lost her hand in the process. These are very dangerous creatures, and however cute they make themselves appear…well… just beware!
Elephants also approach the fence browse on trees close by which makes excellent viewing.
We have seen snakes, I hesitate to be specific but I am almost certain that we saw a boomslang in a tree quite high above our heads. This was at night however and the underbelly showed up as if fluorescent in the torchlight. The staff were being very careful and referred to the snake as “inyoka” which is the Xhosa word for snake or serpent.
Letaba has a huge river flowing past the restaurant. Sitting there with some coffee one is entertained by wildlife viz., Elephants, Cape Buffalo, Kudu, Waterbuck, Impala, variety of birds. Most notable amongst the birdlife were the Blue Waxbills and the Fire Finches. Storks and Fish Eagles are also present. In summer months (over November, December & January) the river is full as it is the rain season. I visited during winter so most of the rivers are quite empty. There is however still a lot of water underground – and fairly close to the surface. I have witnessed elephants digging a hole with their huge paws just a few inches deep and they get cool water to drink.
Not only is the viewing awesome, but they also have a Elephant museum in Letaba camp. This museum is a “must see”.
The pathways are nicely laid out with benches to park oneself down with a book, binoculars and something to snack on…
Outside the camp there are lovely roads which offer a lot of game viewing.
Other rest camps within reasonable reach of Letaba for a day trip are: Mopani and Satara. If one needs some serious shopping the town of Phalaborwa is close enough to make a fairly quick excursion to the malls.
The following video gives one a sense of the surroundings…
Here goes with chapter 2 of my Kruger National Park series… featuring Pretoriuskop Rest Camp
First off, when we go to the Kruger we camp. In a tent. We have twice in all our visits stayed in one of the bungalows and that is ok. But just OK. Being used to a tent we have gotten accustomed to the ambience of tented life. The bungalows are too quiet. The thick walls and thatched roofing blocks out most of the sounds of the bushveld.
In a tent you can hear the owls hunting and communicating with their partners. You hear the occasional yip yip of the Hyenas, the trumpeting of the elephants and the roars of a lion. When there is a storm you see VERY clearly through the thin roof tent the lightning. You experience it… you feel it… it is all alive around you.
We have a few camps which are our favourites. In no particular order they are:
Shingwedzi Rest Camp, Letaba Rest Camp and Pretoriuskop Rest Camp. These 3 are where we choose most often to camp.
Pretoriuskop is the southern-most camp of the 3 and we usually stay there last. We start off with Shingwedzi which lies in the northern half of the Kruger. We would then move on to Letaba which is just above the middle section of the park.
Secondary Rest Camps which we like to visit are: Mopani, Olifants and Satara. Mopani & Olifants does not have a tent campsite. They only offer bungalow accommodation. Satara does have tent sites available, but is within reach of Letaba for a visit. I will discuss these camps in future blogs.
Things to do around Pretoriuskop:
Visit the tree section. There is a large section of the Rest camp where they have planted indigenous trees of all sorts. They all have plaques naming & describing the trees. It is fascinating. There is also a man-made waterfall leading to a huge swimming pool. In the heat of summer this can offer some respite.
There are a number of dams / water sources for the wildlife nearby which provide very suitable wildlife viewing points. Wildlife we have seen here are:
Lion,
Leopard,
Elephant
Crocodile
Wildebeest
Rhinoceros
Hippopotamus
Numerous types of antelope
Cape Buffalo
Rich assortment of Birdlife
There is a very nice restaurant as well as a camp shop where one can stock up on meat, veg, drinks, fruit as well as purchase souvenirs and other merchandise.
Using Pretoriuskop as a base one can quite easily explore the southern piece of the Kruger in a day, visiting camps like Berg-en-dal, Malelane, Crocodile Bridge, Lower Sabie and the very popular Skukuza main camp.
My wife & I have a few favourite holiday spots. Number 1 on the list is the Kruger National park. There is so much to see. Such peace and tranquility while being so quietly dangerous at the same time.
I am going to be posting a series of KNP videos over the next few days… In these blogs I will be posting information as well. This will be designed to assist anyone thinking of taking a trip to Kruger with ideas on where to go to stay and what to look out for…
The first blog dedicated to KNP is this one on the Flap-Necked Chameleon. It feeds on insects such as grasshoppers and beetles. It varies in colour from pale yellow through Green to Brown. What has been noticed is that when stressed it changes colour to Brown with the markings becoming darker. This was the case with this one that was crossing a rather busy road.
Laaiplek on the West Coast. It is a peaceful little town that hosts a place to break away from the rat race. Laaiplek Hotel.
With friendly staff and situated facing the Berg River as it runs into the ocean the hotel provides marvelous views coupled with good food. The rooms are few but quite comfortable. It is one of my favourite get-away places and never fails to satisfy.
Check out the slideshow of photos taken during our last visit here in March 2019.
Phototune Photographic Services 