DAY 23 : 21 MARCH 2011 : GRAAFF-REINET TO MOUNTAIN ZEBRA PARK, CRADOCK

In garden of The Owl House with figurine

We went via Nieu Bethesda to Cradock.   I had heard about the Owl House, but hadn’t realized how fascinating it would be – what a sad story about Helen Martins.  

Reflections in window of The Owl House

We had coffee in the Village Inn run by an old couple who sold their sheep and cattle farms and now run the coffee shop.   Dog thinks he must be about 80 years old.  He told us quite a bit about the town – about 60 white people left in the village, and there nearest town is Graaff Reinet about 40 km away.   It is off the beaten track, although it now boasts a brand new tarred road to the N9 which makes the trip to Graaff Reinet much quicker.   It is a fascinating little village which has been really put on the map by the Owl House – and virtually every house or cottage displays one of the Owl House cement sculptures outside the front door.

 The village is in a rugged little village very close to Towerberg which is the highest mountain in the Cape.  Once again there was evidence of flood damage with the brand new bridge over the river, almost being washed away.

We had a picnic lunch in one of the many well maintained picnic spots along the road and arrived at the Mountain Zebra Park in the early afternoon.

Caravan Park at Mountain Zebra National Park - Kewley's in middle of picture on right



It is nice to be back in the ‘bush’ and we are being serenaded this evening by jackals instead of dogs and crowing roosters.

DAY 21 and 22 : 19/20 MARCH 2011 : PRINCE ALBERT TO GRAAFF-REINET

This was quite a long haul – 406 km – longer than we have been doing.   We went via Meirings Poort, De Rust, and Aberdeen.  

Meirings poort

Meiringspoort was spectacular with the road following the river gorge through the heart of the Swartberg range with towering cliffs on either side of the road.   The trip through the Karoo was also an eye opener.   We had always thought that the Karoo was flat and dry and uninteresting, but this road was fantastic, with mountain ranges visible on either side for most of the route and all dams full to the brim and water lying in every depression.   The veld itself was very green with lots of tall grasses.   It was very lush – not what we had expected.   We were now on the N9 but there was virtually no traffic.  

Jesa - Graaff-Reinet caravan park

The one and only caravan park in Graaff Reinet was very strange – it was out of town at the back of a trading store on a small holding.   We were very dubious about it as the sites were all in a row under shade cloth and there was a lot of building material lying around.   The positives though, were that it was all enclosed in a security fence and you had your own bathroom with a key.   There were 8 sites, however there was only one other caravan there.   Once we got used it, it wasn’t too bad.

The Valley of Desolation in the Camdeboo National Park was incredible.



Valley of Desolation



Camdeboo National Park

Vanryneveldpass Dam overflowing

The whole park was also very good, however they have had such phenomenal rains that all the rivers were in flood and the Van Ryneveld Pass Dam was overflowing, something that is most unusual.  This hadn’t happened for the last 20 years or so, and this was evidenced by the crowds that were viewing the event.

Large herds of Eland in the Camdeboo Park

There were many roads that we closed due to flooding but we really enjoyed the park, very different to what we are used to.   It is 8000 ha and virtually surrounds Graaff Reinet on 3 sides.   The high vantage points in the park gave us great views of the town.

Graaff Reinet was a very neat and tidy town with lots of old Cape Style buildings, wide streets and a peaceful atmosphere.

DAY 20 : 18 MARCH 2011 : SCHOEMANSPOORT TO PRINCE ALBERT

Explaining to Doggy where the farm was

There was still quite a bit of mist around when we ascended Swartberg Pass which overlooks the Oude Muragie Valley, with me trying to identify the ancestral farm – not very successfully, I might add.   I am sure that the farm has been incorporated into other farms, and the houses have long been demolished.

Klipspringer on way up pass

Protea spp



Protea spp



Tea on Swartberg Pass

It was very misty, but as we climbed the pass, we once again got into fynbos vegetation – lots of proteas, ericas, leucadendrons, etc.   Absolutely gorgeous.

Swartberg Pass

As we peaked, the mist cleared and we had a clear view over towards the Karoo.   We thought that Mr Baine’s efforts were mediocre on the way up, but the descent was spectacular and has been compared to the Khyber Pass in the Himalayas.   Unfortunately there had been heavy rains and there was some bad wash on the road.   They have already had 145mm of their annual 200mm rainfall this year.

Swartberg pass - on way to Prince Albert

The rugged scenery on the way down was spectacular, and as we went down, we got back into succulent Karoo vegetation.  
We stayed at the Olienhof Caravan Park on a small holding just outside Prince Albert – probably 8 sites and a couple of self catering bungalows.   We went out to visit the Renu Karoo nursery project that Mike  Cameron had suggested – run by Richard Deane and Sue Milton.  Richard was one of the three authors of the  big Roberts Bird book and he arranged to meet Doggy at 6.30 the following morning to go birding.   Sue is a professor in botany who lectures at Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Saasveld.   The work covers the rehabilitation of Karoo vegetation and it was a very interesting indigenous nursery.

DAY 19 : 17 MARCH 2011 : CANGO MOUNTAIN RESORT, SCHOEMANSPOORT

Red Mountains near Calitzdorp



Oude Muragie Road



We decided on a circular drive, to De Rust to visit Hillary Schutte, Craig’s mother.    After tea with Hillary at her wonderful home, we headed for Oudtshoorn, and then towards Calitzdorp.  We turned off before Calitzdorp because a huge storm was approaching and we decided not to go right into the eye of the storm.   The road to Schoemanspoort went along the foot of the Swartberg mountains, a truly beautiful drive, but unfortunately the storm caught up with us and there were many sites that we unable to be seen because of the rain and mist.

But we did see the Red Mountains as we got onto this road, and the road that we were on turned out to be the Oude Muragie road, which was perhaps the road that led to my father’s mothers’ brothers farm which I visited as a young girl.   When I was there last there were no irrigated lands, but now the whole valley is under irrigation with olive trees, lucerne and grapes, absolutely beautiful.  

We got back to the Cango Mountain Resort to find the two other lots of campers had left and we had the whole place to ourselves – great –except that it was pouring with rain and my washing that I had hung out early in the morning, was dripping wet again.   We got on to the bed and slept which it poured with rain.   The storm passed at about 5pm and the sun came out and we had a beautiful evening even though it was wet underfoot – and very chilly.

DAY 18 : 16 MARCH 2011 : KNYSNA

After 5 nights at Knysna, we packed our camp up for an early start to Prince Albert.   We saw Sedgefield and Wilderness in daylight.   What a beautiful drive.

 

Erica spp on Montagu Pass



Montagu Pass





Campsite at Cango Mountain Resort

Once through George, we took the Montagu Pass to Oudtshoorn and basically repeated our trip of the previous day by road, rather that rail.   From Oudtshoorn, we took the Cango Cave road through Schoemanspoort, stopping in the poort for lunch.   Virtually opposite was the road to De Rust and a signpost to the Cango Mountain Oord which we decided to investigate.   It turned out to be a really nice place in a valley below the municipal dam, the Koos Raubenheimer Dam, which supplies Oudtshoorn with water.

DAY 17 : 15 MARCH 2011 : KNYSNA

Doggy with Mike at Saasveld

We went to George via the Seven Passes Road , all designed and built by Thomas Baines for ox wagons and they are still in use today.   It was a very interesting and beautiful drive.   The road goes past Saasveld and we popped in to see Mike, have a cup of coffee with him and a quick tour of the campus.   What a super place this is.  Really beautifully laid out and situated in indigenous forest



View from Power Van



We rushed into town to be in time to catch the Power Van which is two of the inspection railway vans  which are used by Spoornet for moving staff and inspecting lines.   This ventures is privately run and was a super outing.   It cost R100 per person for a 2½ hour trip up the railway line to the top of the Outeniqua Pass.   From the Power Van you could see the Outeniqua Pass finished in 1951 and the Montagu Pass built before Thomas Baines started – complete in 1813?   The line is still in use today for goods trains between Cape Town and PE.   The wagon trail which predates this route was also clear – the Cradock Pass.   It took the oxen wagons three days to reach the top of the pass and another two days to reach Outshoorn which can now be done in two hours by car.

Power Van showing railway line and Montagu Pass

View of George and the Power Vans

Before Mike and Nita took us out for supper, we popped into their house and  witnessed Mike’s racing pigeons going for their evening flight.   We were very ignorant when it came to pigeon racing, and were pleasantly surprised at what actually is involved.   We rounded off the evening with a meal with the Camerons at the new George mall, before driving home via Wilderness and Sedgefield.

DAY 16 : 14 MARCH 2011 : KNYSNA

Once again fine weather and we took the opportunity to borrow the McConnachie’s  two mountain bikes while they departed for work.  We cycled around Leisure Isle for 1½ hours.   What a super place to live.   Following on the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster, we had a few concerns about living on an island a few metres above water!   We popped into their local harbor/yacht club and it looks as though each family on the island owns at least two or three boats – Jock and Helen own 15 sailing craft ranging from fishing ski’s to yachts’

Doggy on beach at Natures Valley

After breakfast we packed a picnic lunch and headed for Natures Valley where Carolyn, Doggy’s sister, has spent many holidays.   We had tea on the beach, where the waves were enormous!   The whole area is a conservancy, and many gardens are fenced to keep the bushbuck out rather than to keep animals in!

We got back to Knysna early afternoon and went to see Jock and Helen’s business, ‘The Timber Village’ where they make all sorts of furniture and many different small items crafted out of beautiful indigenous wood.   My mouth watered!   They employ 8 craftsmen including a carver from Malawi who produces some wonderful work.

The McConnachie’s joined us that evening for our first whole chicken cooked in the Cobb.   It was a tremendous success.   Another great evening and some more good wine.

DAY 15 : 13 MARCH 2011 : KNYSNA

In front of the big tree - Podocarpus spp

With Helen and Jock in Diepwalle

A wonderful sunny day at last.   We met Jock and Helen and drove out to Diepwalle indigenous forest, now part of National Parks.   The forest is on the Prince Alfred Pass between Knysna and De Vlugt and has several hiking and walking trails.   We chose a 5km walk which turned out to be 7km.   It however was a lovely walk – most enjoyable.   Lots of stinkwood, huge yellowwoods, ferns, and many other species – right up Doggy’s street.   The trails followed the old extraction paths that the woodcutters of old, originally cut through the forest, and are still used today to extract indigenous timbers.

After a rushed picnic lunch we returned to Knysna where we awaited the arrival of Mike and Nita Cameron.   Mike was our bestman 40 years ago, and they also married later in 1971 in Knysna.   We were at their wedding.  Mike is lecturer in Nature Conservation at Saasveld Forestry College, now part of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University – he has been a lecturer at Saasveld for the past 31 years and retires later this year.  Not having seen them for quite some time, we had a fantastic evening recalling the past over a couple of bottles of good wine, and a lekker braai.

DAY 14 : 12 MARCH 2011 : KNYSNA

We woke up to rain – at times quite heavy but mostly misty rain.  The first rain that Knysna has had for ages!   The Kewley’s seem to take the rain with them wherever they go!!!


 

We had phoned Jenny and Erwin Leibnitz who have just moved from Dullstroom to Plettenberg Bay and went through to see them for morning tea.   We landed up leaving there after 3pm.  It was wonderful catching up with.   We hadn’t seen them for a couple a years and Jenny is one of two cousins that I possess.

With Erwin and Jenny Leibnitz in Plett



The McConnachies – Ian (Jock) and Helen – invited us to dinner with them at the restaurant at the Knysna Heads – right on the rocks which are floodlit at nights.   A wonderful position.   We however went to their home on Leisure Isle first, and watched the tailend of the Sa/India cricket match.   What an exciting end there was.   Robin Petersen really excelled.  We had almost forgotten that the cricket world cup was being held in India as we have not seen TV since leaving home two weeks ago.

Jock McConnachie was in the army with Doggy and he and Helen got married one month after us, and in our early married life in Stellenbosch (they were in Cape Town) we spent quite a bit of time together.   So it was great seeing them again, especially Helen who we hadn’t seen for about 20 years.   Jock has fished with Doggy in Mozambique a couple of times.

DAY 13 : 11 MARCH 2011 : BAVIAANSKLOOF TO KNYSNA : 248 KM

We awoke to a wet tent again.   It must have rained during the night at some stage.   It was a very quick 'packing up' due to rain that was threatening and monkeys that we watching our activities.



Baviaanskloof



Rock formations - Baviaanskloof



We got up to the boom only to find that some bright spark had locked it with a combination padlock.   We hooted and shouted in case there was someone living in the bushes who had a key or the comination but no luck.   So it was out with the box of tools, and so McIver Kewley proceded to dismantle the boom on the opposite side to the lock.   This was fairly easy so we reckoned that we were not the first to have to do this.   We then swung the boom open and drove the Land Cruiser and trailer through.

It was another slow spectacular drive with lots of animals (bushbuck, kudu, duiker and baboons) in various places.   We left Rooihoek at 8h00 and exited Baviaanskloof into the Karoo at the Nuwekloof pass which was complete with Black Eagles souring above.   We met the first tar again on the N9 just outside Uniondale, where we stocked up on fuel, Karoo lamb and had to settle for a pie and samoosa from the OK Grocer.

Fifteen kilometers later we were once again on the dirt and negotiating the Prince Alfred Pass which goes from Avontuur via De Vlugt all the way to Knysna.  Unfortunately the first part of the Pass was in thick mist.   It was unbelievable to see Mr Thomas Baines’ handywork which was built in the 1800’s for oxwagons and was still being used, unaltered today.

Erica spp - Prince Alfred pass

We have pitched our camp at the Woodbourne Campsite, after entering Knysna through the Diepwalle  Indigenous Forest Reserve where there were magnificent indigenous trees and incredibly tall bushes of pink Erica’s and also numerous Protea species lining the roadway.

Woodbourne Caravan Park is very nice, near the Heads at Knysna and Leisure Isle.   It is almost empty, but with all the modcons.   Wonderful!

DAY 12 : 10 MARCH 2011 : BAVIAANSKLOOF - ROOIHOEK CAMPSITE

We had a very relaxing day  - no driving, just walking, swimming and domestic chores and not very many of the latter!   We awoke to thunderstorms and these continued all day, coming down the valley.   Fortunately there was not too much rain, but lots of lightning and thunder.   We decided to go for a walk up the mountain, and what happened?   The sun came out and we nearly died of sunstroke!   Unfortunately there were a couple of visitors during the day, and one couple overnighted, s unfortunately we had to don our swimming costumes.  



En route to Rooihoek





Rooihoek















Rooihoek with tent and Cruiser in clearing



DAY 11 : 9 MARCH 2011 : ADDO ELEPHANT PARK TO BAVIAANSKLOOF – 216km

During the night we had one thunderstorm after another and it poured with rain.   According to Radio Algoa, Addo Elephant Park had 14mm – it certainly felt much more, but then it always does when you are in a tent.   We wondered how we were going to pack up in the rain, and discussed this in great detail before we decided to get up.   Much to our delight, the rain stopped, so instead of our normal coffee and rusks before breaking camp, we rushed to get the tent packed away.   Everything was very wet and the ground sheet and tent pegs very muddy, but we got it all packed away and managed to shower before the rain started again.   What luck!!!   It took one hour – best to date!

The trip to Baviaanskloof was very interesting, even though it was very overcast and rained at times.   We went through Uitenhage, Loerie, Hankey and Patensie, the latter three are in the Gamtoos Valley which has acres and acres of irrigated citrus.    The entrance gate to Baviaanskloof is at Komdomo where there is a campsite complete with flush toilets, electricity, etc.  But this was not to be – the Kewleys booked at the ‘exclusive campsite’ at Rooihoek which was 22km further on.   This 22km took us over 3 hours, 

Protea Repens

but I must confess that we stopped many times for photos to be 

Erica spp

taken of the spectacular scenery, a coffee break on the top of the mountain at Bergplaas, and the going was rough and very slow.    However the fynbos on the top was out of this world. 

Road en route to Rooihoek

En route to Rooihoek

The receptionist at Komdomo intimated that we were lucky to get a campsite at Rooihoek, but the first night we had the campsite (6 in all) all to our bar a troop of baboons and several vervets.   You would think, after living in Zululand, that we knew all about monkey business, but we were taken and lost a huge chunk out of a brand new loaf of bread, and a big stick of biltong.   Doggy hastily unpacked his catapult and filled his pockets with suitable ammunition which was plentiful.   No more troubles thereafter!

There was no ablution or water other than the river, so there were many skinny dips.   It was wonderful to have the whole place to ourselves – but also quite scary at night.



DAY 10 : 8 MARCH 2011 : ADDO ELEPHANT PARK

After an early largely unproductive game drive, we had breakfast and packed a picnic lunch.   We were off to the Karouga area of the Addo Park.   This involves going out of the gate, through the villages of Addo, Hermitage, Sunlands, and Kirkwood.   These villages are in the Sundays River Valley with irrigated citrus orchards on both sides of the road.   Apparently Sir Percy Fitzpatrick (according to our 1980 edition of Discovering South Africa by T V Bulpin – a bit out of date, but the history of the areas hasn’t changed) set up a company to bring settlers into the area and this company started the citrus farming.   He was also instrumental in getting Lake Mentz built for irrigation (in 1997 the name was changed to Darlington Dam due to the village of Darlington which was flooded by the dam).

Lunch on 4x4 trail

The Woodlands 4x4 trail

You go into Addo just north of Kirkwood.  The initial part of the park wasn’t too interesting, but then we got on a 4x4 trail which took us through the mountains back to the gate – the Woodlands 4x4 trail – which was great with lots of trees and different vegetation including Cabbage trees, lots of Schotia Afra’s, Cycads on the mountain slopes, Cape Chestnuts, etc.  We had lunch on the trail under the big trees.

We left there at 14h00 and went via Enon to the Zuurberg part of the park, up the Suurberg pass which was very beautiful – our first pass of the trip.

Back to camp where the wind is howling – lots of thunderheads around.   It has been a terribly hot day – one Free State camper was complaining about the heat – 44 degrees today.  

A braai tonight (if the wind dies down) and then we leave tomorrow for the Baviaanskloof.   We have enjoyed Addo but are not sad to be leaving.   Three nights was certainly long enough.

DAY 9 : 7 MARCH 2011 : ADDO ELEPHANT PARK



Black backed jackal



After early coffee and rusks we went on a circular game drive – lots of jackals, a scrub hare with long ears, yellow mongooses, a family of suricates (meercats), lots of elephants, kudu by the dozen, a lone red hartebeest.   We got back to camp about 11h00 to find a  tent being put up right next to us – not a foot away from us.   However they were a nice young couple and toddler from Port Alfred, and didn’t worry us at all.   We had a brunch and then downloaded photos and emails.



Suricate

Scrub hare

Yellow Mongooses

Boomslang

The previous afternoon, Doggy had gone to walk the 2 km trail on the edge of the camp and returned greatly excited – birds had been making a terrific noise and it turned out to be a boomslang that was worrying them.   He was very keen for me to do the trail, in case the snake was still there.   We walked to the trail from the campsite – about a km I should think and then did the trail – 2km – and then walked back looking at the rest of the camp, the waterhole – not very productive.   It has what they call ‘an underground hide’, but I think someone miscalculated horribly because you can’t see anything as you are below the level of the waterhole.  At least you can get a bit of exercise here, which is essential to keep Doggy happy, otherwise he feels like a caged lion.   Otherwise the camp is very nicely set out and we have really been very happy here.

DAY 8 : 6 MARCH 2011 : KENTON-ON-SEA TO ADDO ELEPHANT PARK : 108 KM

We are getting more experienced with packing up camp and are beginning to know our duties and things are going much smoother and there are fewer arguments – from the time of waking up (06h00)to leaving(08h00), it only takes about two hours and that is without rushing.   We take it easy – coffee and rusks, then pulling the tent down and putting everything away, breakfast, washing up and then when everything is packed, a shower and clean clothes for the journey.   Not too bad for two old pensioners, hey?!

Plumbago and Schotia Afra - Addo vegetation

We took the R72 until we came to a dirt road (R342) that went through the Amakhala Game Reserve and passed the Shamwari Game Reserve to Paterson, then into the Main Camp at Addo Elephant Park.

We have a very nice campsite with shade and a breeze.   There were no caravan sites left as there was an influx on 20 selfdrive camper vans, occupied by Americans.   Everyone in the camp was speaking American, however they weren’t too bad.  The bush here is very short with mainly spekboom, schotia afra, and plumbago.   It is so strange seeing elephant eating plumbago.   And when you look across the bush, you can see elephants’ backs sticking out.   However when you get used to the different sort of vegetation, it is really rather attractive.

Addo Elephant eating Plumbago



Elephants on the Addo Plains eating grass



DAY 7 : 5 MARCH 2011 : KENTON-ON-SEA (BUSHMAN’S RIVER MOUTH CAMPING GROUND)

My birthday (63rd!) – so many sms’s and phone calls.   They really made my day.   The day started off clear but the mist rolled in off the sea and by the time Dave, Doggy and I started our walk along the beach from near the Kariega River mouth to the Bushmansriver Mouth, you could hardly see the sea.   Everyone says that this is highly unusual – due to the very cold water conditions being experienced at the moment.

It was however a lovely walk and Dave regaled us with stories about his childhood which we had heard before, but which now came alive as we saw where each incident had occurred.

Birthday dinner at Homewood Restaurant

After an early lunch – cake and tea provided by Ester – I went back to the campsite and Dog and Dave went fishing.   First pumping kafoef/sandprawns and then standing waist deep in the icy cold water.   However, Doggy wasn’t too successful with only a couple of undersized grunter, but Dave managed to catch 5 of which he was able to keep 2.   He obviously was more used to the local conditions.

The four of us went to the Homewood Restaurant for dinner to celebrate my birthday.  An excellent meal and a very nice evening.