This day's plan was to drive just over 500 miles to the Augrabies National Park campground in the Northern Cape State of South Africa. Heading south of Gaborone in the dark is a bit sketchy now as the A-1 is being widened, presumably in order to incorporate either emergency lanes or additional travel lanes (more likely perhaps) . There is a steep 10-12 inch drop-off at the edge of the currently narrowed lanes of travel and freshly-bladed earth on each side of the highway. Between that, impatient drivers with no passing lanes, and goats, cows and baboons crossing the road, it can be pretty nerve-wracking. But the late summer sun rose quickly and our border crossing was smooth, though it always does consist of some rather random assortments of approvals and inspections.
Raisins drying in the sun. |
We made it to Augrabies National Park in time to quickly set up our tent and take a walk to the falls for the sunset. The name Augrabies was purportedly derived from the Khoison word Aukoerebies, which means "place of great noise." The gorge is 240 meters deep and 18 kilometers long and is classified as a segmented punchbowl. Due to both the January and more recent rains, the falls were at peak performance. We had learned during check-in at reception that major portions of the Park were closed both due to road washouts and the fact that water still covered dips in the roads in many places, but staff were "not sure" whether the trails were open or not. As we set out on the boardwalk to view the main fall, the damage to the park quickly became evident. A few years before, the park had installed a massive system of boardwalks with numerous raised platforms from which the falls could safely be viewed. The boardwalk was fenced the entire way and much of it was constructed of concrete "planks" set on wooden posts. Now major portions of the boardwalk had been completely washed away and three of six viewing platforms were crushed by floodwaters that topped the canyon walls, leaving pools and mounds of debris behind. Though the waters were no longer topping the canyon, flows were still impressive and it was a mesmerizing experience to contemplate the vast quantities of water spilling over the granite walls in at least 12 places at once. We viewed the destruction of the boardwalks with a fascination we often feel when witnessing the earth's strength, and crept beyond the demolished boardwalks to sit on the smooth granite surfaces near the edge of the gorge.
Normally, the park, which is 51,430 hectares and comprises much more than the canyon and the falls, is a good place for a self-driving safari with a lengthy system of roads leading to several other viewing points into the gorge and other geological features. Night drives are also offered. But the roads to the rest of the park were closed so the two days we spent there were actually more relaxing for us than our usual frantic pace in which we try to see everything we can. We took a couple of day hikes, lounged about the park's swimming pools, watched sunrises and sunsets over the falls from multiple vantage points, looked at the stars, watched the vervet monkeys raid other campers and the dassies taking dustbaths, and every night we could hear the water roaring through the canyon, which was within sight of the campground.
The first hike we took was the Dassie trail, a five-kilometer loop that follows the gorge for some distance to Arrow Point, a needle-like extension into the gorge from which a set of twin falls is visible, and then heads across the veld by some potholes in exposed granite and around Moonrock before returning to the campsite. We still weren't sure the trail was open, but it seemed fine except for a partially demolished section of boardwalk over a backwater stream near the beginning, so off we went! It was a really fun trail with lots of variety involving plenty of boulder scrambling, beautiful flowers blooming from the recent rains, and gorgeous views in absolutely every direction. Despite the heat, we enjoyed it very much and were able to find big boulders to shelter ourselves from the sun and rehydrate ourselves here and there. Then, just before we closed the loop, we came to a quickly-flowing and seemingly deep stream-crossing in which the boardwalk had been demolished and was nowhere in sight.
Jon cools off in the Dassie potholes |
Our next day there was spent on a shorter saunter down the canyon, dips in the park swimming pool, and dinner at the lodge with a view of the falls. On our last evening in the campground, we were invited to visit with a South African couple from Pretoria in their, as is the usual, very elaborate, comfortable, and complex camping compound. They were very nice and we had rusks, coffee, and Amarula in the velvet air. It is always interesting to hear about living in South Africa and we lingered longer than we intended, exchanging addresses before parting.
On the morning we left, the park had just managed to clear debris from damaged portions of the road and open them, so we took a quick drive before heading out, and were able to look at the canyon from a different overlook and saw two fish eagles perched far below that, without binoculars, looked like tiny white specks. The vegetation had changed dramatically with new plants and much more to see, but it was time for the next leg of our journey into Namibia to experience the lower portion of the Orange River by canoe!
Campground before flood |
Campground after flood. |
We launched early on the morning after our arrival. The canoes were fiberglass with two seats and our canoe was, of course, hot pink. Possessions are placed into 5-gallon pickle buckets with secure lids and are fit into inserts for the buckets and lashed to the canoe.
Our guides were two very nice and impressive young men: Jacko Meckloen, originally from the Kavango region of northern Namibia and Shilongo Nehemia from a nearby village, Jacko's father has also been a river guide for most of his life and is affectionately known as "Old Man River" so we quickly donned Jacko "Young Stud Man River" and he certainly was. Each guide had their own canoe which were loaded down with coolers, dining tables and other things with which to make us comfortable. Normally two people would not have a guide each, but with the river flowing beyond its banks and so swiftly, and with the unknown condition of the campsites and rest stops downstream, the owner's thought it would be safer to send two guides. This was the first trip Amanzi had made on the river since the floods, and they had witnessed no others on the river since the floods either.
We could immediately feel the power of the river as we were pulled into the current. Strange eddies and whirl pools would mysteriously appear and disappear. The high water meant that many of the rapids were at least partially submerged and we moved along fast, with waves sometimes topping the front of the canoe, but with no real skill involved in navigating! Just a short ways downriver, we stopped the canoes on a steep bank and took a short walk to look at some San rock engravings on shiny igneous black rocks. These were near the site of a hotel that burned down a few years back and there was an eerie mixture of building ruins, goats and cows, and these unprotected San engravings on black rocks set against a backdrop of rugged desert mountains. There were several different styles of engravings. It is speculated that the dotted technique used in some of the etchings was meant to represent a tingling sensation felt when a shaman in trance was transformed into the subject of the drawing.
When we stopped for lunch we had no idea what to expect. Well, Jacko and Shilongo started a fire and prepared a fine lunch-more elaborate than we expected. It was hot -- probably 110 degrees. Luckily the river cooled things down a bit. All of the shady stops for lunch and camping that Amanzi usually uses for their trips had been totally washed out and the guides were nervous about what they would find downriver for camping. We certainly did not have to paddle very hard as the current whipped us along. So we contemplated the incredible geology of the mountains lining the river. Our first night was at a site near an abandoned diamond mine. In a strange reverse of what we are accustomed to, the riparian vegetation along the river was composed of species of tamarix native to Namibia and exotic honey mesquite, which is native to Arizona. Honey mesquite is becoming a big problem here and throughout much of Namibia. Very hungry goats and cows were everywhere, with little forage in sight. Jacko and Shilongo prepared a fantastic meal of chicken grilled over the fire, fresh veggies, potatoes, desert, and tea and coffee. We took a stroll and chatted with them by the fire after dusk and learned some new constellations in the dark African sky. The next morning some very nice doggies showed up that we wanted to take with us, but our guides were firm on this issue.
Shilongo and Jacko and our lunch buffet on the Orange River |
The next morning we left before the heat set in and soon stopped to scale a mountain canyon where Jacko could scout the rapids ahead. At the top, high above the river, was a small abandoned calcium flouride mine: a pretty and translucent green mineral. We collected a bag full for the campfire that night and then headed back downriver. That night we camped on an island free of goats, cows and shelter from the sun, and it was HOT. The bright sand radiated heat. Long after dusk heat poured up from the sand through the bottom of the tent and into us. After another luxurious dinner we enjoyed the campfire and then had some mini-fireworks by tossing the calcium fouride into the fire and watching the sparks explode from the heated mineral.
Our last day was a short leisurely day due to the swiftness of the current. We took a long nap at lunchtime, and afterward, just a few short bends in the river brought us to the end of our route. Jacko and Shilongo were dismayed to see that the landing now consisted of a steep berm of sand that ponded water behind it and that the last 200 meters of road was washed out, which meant the canoes and all of the gear had to be dragged over the berm in the searing heat and across the baking mud to a point the transport could reach. We helped as best we could, stopping short of passing out and creating a new problem for the guides. Our transport arrived after a short wait with a cooler full of drinks for everyone and we headed back for showers and a nice dinner.
We left Amanzi Trails after a fine breakfast and drove though the jagged dry desert with the River appearing and disappearing from view to the south. As we rounded a corner, suddenly hundreds of hectares of grape vineyards burst into view. These are grown mostly for table grapes and form a vivid green patch against the stark rock of the desert. Luckily, we are told that irrigation demands on the Orange River have yet to seriously impact water levels. On the far side of the irrigated vineyards on dry hills lies a vast migrant workers town called Aussenkehr. Most of the homes are constructed of reeds and tin and it is inhabited by the 14,000 people, most of which work seasonally for the vineyards. In late February, work demands are low so the township was mostly uninhabited. We turned off to visit the township’s Super Spar supermarket where everyone was as friendly as usual. We were captivated by a young girl looking longingly at school supplies in the store. Also, being morning, some people were already preparing for a day of drunkenness.
Ais-Ai Spa |
We paid our fees to the as usual very mellow Namibian Park officials and set up our tent in the nearly empty campground. Then we headed across a flat desert towards the canyon edge about 7 miles away. A very bizarre overlook (who designs these things?) loomed in the distance as we approached. This is the precipitous canyon edge dropping vertically thousands of feet to the Fish River below. We sat on the edge and absorbed the vastness below us. Amazingly, we had the whole place to ourselves! Depending on how you measure canyons this is the 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th largest canyon in the world. Euphorbs and aloes grow on the cliff faces. The river bent, looped and twisted far below us, much like Gooseneck Canyon of the American West. Each spot on the canyon wall had a different vista. As the sun sank, a thick cloud-bank overhead created isolated thunderstorms and virgas in the distance. The cloudbank also caused an amazing sunset complete with a double sunset rainbow that stretched across the entire eastern sky. And another odd thing we had never seen before: the sun's round orange reflection on a cloud long after it had set. After ooh-ing and aah-ing and taking way too many photos, we went back to cook dinner at Hobas.
sociable weaver nest in a kokerboom |
Kiln at Holoog |
Seehiem Hotel Bartender |
Seeheim Hotel |
Giant's Playground |
Cheetah feeding at the boma |
We left Keetmanshoop the next day through that never-ending magnificent Namibian landscape. As we transitioned into the Kalahari desert a unique and favorite sight of ours increased and then was lining the highway by the hundreds: at first just a few powerpoles were covered by massive sociable weaver nests then more and soon almost all of the powerpoles were topped by these massive constructions. The nests do occasionally snap powerpoles or cause power outages.
We split the long trip home by spending a night in Uppington. Although we arrived in early afternoon, it was a Saturday and we could already tell it would be a big night for drinking. The campground we had in mind was damaged extensively by flooding and was closed until an undetermined point in the future. So we found a room at a small very pretty guest house overlooking the river, and went out for a not so quiet dinner at one of few nearby restaurants where "Shaun's bachelor Party" was already in full swing. It turned out to be a good night to forgo camping because a huge storm swept through during the wee hours. The rest of the trip home was full of admiration for the green, green, and gold grasses of the Kalahari and we arrived safely in Gaborone before dusk.
Since we returned, our time has been occupied by unloading and cleaning all of our camping gear, washing way funky laundry, and attempting to get residency permits (Jon-1; Priscilla-0). Our friend Karin has returned to the states to spend time with her ailing mother and family so our thoughts are with her and we wish her and her family peace and comfort. Although it may seem as though all we do is romp across the continent, thoughts of our families and friends are always with us, and your comments and messages are much appreciated!
Just two days after returning, we picked up a package from the Post Office downtown that our kind cousin Justine had mailed five months before! It was filled with things we have coveted all this time: walnuts, vitamins, books (they are extremely expensive here), drawings from Asher, bowl covers (!), movies, an electronic word game, Crocs, and Emergen-C! And then, just two days later, we received a replacement package she sent thinking the first package had been lost! So it is Christmastime in July for us here in Gaborone!!! THANK YOU JUSTINE, DAN, AND ASHER!!!
Sadly, an email has informed Jon that the Ministry of Education has decided that he cannot take his 48 students on the field trip to Khama Rhino Sanctuary next weekend as he had hoped, and the letter indicated that it could be rescheduled in April, but unfortunately, the Sanctuary cannot house the students at that time so there is not much that can be done about this. Such a sad loss for the students to say the least. Many Africans never get to visit their Parks and these enthusiastic students will be even more disappointed than we are.
With an unexpected void created in our schedule, we are contemplating a trip to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. If you haven't heard about it, take a look at our friend Phoebe's blog at:
http://botswanafacultyvisitor.blogspot.com/2011/02/episode-11-glimpse-of-johannesburg-and.html
Until our next installment, take care everyone. We'll be seeing you soon!