South African Country Life – September 2019

deJonghlookedonenviously.
Onceonthesouthernbankoftheriverwe
clamberedupintoMkambatiNatureReserve,
surprisinga mountainreedbuckthatbounded
away.Formerlya lepercolony,it was
thenstockedwithgameduringa briefand
unsuccessfulstintasa huntinglodge,when
insufficientconsiderationwasgivento the
appropriatechoiceofspecies,andmost
animalsperished.
Rainhoodsupandsquelchingthroughdeep
mud,weweren’tat ourmostobservant,butwe
didspytwobigherdsofzebra.Bythetimewe
reachedtheMkambatiRiverweweresoaked

to theskin.Lunchin BaboonCave,a raised

shelteroverlookingthemagnificentStrandloper

Falls,wasa briefaffair.“Normallywejump

fromthecaveintotherefreshingpoolbelow,”

Garthsaidto unconvincedgrunts.

Badnewswasto follow.Theswellswere

toohighforusto followthecoastandwe

hadto detourinland,andtheadditionalfour

kilometresmeantthesunwassettingbythe

timewebeganthefinaldescentto thewaiting

canoesat Msikabaestuary.Buthottowels

withwhichto mopourmud-splatteredfaces,

thecheerycallofa pairofPiedKingfishers,

welcomedrinks,a roaringfireandhotshowers

at Msikabatentedcampsoonrevivedus.

“Greatday,”announcedNoleencheerilyas

wedinedonfilletsteakwasheddownwithred

wine.“I feltlikea smugglerin a boatslinking

in underthecoverofdarkness.”

Theseawasstillroughthefollowing

morning,andagainwefolloweda highpath

towardsthelighthouseandovermagnificent

orangeboulders,beforeourfirstswimofthe

tripin a deeppooloftheKhotsoRiver.

“TheGrosvenor,anEastIndiamansailing

ship,ranontotherocksjustoffthecoasthere

at LambasiBayon4 August1782,”Garth

explainedasweinspectedtheremainsof

ABOVE LEFT: Champagne Mile, the section along the exposed rocky platform beforeLuputhanatentedcamp,is oneofthehighlightsofthetrip.Crashingwavescreate
rainbows and outdoor showers for us. At the Mile end comes more spray in theformofbubbly.ABOVERIGHT:TheoCalitz,a mechanicalengineer,witha winchusedin an
attempt to salvage the Grosvenor. BELOW LEFT: A familiar sight along the Pondocoast.Butnooneseemstoknowwhyalmostevery beachontheWildCoasthascattle
chewing the cud. BELOW RIGHT: Wild Child Africa support staff Busi (Bulisile Hola)andKeke(LungisileBhobosana)waitwithbubblyattheendofChampagneMile.

http://www.countrylife.co.za 081 September 2019

PONDO TRAIL HIKING