Rivery Magic

The need to get out on the river was extremely compelling on Sunday, so, throwing aside any well meaning ideas about a day devoted to (much needed) catch-up work, we spent most of the day out on the water.

As we launched our boat, I placed my small human footprint in the squishy mud next to a huge elephant print, and the slightly smaller indentation of a hippo, before wading bravely into the shallow water to release the boat from its trailer - all the while under the critical observation of a gang of small boys.

Smiling sweetly, they unhelpfully yelled "Crrrrockkkodiayallll" at the tops of their voices! Happily they were crying 'wolf', and the fact that I am sitting here typing my blog shows that I have lived to tell the tale!

The day on the boat was pure heaven... I will just let a few photos tell the tale, again.

An amazing feeling of freedom!

The Mighty Zambezi River

We stopped in here.. for a quick business chat!

The sunset was so exquisite,I could not stop photographing it..

This last picture was taken just before we took the boat out of the water. More wading in purple tinted shallow, sun-heated water.. Just beautiful!

Surprise, surprise - we are off again this weekend, to attend another special wedding, this time in the same continent, at least. We shall be driving south to Limpopo province, South Africa. I shall be back in the middle of next week, sending warm autumnal african greetings to all reading this 

Westward on the water...

Last Saturday, we found ourselves hitching a ride on an impromptu boat trip... heading west over the new lake currently covering our flood plain. We could have just kept going for miles and miles, in an illegal immigrant kind of way, over what is supposed to be dry land! Sadly though, we eventually had to turn around and come back home under the light of the half moon...

Staying with the water theme, here's another flood photo, especially for people who know this part of the world. Viewed from the river, this is the Sedudu Bar in the campsite at Chobe Safari Lodge. Now merely a part of the great Chobe River/Lake!

Since it's a long weekend, I shall be away for a couple of nights, camping in the bush - enjoying the stars and the full moon!

Sending love and happy Easter wishes to all reading this

Blue skies and blue water everywhere (still)

It certainly seems that our rainy season has finally ended. All the grey clouds have vanished, and without their protective insulation blanketing us from above, temperatures have dropped signficantly.

I really do love this time of year, with the dazzling blue skies and the edgy chill in the morning and night air. Days are still hot, but there is the promise of Winter to come... and then after that we start again with the waiting-for-rain game around October!

Leaving you with one last watery photo for now - we took this from the road on the way to work yesterday. The wide blue river closest to us in the photo is the main channel, which we can see from opposite our office. This is the usual Chobe river, which is currently spilling over its banks. Everything blue going back all the way towards the horizon, is supposed to be a green floodplain, and instead is a sheet of water...

Just for interest, if you feel like scrutinising, otherwise do skip - in the foreground bottom right, you can maybe make out a palm tree. You can see the same palm tree in the Saturday photo just above the hippo pictures, in this earlier post.

We are off on a weekend getaway combined with a little business, but sadly our planned stay at Ngepi Camp in Namibia had to be postponed till later this year, as the lodge is underwater... So, until next week, and early weekend greetings to all reading this!

Floodplain views - the rising river

Every day, en route to work, we choose to take the scenic road down the hill and enjoy the view out over the beautiful Chobe river floodplain.

View from the top of the hill, just before descending to river level. Neighbouring country Namibia is on the other side.

I find that a good start and mood for the day is highly encouraged by simply appreciating this beautiful view (and baobab) while driving down to our destination at river bank level.

Right now it's time for our annual floods to arrive, and it seems that exceptionally high levels are expected this year. Huge amounts of water are coming down from Angola, and other catchment areas, as we are part of the great Zambezi river system.

The Chobe river suddenly transforms from a meandering blue ribbon, obediently following its channel through the green floodplain, into massive sheets of water which spread out and cover the flat basin with a shimmering, reflective surface. As one can imagine, this watery sheet has the ability to take on any number of colours and moods, according to the state of the sky above it, and this makes for some incredible sunsets. More on that in future posts, I'm sure!

Last Sunday we took a few photos of the advancing floodwaters entering the floodplain.

Above is last Sunday's photo of the floodplain. Below is today's photo (Saturday) from the same spot.This water seems to have appeared almost overnight, and it is still rising!

On Sunday afternoon, we also took a walk along the river's edge at Chobe Safari Lodge. While marvelling at the high water level, we heard a loud water spraying sound emerging from some partially submerged trees right nearby.

Soon afterwards, a long, dark, submarine-shaped body emerged vertically from the water - followed rapidly not by a periscope, but by a pair of flapping hippo ears! Two hippos were in the area, so we stayed around to take some photos of them - one of which graced my previous blog post.

Hippos are fascinating creatures to watch in the water. One minute a hippo is there, and the next, it's gone. While they are underwater, you are never entirely sure where they are going to surface next, and this can be slightly alarming!

I have the greatest respect for these animals, as they can be extremely dangerous, and I've heard it said that hippos account for more deaths in the African river enviroment than crocodiles. Even though they are vegetarians, their sheer size and power, coupled with the most enormous teeth means that they can cause a lot of damage. Apparently the big hippo "yawn", is actually a sign of aggression! Even though we are surrounded by wildlife here, we never lose sight of the fact that they are completely wild creatures in their natural environment...

Hippo in the very wide, flooded river near submerged trees

Watch this space for more flood images in the not too distant future, and in the meantime, happy weekend greetings from my grey, cloudy, watery world...

Over the Border and (not so) far away

The closest, easiest way to enter Namibia from here is to check out of Botswana at Kasane's riverside immigration post, then simply cross the Chobe River to Impalila Island on the other side. Next is a short hike up a rocky path to the Police/immigration office on the island, to receive one oversized passport stamp, then back down again to your boat.

Last weekend we were heading over to Namibia in this way, as we'd been invited to spend some time with our friends at Ichingo River Lodge.  This is one of my favourite places ever, hidden away in a secluded part of the island's shoreline...

Passport formalities dispensed with, it was time to re-join our driver in the boat - finally free to disappear down the hidden channel edged with reeds, and low-hanging riverine trees. 

This picture shows the hidden channel - the dark area which looks like the opening of a cave...

Here the river current starts to accelerate, quickening its pace to eventually meet up with the faster water rushing along in the channel next door. It's a magical world of racing rapids, dark green vegetation, white sands and glinting water.  Birds and monkeys inhabit the treetops...It could be a million miles away from home, despite the fact that bits of Kasane are still visible way over the river! 

Me sitting on the deck, looking out over the river

Our afternoon was spent out on the water...two men fly-fishing for tigerfish, me keeping out of their way, and trying not to talk too much! Just give me a corner in a boat, some sunblock, a couple of cold ciders, a book and a camera, then I'm happy (and fairly quiet)!

Zipping down the rapids in the jet boat was a new experience for me! Not exactly white water rafting, but this turbulent stretch is such a contrast to the tranquility of the rest of the Chobe river... 

I hardly had time to register where we'd ended up, before a "rock" suddenly transformed itself into a none too welcoming, fast approaching hippo! Moving further down to avoid the hippo traffic, we drifted around in the pools below the rapids, floating amidst swirling circular eddies, spiralled with slowly spinning patterns of foam...  

Later we shot back up the rapids, to spend the last few hours of daylight in the more tranquil reaches of the river. Up high, the almost full moon turned from pure white to silver...

while on the other side, the  sun dipped below the horizon in its usual extravagant way!  

Fly fishing Sunset!

Of course, no better way to end the evening than solving the problems of the world over a few after-dinner glasses of port with our friend, Ralph!

Early next morning , while sunrise glowed over the treetops, Trumpeter Hornbills breakfasted in the fig tree overhead - flinging down fruits and pips, and bouncing heavily onto the tent roof! I lazily decided not to join in the early fishing trip, and simply enjoyed some "verandah time" perched above the river, alone with the rustling leaves and the sound of the rapids...

View from the verandah - boat visible down below

How else to fill in some Sunday hours? late morning brunch, lying around on the warm white sand, reading and falling asleep in a squashy sofa on a deck overlooking the river, enjoying some  good company around the bar counter...until all good things come to an end! Eventually it was time to swop countries again, accumluate a few more passport stamps and trail bits of fine white sand back into our everyday life...