Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
10th August 2008 - 7.10am
Between Sartara Camp and Marhera Water hole
Early bird catches the lion and cheetah!
The sun was only just about the trees when 2 lioness came out of their place of near invisibility in the grass and crossed the road with their 4 cubs. Well they TRIED to cross the road. The cubs were more interested in laying on the warm bitumen and play fighting. We must have watched them for a full 5 minutes, eventually their Mum got them off the road and they ran off towards the waterhole. The 2 lioness stayed very close, sniffing and licking in the thicket, where the world's luckiest impala had just made a hasty retreat from. More cars turned up and the lioness walked away to find their cubs.
A few kilometres down the road a car was stopped just before the bridge that crosses the Sweni river. We pulled across the road so we could see around their 4WD and there were 2 CHEETAH!! Sunning themselves and checking both sides of the bridge to see what was on the breakfast menu. Cheetah's are notoriously hard to spot, people are excited by a glimpse of them lolling in a tree by a river. We watched this pair for about 10 minutes before some huge WINKER (use your best Afrikaans accent), decided to cross the bridge to get a closer photo opportunity. Said WINKER only managed to scare off the cheetah and piss off the rest of us who were enjoying the amazing sight of the cheetah.
We briefly caught sight of the pair as they crossed the river and gave half hearted chase to some Kudu. One kudu got left behind and he hid behind a thicket, staring fixedly in the direction the cheetah (and his herd), had run. So we watched it for a few minutes, secretly hoping the cheetah would find it's hiding spot. (Is this blood lust?)
We drove on and not far up the road some keen eyed travellers had spotted 2 more cheetah lying about 50 metres off the road in a dirt pit. They were having a great time, rolling around, play fighting, relaxing and keeping an eye out for breakfast. They were so gorgeous and playful. They took off running and playing together, they headed towards a big tree in the distance, maybe it was a better spot to make their menu selection.
9.30am
We've come off the beaten track and have been sitting at Lugmag waterhole for about 40 minutes. Big herds of impala have come down to drink. There are 2 large crocs on the opposite bank, about 6 hippos in the water and 2 large African fish eagles sitting on the bank. It's been lovely to sit here and listen to the bush and watch the hunted and the hunter co-exist. The Ripape river is dry, only the Lugmag water hole is left. It's about twice the size of Uncle Tony's dam, I guess the crocs and hippos are confident that it's not going to dry up? Hippo's are strange creatures, so huge yet whether they're in the water or on the bank, they're right next to eachother. I'd be saying "Gimme some room Mama" - but that's how they seem to like it. The land around the waterhole is bare, we keep waiting to see lion pacing toward us. We can hear the hippo's snorting and rumbling and baboons grunting.
It has been so peaceful to sit here and watch and listen. We've got a fair old drive to get to Lower Sabie camp but because we set out so early we've got time to do things like this. If you come to Kruger, allow yourself this time.
Around 7pm
It was another full day of animal sightings, even a snake! Amongst all these huge, majestic animals, it was a wake up call to have a snake cross the road in front of me, (one of the very few times I was permitted to drive!) We spent the afternoon sitting at more dams. First we were at Orphens Dam, it's nearly dried up, but several hippo and croc still call it home. A lone impala came down for a drink, walked beside 3 very large crocs, seemingly oblivious, and started to graze on a shrub. We all thought he was a goner for sure. We just sat there for about another 30 minutes, saw yet another croc surface out of the algae like a floating lime green log - now you see him - now you don't.
The impala was leading a charmed life somehow, so we drove on towards Lower Sabie Camp.
We had a baby elephant practice charging at our car - but he was more cute than dangerous. Mum on the other hand, could have really ruined our day. Fortunately she was more cranky with the car going the other way.
We spent the afternoon and sunset at "Sunset Dam" - we saw loads of hippos, storks, girfaffe, impala, baboon, kudu - water is the life blood, where there's water you'll see the animals
Our hut here at Lower Sabie is shabby, small and smelly...but the view is a million dollars. When we arrived this afternoon hippos and crocs were sunning themselves on the the opposite bank - right outside our front door!!! Giraffe came down to graze - and it was just a bit special and decadent as we sat back and watched the African wildlife with a glass of wine in our hands.
Even though it's night we can still hear the animals, elephants are chewing and crashing their way through the reeds on the shore. Hippo's are still grunting to each other.
Ewan "heard something" so we walked the 5 metres down to the fence and where before there had been 3 elephants in the reeds, now an entire herd was coming through. Pretty quietly really considering their size. They were all just visible in the moonlight, moving slowly past us. Magical.
Ewan grabbed us some takeaway and we sat on the verandah and ate by candlelight, serenaded while we ate by the sound of elephants snapping the reeds along the river bank.
11th August - 4am
I've been asleep most nights by 7.30pm. We're having such long, full days watching the animals that I'm exhausted by the end of it. I haven't seen a paper or television in 5 days. I think a few people might have gathered to play sport, a long, long way from here...go Aussies!
- comments