A trip down memory lane

Travelling back to Northern Zululand after many years has us slightly apprehensive. Will it have changed much? Will we still look on it with childlike wonder?

The start of our trip is the most northern point of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Kosi Bay. As we drive towards the Parks Board camp site, we fondly remember our very first trip in the 1990's and how hectic the road was to get to the camp, thick sand 4 wheel drive only. Now its pretty easy driving and we see sedan cars along the road. Kosi has lovely camp sites under thick shady trees with a few right on the waters edge, and 3 log cabins tucked away in the forest.

These are our special memories....

3rd lake, huge...

The channel joining 2nd lake to 3rd lake is crystal clear on a windless morning

2nd lake with its prawn holes

1st lake and the fish kraals

Leaving camp for a day on the water

Water so incredibly inviting

The camp has a lovely walking trail...please mind the spiderwebs

Brunch on 1st lake beach

Heron using a kraal to fish

Our next stop is Mabibi, a beach camp south of Kosi Bay, snuggled between the sea and Lake Sibaya, South Africa's largest fresh water lake

Mabibi is a 4x4 destination, roads are good to the entrance to the camp but once inside, extremely thick sand prevents 2x4 driving. Camps are large and mostly shaded and the lodge has built a few lovely canvas cabins which are quite luxurious after Kosi Bay

Dramatic mornings

Beach that stretch forever

Premier snorkling

Rockpools for safe swimming

But....to get to the beach....139 steps....1 way

Lake Sibaya. There are no camps or resorts on the lake

There is however, a beautiful drive from Mabibi through the coastal forest along the eastern edge of the lake. Parts of the road are very narrow and hedge the vehicle on both sides. We were not warned in advance of the possible dangers of travelling this road. Please check beforehand if you do wish to sightsee

Coastal flowers

Morning walks lasting 2 or 3 hours are special but for the plastic scourge affecting global beaches, we are laden with rubbish on each return trip

Some junk thrown overboard and washed up onto our beach. The lodge does its bit to clean up. Sadly its not done daily

A great pitstop on the Mabibi road is the Coastal Cashew Farm. It has a shop and the cashews are divine

And time to move on to our next destination...Mkuzi Game Reserve

After a good rainy season, game is hard to spot in this lush bush

When the biggies are hard to find, cast your eyes upwards..Brownhooded kingfisher. Mkuzi is one of the top 10 birding spots in South Africa

The 1st of 2 suspension bridges that take you into an ancient sand forest

Crossing the Mkuzi river into the forest we came across leopard spoor

The sycamore fig forest is over 900 years old

On foot and hearing elephants going about their morning foraging is quite an experience

Entertainment in camp...crested guineafowl

Burchalls coucal, their call is haunting and speaks of rain

Redbilled oxpeckers fly off their host giraffe and pose for me

A peaceful nap until we show up....

iNsumo pan...waterbird haven and a few giants too (hippo)

A grey heron sunning himself

...and then taking flight

What a delight watching this newly hatched jakana family lilly hopping

Squacco heron fishing with jacana looking on

A misty morning in a game reserve evokes incredible emotion...mystical...ethereal...serene...

primeval...rebirth

Pelicans enjoying the sun as it breaks through the mist

A black coucal drying its feathers after the wet morning

Woollynecked stork up a tree

Waring vervet monkeys leave one injured

Nyala roam the camp create great photo opportunities

A massive marshal eagle. Baby was in the thick bush behind the adult

Glorious african hoopoe

Impala are often overlooked in game viewing. I love watching their antics

There's always a pair of eyes keeping watch

A Dabchick in breeding plumage

Woollynecks drying after a bath

Newly erected hide walkways

And onward to our final destination, St Lucia Lake district

Butterflies in abundance at False Bay

Friends or foe? Nyala in rut

Kudu in the newly opened section of reserve near St Lucia

A platform has been built over a cliff and in the trees at the highest point in the park and has a wonderful vista of the lake and grass plains

The tall and the short of it, they are both fascinating animals

I wonder still at natures reason for the 'target' on the waterbuck rump?

The false bay nature reserve has lovely self guided trails

Stalking a red duiker and eventually capturing this shot was a thill

And as all things, our holiday comes to an end. Were we disappointed or disillusioned? There were definate low points but the good news is that the parks board has split their operations into two entities, nature conservation and tourism. Money has been injected into the upgrade of Mkuzi's facilities, brand new hides, complete upgrade of the campsite ablutions and the safari tented camp was being repaired and improved at the time of our visit. While at Kosi Bay the marine division of the SAP arrived to start addressing the illegal netting which has desimated fish stocks (They worked hard for 2 years to clean up Jozini Dam and tiger populations are back on the increase) Charters Creek on the St Lucia lake is being rebuilt, the small game reserve in that area is lovely and the elevated platform is outstanding. False Bay will hopefully be on their list in the near future for some much needed upgrades.

#beach #lake #forest #wildlife