Ukhozi Lodge – Day 3 – Port Elizabeth, and the Canoeing Adventure

Beginners note: A great day in Africa always begins when you breach the water on the river and declare “It’s okay, I’ve gotten all my shots!”

 

The second night at the lodge, a bit lighter drinking made waking up a bit easier! We headed out bright and early again, and today was a day for searching for buffalo. After a quick coffee, we jumped in the vehicle and headed to the safe side of the park. The buffalo are very large, and different than what Americans call buffalo. I suppose it’s a matter of common words, but what we call buffalo most of the world calls only bison, and a buffalo is a different animal altogether, though in my opinion they are very close!

 

We started off on the plains, the buffalo are known in the early morning to rove close to the brush on the hillsides, and after a bit of driving around we spotted an ostrich doing a mating dance. The dance was interesting to watch, but I agree with Jen that it really isn’t the most attractive thing in the world, but then again… neither of us are female ostriches. In fact, he won over a female ostrich right in front of us, and the entire group reverted to twelve year old boys for a few moments and it all ended with clapping. Sure, it’s odd now writing about it, but it was great fun at the time! We left the ostriches to their new spring/summer together, and headed back to a mountainous area where we had heard the buffalo were roaming.

 

 

After a bit of searching… we were not disappointed, and the buffalo roamed around the vehicle for a while before continuing on. I got some great pictures again and I will be adding them as I am able. The buffalo seemed much larger than the American bison, but I’m honestly not sure if that is true or if I was just closer to these than I have been to a bison. At some point I’ll do the comparison… but have not done so yet!

 

 

It was about this time in the trip that I realized I am running out of space for pictures. I’ve taken *a lot* of pictures and burned through 64GB of space already. Given, my pictures are large because of pixel density, but I’ve also been taking both RAW and JPG shots so that I can try to share them online. From this point forward all of my pictures will have to wait for conversion before an upload either here or on Facebook. This hotel also has a per-diem on data downloads, so I’m inhibited again from getting proper tools.

 

I decided the best answer was to wipe one of the media cards I brought with movies for my tablet (another 32GB), and to take fewer pictures as the days go on. It’s not in my nature to skip a picture opportunity, but I only have one more card left now and I don’t want to risk running out either! Electronics are expensive here, so buying one is not the best answer.

 

The rest of the morning drive was pretty, but very cold. Jen wrapped up in a blanket and we continued on our way around the park looking for anything and everything. Jen can confirm, but I think we even went back to the dangerous side of the park in search of female lions, but none presented that morning. We would try again in the afternoon. Once we got back, we had breakfast again at the lodge (it’s the same menu each morning and I enjoyed the omelet), and Imogen suggested a trip to the river to do some canoeing and take a look at the scenery on a neighboring reserve. This sounded like a lot of fun!

 

After a quick trip back to the room, we changed into light clothes and flip flops, put away all electronics, and headed to the river in the safari vehicle. It was a short walk down a steep hill to the riverbank, and the couple from the UK went first. The climbed into the canoe with ease, and took off down the river.

 

This is the point when Jen and I’s canoeing adventure began, and where it pretty much finished as well. I’ll say upfront that I had a great time and actually enjoyed what I’m about to describe to you, because I’m not sure you would believe me if I told you afterward!

 

Imogen held the canoe, and I was first to get in the back. I stepped in and nearly fell over straight away, I’ve been called many things but graceful was never one of them! Eventually I was stable, and was holding onto the dock to keep the canoe from floating downstream while I stood on it. Imogen was in a very bad position behind me, so I ended up almost sitting on her head… hopefully she has recovered from that experience!

 

Without really thinking, still standing on the canoe, I leaned forward while sitting down, and about the time I reached the side of the canoe I realized I had made a very large mistake, and the bulk of my weight was sitting over the side. This thought was simultaneous to heading head first into the river, to the laughs and cries of both Jen and Imogen. This was when I stood up and proudly announced that I should be fine… all the shots and medications were well under control and I really didn’t drink any river water! It was only about three feet deep, and I was up quickly, but soaked from head to toe. What followed is a bit of a calamity, but as I was attempting to get back to the shore my feet started sinking into the riverbed. My hat also had fallen off when I went in the water, and was slowly floating downstream. Simultaneous to this, the canoe was sinking into the river as well, and Imogen and I attempted to stabilize that. I took a step, and sunk about twelve inches into the riverbed. I pushed up with my other foot to pull out, and promptly sunk in there as well. I wasn’t going anywhere fast. I steadied myself on the canoe, grabbed a paddle, and handed it to Jen asking her to try and catch my hat before it was lost. She headed upriver and also clamored in the water, only to sink in herself.

 

With the canoe mostly secure, Jen asked me to help pull her out, she had my hat by that point so I saw the benefit to helping, and handed her one end of a paddle. With her free, I continued to struggle towards the shoreline by switching to crawling through the water on my knees, and eventually sunk in on what I thought would be a safe step. I sunk in all the way to my pant leg line, above my knee. At some point we had both taken off our flip flops, so no shoes were lost in getting out of the water, but it was very, very close.

 

We were laughing, it was honestly pretty funny, Imogen had been hoping for a nice quiet experience, and we were glad to be back on track for that now. We emptied the canoe of all the water, and Imogen was nice enough to offer a shore launch, and I hopped in the back again. Success! I was in the canoe!

 

Jen climbed in as well, and we were on our way, both with a paddle! The canoe rocked once as we left the shore, and we righted it. It didn’t seem quite right, though, the rocking was very violent and we had not really moved. Again it hit me that something was wrong about the time the canoe tipped completely sideways, and water rushed in again. Both in the water again, and now further out, we struggled back to shore once more finding the riverbed even less forgiving than before, and each step sunk deeper. On hands and knees, we made it out. One more time, perhaps? We both agreed, and then I realized my leg was openly bleeding from a small(ish) tear where a piece of skin had been taken out by something in the water. Jen’s foot was also bleeding from a cut, and without really knowing what was potentially living in the river, I asked Imogen for antiseptic, and decided I’d had enough fun.

 

Jen still wanted to go again, but as is my nature I blamed both her and the canoe for the second roll. (I don’t know that it was me, I don’t think so really, but have to save a little face, right?) Jen said she had rolled the proper direction and while I had not had time to think I definitely didn’t jerk us the wrong direction either. We have since agreed to say that the canoe grounded somewhere, though who knows really. It wasn’t her fault, I can say that for sure, but after putting a little bit (a very little bit) of blood in the water, it was time to give up on the adventure. The other group came back as I was swabbing my wounds, and we headed back to the lodge. An hour to shower, wash the bugs out (yep, bugs from the river in my hair), and head back to lunch.

 

Lunch was again delicious, I’m trying to remember what it was but I think it was some type of beef dish that I enjoyed and Jen skipped for chicken. Lunch buffet at the lodge did leave a bit to be desired, if I am honest, but we headed back out immediately after and who can focus on lunch when you have lions ahead of you?!?

 

We headed out on the afternoon game drive, and it took quite a while for us to find the lions. In fact, another guide beat us to it again, but I was the one that spotted them from our vehicle, and we watched as two adult female lions and one younger female lion (not a cub, however) meandered up the road. They were mere feet away from us, and you could both see and sense the power beneath their skin. The muscles stood out harshly, it was quite a contrast from cuddly to killer, but none of us offered a cuddle… you could tell they had food on their minds.

 

 

We followed the lions up the hill, and into a grassy area where they laid down for a while. We hoped they would be shortly chasing some warthog they rustled from the bushes, but nothing that exciting took place. We relished the opportunity to take pictures, and soon the lions were on the way where we could no longer follow.

 

 

A short drive later, and we were back at the lodge after meandering around and taking the typical drinks break. It was our second to last game drive, and both Jen and I were more than a little sad to see the time go by. Dinner, though, was great again. The UK couple was celebrating a birthday, so we were spared the embarrassment of having to eat dinner in front of Imogen, and Tony and his wife did join us after dinner for some drinks and talk. They’ve promised to mail Jen some custard (which she enjoyed each day for dessert!), and I gave them this website. I hope they are reading it, and I hope if they (or Imogen) is reading this and would like to add both Jen and I as friends on Facebook, that they do so! I hope we are able to keep in contact.

 

The night finished early, and Jen and I packed to leave. It was a somber affair for us both. Visions of living at the lodge were easy to conjure up, if only any of us were as prepared (and certified/schooled) as Imogen is! The next morning it was our choice what to look for, and we were again hoping for elephants. More on that to come!