Flavour of the Month - April/May 2020 H1-2 Skukuza - Tshokwane (incl all dams)

[Klipspringer]

The scenery at the Sand river bridge is nice

[Richprins]

Along the Sand River, which is actually followed by the road for many km!

[Lisbeth]

Lovely bushbuck

[Richprins]

Lis!

A summer view, I think it is the Sand River?

That area has a very high density of herbivores and their predators! (A grass/leaves/water combination, maybe?)

This stretch is also one of the worst for getting stuck in traffic jams where you cannot pass at all, in my experience.


It is not just because there are many tourists (more in the south) but because the road is elevated for much of the time, and many official vehicles and trucks use it...from Army to deliveries to staff etc.

[Richprins]

In the drier months the Sand River has regular pools of water and animals drink extensively. However, the bush is very dense in most places, so patience is required and clear views are often difficult for photography.

There are a couple of shady loops next to the road (But close to the tar, so a bit noisy!)

Still...

Notice the Tamboti trees, quite common in patches.

Much of the road falls under Tshokwane Ranger Section, which has one of the best records for rhino protection!

Lots of Magic Guarri bushes in certain spots, like this.

[Klipspringer]

A summer view, I think it is the Sand River?

At the bridge over the Sand River you can see some of the best exposures of basement gneisses to be found in Kruger Park.

These gneisses alongside the bridge show paler granitic areas and dark grey areas that have a different chemical, and therefore mineralogical, composition. Whereas the granitic areas are mostly composed of feldspar and quartz, the dark areas are richer in magnesium- and iron-rich minerals such as biotite and hornblende.

The grey gneisses are formed under high heat and pressure deep within the Earth’s crust, and they show a layering or banding which is typical of gneisses. They were once so hot that they began to melt, separating a semi-liquid, granitic fraction that became mobile. The more magnesium- and iron-rich parts of the gneiss have a higher melting temperature and so stayed solid as the granitic component flowed through and around them.

[Richprins]

Thanks, Klippies!




An interesting contrast between the Sand and Sabie rivers (sand above with far fewer trees as less water):

The Sabie low Bridge at Skukuza City, with rail bridge to the left:

The much longer Sand low bridge:

[Richprins]

Kruger Sightings
@LatestKruger
December 2016
On the H1-2. My husband saw a few impala run across the road and then 1 seemed to have stopped in the middle of the road. As he got closer he realized it was a cheetah. There was more than 1 cheetah and they were hunting
Tinged by Mohammed & Nazeera Moola & family

[Flutterby]

Looks like they're all congratulating themselves when it's still alive.

[Richprins]

It may be a training exercise, Flutts!