Brown's in Kruger August 2007 *

[Bushcraft]

August 2007 –Bushcraft and Supernova


After our last 2005 August trip with Pajerocat and our lack of sightings, we were extremely nervous to invite other members of the family, especially Bushcraft who is hyperactive at the best of times and to have him locked up in a car for 8 to 10 hours a day had me worried. Would they enjoy Kruger ?

Well the Bushcraft family arrived at our house in Johannesburg when we spent Sunday 26th August, waiting for the big trip the next day. We left early the Monday morning for 5 days in Kruger, travelling out on the N4 towards Crocodile Bridge.

After entering the gate just after 10h00 the excitement was clearly visible in both cars. Our first sighting was of these Zebra:





Then the next thing we see out the rear view mirror was Bushcraft stop and the door open !! We were straight on to the walkie talkie only to find out he WAS obeying the rules and only trying to recover a teddy bear that was thrown out the window by Bushpig





And on we went to Lower Sabie, we came across this bunch a bit further along.





And these Rhino at Gomondwane water hole.





We stopped off at Lower Sabie for lunch and headed on up to Skukuza. We found this Kudu bull just past Lower Sabie







And then just before Skukuza we had our first cat sighting of this cheetah





After booking in to Skukuza and unpacking we took an evening drive around the H1-2, S12, H4-2 loop, and just after the low water bridge over the Sabie we had a great sighting of these two lionesses.




An extremely intelligent looking lioness




And her sister.





That night around the braai, I realized that Bushcraft and The Cow & all the clan had been bitten by the Kruger bug and that our families would be on a lot more Kruger trips together.

[Bushcraft]

On the 28th August 2007, we did the obligatory H4-1 drive in the morning, this morning was quieter than usual but there was as always plenty of general game:





Taken from the deck at Lower Sabie



Where we got back to Skukuza, we checked the sightings board and realised that our timing must have been a few minutes off, we had missed soo many Leopard





And from looking board we decided to go on was out on the H11, link into the S3 and loop back to Skukuza. For most of the trip it was quite, probably because all the recent burning that had happened, except for the return trip to Skukuza, where we came across these 10 or so Rhino all together trying to cross the road, they seemed very nervous and kept trying and then backing away





And just past this a lone hyena coming out for a night time jaunt





And lastly before heading back to camp on the H11 this magnificent Elephant bull, I am not sure if he is one of the emerging tuskers but he sure looked like it

Edited: Later identified as Muliluane by Aat













He had two other bulls with him, they were also big guys but his mates had far smaller tusks





It was a great way to end the day

[Bushcraft]

Early next morning 29th August 2007, it was back down the H4-2 to Lower Sabie, looking for a BIG male lion and a Leopard, two things that I know would definitely get Bushcraft hooked on Kruger and he had mentioned both a few times at the previous evenings braai..…. Now the pressure was on.

And the H4-2 delivered for us, as it has always done, with a Male lion.





And a little further on the rest of the family, relaxing in the sun





Sunset dam was a cloud of dust as a huge herd of Buffalo came down to drink; I always love seeing these guys in large herds, they always look so much more impressive.





Then it was off up the H10 to our “at least once in a trip Mlondozi breakfast”, I always feel sorry for those enjoying a quiet breakfast when the Brown Clan arrives.

The Cow attempting Kid control




Tortoise chases birds, Bushpig chases monkeys, LuckyCharm and Hawk Eyes proceed to describe the scene at the top of their voices and Albert draws patterns in the sand, Punkaloo tries to help us but usually ends up taking cover..… We spend most of our time chasing kids and very little cooking gets done.


Bushcraft and Supernova attempting breakfast (Supernova trying to look like he knows what is going on , when Bushcraft has probably done more studying on Kruger than anyone I have ever met)





Punkaloo with the Tortoise at Mlondozi, one of my great Kruger pictures.





Back on the H4-2 to Skukuza, we came across the sad looking male lion, we all thought it was a TB lion, and probably was




It looked like there was a pool of blood in from of him..




When we returned home Bushcraft did a closer inspection and found what looks like porcupine quills sticking out his throat






The afternoon drive was quiet until the last few minutes before the gate closed when we came across our first Leopard of the trip.




I had to lighten these pictures as the sun had already set when we found the Leopard.




Bushcraft still needed a BIG male lion next to the car, so the pressure was back on again….

[Bushcraft]

Early the next morning of the 30th August 2007, we were off down the H4-2 for a morning drive, it was just to be a quick drive as were going to return to Skukuza for a big skottel breakfast




On the way down we took one of the loops alongside the H4-2 and while we were driving quietly along, we heard an Elephant squeal !! A herd has been spooked on the H4-2 and was heading our way at full speed, the WHOLE HERD was charging, we just saw a wall of elephants burst through the bushes. I shouted into the walkie talkie “Sit dead still and don’t panic” as they wizzed past us on all side and between the two cars, next thing I heard was Bushcraft on the walkie talkie “Look what’s heading towards us !!” it was the matriarch, I looked back only to see Bushcraft trying to look invisible, the rest of the car looked empty ??

She was moving at full speed and only veered off when she was just about to vault Bushcraft’s car.I found out later that The Cow was in the foot well trying to dig to China.

After all that adrenaline it was a quiet drive and we turned at Nkulu and headed back for breakfast. As we came to the Skukuza turnoff from the H4-2, we decided to do the small loop next to the turn off, there were quite a few cars and someone mentioned a Leopard. We all waited a good 15 minutes and then all the cars left, I also thought breakfast was a good idea and we also left, when we got to the turn off there was no Bushcraft ??

We continued on our way back to Skukuza (Walkie Talkie was out of distance), as I got the skottel fired up and the bacon on, we got a cell phone call from The Cow “there’s a male and female Leopard chasing each other around our car” , my answer was “*^&$%#@% lucky &^%^**(“ but there was no time to go back.
What had happened was, after everyone left Bushcraft waited longer and without the noise and disturbance from all the cars, both the male and female Leopard emerged and they had an awesome Leopard sighting all to themselves:

Bushcrafts photos below:







And this awesome posed picture





When they arrived back for breakfast the whole car was full of smiles.

That afternoon it was down the H2-1 for our afternoon drive, with a stop at Mathekenyane viewpoint for the family snaps:

Melly took this pic of me and my girls:





And Bushcraft’s family:





On the way back, LuckyCharm was highly amused by this 5 legged Elephant





We arrived back with still some time to go for a drive down the H4-2 to the bridge, and at the end of the bridge as we were about to turn we saw this couple in the river bed:





We had to get back to camp, and were about to turn around when they stood up and headed our direction, we waited, knowing that we now might not make it back to camp.





And the male lion walked directly between our two cars !! When we announced on the walkie talkie that Bushcraft had now got his male lion, The Cow answered “awesome”





That last night was a great Braai and lot’s of discussions about a really great day.





The next morning we had to head back home, and Bushcrafts clan all left with big smiles and they were definitely coming back next year.





PS: that was our last 5 day trip, Bushcraft has insisted on 10 day trips since then…