Browns in Kruger October 2012*

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Bushcraft
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2012

Post by Bushcraft »

6th October Lower Sabie continued

The 4 cheetah were very difficult to spot and one could only see them from one place, so as others began to stop frustration was building as many couldn’t see the cheetah.

I was about to move on to let some highly excited aunties in for a view when I spotted something moving towards the cheetah who had became rather nervous

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Suddenly a boon burst from the bush and the cheetah took off in the opposite direction, which caused a choice outburst from me as I stuffed up the pic and then popped the clutch, so the car took off forward much to the surprise of all.

The gangster boons continued to harass the cheetah and fortunately my clutch mission had set us off in the correct direction, so we were in front of the queue of cars.

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A few minutes later the cheetah disappeared into thick bush and we lost sight of them, so switched off and waited.

After 5 minutes I was starting to get irritated as we were cooking in the sun, so was about to suggest that we ducked when the Cow shrieked “cheetah, CHEETAH chasing impala!!”

The impala and cheetah crossed the road at such pace that I took pics of just about everything but them, which caused another choice outburst, which started the Cow off on a greasing, but my adrenalin was pumping, so I ignored the Cow and roared off towards where they had entered the bush, but they were gone.

I would hate to think what the oncoming traffic thought looking at us, because the Cow and I were now in a full scale argument. Thinking back now, I’m not sure why, because it’s only a photo.

We spent another 10 minutes driving slowly up and down, but never spotted the cheetah again.

I had a conference with Brad and he also wasn’t fast enough to capture the action, so we all had a small pelican about that, but it had still been a good sighting, so decided to head back to camp for a lunchtime braai.

The rats were overexcited about the Sunset drive story, but I was concerned as some love it and others hate it and I was major worried about the fact that I had to sit for 3 plus hours without smoking, so found myself sucking on two cigarettes in the car park before leaving.

23 were permitted per vehicle and we ended up making the balance with a Canadian group travelling together.

After the first 1.5 hours, we had travelled 4km and had stopped to discuss kudu, impala and boons. I was nearly asleep, desperate for a smoke and the rats were whining to go back to camp as it was so boring.

As the sun set we spent 10 minutes discussing the stars and continued to stop for every set of reflecting eyes, which 90% of the time were impala, so my blood pressure was at an all time high and I started to beg the guys with the torches “Stop shouting stop for every impala”, which didn’t seem to go down well.

We finally stopped at Duke’s waterhole and discussed the stars again, so I took a few snap shots of boons in the trees next to us.

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Eventually we started to stop for nocturnal animals, so my cheesy returned and we spotted our first porcupine and a few km later another one, but I battled with my little flash to get something worthwhile

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We also found plenty ellies, buffalo, hippo, jackal, etc cruising around and just before we left the S28 to head back to camp a male lion started roaring and then crossed the road in front of us, so it wasn’t a total failure, but I was still sour that we didn’t spend more time looking for nocturnal animals and less time discussing animals that one can find in 5 minutes in their own car.

I don’t think we will attempt a sunset drive again until the rats are older as they slept for the last hour of the drive; it’s a mission to control them in a crowded vehicle and one also misses that great evening braai time, which I so enjoy.

To be continued


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Bushcraft
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2012

Post by Bushcraft »

7th October Lower Sabie to Home

Our final morning had arrived and as per normal everyone was quiet and very subdued. The car packing mission took place in silence and we were second in the queue at the gate.

The plan this morning was to head down to Croc Bridge via the S130 as the rats were all begging to check out the hyena den again.

I had that usual sick feeling in the stomach that one gets when it’s time to leave Kruger and I’m sure that the rest of the clan felt the same as we drove in silence and didn’t see much until the hyena den.

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The rest of the drive to Croc Bridge produced many of the usual gang, but nothing special.

The drive over the Crocodile River when leaving the park is never a great feeling, but in the end it had been a great 8 days in KNP and I had about 8 hours of driving to mentally plan our next trip

We arrived home stuffed at about 3pm, finished unpacking after 5pm and I settled into a chair on our veranda for a dop after 6pm, but my peace was short lived as some of my fishing rods are on a rack on the veranda and looking up I spotted a nest on them. Sorry about the pics, but I took them with my mobile.

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This immediately got the Cow and rats highly excited and I was instructed to “leave the nest alone” and this escalated once they spotted an egg, but my fishing rods are “hands off”, so I was getting excited, but agreed to leave it for the moment.

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In the morning the egg was smashed on the floor and the pigeons had moved off, so peace returned.

Lastly, thanks to all of you guys that have shared our adventure with us and for allowing us the opportunity to relive our trip.

Bushcraft, the Cow and the Rats.


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The Spotted Genet
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2012

Post by The Spotted Genet »

0/*

Having recently returned from a trip ourselves, I get the wistful, sad tone of your last entry Bushcraft. As for the return journey, well, its sulks and long faces all round.

How we long for the halcyon days, idly driving along, watching every movement in the grass, the inevitable 'STOP! I saw a cheetah' (the kids current favorite animal) from the back seat, which turned out to be a rock (or maybe a well-disguised lion?), the cracking open of a cold beer after the ritualistic lighting the fire, or pouring a rich dark red wine (quite often plonk, but it always tastes better in the Park -O ), waking up in the dead of night to utter, utter darkness and wondering what woke you O-/ then hearing the silly yet sinister giggle of the resident hyena clan.... listening to the merry Babblers mocking laughter, the majestic Fish Eagles haunting call, the raucous Francolins cackle. Sigh.

I could go on, and having returned only a week or two ago from a two night stay, I am already asking myself when we can go back, I start plotting and planning, changing or swopping dates around, wondering for how long I can feasibly take the kid out of school for, and surely being in the bush, with all the wonderful things he can learn there, more than justifies a few days of missed formal education??? O**

And besides, one night is never enough, but then neither is two. Maybe I can stretch it to three... or four... Oh dear!

A very merry Christmas to all! 0/*


The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge; for in exploiting their presence we are diminishing our future.

Marya Mannes
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