Kalahari Reflections March 2014*

[GavinW]

Day 6: March 10 Nossob, and the Jap finds it’s familiar place


This being our last morning at Polentswa, we decided that we would duck down to the waterhole at first light to see what came for an early morning drink, before heading back to de-mantle camp and head south to Nossob for the next part for adventure.


The waterhole was deserted, but the sunrise made up for the lack of action.



Back at camp, we were on a bit of a mission to get sorted and on the road asap.

One hassle we had had with the bakkie was that the tailgate had jammed closed and we could not open it.

This had over the last few days resulted in not only one bump to my head and a few choice words. My SO, being the intelligent lady she is recommended that I park the bakkie up next to the A frame to make packing easier.




What a win!!! Thanks Debs!



The trip down to Nossob produced the usual suspects:

Our first Black shouldered kite of the trip



Abdim’s storks coming in for landing at Bedinkt



These wonderful Wildebeest at Quibje Quap








(Did I mention that I just LOVE the KTP wildebeest! Sorry about the pic overkill )



When we arrived at Nossob we were blessed with our most favourite campsite, what we call old campsite number 5.



We were two Very happy campers

The Kgalagadi roads had taken their toll on our trusty steed the Jap, and she needed a bit of TLC once we were back at a sort of main camp with a bit of infrastructure

She had the tailgate problem, I mentioned earlier, as well as a bloody nose. (Her bull bar was about to fall off, hence my improvision) - Never mind the number plate lost in the Lijersdraai pools!!



So she went to the doctor…….. A place, if you have read any of our previous trip reports, she knows very well. The Maintenance Dept.



There is one thing I have to admit, the tiffies in the KTP are the best. Thank you guys, you rock!!

Once we were up and running again, a quick trip around Marie’s proved unproductive. Well not totally, Debbie was over the moon at this sighting of a gymnogene, just near Nossob.



Once back in camp, we met up with enrico and his SO Christa for sundowners before settling down in our favourite spot in the Kalahari for a braai and reflection on the day’s activities.

[GavinW]

Day 7: March 11 She teases us…..

We originally had reckoned that, considering the fact that we had such a limited time in Nossob, that we would be doing Marie’s se Draai at every opportunity, but after reading the bush telegraph, we decided to head north this morning.

The morning started like every other morning in Nossob should start.


In the hide.



After spending a few minutes at the hide, we went to reception to collect our permits. While we were a waiting for the office to open, as one does, we got to meet a few people.

Jenand, who we had camped next to a year or so before

Clive, ditto above, a friend of a friend from Tokai in Cape Town, and

Will and Jubee, a delightful couple from a yacht somewhere!!!

Travelling north, first up were some Rooi Hartebeest




We were first out of the gate and leading an orderly procession north, followed by Will and Jubee. We must have been daydreaming or something because after a while, just after Cubitjie Quap, I realised we no longer had company.

I am sure you know that feeling. What have they seen? How did we miss whatever they have seen, and should we go back!!!!!!

OK so I reversed.


They were frantically flashing their lights because of these guys.


Three cheetah which had been on the side of the road, and of which we got only a parting glimpse.



(a proof pic of note!!)


Further along the way, we saw this chap





Besides these gemsbok we saw at Bedinkt, the rest of the trip up to Polentswa proved to be pretty quite.





We returned to camp to get some domestic chores done before we took an evening drive to Maries and back.

Marie's was quite again, and for the first time in as far back I can remember, didn't deliver for us. That is the Kgalagadi for you. Expect the unexpected.

This Lanner did provide a bit of compensation however...




On the way back Debs spotted her favourite bird, this time at the waterhole.





Needless to say, I had to park the bakkie and by the time I got to the hide, the gymnogene was gone!



We spent our last evening in Nossob as so many nights before that had been spent.

Braai and Bed

[GavinW]

Day 8: March 12 The smaller things amuse us:


We generally have a pretty hard time leaving Nossob.
This year was not different, especially as our stay there had been relatively short compared to previous trips, and this was compounded by the fact that the game viewing around the area had been pretty sparse.

Being creatures of habit, we woke early and set off around Marie’s one last time before returning to Nossob to break down the camp and head off for the other side.

Again Marie’s proved to be frustratingly quiet and besides the usual suspects, like these guys who came out in the morning sun.



Nothing much else was around, and we found ourselves back in camp a whole lot earlier than anticipated.


Debs made good use of this time by capturing the locals going about their early morning business.



Ground squirrels are always around to amuse,




But today, so was the resident Pearl Spotted Owlet, hiding behind any twig it could find, and looking quite irritated at all the attention it was getting.



We eventually left Nossob at about 10am and set off on the next leg of our journey.


Kalahari Tented Camp

Along the way we were kept occupied by the smaller things available to see in the Kalahari.

Whydahs and canaries



Steenbokkies



Noisy Korhaans




And stunning roadside flowers on the dune road.



We got to Kamqua at about 2pm and had lunch there.

I was shocked to see that all the Kameeldorn trees in the picnic sight were dead, apparently due to some mistake made by SANParks officials in trying to eradicate a disease from the trees that went wrong



After lunch we continued up towards Mata Mata, not knowing that our whole trip was about to change!

[GavinW]

Thanks everyone

Day 8: March 12 continued

After enjoying a snack and stretching our legs at Kamqua, we headed off to Kalahari Tented Camp.

We heard along the way that there were some lions on a kill just south of Mata Mata right next to the road. Well they were about 20kms south of Mata Mata, just before Craig Lockhart, and by the time we got there, they were pretty much asleep and in any event, there were quite a few cars at the sighting, so we decided in our wisdom to carry on to KTC, unpack, chill and to return later that evening.

It was pretty hot and the lions were not going anywhere.
Neither were these wildebeest. They were quite happy to park off in the shade of a tree.






We got to camp, to find reception deserted and a note on the desk advising us as to which chalet we were in and what to do. So we did it, got unpacked, had a shower and a rest before heading back south.

It was still pretty warm so nothing much was about. By the time we got to the lions, most of the cars had moved on, and we were able to watch the lioness with two sub-adults slowly start to surface.


They had brought down the gemsbok earlier in the morning and the carcass was still pretty much intact.
Here are some pictures taken at the scene.

They really talk for themselves.










This guy didn't have the greatest table manners.





Eventually it was time to head back to camp, where after officially booking we enjoyed a quite braai, whilst looking forward to hopefully returning to the kill in the morning.

[Toko]

Great lion sighting

The pink flower from the previous episode is Wild Sesame Sesamum triphyllum triphyllum

[GavinW]

Day 9: March 13 Lion Ally


We woke early the next day after having had a comfortable night in accommodation with our own bathroom.
We got to the ‘gate’ just before 6.30 and were first out on the road. Being at Kalahari tented camp, you have a lead of about 3kms on those coming down from Mata Mata. Experience has taught us that the Mata Mata crowd speeding south in search of big cats usually catch up with us at about Sitsas.


Today the must have been behaving, because just before Craig Lockhart we spotted this fine gentleman on the side of the road.






The Mata Mata crowd then caught up with us.
The lion crossed the road and moved off down the riverbed towards Craig Lockhart.








By the time we arrived at the waterhole there was relative chaos in the parking area.
Three lions, two males and a female were at the waterhole.

We decided instead to travel the extra kilometre down the road to see what, if anything was left at the gemsbok kill from the previous evening


Well talk about lion ally
The threesome had not moved, and were now enjoying a bit of a rough and tumble





Whilst mother looked on



in-between snacking on a rather raw breakfast.

[GavinW]

More of March 13

After a while we decided to leave the gluttons alone and go back to Craig Lockhart to see the other lions at the waterhole

Ok so they were pretty much plat at this stage, and we don’t seem to have any photos of them, except for those of Blondie, who had now joined the crowd (Not sure why SO was so attracted to him only but anyway)





After that, we decided to continue south, as was our plan, only to be held up again at the kill as the children started to misbehave once again!!



Fighting over scraps, when the main course isn’t finished yet

[GavinW]

Thanks everyone
Remember that Debbie uses a Panasonic FZ150 for her pics, which is really just a bridge camera

[GavinW]

March 13 continued


After watching the lions for a while, we decided to carry on further south to see what else was around. We went down as far as Thirteenth Borehole where we came across some more Rooi Hartebeest





We had a whole lot planned for the rest of the day, so we then returned to camp to sort our lives out and have a bite to eat.

Just after lunch we headed north to Mata Mata to fill up with petrol, recharge camera batteries and to download pics. We did all this whilst enjoying the company of Will and Jubie
A walk to the shop in Namibia was great, as we got to do a little bit of excersise. The shop itself was a bit of an anti-climax and not as impressive as I thought it would be. We did however, buy a really nice pack of Springbok boerewors.

Our evening drive involved going down south as far as Dalkieth, having a sundowner at the waterhole and watching some pretty lazy lions on our way home.

I mean really!!!

[GavinW]

Our 10th day in paradise March 14


Sunrise at Kalahari Tented Camp




tbc