I HATE SPIDERS

We encountered some huge spiders on our safari. The region we hunted for bushbuck had what I thought was a really cool looking one. I called it the Steelers spider but the real name is Golden Orb Spider. To me it seemed massive as far as spiders go. It sported a sleak shiny black body and legs with bright gold markings. When hunting the river bottoms in the evenings, we drove down some very over grown narrow roads with thick brush just teaming with spiders and their webs. Stretched across the roads were hundreds, maybe thousands of strands of webbing. In the right lighting, it looked like a kids fishing trip gone really bad, as the thick tangled web strands danced in the sun. During daylight hours the web strands were a pain. But, at least you could dodge or move most of them. Near dusk and after dark they took on an entirely new type of creepiness. As you drove along  the spider webs would constantly hit your face and arms. It drove me nuts but that is the price you have to pay to hunt bushbuck and nyala. Huge spiders make some pretty darn strong webs too. Frikkie commmented, "With three strands I think you could bind a guy." Thank god my wife decided to ride up front with Marco in the safari truck instead of in back on this hunt. She would have flipped out with her well known love of spiders...LOL!

GO STEELERS!

FOR THE BIRDS

 

LILLAC-BREASTED ROLLER
When most people think of Africa, images of the great cats, elephant, rhino, crocs, hippo and other animals come to mind. More often people think of great migrations and wild creatures than they think of birds. Africa is a true bird lovers paradise. You will find birds of every size, shape, and color... from the Grey-Lourie that has blown many hunts with its GO AWAY call, to the ugly looking and goofy sounding flightless Southern Ground Bill, from stunning to odd, and everything in between, Kruger Park is home to 238 species of wild, wonderful, and exotic birds.

KORI BUSTARD



SWAINSON'S FRANCOLIN






AFRICAN HOOPOE



WHITECROWNED LAPWING

MARTIAL EAGLE





AFRICAN FISH EAGLE


SOUTHERN YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILL





SOUTHERN GROUND HORNBILL...PICKING IN ELEPHANT DUNG

More African bird photos:
http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=43537

 

IT'S RAINING SAUSAGES

At the small parking area behind our chalet at Crocodile Bridge in Kruger Park was a sign reading "WARNING, Please beware of falling sausage fruit." We started to chuckle as that is just something you don't see every day. Frikkie said to be careful because getting cracked on top of the head with heavy rockhard sausage fruit falling out of the trees above could really hurt you. As soon as I stepped around the front of the chalet I could see what he meant. There beside our chalet hung dozens of what looked like fuzzy salami sticks. Not long after we settled in, I was outside talking with Xanthe when I heard a loud thud. It reminded me of the time I was fox hunting at night with my friend Dave. We turned on the call and a medium sized bear jumped out of the huge oak tree we were sitting under. The sound was like a bowling ball falling out of the sky. This time the thud had come from a sausage fruit crashing to the ground. Little Frikkie and I decided to try and open one. After some considerable effort we finally broke it in half. I would say it looked sort of like a zucchini packed full of fiberous strings.   

SAUSAGE FRUIT

NOTHING BUT BLUE SKYS

SCANNING THE BUSH FOR GAME

The South African sky has a bright blue cast that fascinates the eyes. Deep in the bush you are far away from pollution, both light and air. The clear air in the Kalahari and Kruger Park lets you see the true richness of the blue sky without any haze. The cooler more moist air of the mountains between these two regions can be hazy and even foggy at times. At night the lack of light pollution enables you see to thousands of more stars in the sky than you can see in the states. All the tiny stars that are not bright enough to shine through the American light pollution just pop out and come alive in the deep black African night. There are few things  in life that are more relaxing than sitting around a fire after dinner with a drink in hand and just looking up into the stars. One evening just after dusk, Di and I watched a distant thunderstorm approach across the Kalahari for at least an hour. The tops of clouds were a deep purple and the lightning danced across the sky. At times the entire horizon would come to life. It was better than any fireworks show. A sky this clear and amazing can only been seen in places that are still truly wild.

CLOUDS BUILDING OVER A RIVER IN KRUGER

THE BUSH





SUN JUST STARTING TO GO DOWN IN KRUGER



SUN SET ON THE AFRICAN PLAINS


                                                                         

THE CLOWNS OF THE BUSH

HITCHING A RIDE

On an early morning drive in Kruger we came upon a troop of baboons. The infants clung tightly to their mothers. A group of young baboons played a comical game of king of the mountain on a rock pillar. They would pull tails and shove each other of their perch. All was going well until a young male decided to beat up on the youngsters. The dominate male in the troop would have none of it. He made his way over and put the young male back in his place quickly. An unattended vehicle with the windows down is an easy target for the local baboons. They will simply hop through the window and take everything they can grab, including cameras, purses, and coolers, looking for food.

KINGS OF THE MOUNTAIN

THE FIGHTER

PILGRIM'S REST



 Garage/Gas Station

While on our scenic drive through the mountains we stopped at a South African National Monument known as Pilgrim's Rest. It is like stepping back in time. An entire town is dedicated to life in the early gold rush days of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Vendors were selling all types of nuts and crafts. The streets are lined with shops, museums, restaurants, and a beautiful hotel. We enjoyed strolling through the town, picking up some souvenirs, grabbing a bite to eat, and learning a little about the gold rush days.

General Store

Royal Hotel

Hotel Lobby



Cold Castle Beer...YUM!

Visit Pilgrim's Rest:
http://www.pilgrims-rest.co.za/



MAC MAC FALLS

\

On our way back from Kruger Park to Jo-burg, Frikkie took us on a high mountain ride on the stunningly scenic Panorama Route in Mpumalanga's Sabie area. Mac Mac Falls is one of a cluster of lovely waterfalls in the region. The twin falls plunge dramatically 70 meters into the narrow gorge below.
According to South African Tourism, "Although the Mac Mac Falls are named for Scottish miners who sought their fortune by panning for gold here during the heady days of the 1870's gold rush, they themselves did not come up with the name. Apparently President Thomas Burger was visiting the area in 1873 and was struck by how many of the miners' names began with 'Mac'. On the spot, he named the area Mac Mac-a name that has survived to this day." At the parking area several locals were selling crafts and artwork. We picked up a wooden carving of a kudu bull and a pair of giraffe carved from stone for just 140 Rand which is about $20 U.S. It was just a short walk down the trail to a photo platform over looking the thundering falls below. Sadly on this day, it was rather hazy so the lighting in my photos is a little flat. The views in this region are stunning though. Around each bend a new and spectacular scenic view awaits.

Wood Carvings

Learn more About Mac Mac Falls:
 http://www.southafrica.net/sat/content/en/cn/full-article?oid=9963&sn=Detail&pid=7014

DON'T GO IN THE WATER

The pool above looks calm and tranquil. It seems like a refreshing  place to take a swim and escape the hot African sun. Just under the surface of this water and almost all water in Kruger Park hides two killers...the  hippoptamus and the crocodile. Water means life in Africa. In rural areas many people live on or near the water. The waterways of Africa provide people with food and a means of travel.  Hippo kill more people in Africa than any other animal. A bull hippo has a giant mouth armed with huge long tusks. He is very aggressive and will defend his territory and his females against all who enter it. Hippos spend the day in water and feed at night on land. More than one fisherman has met a tragic end just by being at the wrong place at the wrong time in the early morning when a hippo was making his way back to the river. Being between a hippo and water is never a good thing. You are in his way and he is not about to turn back or go around.
The croc hides just under the water's surface and waits. When an unfortunate animal or person comes to the water's edge to drink the croc strikes. He will grab his prey and pull it to deeper water where he can drown it.  As we watched the seemingly calm pool above for a short time, both crocs and hippos were seen. If you want to stay alive in Africa the rule of thumb is DON'T GO IN THE WATER! Heck, don't even go near the water!

Look out little birdie!

The beach is now closed.

Look who just popped up


Trouble cruising



Bull with scars on his back from fighting.



 

 

 


DRUNK ON AMARULA

The Amarula tree produces a round yellow fruit. When the fruit hits the ground the sugars can ferment in the african sun. Sometimes when the fruit is very plentiful,  when the fruit falls in huge quantities at a rate faster than the animals can eat it, the bush can turn into a bar full of drunken saliors on a three day shore pass. I have seen videos with baboons and elephants flat out smashed. It was a riot. On our trip to Kruger we drove by the plant where they bottle the sweet rich liquor made from the fruit.  My wife loves this stuff and I am pretty fond of it too. It tastes sort of  like Kahlua with a hint of strawberry. We drank at least two bottles during our stay at Frikkie's ranch. The reason I bring this up is because of the strange creature called the Roan. It is a large hearty antelope with a masked face, short horns that curve back, a thick neck, and goofy looking tuffed ears. Frikkie and I think that the Amarula tree is to blame for the creation of the Roan. The way we see it, a female eland and male gemsbok got smashed on fermented amarula fruit. In their drunken stooper they got a little frisky and thus the Roan was born.

A lone Roan

The gangs all here

THE GRAY GHOST OF AFRICA

Kudu Bull

For me a Kudu bull sports the most impressive headgear of all the big game animals in Africa.  The Kudu is often one of the most desired trophies on a hunters wish list.  The nickname gray ghost comes from the kudu's love of the thick bush and its shy reclusive nature. The kudu is a very challenging trophy. It is amazing how quickly and easily they can disappear into the bush with just a few steps. They are there one second and gone the next. On my first safari I took a nice bull but only after many days of hard hunting. He was what I called a "good" last evening of the hunt bull. Not the giant I had hoped for, but a good representation of the species and still a very nice mount. As so often happens after you have filled your tag, the next morning as we left camp on the way to the airport a monster 60 inch kudu strolled across the road paying no attention to us. I just screamed out the window at him, "Where were you yesterday?"  A trophy bull will have a set of horns with three complete spirals that end in ivory tips. When you stand above a kudu bull and look down the spiral twist of the horn you will see a perfect circle in the middle. This circle can be as small as a broom handle and as large as a grapefruit on an exceptional trophy. The kudu has white bands on the bridge of the nose, thin white stripes on the flanks, and a hairy mane down his neck to his chest. A mature kudu bull is one of the most impressive and stunning creatures in the world. We saw a herd of kudu bulls on a night game spotting drive on Frikkie's ranch. A giant bull ran across the road in front of us on our way to Eric's ranch to hunt gemsbok and springbok. Frikkie stopped so I could see the classic going away look as he faded into the bush. While on a hunt we came upon a bull and cow in thick cover. They stood just long enough to snap a few quick photos then slipped away. The last kudu we saw on this trip was an impressive bull in Kruger at dusk. Just getting to see this many kudu on one safari was enough on its own to make the trip worth it for me.

Two in the bush

Impressive bull

THE LIONS OF KRUGER

My, what big teeth you have

LION...perhaps no other animal on earth puts more fear in the heart of man. Yet, the king of beasts inspires, no demands, awe and respect. There is just something about seeing lions in the wild that makes your heart race with excitement. Our good fortune with the big cats in Kruger Park kept up with the local lion prides. One afternoon we came across a huge black mained male lion relaxing beside the road. You could see his belly was full and his eyes were heavy with sleep. I hoped he had just eaten an impala. Kruger is loaded with them. The Kruger field guide estimates the park has over 26,000 impalas. I swear that we saw every single one.  Traveling through Kruger with a PH who grew up just outside the park was a huge advantage. He knew the park like I know the rolling hills of Jefferson County, PA. Frikkie stopped a park guide one evening. The guide was more than happy to share the location of the pride of lions he had seen earlier. He told us to take the first road to the left and just keeping driving. With our insider information we headed down one of the parks many dirt back roads. About 30 minutes later, we came upon a male lion with a few females resting in a small clearing. They all had bellies full of red meat and were just finishing giving themselves baths. They may act just like my cat Buck back home after a meal, but don't let the cute little kitty appearance fool you. A lion could take you out in one second with one swipe of their paw or one bite from their powerful jaws. Clearly on this evening one of the Kruger park animals had been dinner for this pride. As we watched lions being lions and snapped photo after photo, more females made their way out of the bush into the clearing. As dusk settled the entire pride made their way by us and plopped down on the warm dirt road behind our vehicle. It was humbling to be just feet from creatures with such huge teeth and massive paws each armed with razor-sharp claws. The park has strick rules that states you must be back inside the protective electric fence around your chalet by dark. We needed to get going with 12km to cover and 20 minutes to get their before dark or face a fine. Frikkie decided we could not wait any longer. He turned around and slowly approached the lions who did not seem interested in getting out of our way. As the Toyota inched closer they relucantly started to stand. Frikkie had to sort of force our way through. As we drove by, the pissed off looking female below protested loudly. Frikkie told me to put up my window before she tried to pull me out of the car. As I rolled up the window the male flashed his teeth at us and he was less than 10 feet away. At that moment I could see Frikkie looking in the side mirror. Suddenly he yelled, "You bitch!" The grumpy female had decided to charge the back of the vehicle. Frikkie said he could just see her tail waving like crazy in the mirror as she charged the rear bumper. What a rush! Our incredible adventure just kept getting better. As we made our way back to camp, from the back seat Frikkie's wife Natasha in her sweet soft voice said, "Now I too can say I have survived a lion charge."  Everybody erupted into laughter.



The Bitch



Nice kitty

I'm just so sleepy

What's up?

King of Kruger