3 Days in Paradise

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The past 3 days (after leaving Kruger on 21 April) were spent relaxing in beautiful St. Lucia on the Elephant Coast (South Africa's NE coast to the layman). Driving from Kruger to St. Lucia was quite the experience--lots and lots of sugarcane fields, people walking, hitching, and selling pineapples, eucalyptus syrup, and avocados (which apparently grow like weeds), cattle, goats and sheep grazing right alongside (and crossing) the roads (another reason not to drive at night), the mainstreets of run-down, mostly black cities with their markets selling anything and everything, and the occasional checkpoint for foot and mouth disease (mainly when we drove through Swaziland). Seeing the differences in their way of life, and the poverty that encompassed it was overwhelming.

We arrived in St. Lucia (part of the Greater St. Lucia Wetlands--a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in mid-afternoon, and after getting oriented with the town (of about 800 residents) we decided to have a sundowner and dinner at a restaurant with a nice view of the estuary.

One thing I failed to mention about St. Lucia is that it is known quite well for its numerous hippo population. Our receptionist, when asked if the town was safe to walk around at night, only answered..."yeah, just watch out for the hippos." Sure enough, once the daylight was spent, whilst eating dinner our first night in St. Lucia, out pops a hippo, eating the grass of the very restaurant at which we were eating at.

The next day (22 April) we drove 30 minutes north to Cape Vidal (an even more remote beach with more beauty). On our way we saw 4 white rhinos who were on the small remote road, not letting any cars pass. The car in front of us kept trying to slowly creep by, but the rhinos would turn and move towards the car. After 20+ minutes, and 20+ well-placed softball sized deuces, we were able to circumnavigate them and arrive at our destination (Cape Vidal, if anyone forgot). The day was spent body-surfing, walking the beach and dunes, and watching the fishing boats beach themselves in order to be collected by their owner's vehicles (like the Dories do at Pacific City, OR).

The next morning (23 April) we awoke early and were picked up by Mons, a local game fishing guide, who took us out deep sea fishing on the Indian Ocean. It was a very beautiful day. My stomach was a little queasy off and on, but as I kept my eyes on shore, it seemed to subside. Although we didn't land any fish that day, we had more than enough excitement. Our targeted fish was King Mackerel, however, whenever we hooked one, we weren't able to reel it in fast enough before a shark (more than likely a Bull Shark) got it. On one occassion, Pops and I fought a Bull Shark for about 30 minutes, slowly making ground, before he broke the line. We were able to reel in the middle chunk of a 30lb King Mackerel (the only part not eaten by the shark). We all had a wonderful time. It was also great to listen to Mons (a white South African) and his take on his country.

St. Lucia was a wonderful place, and all of us were glad to have chosen the town and to have been blessed by wonderful weather and wonderful hosts (Mons the fishing guide and Kian, the owner of Hornbill House and Pops' new boyfriend). Kian, the local biologist/ecologist/zoologist, also ran a local tour company. He also provided us a great perspective on South Africa as a struggling country with a very unpredictable future.

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Photos

Crossing into Swaziland
...probably won't ever be in Swaziland ever again

Beautiful Day on the ocean
...Pops was trying to reel in a Bull Shark while our guide, Mons, was taking this picture

Rhinos
...these were two of the rhinos who wouldn't let anyone pass to Cape Vidal

Fishing with Mons
...Deep sea fishing in the Indian Ocean off of St. Lucia

St. Lucia beach
...Mmmmonkey man and daughter

St. Lucia beach...again
...minus Monkey man and his daughter