EHRA - Basecamp

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We arrived at basecamp in the late afternoon after turning off the main road onto a small track, the minibus could not drive all the way into basecamp as the ground is too sandy, so we jumped out and walked around a corner into camp. The camp is at the foot of the Brandenberg mountain range, on the edge of a dried river bed called the Ugab River, it is surrounded by high rocky outcrops, and the area is stunning. We were met by Mattheus who advised that there was a herd of elephants very close by and not to make any loud gestures or noises, as we rounded the cornerwe saw them a couple of hundred metres further down the riverbed and they were slowly moving our way, Neil told us to dump our bags and to go into a protected walled area with a plateform for us to stand on to see over, and keep very still and quiet. Near the wall is a water trough, and the elephants came up to drink, they were only a few metres away, and are called The Ugab Small Herd; a massive male, a few females and a 6 month old baby, it was amazing and by the time the herd moved off up the river bed, we were all buzzing.
Each 24 hours 2 people are responsible for lighting a fire, cooking for everyone and washing up, Sue and Clair who had been on the previous rotation got started on cooking dinner, while the rest of us found a sleeping spot. EHRA supply a bed roll which is a large canvas with a thin mattress, on top of which you put your own sleeping bag, each morning it can be just rolled up. There is a selection of sleeping plateforms in a large tree, or you can sleep under the plateform on the sandy ground, I chose the ground as if the elephants returned, I would have a much closer encounter. The base camp has a firepit which everyone sits around at night, a kitchen area with running water, a dinning area, 2 toilets, 2 shower, all of which are outside and open to the elements, but very well organised. In addition; there is a stone storage building, Neil's office attached to the walled area (also built of stone), and a workshop area. The water is heated by solar, and there is a generator which is put on for a couple of hours a day.
Neil also gave us a safety briefing about keeping everything clean, drinking plenty of water, what to do if we are ill, etc, etc the part I enjoyed most was what to do if we are charged by a elephant, lepoard etc, stung by a scorpion, biten by a snake, etc, etc.
By the end of the briefing it was nearly dark and dinner was nearly ready when Neil suddenly told everyone to quickly get into the walled area, the elephants had returned, and they walked straight through camp. we could see them just outside the wall, and hear them breaking branches off nearby trees, after about an hour they moved away. That evening we had a very late dinner, but no one was complaining.
Next morning, we packed up the 4x4, the minibus, and 2 trailers, we had to take everything with us including tools, food, drinking water, cement, bedding, a small bag of personal belongings etc., and headed out to start our build week.

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Photos

EHRA - Base camp
Sleeping plateforms

EHRA - Base camp
Kitchen

Base camp
In the safety of the wall

Base camp
Sitting around the fire

Comments

[Jenny]

Wow
Hey you how fantastic, I could feel them from here! wow xx