Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

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flying cheetah
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Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by flying cheetah »

Last week I was asked if I would like to participate in the flavour of the month and I must confess that I havn't known this topic until now. It took me a while to make a decide which road I should choose as I have 3-4 favourite roads but the road that gave me the most outstanding sightings over the years is for sure the S65. I don't know how often I drove this road during the last 5 years but I guess it's more than 30 times and very often I found it very quiet. Also last year I didn't see anything special at all but the year before was unberlievable O/\
I have to do some research on the net before I can give you some more facts about this road but the month has only started and I will finf the time to do this sooner or later.

What I will never forget is thatI saw my very first LIT on thís road on the 7th of Nov 2009. It wasn't a very good sighting as I couldn't even see the head of the cat. Until this day I was very bad with leopards but then the spell was broken and I saw my second one 1o minutes later O\/ O\/ Whenever I drive this road I look at this tree again but never saw another leopard in it. The amazing thing was a herd of Kudus near the tree who could obviously smell that there was a predtor nearby but they didn't know where or what it was :-? -O-

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That was just the starter and I can promise to show you much better pics taken on this road during te next weeks O**


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flying cheetah
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Re: Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by flying cheetah »

The road starts (or ends..) around 15 km's west of Skukuza from the S1 and goes southward until you get into the H1-1 :-)


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Flutterby
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Re: Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by Flutterby »

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What Nigel Dennis says about the S65 in "Where to watch game in the Kruger National Park":
It is sometimes worthwhile to leave the S1 briefly to investigate the S65. This road rarely carries much traffic, although in recent years it has become known as a prime area for leopard. Also on the S65 is the N'waswitshaka water hole. The natural-looking pan is very close to the road, and is ideally situated for afternoon photography.


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Richprins
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Re: Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by Richprins »

Google Earth


Northern part:


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Southern part:



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Last edited by Richprins on Sat Feb 07, 2015 5:53 pm, edited 5 times in total.


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Richprins
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Re: Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by Richprins »

Nice one, fc! I have some pics! \O

It's often known as the "N'washwitshaka Road"..in fact don't know who came up with the "Waterhole Road" idea...but those roadsigns are very old?! :-?


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mposthumus
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Re: Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by mposthumus »

Good choice fc \O

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flying cheetah
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Re: Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by flying cheetah »

Thank you all for your replies and further informations about this road \O
I drove this road many times already but until now this was the only leopard that I saw. Lets see what happens during my next visit :-)

The next pic shows te road in the early afternoon and if you look at it you wouldn't expect to see anything soon. It seems to be a bit quiet and deserted..

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...and then, just around the corner, a family of 5 Ground Hornbills walked towards me in the middle of the road. Usually they leave the road whe a car comes too close but I stopped 20-30 meters in front of them and then they slowly passed me with 1-2 meters distance. All their movements were very graceful and it was a fantastic sighting for me. Until today I never saw these birds so close again O/\ O\/

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nan
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Re: Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by nan »

me too, I had a great Leopard sighting O/\
a young one, I was alone, but it was not really comfortable, so I did not stay too long time ;-)
13.3.2011

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mposthumus
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Re: Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by mposthumus »

Flutterby wrote:Isn't this the same road where the recent ellie drama unfolded?
Yes Flutts it is O**

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nan
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Re: Flavour of the Month: February 2014 S65 Waterhole Road

Post by nan »

nice little Mongoose... Darf Mongoose :-?

thank you for posting the rocks 0/0
I was not realy sure for this one
1.5.2011

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