Brown's in Kruger August 2010 *

[Bushcraft]

Sunset Dam produced this elephant, but unfortunately we just missed his swim in the dam.



A few km further we found this lone lioness relaxing in the sun. A large crowd had gathered and we were already crowded out from earlier, so took a quick picture and moved on.



Next was 2 rhino laying head to toe. They were bright enough to get out of the sun



We took the tar section pasted the causeway and found this herd of kudu having a drink, but what was amazing is that the one chap spent the entire time rubbing his head in the mud. Does anyone understand this behavior, or was his head just itchy?




The rest of the drive to Nkuhlu was fairly quiet, but it was close to 2pm and it was boiling hot, so to be expected.

I was shocked at how quiet Nkuhlu was; the heat must have chased everyone back to camp. The kids were shrieking for their food by now, so half a packet of fire light later the boerewors was on the braai, but looking at the small piece of wors on the fire, I thought “what is the rest of the family going to eat”



We allowed the kids a little more freedom to explore, as it was so quiet, but had to still watch them fairly carefully, because the local baboon raiders arrive quickly when the car park starts to empty. The Cow managed to get them to sit still for long enough to take a photo.



I decided to take a stroll around the place and found this lone buffalo trying to keep cool right in front of us.



During lunch, Hawk Eyes decided she would like to choose the route home, but only after they had had their ice cream. After lunch my eyes were starting to close and I had 2 beers at our boerewors braai, so my motivation was at an all time high, therefore agreed to let the kids choose the drive back to Croc Bridge. Supernova had also sent us an SMS saying that things were very quiet down south, which fueled my motivation even more.

On the way, bird hour started, much to The Cows delight, but I was taking strain as those adrenalin charged sightings are more my cup of tea.







The rest of the drive was rather quiet, until we got to Sunset dam and these warthog ran across the road. Two members of the peanut gallery in the back seat shouted “Look at Bushpig go”, this was obliviously a dig at their wild sister, who seemed rather proud of the comments and proceeded to say “I will fart on you”, which shut the sisters up.



Hawkeyes decided she would like to do the S28, but was open to suggestions about the route options. A few minutes into the drive we had a massive buffalo crossing. It must have taken more than 20 minutes for the herd to cross the road, which in this heat, tested my patience, but what we did notice is that there were quite a few collared ones. The peanut gallery in the back seat was also feeling the heat and started on their oldest sister "Your route sucks, we are stuck in a herd of cows”, but fortunately a buffalo came past with a hitchhiker on his back, which gave everyone a laugh and defused the situation.



We decided to stop at Ntandanyathi Hide. At the turn off to the hide, we found a Bateleur and vulture on the ground having a scrap over something, but unfortunately the vulture took off as we stopped and the Bateleur hid behind a log.



There were plenty of baboons around at the hide and no other cars or people, so it was quite a sprint into the hide. All we found was a lone elephant hiding behind some bushes, some giraffe quite far off and this hippo, which was rather stubborn and didn’t want to look at us.



By now we were rather pushed for time and all very tired, so decided to shoot down the S137 and then the S130. The only interesting sighting on the S137 was vulture’s nests; we couldn’t believe how many there were, just about every 2nd tree had a nest in it. The S130 produced all the usual suspects, but generally fairly quiet.

Chantal is very proud of her KNP sunset.



When Supernova and Melly went into Nelspruit the previous day to get their tyre repaired, Melly organized a cheap fishing rod and reel, so Supernova decided to try his hand at fishing in the dam in front of their unit at Ngwenya, while we were still in the park, but bait was the problem, so he decided to use the mini porkies that had spent the day in the car and were a little ripe by now. They worked, because Supernova caught this little chap just before we arrived.



After supper Supernova and I returned to the fishing and the beers, but just as I was getting into it, Chantal started looking at her watch, so I reluctantly loaded the kids in the car and moved off to our unit, but just before I left I put a massive piece of chicken liver, that Melly had purchased in Nelspruit, on Supernova’s hook and threw it in.

Half an hour later my cell phone rang, it was Melly trying to be calm “There’s a snake on our veranda and Supernovas fighting a massive fish and doesn’t know what to do”, so I jumped in my car and shot back down to their unit.

Fortunately the snake was a small house snake.



Supernova’s fish had almost spooled the reel and was now in the reeds on the opposite side of the dam, but on the tackle that we had there was no way of bullying this barbell back to the bank, so after 20 minutes the line snapped, but at least we had some fun.

[Bushcraft]

August 27th Ngwenya to Pretoriuskop

Morning Drive: Crocodile Bridge Gate/H4-2/H4-1/H12/H1-2/H1-1 to Pretoriuskop

We left Ngwenya later this morning and made our way into KNP at about 7am. I think that we were all feeling a little burnt out.
Our first sighting of the day, just as we were crossing the temporary bridge to Crocodile Bridge, was an African Jacana and a Giant Kingfisher. I hope that the construction workers pull finger on the permanent bridge, because it looks like the spring rains may catch them.





Crocodile Bridge paperwork was quick and easy, as the early morning crowds had left already and we were soon on our way again. Our first sighting in the park, besides the usual impala, was this rhino.



Next was a huge herd of elephant. The babies were so cool and Hawkeyes caught them playing ‘follow my leader’, but then they got a bit shy and hid behind mom.





We decided to skip the Lower Sabie stop and headed straight on to Nkuhlu, where we found this awesome little guy at Sunset Dam. We are not sure of the model, but it looked like he had a bad cold and was in desperate need of a tissue. Can’t find a positive ID in our book; the only thing with a similar yellow snot-box is an African Wattled Lapwing.

[Bushcraft]

The drive to Nkuhlu was extremely quiet, but as we stopped our car at Nkuhlu a kind gentleman informed us that the mating lions were still on the H12 and that another male had joined them and he was maybe waiting his turn, so we had a quick loo break and continued on.

Just before the H12 joined the H1-2 we found them.

[Bushcraft]

Now me being me, I got bored watching them lying there, because we had already spent a hour with them yesterday and unless “one-eye” took some male potency tablets over night, nothing was going to happen, so I decided to check out the new visitor who was lying 100m away on the other side of the road. The only problem was that he was fast asleep and wasn’t keen on moving at all. He was the blonde male that Gunner mentioned earlier. Chantal convinced me to go back and check the other two out, so off we moved again.



We managed to get comfortable and sat and sat and sat. I got bored and was about to drive back to the other male, when I got a mouthful and a klap from the Cow, as “one-eye” was up and moving. He had obviously been to a health spa and taken his potency tablets over night.



The peanut gallery in the back seat all started talking at once “daddy, he is doing what the other “husband” did in June when we were here, why?, he is also biting her, daddy he’s hurting her, his bum is moving” and then they all started laughing, but our oldest Hawkeyes was bright red in the face, which makes me think that she may know more than she’s letting on. All Chantal could say was “They are husband and wife”.



A few seconds past and Bushpig asked “daddy do you do that to mommy”, which resulted in me cracking up and Chantal going bright red.

Fortunately “One-eye” got given a tension slap for his efforts, which caused the required distraction and had us all in hysterics.



He then decided to relieve himself or mark his territory, but got his crown jewels stuck on the thorns, which had us all in hysterics again.



He eventually freed his jewels and they both went to sleep again, so we moved on to the 2nd blonde male, but he was still asleep and hadn’t moved since our last visit, so we decided to continue on down the H1-2 towards Skukuza.


A couple of km before the bridge that goes over the Sand River we found a group of cars on the side of the road and the occupants of all the vehicles were pointing towards the river bed. It took us awhile to see what was causing the commotion and then we saw them, 2 male lions walking in the river bed and heading our direction.

These guys were on a mission and travelling at pace towards us. This is when the commotion really started to heat up, because each and every person wants to be in the best position, so cars were cutting each other off and blocking the view of others, etc. Some are so clueless as to what they should be doing that they just stop in the middle of the road and the lions were already 50m past them.

We eventually got into position for Hawkeyes to snap 2 quick shots of the smaller male.





Suddenly a herd of impala appeared in the bush just off the road right in the path of the oncoming lions, so we thought “It’s got to happen”. The impala picked up on the lions scent and started snorting and strutting around, but the lions had disappeared.

We wasted another 15 minutes looking at the impala waiting for the lion attack to come, but the impala had relaxed and were grazing again, so we continued on.

Just around the corner 2 tour operators had stopped on the side of the road. I saw a Guinea fowl sitting right at the top of a tree next to them, so I said “tourists” and continued on. A few seconds later the walkie talkie went, it was Supernova, he had asked them about the Guinea fowl and they said “We are looking for the 2 leopard that just crossed the road in front of us, that’s why the fowl is in the tree”. If we had left the impala 2 minutes earlier the leopards would have crossed in front of us, but that’s KNP for you.

We found this croc sun tanning next to the bridge over the Sand River.



We stopped at the Skukuza Deli again for a light breakfast and a rhino and buffalo were grazing in front of the viewing deck. Chantal, Melly and the kids just needed to see a lion from the deck and they would have the big 5 from Skukuza deck.





The next stop was Mathekenyane for family pictures. The Cow was behind the camera. The depressing thing was that in all directions, as far as one could see, the area was burnt, hence no animals.



Next stop was Transport Dam, but this area was also burnt, so we moved on.

Halfway to Pretoriuskop we found this elephant and 2 Ground Hornbill attacking his dung. This caused the peanut gallery to start shrieking again “Gross, yuck, naughty birds”, “daddy why are they eating poo”. I can only assume that they find insects, beetles, etc in the dung?





Next stop was Shitlhave Dam and we found a few waterbuck hanging out on the dam wall, but not much else was happening, so we continued on to Pretoriuskop.

[Bushcraft]

Pretoriuskop

Supernova and Melly had been to Pretoriuskop before, but it was all new territory for us. The first thing that we noticed was that there were more impala in the camp then what we had seen on the entire road to camp.



My clan had run out of clothes, so Chantal was off to the laundry, Melly was busy “farming”, so Supernova and I decided to take the girls swimming. The water was freezing, but the girls had a blast. This is probably the coolest pool in KNP.





As Chantal wasn’t there, the girls insisted that we take this picture for her.



When Supernova, the kids and I arrived back at the unit, Melly was waging a war against the monkeys, who were raiding our guest house, which resulted in Supernova and I joining in on the battle, but these guys had multiple battalions, so we were out foxed most of time and eventually gave up. The poor campers behind us were having a nightmare trying to protect their food.

Afternoon Drive – S7, S10, S3, S20, H2-2 and S14

The first thing that we noticed was how long the grass was in this area and it makes game viewing very difficult. We had patches of grass jungle and then sections of burnt veld, but no animals. We didn’t see much on the drive to Mestel dam and the only interesting thing there was that we hadn’t seen the dam before.



At the intersection of the H2-2 and S14 we found Jock’s memorial plaque, which had the girls all asking questions about him. We’re going to have to get the movie for them to watch.



We then proceeded on to his birth place and found a red-crested korhaan and these rhino.





Time was running out, so we shot back up to the S14 and decided to drive the section of the loop that we hadn’t driven yet. 10 minutes later we came across 2 cars looking down over a burnt section of bush. At first I thought that they were just looking at the buffalo in the distance, and then the walkie talkie went, Supernova had found out that a leopard was following/stalking the buffalo.

We sat and watched, took pictures in the fading light of potential leopard shapes, etc, but eventually gave up and headed back to camp. We had missed it by 1 minute again!!!

I initially thought that there’s no way a leopard would stalk/follow buffalo, but I have since read that male leopards always follow buffalo and it seems to be an ego thing with them. The entire goal is to catch and kill a smaller buffalo. (Getaway mag)

Later, around the fire we unanimously agreed that this area of the park, although beautiful, wasn’t for us.

[Bushcraft]

August 28th Pretoriuskop to Lower Sabie

Morning Drive: H1-1/H1-2/H12/H4-1 to Lower Sabie

It took longer than normal to pack up this morning; I think that the continuous early morning ritual was starting to catch up.

We were on the road by 6:30 and unfortunately the first animal that we found was this elephant halfway to Skukuza and I’m sure that it’s the same lost guy from the day before, but he had no Hornbills in attendance today.



It was very quiet all the way to Skukuza and even our leopard loop was battling this morning, although we did find a few bushbuck, but the 2 rams ran off before we could take a picture, fortunately the less nervous female stayed long enough for a picture.



Next up was one for the Cow a Blacksmith Lapwing



The H1-2 had produced a few lions previously, so that was the chosen route to Lower Sabie, but all we found was 2 Bateleur in a tree and a group of RP’s friends having a relaxing morning in the sun.





The road to Lower was also very quiet and I was a little despondent by the time we arrived. It was just after 9, we were already in Lower Sabie, and we could only book in at 2pm, so an alternative plan had to be made. Mlondozi’s name popped up in the car park and that became the new plan.

I took a trip to the sighting board, Chantal and the kids went to do some shopping and Supernova went to hide their trailer at their future unit.

I was aimlessly looking at the sighting board when a lady arrived and hysterically started telling a story of lions 5km down the road that had killed a buffalo, which obviously lit a rocket under my bum and I was in the shop a few seconds later chasing my clan to the car. After a quick call to Supernova to share the information we were on our way.

We arrived at the telltale traffic jam and immediately it was noticeable that the cars were spread over about 100m, which was confusing to say the least. A few minutes later we realized that the entire clan of cars was as confused as us, so after 10 minutes I gave up, pulled off on the side of the road and waited until someone could shed more information on what we were all meant to be looking at.

A few minutes later the walkie talkie went, Supernova and Melly had found what was causing the commotion, lions on a buffalo, but so far away they looked like flees on an elephants bum and without binoculars you were wasting your time. I didn’t even try and take a photo, but here’s Supernova’s picture of the sightings, but you may need binoculars to see it.





I rapidly lost interest and wanted to go back to Lower Sabie and strangle the lady at the sighting board for causing our frantic panic, but I suppose it was still lions on a kill.

I informed Supernova that the S82 had a lion spot on it at the sighting board, so we decided to travel down to it and drive back to Lower Sabie that way and complete the shopping which I had cut short.

A few minutes later we came across a herd of elephant and the 1 looked a little weird. I said “look at that strange elephant, it may be a tusker”, Chantal’s response was “It’s just eating a branch”, so I took her word for it and moved on, but Supernova and Melly looked a little more carefully and fortunately took a few pictures.






It was Makungwe, an emerging tusker. The only Cow, besides Chantal, that seems to have this status. Aat has updated her profile on his site, but Supernova took the photo not me. I think that we have 3 confirmed tuskers now and it has become a new mission of ours, which is strange, because 3 months ago we thought “it’s just another elephant”.

http://www.tuskersofafrica.com/tuskersnp/makungwe.htm

A few km into the S82 we found our lion spot, but he was asleep in the bush and very difficult to photograph.

[Bushcraft]

Midday Drive: Lower Sabie/H10/S29/Mlondozi and back

It was only 10:30, so we stocked up on cool drinks and headed up to Mlondozi.

The H10 was very quiet until just before the S29 turnoff where we found this guy in a tree next to the road, sorry I’m not sure of the model and I’m not going to risk an ID with all those knowledgeable birders out there, so please can someone help with an ID.



Mlondozi was packed, which is not really my cup of tea, but where else could we go, so I took a stroll under the boma area and soon realized that if our clan joined the boma crowd that it wouldn’t end well, so after a little scouting we chose the steps leading up to where the old boma used to be.

Melly decided that we all looked a little like a baboon family sun tanning and based on some of the faces in the picture, she was fairly accurate.



After our skottel breakfast we decided to head back to Lower Sabie and try our luck for an early book in.

Just before the H10 Bridge I saw a Bateleur circling and as luck would have it he landed right next to us.





On the H10 Bridge we found the local hippo population sun tanning, a few terrapin and of course the resident kingfisher, but nothing new, so we moved on to Lower Sabie.

Our early book in failed, so we snuck into Lower Sabie camp and relaxed under a tree for an hour. While we were waiting a herd of elephant came down to the Sabie for a drink and a sand bath.





Eventually 2pm arrived and we were off to book in.

Supernova got his keys for the BD3Z (the disabled unit (31) – not that anyone is disabled, but that’s all we could book at the time) and I was told to go to our unit (FU5 (61)) and that our keys would be delivered.

Half an hour later a man on a golf cart arrived, but with no keys and looked confused, but assured us that he would be back shortly with the keys. In the meantime I unpacked the car and piled everything outside the unit, which drew the attention of a cleaner who kindly unlocked the unit and disappeared, which allowed us to move in. The same man on the golf cart drove past again and when I stopped him and asked him about our keys, the response was “I forgot”.

4pm arrived and still no keys, so Chantal went to reception and explained that this was our last night in the park and that this final evening drive was important to us. They then asked us to return to the unit and that the keys would be delivered in 5 minutes, which would allow us to lock up, but 15 minutes later still no keys.

By now I had completely lost my temper and Supernova and Melly were driving around the camp following us, so I decided to do the evening drive and leave the unit open. On the way out Chantal phoned reception and explained that we were leaving on our final evening drive and that they should lock the unit and we would pick the keys up at 6pm at reception, but reception said that they would be closed and we would end up with no keys, which resulted in me insisting on talking to whoever was on the line, but the wife new it would be a bad idea if I got hold of the phone and refused to give it to me, which resulted in us having a massive fight, which had the kids howling, Chantal sulking and me boiling, so the entire drive was ruined.

Nobody in our car was even looking for animals by this stage, so we maybe should have just gone back for an early braai, but we did find a few Hammerkop at Sunset Dam that had hairstyles very similar to ours in the front of the car.



I had picture and no sound in my car for the entire drive and even an elephant following us down the road, which can be seen in this picture taken by Supernova, didn’t break the silence, which must have been very difficult for Chantal and I realized that I must have under estimated the level of offence that I had caused.



When we arrived back at 6pm the unit was still open, but the keys were on the counter, fortunately nothing was missing.

The one bonus was that the Springbok rugby team won their first Tri-Nations game.

We said our family goodbyes that evening, because we had a long drive back to Amanzimtoti, so intended to leave at 6, but Supernova and Melly were going to get up a little later and exit out of one of the top gates via Skukuza.

[Bushcraft]

August 29th Lower Sabie to Home

We were on the road at 6 and within 5 minutes the front car heading down to Crocodile Bridge. There was still picture and no sound in my car, so I had tunnel vision and was only concentrating on getting home, but just as we arrived at the S28 turn off, a hyena ran out of the dirt road and onto the tar. He had a fresh bite wound on his neck and it was still bleeding while he was running. Sorry about the quality, but it was still very dark.



I tried to reverse and follow him, but he just ran off.

I have to admit that I was seriously tempted to go down the S28 and see if I could find what had bitten the hyena, but eventually just closed my eyes as we drove past and continued on the tar.

Just before the Gomondwane water hole Chantal screeched “le… le… leopard”, she still hadn’t spoken since our scrap at Lower Sabie and I think that she was battling to get the words out. I immediately put the car in reverse and shouted “In a tree, on the ground, close, far”, but Chantal was still battling with her words and was just frantically waving her hands, but eventually said “Stop, before you drive over it!!!!” As those words came out I looked in the side mirror on her side and saw the leopard lying curled up in a ball right next to the road, but unfortunately I slowed too late and the little leopard got a fright and took off into the bush. Chantal managed to capture it all on video, but I was sulking now, because I had no pictures.

As luck would have it a few seconds later the curious leopard came back out the bush right next to us and checked us out.





She looked around a little and then crossed the road behind us.

A few seconds later came back out the bush and posed for a few more pictures on my side of the car.





10 minutes later a second car arrived and pulled up next to us, Chantal whispered “leopard”, which caused the new arrival to completely loose the plot. He was reversing, and then going forward, waving his hands, etc. Eventually Chantal told him to calm down and pull up next to us so that we could point her out, but the leopard was up and moving again, so I ignored our faulty new arrival and started moving forward with the leopard.

Suddenly she stopped and started checking out a few impala 30m in front of her. My teeth were rattling with excitement again and I thought “It’s got to happen this time”



A few seconds later the idiot new arrival bumped his hooter, which caused the impala to run off and the leopard to lie down. I was about to blow another head gasket, when the leopard decided to get up and move again and hence we followed.

Just ahead I saw a large warthog and the leopard, surprisingly seemed interested and started stalking. My teeth started chattering again.

In the photo below, if you look carefully, you will see the leopard in the middle of the picture to the far right behind the log and the warthog on the far left.



The leopard eventually realized that this warthog was more than a challenge and decided to retreat, which resulted in the warthog seeing her for the first time. This caused him to strut around and put on his best Rambo impression, which had us all laughing.

The leopard stopped a few times and looked back at us, but eventually she was out of sight.

There’s nothing like a leopard to get a husband and wife talking again.

We found a few more locals on the way to Croc Bridge, but I felt that the leopard sighting was the best way for me personally to end our trip.





Supernova and Melly also had a few sightings on their way out, no predators, but an awesome sighting of a baby zebra and a new giraffe trying to walk, I don’t have those pictures, so Supernova will need to post them.

The August trips are always special for us as they mark the cancer remission years for Hawkeyes and this year’s trip marked 3 years leukemia free.

Thanks to everyone that took the time to read our adventure
Hayden, Chantal, Supernova, Melly and kids.