Elim Beach Part 3

It is our third day camping here and we are totally relaxed and enjoying the sea change. After breakfast we would sit outside under the shade of the awning, reading, talking and watching the waves recede with the outgoing tide.

High tide is about 6.30am, and after breakfast, when the sandy beach is exposed, it is the best time to take a walk along the sand.
We walked along the beach, for about an hour and then out to the exposed sandbar and then back to camp. There are a lot of freshwater springs seeping out of the sand dunes all along the beach, and we had a refreshing drink while doing the long walk.
While walking, we noticed several corrugated iron drum/circles in the water at various locations. On closer inspection we realized that when the tide is out, fresh water pours out of the drums from an underwater aquafer flushing out the saltwater Ivan said that the drums are put over a freshwater spring, allowing the locals fresh drinking water. It is amazing to see and taste because there is no trace of salt in the water.

Theo enjoyed sitting on the beach by the incoming tide at sunset, with fishing line in one hand and beer in the other, but only caught one small fish. Other campers around us tried to catch mud crabs in the mangroves or waded out to the sand bar to fish but had little or no luck.

After dinner, we would sit outside and look up at the amazing sky full of stars, counting the satellites and shooting stars before coming in to shower off the salt and sand which sticks to your skin, along with the humidity making everything feel damp and sticky.

Temperature during the day is 28-30 degrees and very humid, and drops down to about 24 degrees at night, which is quite warm for sleeping.

One great thing here is that there are no flies, bugs, no sandflies, or insects to make life unpleasant. This may change at different times of the year. We did get one or two bites but nothing to worry about.

We have had a lovely time here, prime beach campsite, lovely neighbours for 2 of our nights here. After Jess and Mika left, another caravan moved in within 3 minutes of them leaving and they shut themselves off in the corner with their privacy screens and did not acknowledge our greetings and just turned their backs on us. Guess some people just want to be alone!

We are leaving here tomorrow morning. We plan to go back to the Station for a couple of days but may stop somewhere in between if we see somewhere nice to camp.

We have really the enjoyed swapping dust and dirt for sand and sea.Read more