Sodwana Bay

We had a great nights sleep last night due to the fact we both took our American sleeping pills because they are full of antihistamine and we both had really itchy bites.
Our plans for today were to let Pete do some emailing of clients this morning while Ellie and I caught up on things at home and then later this afternoon we would go kayaking. Unfortunately the day didn’t run like that because from the moment we got up there was no phone signal or internet and to top it off it was windy, so no kayaking.
Pete was running around frantically by 10am trying to get a phone signal upstairs and downstairs but it was patchy at best and at 11am he said he needed tobacco so would we like a drive to Sodwana Bay and have a look at the beach and of course we obliged.
We took Karin down the sandy roads, through the river and then into town picking up a young girl hitchhiker on the way and dropping her off at the same shop we went to.
The first shop didn’t have what Pete wanted so we went to a second which did have it and then we carried on out of town and down a beautiful country road towards the beach.
We passed hundreds of little stalls at the side of the road selling intricate wooden carvings and hand made baskets and mats then we came to a small security post just before the beach.
The security post was to check the car for alcohol as no alcohol is allowed on the beach and also if we didn’t have the rhino card it would have cost R175 for the car and an extra R75 each. Pete said the place used to be packed this time of the year but since they have started charging it is a lot quieter and now only the people with boats go because you can drive on the beach.
Our first stop was the supermarket at the very end of the road, where we stocked up on the essentials of coffee and bread and a few vegetables then it was back in Karin and back the way we came towards the beach.
On the road halfway back we spotted a bright green snake heading towards the wooded area, it was about 1.5 meters long and exactly the same colour as grass on a summers day. It was a green mamba, very dangerous and if it was in the grass or on a tree you would never spot it.
We parked Karin up in the sandy car park and then walked over the sand dunes to the beach. It was a crazy sight of about 30 4x4 all parked up in a row just above the high water mark and various ribbed boats either on the water or sitting at the waters edge with a big tractor and trailer up the other end waiting for the business of either launching or recovery.
We turned right as Pete said there was a waterside restaurant and to get to it we had to wade knee dip in the fresh water river that was running out of the national park and into the sea.
The restaurant was a nice little place that was fairly quiet for a lunchtime and we found a table and ordered orange juice for everyone and some food as we’d all skipped breakfast.
Then it was back to Karin and back home where Pete finally had a signal and could finish his work while Ellie and I chilled in our room for an hour.Read more