Making the Most of Tsitsikamma

7 April 2012

Today happens to be Luke and my anniversary, not that we remembered at the time. Two months shy of five years. Not a relationship length one usually hears from two twenty year olds. This is beside the point however, so let’s get back to the day’s events.

Remember the buckets of rain we had been promised the day before? Well it arrived; although we were lucky enough to get it in fits and starts throughout the day rather than a torrential downpour. There’s nothing worse than rain and winter cold when you’re camping.

Despite being harried by the rain gods, we made the most of our last day in Nature’s Valley by starting it off with an early morning jaunt up the Tsitsikamma beach head which gave us an expansive view of the harmony existing between ocean, beach, river and forest-hidden mountains. According to Petro, when she and Andrew reached the beach head summit on another camping trip they were lucky enough to witness a pod of dolphins leaping through the ocean waters below them.

Leaving James back at camp, the family headed to Storms River Mouth Suspension Bridge. The walk to the Bridge is not especially strenuous, and is pleasantly set along wooden trails raised above the forest floor and overlooking the ocean to the one side. We managed to catch Storms River Mouth at its most exhilarating mood, with high tide pummeling the rocky shores, dragging the grating roaring rocks back into the ocean with each receding wave. The view from the lookout point was worthy of the Queen herself, if she could manage the steep climb up the hill. The other activities offered at this favored tourist attraction include canoeing up Storm’s River itself, diving, and partaking of the restaurant cuisine whilst overlooking the sea. There were also a few relaxed dassies sunning themselves on table tops when we tramped past. All in all, something to be recommended if you have an urge to stretch your legs, see some natural beauty, and have the good fortune of a little sunshine.

Back at camp we made use of the canoes provided by the site to paddle along the Groot River towards the beach (well, Luke did the paddling on my part because there was a shortage of paddles - I swear that's the real the reason). Once there we discovered that once you jumped off your little boat and waded out to the middle of the river,putting up your feet meant that the incoming tide would push you at high speed back along the river - just like a water ride at a theme park. I had to resist the urge to shout: "Weeeeeeee" every time the current washed me past Andy and Petro, who were waiting patiently on the beach for our fun to run its course. They had to wait quite a while. A great end to the day, I thought.