A Gecko Getaway – Ebb and Flow, Wilderness – Day 4

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Last night we put our camp chairs into the back of the car just in case it rained and rain it did! We had quite a few downpours during the night but by morning it had all gone away and we awoke to sunny skies.

This morning I was at the showers by half past seven and the Earl and I left camp at half past eight to meet our daughter and granddaughter at the Sedgefield Market. Only I had misread the time on my watch – it doesn’t have numbers – and it was an hour earlier! It was only when we saw the digital time in the car that we realised my mistake! So we did a scenic tour around Wilderness and then wandered around the Wild Oats Market until Lauren and Shannon met us at 9.

The Farmers’ Market at Sedgefield is well worth a visit. It is held every Saturday morning and is popular with locals and tourists alike. 

Wild Oats Market

Opposite the market grounds are a few shops and more craft market stalls and when the kids arrived we went there and found a lovely restaurant where we could sit comfortably, have breakfast and chat. It was lovely to catch up with Shannon as we did not see when we visited for the Christmas holidays as she was in Queenstown with her fiance. She is getting married in March and the whole family will be gathering at St Francis Bay for the Easter Weekend. As you can imagine most of our conversation was about the forthcoming Big Event!

The other side of The Market – Lovely sculptures

The rest of the Gecko gang did their own thing all day today and gathered for a communal braai for the last evening which we missed as we had to leave to attend a function in Struisbaai. Our good friends Cath and Alec kindly left with us to provide support should anything go wrong. We really appreciate their support.

Thanks to all the Gecko Gang for a fantastic getaway. We had such fun and thoroughly enjoyed bonding with everybody at Ebb and Flow.

John Magner as I mentioned before took the opportunity to do a pentad for SABAP2. This project is very important for tracking the movement of birds in South Africa and where they are likely to be found. Many dedicated birders send in their cards to help with this project and we really appreciate their contributions. 

This is the list that John got during our Gecko Camp. I have put an asterisk on the ones I personally saw too.

Laughing Dove,*
White-throated Swallow*
Red-eyed Dove*
Ring-necked Dove*
Knysna Turaco,*
Black-headed Oriole,
Bar-throated Apalis*
Southern Grey-headed Sparrow
Cape White-eye*
White-breasted Cormorant*
Egyptian Goose*
Helmeted Guineafowl*
African Hoopoe*
Sombre Greenbu*l
Southern Boubou*
Fork-tailed Drongo*
Reed Cormorant*
Common Moorhen*
African Fish Eagle
Cape Batis*
Purple Heron
Burchell’s Coucal
Hadada Ibis,*
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Cape Weaver*
African Black Swift
Little Swift
Pied Kingfisher
Red-faced Mousebird*
Barn Swallow*
Lesser Swamp Warbler*
Pied Crow*
Hartlaub’s Gull*
Little Grebe*
Blacksmith Lapwing*
Kelp Gull*
Southern Double-collared Sunbird*
Red-knobbed Coot,*
Malachite Kingfisher*
Western Cattle Egret*
Cape Wagtail*
African Swamphen*
Little Rush Warbler,
Great Crested Grebe*
Domestic Goose*
Giant Kingfisher,
Fiscal Flycatcher*
Black Saw-wing*
Southern Fiscal*
African Sacred Ibis*
Yellow-billed Kite*
Red-winged Starling*
Swee Waxbill
Forest Canary
Cape Bulbul*
Bird List of John Magner

A Gecko Getaway – Ebb and Flow, Wilderness – Day 3

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The day started a little later for me this morning and I only emerged from my Gecko just before 08h00. It was slightly cooler weather and it looked like it might rain. Once again we were all left to spend the day as we chose. John popped by to say that he and Jane would be going into town and then to do some bird trails. I asked him to please fetch me after the shopping and take me with him which he kindly agreed to.

While sitting enjoying the ambiance of our campsite and waiting to bird with John and Jane, I spotted a flash of red wings and leaped for my camera and then ran to the tree where I was sure the bird had landed. This roused the curiosity of the others in our laager and I excitedly pointed out the beautiful green bird. There were in fact three of them and everybody managed to see them.

One gave up his game of hide and seek and posed for his portrait
Kyk daar! Is hy nie mooi nie!
I really don’t know what the fuss is about!

While all this fuss was going on Jane rang to tell me to come to their site but I didn’t hear my phone so she came to fetch me – Thanks Jane – I should have been ready and waiting!

We did three different trails one of which was the Galinule Hide near the Fairy Knowe Hotel. You need to get a key to the hide from the hotel and then do a walk to the hide. It was very quiet and we did not see many birds. The most interesting flying creatures we saw were in fact human beings paragliding over the beautiful holiday homes of The Wilderness.

We then did a kingfisher trail along a boardwalk and only saw a few birds at a distance. Near where John parked the car, however, we saw double-collared sunbirds. (I will post a complete list of birds seen in my final blog tomorrow.) 

A very distant photograph of a Hartlaub’s gull – We also saw kelp gulls and cororants
Southern Double-Collared Sunbird

The last place we stopped was also part of the Garden Route National Park and is next to the Island Holiday Resort. This proved to be a very rewarding spot. The most prominent birds were the red-knobbed coots – hundreds of them. We also saw a malachite kingfisher but my photo is so blurred it is not fit for publication. 

Lots of red-knobbed coots
Reed Cormorant drying his wings
With wings folded and now looking for evidence of fish beneath the surface
A Little Grebe just up from a dive
Cattle Egrets – the one on the right is a juvenile
A Purple Swamphen – a little too far away for a good photograph
A White-throated Swallow taking a break from constantly flying about.
A feral domestic goose! He was hanging with the Egyptian Geese hoping to be adopted, I think.

After enjoying a great day at the Wilderness and surrounds most of us went off for dinner at a few of the local restaurants, all of which offer great food at reasonable prices. We opted for The Girls on the Square and were not disappointed. Earl had Mediterranean Calamari and Alec, Cathy and I settled for Caeser Salad served with a really stunning dressing. Cath and Alec shared a Melba Pudding and Earl and I shared a Creme Brule. We were not disappointed.

Entrance to The Girls
I thought the salt and pepper with their mussel shell spoons were rather cute
And the sculptures of The Three Little Pigs, AKA Warthogs were just too adorable

When we got back to camp we joined the ‘after party’ of people returned from the restaurants or beginning their own braai. The fun does not stop when you’re camping with fellow Gecko Okes!

An informal gathering at Johan’s Gecko

Dankie vir ‘n lekker day, almal. Ons sien uit na meer pret môre

Gecko Getaway – Ebb and Flow, Wilderness. Day 2

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It was a little cooler when we woke up this morning but still a very pleasant day. In fact, we are quite pleased that it is neither too hot nor too cold. By the time I peeked outside my Gecko just after 7 this morning, a handful of others were already drinking coffee and visiting others in the laager. There is such a relaxed, friendly atmosphere here and it is clear that everybody is having a good time.

The laager taken from outside the perimeter looking in.

The Earl and I had a little wander around the campsite before breakfast and I took a few more bird photographs. Of course, the really interesting birds were hiding in the foliage of the trees but at least we got to see them with our eyes even if they scorned the camera!

White-breasted cormorant
Egyptian Goose improving the scenery

John and Jane are also here and they are keen birders too. For many years, John and I served on the Cape Bird Club committee and John still leads many birding outings. While here he is Atlassing for SABAP 2 so is keeping a list which he will give me at the end of the week. I will then post which birds we have seen in my final blog. Today John, Jane, Earl, Nida and I did the Half-collared Kingfisher Trail. Earl and Nida turned back a little earlier but John, Jane, and I continued up until the pont before turning back. It is a very pretty route through the forest but some of it is up and down steep steps and the ground is quite uneven. It was also quite humid as we did it in the middle of the day. It was pretty quiet as far as birds were concerned but we heard bar-throated apalis, sombre bulbul, southern boubou, and Knysna Turaco. We caught sight of the turaco but it refused to look at the camera. The half-collared kingfisher was conspicuous by its absence!

The Touw River from the bridge
Looking across to North Camp from the trail.
We saw some lovely flora – Jane identified this as Wild Hibiscus
We did not cross over on the pont but these hikers allowed me to photograph them doing it,
Canoist patiently waiting
Then off they go
And a paddle ski comes through from the other direction.

Everybody did their own thing today, some chatting at each other’s sites, going for walks or excursions to surrounding places of interest or simply chilling with a book or having a nap. We also took care of our own cooking for the evening but many shared fires and a lot of ‘kuiering’ took place.

Chris maak vuur
Colin kom kuier
Hoe belangrik is vuurmaak en geselskap tussen mansmense
Shirley demonstrates the importance of camp fashion
Baie mooi!

A Gecko Getaway – Ebb and Flow, Wilderness – Day 1

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Today the Gecko Getaway officially began and by around 3 pm all twenty-two caravans had arrived. Several of us have formed a laager where a beautiful wild fig tree provides shade and privacy from the rest of the campsite. The rest of the caravans are scattered around nearby and are in easy reach of the laager.

After breakfast I joined Chris and Rita on a walk around the campsite. The Touw River flows through it and one can hire canoes or even book a scenic boat trip. We decided against these two options!

Fun on the Touw River
Chris and Rita

There were lots of birds about and saw weavers, wagtails, drongos, martins, sunbirds, hadedas, geese among others but I only managed to get three reasonable photographs. 

Helmeted Guineafowl
African Hoopoe
Bar-throated Apalis – he was a bit camera shy!

As each Gecko arrived there was much joy at reuniting with friends made at previous gatherings and getting to know those we had not met before. Gecko owners have an instant bond!

Nida and Pottie – Lekker om julle weer te sien!
Colin the main organiser with Earl and Rita
Rita and Avril met for the first time today and are already good friends!
Cathy and Alec
I am always behind the camera, so Cathy took this one of me with The Earl
Boet and Avril
John, Jane and The Earl

In the evening all 44 of us gathered at the laager to braai together. Thanks to Johan for providing the meat, Nida for the broccoli salad, Maria for the pasta salad, John for the corn bread and Rudie for the dessert. Colin our awesome organise opened the evening by welcoming everybody to Ebb and Flow and thanked Nardus and Adeline and his wife, Diane for all their hard work in the background. Without their teamwork this wonderful getaway would not be possible. There have been other gatherings in the country, but this has been the best response yet with 22 caravans participating.

A good way to defrost the meat – hang it on the line!
Doing what South African men do best! Dit was ‘n lekker braai!

Almal het lekker saam gekuier, lekker gebraai and net ‘n bietjie gedrink! Hoe geseënd is ons om ‘n wonderlik plek soos Ebb and Flow te kan geniet met ander vriendelike Gecko eienaars!

A Gecko Getaway – Ebb and Flow, Wilderness

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Thanks to Colin’s wonderful initiative and organisation we are once again having a Gecko Caravan gathering in the Western Cape. This time the venue is in the beautiful Garden Route National Park – Wilderness Section.  Twenty-two Geckos will be invading Ebb and Flow Rest Camp for four nights. Some of us, however, have chosen to come for a little longer. 

For those who are reading my blog for the first time or have come across it by accident let me explain about Gecko. A small family business in Haenetzburg, Limpopo has been building Gecko Off-Road Caravans for some years now. Each caravan is numbered in the order in which it came off the production line. So in our case, we are Gecko 81 having been the 81st Gecko built.  Most Gecko owners belong to a WhatsApp group where ideas and experiences are exchanged. Because we are all proud Gecko owners we get excited when we meet a fellow owner and all over the country Gecko rallies are sometimes arranged. This will be the third one that we have attended and because it is being held in a summer month on the very popular garden route it is being very well attended with some folk coming from other provinces to join us.

Together with Cath and Alec, owners of Gecko 109, we decided to come a day early. We then contacted new Gecko Owners who recently bought number 12, and also live in Struisbaai, to join us. At the last minute they agreed and we set off together this morning at quarter to eight. BUT – disaster struck and just outside Struisbaai, Chris and Rita lost a wheel from their caravan! We were just about to pull off to wait for them when we noticed them not following when a car flashed lights at us and pulled over. We stopped behind her and she informed us of the disaster. Chris had been unable to ring us as Vodocom was down. But then it came back into function and we rang to see if we should turn back. Chris said that help was on the way and we should just go ahead. Thanks to Agri Bredasdorp they were able to get the problem solved at the roadside. We had just set up at Ebb and Flow when they arrived with no damage done to their caravan.

Ons is so bly dat julle veilig deurgekom het, Chris en Rita. Dit gaan ‘n baie lekker paar dae wees!

The weather today was overcast but very warm and there was no wind. Our three caravans are parked together under large shady trees. There are about eight of us already set up and ready to greet the rest of our fellow Gecko friends tomorrow.

Click on the first photo to enlarge and then use arrows to go to the next slide.

All set up
Hennie and Francis
First Braai
Albebert and Shirley
Suzette
Bushbuck making themselves at home

Ons kan nie wag om julle almal te sien nie! Ry veilig!

Share Your World – Monday 5 February 2024

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Here are my answers to Share Your World from pensitivity101


1.  What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “cuddly”?

I love stuffed toys and so a nice cuddly teddy comes to mind. 

When my grandsons were small, on waking would come and snuggle in bed with Grandpa and Granny.  Those were very cuddly moments.


2.  Would you like to own an exotic pet?  If so, what?

No, I would not like an exotic pet. Exotic pets usually belong in the wild and trying to tame them like dogs and cats should only be undertaken if the intention is to reintroduce them back into their natural habitat.


3.  If you were suddenly gifted £1000/$1000, what would you do with it?

I would put it toward my cruise fund. The South African Rand does not have the value of a pound so I would definitely want his money in pounds!


4.  Do you wear slippers at home?

I have worn slippers at home but not for the last several years. I sometimes go barefoot at home. I do not wear uncomfortable shoes so flip-flops or Tomy Takkies are just fine for around the house.

Gratitude:
Each day is a gift.

This is a mantra I live by. Each moment is precious and I believe we should live each day to the full. 

JusJoJan – Calendar – 30 January 2024

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Here is my contribution to the penultimate prompt of JusJoJan from Linda

The calendar shows today as 30 January 2024 and on this day 37 years ago The Earl and I became a legally married couple after living ‘in sin’ for almost four years. The reason that we did not marry earlier was all to do with the archaic rules of the South African Education departments. A young female teacher at the time we met in 1982 could not be appointed to a permanent position at a government school if she were married. There were other discriminations as well but we won’t go into those here. The point is that it caused many women to ‘live in sin’ so that they could continue earning a living. How silly that rule was and of course, it did change and it is now no longer in place.

When I tell young women about this they are astounded! It is hard for them to believe any kind of logic behind it. But in the days of old, it was not considered ‘right’ for married women to work especially if they had children. It was also the reason that men were paid more as they were considered the main breadwinners and needed the money more than women did!

January is the first month on the calendar and after the festive season and getting over the previous year we are all planning what the 2024 calendar holds in store for us. I print out three months of blank calendars and use magnets to attach them to the refrigerator.  As each month is completed the next month is printed to take its place. 

February is going to be a very busy month. Our calendar is marked from 6 to 11 for caravanning at Ebb and Flow, Wilderness with a group of Gecko Caravanners, That should be fun. Watch this space for a report on that. Straight after that, we have the annual Two Oceans Marlin Tournament which is a week-long affair. I am the official photographer and blogger for that event! We will also be hosting an overseas visitor starting 5 February till 5 May.

The biggest thing on the March calendar is our granddaughter’s wedding on Easter Saturday. We are very much looking forward to that! After that, I will have two sisters-in-law to stay and I will have to put my overseas visitor in the caravan while they’re here!

So the calendar is pretty full for the first few months of the year. April has another fishing competition and then after that who knows what might present itself. From June onwards there is a cruise and an eightieth birthday, but May is looking quiet!

Share Your World 29 January 2024

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Here is my contribution to this week’s Share Your Word from pensitivity101

1.  Who is your oldest living relative (aunt, grandparent etc)?

I don’t have many relatives older than me. (I am 71) I have a ‘young’ aunt who is 83. She is actually an aunt-in-law having been married to my father’s brother. If you met my aunt you would not believe that she is in her eighties. She still looks fabulous.

2.  How often do you visit them or is distance a factor?

I try to get to see her when I visit my home town which is four to six times a year. But I know that she is not waiting in anticipation for a visit from me!

3. Have any of your family lived to be 100?

I don’t know of any family member who has lived to be 100! My great-grandmother, I think, lived to be 98. My maternal grandparents died in their eighties. My parents died in their seventies. My paternal grandparents died in their fifties and sixties. One of my father’s brothers died in his eighties, the other three were in their seventies. On my mother’s side, one brother died in his eighties the other two siblings in their seventies. All in all, I guess longevity is not in my genes! I have even lost a few of the cousins with whom I grew up. But on the positive side, my siblings are well and don’t look as if they will expire anytime soon!


4.  Would you like to celebrate your 100th birthday?

If I can maintain good health to 100 then yes, I would like to do something special on my hundredth birthday like celebrate in an exotic place like the Serengeti. My oldest grandchild will be 56, his brother 55. My granddaughter will be 50 and her brother 48. I am sure they could organise something! I just hope I can remember their names and that I wrote this post!

Gratitude: 

I am grateful that I can joke about old age. For some, it is not funny!