Jumping Off Bridges and Drinking Wine (not at the same time)

Apparently we decided we hadn’t had enough adventure on the Otter Trail, so we used our spare day to push our luck and continue the adventure.  Storms River is home of the Blourkans Bridge, an arch bridge rising 216 meters (708 feet) above the valley below and the home of the worlds highest commercial bungee jump.  

We were brave enough to make the reservation after checking out the brochure.  It wasn’t until I saw the bridge in person that I began wondering to myself, “why did I think it was a good idea to jump off this?”  After being fitted for a harness we walked out to the center of the bridge, said a few prayers, and anxiously waited for our turn to free fall 180 meters (590 feet) towards the river below.  Once hooked up to the bungee, they walk you to the edge, count down from five, and then push!  No chance for second thoughts.  It was a wild experience, but amazing.  We would definitely recommend it anyone who happens to be strolling though South Africa and is looking for an adrenaline rush.  

After our adventures in Storms River, we headed to Cape Town and enjoyed a more relaxed but no less enjoyable day wine tasting.  We visited three wineries in Franschhoek and Paarl.  The weather cooperated for us and we got to enjoy our wine surrounded by breathtaking mountain backdrops and rolling vineyards that the areas offer.  

First on our list was Lynx Wines where we met with Dieter, the owner and winemaker.  Dieter did a tremendous job explaining the wine making process and his philosophy.  We sampled Viognier which was still aging from both the oak barrel and tanks which he will eventually mix.  It was a very cool experience getting to learn so much about the process from the person who is responsible for the final product.  We found out that every tour is conducted by either Dieter or the assistant winemaker; no surprise that it’s rated #1 thing to do in Franschhoek on Trip Advisor.  Our only regret was that we didn’t take more wine home with us.  

From there, we visited with Jeremy and Emma, the owners and producers of Painted Wolf Wines.  They were very generous to host us at their home to taste and enjoy their wines.  We tried some great wines and learned all about the conservation of African Wild Dogs, a cause that Jeremy and Emma both feel very strongly about.  Funds from every bottle sold goes towards research and conservation of this endangered species.

Our last stop of the day was with Mary-Lou and Lance, winemakers of Black Pearl Wines.  We were lucky enough to share these wines with them on their patio overlooking their vineyards to the backdrop of a gorgeous African sunset.  We would have been content to stay there all night drinking their wine and nibbling on cheese but our driver was eager to get us home as we were already an hour over our allotted time for the day, whoops!

We want to thank Dieter, Jeremy, Emma, Mary-Lou, and Lance for their generous hospitality and sharing all their amazing wines with us.  We had a tremendous time and were sad to see it come to an end.

Adventure on the Otter

The Otter Trail on South Africa's Garden Route is known as the Prince of Trails and ranks among the top treks in the world. It is a five day, four night hike filled with steep climbs and descents along rugged coastline, in and out of beautiful forestry and across 11 total rivers. They strictly limit the number of hikers on the trail, so we booked this trek all the way back in February, although it is not unheard of to have to reserve a spot up to 12 months ahead of time. Although our ability to book on somewhat short notice may have had to do with weather...read on...

Needless to say, we were 100% pumped (I might have been 10% nervous) when our time to hike had finally come.

As it is winter in South Africa, we expected weather to be a risk, so the night before we were to arrive at the trail, we went to bed with a clear sky and crossed our fingers that it would remain that way. Alas, we work to horizontal winds and rain, and by far the worst day of weather we'd seen yet in our three weeks in the country. Regardless, with food and gear piled into our packs, we enthusiastically set out for Day One of the Otter, with adrenaline to keep us warm and rain gear to (hopefully) keep us dry.

Each evening we arrived to simple, yet lovely, hut camps where we would eagerly discard our hefty packs to explore, relax and maybe attempt a bit of fishing (emphasis on attempt). When the sun went down and the cold settled in, we'd huddle around a fire to cook dinner, enjoy fine boxed wine and share the remarkable sights of the day with the other six hikers on the trail. We had the pleasure of hiking the Otter with a father and son from Cape Town and a couple and their two sons from Pretoria. From scouting for elusive Cape Clawless Otter foot prints in the sand and telling us about the wild genets that boldly tried to steal our dinners, to stories of bike rides from Egypt to South Africa and service in the South African army, we truly couldn't have asked for better company along the trail. I should also mention they generously shared food with us, including their delicious homemade biltong. Anyone who knows Zach and me understands that food is the quickest way into our hearts. Read further to understand how sincerely lucky we were to be in such kind company.

While Day Two blessed us with sunshine, Day Three made up for it with a downpour. Still feeling lucky to even be on the trail, we kept high spirits going into one of the most difficult days with torrential rains. We tried to focus on the new elements of our hike brought on by the storm to distract us from the endless climbs and being totally drenched and cold. For example, long sections of trails that had become ankle deep streams gave us the fun, yet utterly futile, challenge of keeping our feet dry...straddling the trail, hopping from stone to grass patch to stone again, and frantically leaping out when we inevitably would fall in and fill our shoes with run off. The storm also brought colossal waves and powerful white wash surf that would stop Zach and me in our tracks to admire amid rain in our faces and mud flowing into our boots. Gorgeous.

To truly and fairly convey the beauty of the Otter, I will Zach's photos speak for themselves at the end of this entry. First, however, I need to relay the adventure that was Day Four.

In the dark and early hours of Day Four, I woke in my sleep sack to the entire hut shaking under the wrath of the wind, the latched door rattling threats it was about to blow off the hinge and rain seeping in through the log walls. This was a whole new level of storm than Day Three. With our clothes hung about the room still damp from the day before, I was having trouble stirring up that tireless enthusiasm that fueled me previously. About an hour later, we opened our doors to a banging slightly louder than the wind: the rangers had arrived advising we join them on the escape route to their pick up truck. By that point, we didn't need much convincing.

All eight of us quickly packed up and piled into the covered back of the truck to what we planned to be a quick rainy drive to the next night's hut camp. After trying two separate routes to the next huts, we learned that there was no hope in reaching the huts and that the hikers who stayed there the previous night were, in fact, trapped there. As we looked at the escape trail that had become completely blocked by a trickling stream that had turned into a full blown waterfall, we solemnly, yet understandingly, accepted our early end on the Otter. Even getting us out of the park proved easier said than done. Our eventual exit involved hours of more bumping around drenched in the back of the truck, broken up by sawing through fallen trees in the roads and avoiding bridges that had been consumed by their rivers. If that all wasn't fun enough, we even had Windhoek beers to enjoy amid the absolute chaos.

Although I thought we might never be dry again, we finally made it out of the park, thanks to the expertise and hard work of the South African National Park rangers and the generosity of the Botes family who drove us all the way back to our hostel in their own car.

And now, the rest of the Otter Trail pictures (photography credit to Zach Bass :) )

Exploring The Wild Coast

Over the past couple weeks Lesley and I have made our way along the Wild Coast of South Africa, enjoying a coastline like no where else in the world.  Since leaving Umkomaas, we have spent our days in Port St. Johns, Coffee Bay, Mdumbi, and Cintsa.  

In Port St. Johns, we spent several days exploring the area from a hostel outside of town.  In the mornings we would walk the 4 km into town for coffee or groceries alongside local school children and women.  Almost without exception, everyone will say hello or good morning, sometimes in English, sometimes in Xhosa.  It wasn't long before we both felt very comfortable throughout the community and a connection to the people.  During the days, we explored the beautiful scenery along the coast line.  

Big waves along an outcrop of rocks.

After a hike to the top of the cliffs which flank the city of Port St. Johns.  Two dogs from the hostel walked with us the entire time, often leading us when the trail was difficult to find. 

After leaving Port St. Johns we headed towards Coffee Bay, a popular backpackers stop along the South African coast.  Again, we spent a couple days exploring the coast line.  However the number of  backpackers in the area detracted from the local culture that Port St. Johns had offered, so we decided to walk to the nearby town of Mdumbi.

Mdumbi is a very tiny town off the beaten track and is only accessible if you have your own car or walk.   Lacking the first option, we packed up what we needed and walked the 4 hours to Mdumbi. Directions are usually pretty simple in South Africa, this was no exception.  We were told to, "walk up the coast for a few hours.  You'll cross a big river and eventually reach Mdumbi".

We did, sometimes on a trail, but mostly just walking through fields of grazing cows, goats, and sheep that don't seem to belong to anyone in particular.  There are no fences to speak of and animals seem to graze wherever they choose.  Several times we saw goats walking into homes, cows soaking up sun on the beach, and sheep lounging along cliffs edge. 

Later when we asked someone how people keep track of their animals. We were told that everyone shares the land and that people recognize the animals like they would a neighbors kid.  The idea of dividing land was foreign here and property lines don't exist in even the vaguest form.  If you want to move on to some land in the area, you talk to the village leader and find some area that isn't being used.  It was a strange concept for me to wrap my head around, but it has been the standard in Mdubi for many generations.  

There is not much in Mdumbi; one small shop for food, one liquor store, one restaurant.  If you want to eat at the restaurant, you need to call the day before so the women who owns it can go buy food for you.  When we went to the shop after sunset, the boy working lit a candle for us so we could see what was available.  As you can guess, Mdumbi is a simple town, but characteristic of so many rural towns that occupy South Africa.  But what it might lack in accommodations it makes up for in the beauty of its beach.  Hands town, beats any beach in Hawaii.  Warm water fed by the Indian Ocean breaks off the coast and rolls slowly over soft sand without a rock in sight.  But what makes it so unique, is the fact that it hasn't been taken over by beach front condos or resorts.  Save for a couple Xhosa huts, the coast line has been left untouched.  

We were told the several years ago, a hotel developer tried to purchase land for a large resort.  The community, while in need of the money that the hotel would bring in, banded together to prevent the development of its coast.  Of all the places I have travelled, this is the first time that I've truly stumbled upon an undiscovered gem; hopefully in remains that way.  

After Mdumbi, we headed farther west and stopped in Cinsta.  While Cinsta rivals Mdumbi with its beaches, it's definitely been discovered.  The coast is dotted with some amazing homes, mostly vacation spots for the wealthiest South Africans.  We met some great travelers in Chintsa and it became our favorite spot for spending long nights in the bar, making friends from around the world.  It didn't hurt that we could nurse our hangovers with a big breakfast prepared each morning by "the mamas" on their deck.  

After the bar tab ruined our budget for the month, we packed up and left for Storms River.  Tomorrow we take off to start a 5 day hike along the Otter Trail.  The trail, which only is opened to 12 people each day, books up months in advance.  We have been the envy of many South Africans that we've told about our trek and can't wait to share our experience with everyone.  
Until next time, cheers!