Part 2 –
Tsitsikamma Waterfall Hike Trail
There is a
6km hike from the main camp passed the cave to the waterfall and is said to
take three hours long. At the beginning of the trail there is a warning board
which states that this trail is classified as “difficult” and I agree. If you
are not fit, have a fear of heights and narrow paths and are not used to
scrambling over huge boulders besides steep ascents and descents, THIS HIKE IS
NOT FOR YOU!!
This hike
took us 3 hours there and just over 2 to get back but that was not because of
the difficulty with the terrain but because of the sheer beauty and splendour
of all there is to see along the way. By the time we got to the waterfall, rain
was threatening so we made it back a bit faster.
The trail
first takes you through meadows skirting the shore with some fascinating rock
formations along the way, not to mention the wild flowers.
Not many
were in bloom when we were there as it was already the end of summer.
The endless
beckon of the sea against the rocks had us stopping time and time again to take
pictures.
There are
hundreds of small shallow stretches between the rock pools where on a hot day,
it is heaven to stop and have a swim or at least cool your feet in them.
Huge
bracket fungi grows on dead trees along the path through forest areas and the
sea is glimpsed beyond the tangled mass of vines and other shrubs.
Ferns with
unusual bugs on them and tree trunks covered with moss delay us for more pictures.
Clearings
where we glimpse the water again and beautiful bark of tree take up more
minutes.
I
know that the Woodlice (Isopoda) are found around our homes under rocks but I
was not aware that they were found in sea water as well. Some rocks along the
way were covered with them.
A great
attraction for me are the tidal pools.
Not only is
it the colours of the rocks but also the diversity of species found in them.
We finally
reach the halfway mark which is a huge cave.
I got
Gaelyn to stand in front of it in order to get some perspective of the height.
Inside,
the walls are tinged with green and very attractive.
Amongst the
rocks on the outside I found the bones and skeleton of not only this sea bird
but also of some small animal which I have not yet had identified. Was it
something which lived in the cave and got caught by the tide I wonder?
These are
some of the rocks we had to scramble over and the colours in them area amazing.
Gaelyn has been teaching me a bit about geology which I have always had an
interest in but never time to learn about.
Beautiful
lichen in all kinds of colours are found everywhere.
Along the
path we come across a dead branch stump which has been worn to a shiny
brightness by thousands of feet passing over it through the years. To me it
looked like the face of a smiling tortoise.
This is
just one of the areas where the hike is steep and treacherous because of the
roundness of the rocks as well as the dampness which makes them slippery. If
you look carefully at the picture, you can see people near the top of the
trail.
At last we
reach the waterfall.
It is high
and cascades down to the sea.
Although
the day was cloudy, there were many people there taking pictures and some even
taking a swim in the icy mountain waters.
It was time
to head back and fast too as I did not want to get caught in the rain with our
cameras.
A
quick stop for a picture of pretty mushrooms....
another few
of the crashing waves.....
a
beautiful piece of wood we missed earlier and we were back in camp before the
storm. What a wonderful and exhilarating hike for me. It is one I would do
every time I go back there
