Crocodile Centre, St. Lucia, South Africa

Since my first visit to St. Lucia in the early 1980’s, the one highlight has always been a walk through the crocodile centre they have there. Crocodiles can be so scary to us as they seems very large and dangerous but it is interesting to find out more about them. They also have other reptiles and species of crocodile besides the Nile Croc. Featured as well are wonderful, informative exhibitions on the Lake St. Lucia system of sea, beach, dune forests and grasslands.

 They are open every day of the year except Christmas and New Year’s day. Crocodile feeding for public demonstration takes place on Saturday afternoons at 15h00 (weather permitting) as well as on Wednesday evenings at 18h30. The evening feeding is only during the summer months.

 Crocodiles have been on earth since the era of the dinosaurs. In captivity they can live to be 100 years old but in the wild, are estimated to achieve half that age. In reality, only about 2% of those hatched live to become adults through predation of the eggs by mongoose and monitor lizards while the hatchlings are eaten by storks, eagles and even adult crocodiles. Their only natural enemy as adults are humans.

 The male crocodile will set up and defend an area against other males while the females are free to enter. When looking for a mate, the male will go through a curious courtship “dance” during which he bites the water and blows bubbles through his nose.

 They can only mate in the water and when ready to lay her eggs, the female will dig a trench about 45cm deep with her back legs and lay between 20-70 eggs. Incubation of them is 90 days and when they hatch, she picks them up in her mouth using a pouch under the chin in order to carry them down to the water. She then protects them for a further 90 days.

 Determination of the sex in the embryo is influenced by outside temperature when incubating. Warmer weather is conducive to more female than male young being hatched.

Body temperature is controlled through a membrane in the mouth. If they are seen laying with their mouths open, they are cooling themselves  by allowing mucus fluids to evaporate.

St. Lucia South Africa - Travelogue

For many years our coastal destination of choice was the small town of St. Lucia situated in the northern regions of our east coast as it was only a five hour drive from where we lived in Pretoria. When we first started coming here, the “town” consisted of a supermarket where one could buy almost anything, a fuel station and a tiny bank plus various kinds of accommodation. Besides fishing in both the sea and estuary, there was not much else to do so it remained a place which was peaceful and one could relax and enjoy yourself in the surrounding nature reserve.

The area is run and preserved by the Kwazulu Natal Park Board (KZN Wildlife) and the camping areas are neat, clean and only a few steps from the estuary and beach.  

 Lake St. Lucia which it is situated on, is the largest estuary in South Africa. In 1984 Cyclone Demoina closed the estuary mouth and this has led to a greater wetlands area. For the nature lover, large amounts of crocodiles and hippo which have adapted to the salty water, can be seen. There are over 500 bird species to be found including Purplecrested Lourie, Paradise Flycatcher and breeding Pelican not to mention the stunning Fish Eagle who’s call is synonymous of Africa.

 

 4x4 Vehicles and motorcycles have been banned on the beaches since 2001 in order to preserve the breeding ground for the Giant Leatherback and Loggerhead Turtles. Small Red Duiker, Bushbuck and Banded Mongoose are often seen but since the inclusion of the area in the Maputo Corridor which was established many years ago, it would not be unusual to see an elephant or two as well.

 Amongst others, it boasts of the following:


8 interlinking ecosystems
3 major lake systems
350 kms of water surface
220 kms of coastline and beaches
190 kms of marine reserve
100 species of coral
1 200 species of fish
25 000 year old coastal dunes
36 snake species
80 dragonfly species
110 butterfly species

 Sunset cruises on the estuary are available as well as kayaking, deep sea diving/fishing and whale watching tours. Small boats are allowed on the estuary from which fishing can be done but a permit is required and can be bought at the KZN office in town. Certain fish are limited to the amount you may catch per day and the size. Beautiful hiking trails are available where one can enjoy the sights and sounds of nature at its best including miles of beach where one can find spectacular shells washed up on the shore.

 Although St. Lucia was first discovered as far back as 1554 by Portuguese explorers and called Rio de Areias de Ouro, it was renamed in 1575. It was declared a Nature Reserve in 1897 and proclaimed a World Heritage Site in December 1999. The area was renamed iSimangaliso Wetlands Park in 2007. Because of its current status, new businesses bloomed. Now there are many different kinds of restaurants and shops available but it still remains a small town and many tourist buses use it as part of their itinerary. Vendors selling a variety of African curious and crafts line the street and many beautiful articles can be bought from them.

 The beaches have no protective shark nets so swimming is not allowed within 100m of the estuary mouth.

This is a malaria area and precautions should be taken especial pregnant woman and older people.

For more information about accommodation and activities, please go to: http://www.isimangaliso.com/

Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti Mountains of the north eastern Free State lies the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
The park derives its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the park's sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag rock, keeping vigil over the main rest camp.
This 11 600 hectares of unique environment is true highland habitat, providing home to a variety of mammals – black wildebeest, eland, blesbok, oribi, springbok and Burchell's zebra - and birds, including the rare bearded vulture (lammergeier) and the equally rare bald ibis, which breed on the ledges in the sandstone cliffs. Ribbokkop, the highest point in the park, reveals a breathtaking tapestry of red, yellow and purple hues as its warm shades merge with the cool mountain shadows towards evening.

info: http://www.sanparks.org/parks/golden_gate/

Valley of Desolation

With an estimated 60 to 100 000 people who visit this site each year, the Valley of Desolation is a premier tourist attraction and is part of the Camdeboo National Park and a perfect place to take sunset pictures.

 The road to the top of the valley was tarred in 1978 and today provides tourists with easy access to the viewpoints with their panoramic views of the landscape. The viewpoints at the valley itself provide a breathtaking view of piled dolerites columns against the backdrop of the plain of the Great Karoo and a timeless sense of wonder at a landscape said to be the product of the erosive and volcanic forces of nature over a period of 200 million years.

 Game Viewing and Birding

Presently, approximately 19km of gravel roadways provide visitors with the opportunity to view the entire range of indigenous species in their preferred habitats. For birding enthusiasts, at least 225 bird species have been recorded in the Park.

 Trails and walks

The Crag Lizard Trail (45 minutes) starts at the Valley parking area and extends for about 1.5 km via the Valley viewpoints. It is marked with the Crag Lizard logo.

The Eerstefontein Day Walk starts and ends at the Spandaukop gate. There are three route options of 5km; 11km and 14km with good rest spots at Eerstefontein and Agtersfontein.

The Gideon Scheepers Trail is an hour long walk, starting at the Gideon Scheepers Monument, which commemorates a historic figure, and ending at Barbergat on the R63 to Murraysburg.

There is no charge for Hiking Trails in the park, apart from conservation fees.

Lions before breakfast

23rd January 2013

So THAT’s what stars look like!! Finally, after 9 days of continuous rain, I woke up to see millions the of stars of the Milky Way shining brightly with Scorpio and the Southern Cross almost directly above my head. For the most part it has been lovely soft rain which has soaked into the parched soil but last night we had our second cloud burst and the middle section of the Park is inaccessible, from Tsokwane to Satara and Orpen. They are busy with disaster management in those areas. Just as well I never went to work at Satara as I was wanting to because my tent would have been badly damaged not to mention what it might have done to my car.

An update of the work situation is that I tried two camps to see if they could use me but either they are not busy enough or want written approval from their head office which they are not prepared to give until the Board decides on my application. It has been just over two months now and they said it would take three so here I am wandering around the Park until they get off their butts and decided on it. Gaelyn will be here in less than two weeks time and the trip with her is going to make the waiting much easier. At the end of that I have the three day symposium of the Science and Nature Fair at which I am doing four presentations a day.

Hopefully by then I will have a yes or no on my application but if not, I am going to make an appointment with the CEO of the Parks Board and speak to him personally.

Now it is time for breakfast ...... when I woke up this morning at 03:15 with my stomach growling I realized that I had not eaten the previous day!!!

WOW!!

I am blown away at the response to what I have been doing here!! In the beginning when I had the idea to do this, I thought it would be a good one but never did I imagine that it would turn into the success it has.



The camp manager has received so many nice compliments about me and some people have even gone as far as to put it in writing and e-mail it to the Parks Board head office so it seem my reputation is exceeding me. WOW!! What an extraordinary thing to happen!!


No, I am not patting myself on the back or bragging, I am just astounded at everything. It seems that with all of this, the Parks Board is almost sure to approve my application but I am still not getting my hopes up until the actually do.

Moving on?

2nd January 2013
The park is empting out with people heading back home as some of the schools start again next week. It is the first time I have been here during a long holiday and it was quite an experience. At times the caravans and tents were packed like sardines and just when I thought no more could fit in, more arrived. But it has been interesting and the surprise was the interest shown by very young girls in the insects I displayed.


Now is maybe the time to move on to another camp as I know of two which have been wanting me to spend time there......