Page 25 - Cape-Camera-Sept-Oct-2021

Cape Camera September/October 2021

everything well. The river is unrelenting and takes whatever it took plenty of spare data storage cards and two spare batter-
can. What did we need? Our personal stuff was limited to two ies. There was no way of charging batteries on the river, and it’s
waterproof buckets each and a cold box for refreshments per safer to take spares. I did not take my cellphone, car keys or any
kayak. We could secure a camp chair and a tent to the kayak. way of paying for anything. The currency on the river is strength
Bring spare rope. Our fabulous guides would carry the cooking and kindness, helpfulness and fun.
equipment and food for meals. We sorted out paddling part-
ners and travel arrangements and noted advice from the wise.
Just before we left for the trip, we heard that one of the group
had contracted Covid. Fortunately he recovered quickly, but
he couldn’t go on the trip, along with his close family. Everyone
else was okay as he had not been in contact with them inside of
within the isolation period. It was a huge reality check non-the-
less. Fearful for him but determined to go if possible, I took out
travel insurance in case I wasn’t allowed back in South Africa.
The uncertainty of Covid underlines the risk of long-term plans,
but there is confidence in adjusting with agility. Others joined
the trip at the last minute.
I started from Hermanus, travelling over one day via one of my Camera and gear stored, hats and river friendly sunblock on, we
favourite scenic routes. It goes past Theewaterskloof, Worcester, launched the kayaks and set off down river. The scenery was
Porterville, Citrusdal and Clanwilliam up the N7 Namibia Route magnificent, the folded cliffs and the distant mountains across
eventually to cross the border at Vioolsdrift. I arrived at the the water edged with reeds or rocks and sandy banks with an
Amanzi Camp on the Orange River at sunset, just in time for a audience of darters, cormorants, kingfishers, egrets, goliath
home cooked meal, a great evening of fun and a night camping herons and the cry of fish eagles overhead. The sheer magnifi-
on the banks of the river with a magnificent view of the cliffs cence of the scenery left me in awe, it was different every time,
overlooking the water. but always breathtaking. In this beautiful background, silence
sometimes reigned above the sound of water as the kayaks
floated down, but more often there were calls and clanks of
paddles as we negotiated soft rapids, or got stuck and had to
bum jive off rocks.
Taking photographs was very tricky, having to paddle and keep
the camera out of water at the same time. I tried parking on
rocks for different vantage points, which worked well. I man-
aged a few photographs and eventually made an AV of the trip
for everyone, including some precarious moments and video
of successful and also unsuccessful attempts to ride the mighty
Sjambok.
The journey was divided into serious paddling and easy float-
ing, which meant looking for entertainment. We had baling
In the morning our three river guides briefed us on the trip, containers that made it easy to throw a good amount of water
on how to pack the kayaks, paddle in pairs and follow their over people, so it wasn’t long before the first water fight hap-
instructions. Guides had yellow paddles to differentiate from pened. A trick with the paddle made a huge splash in retalia-
the groups’ white ones. They used these to signal directions, go tion.
left, go right, go forward and straight up for stop and get in sin-
gle file two lengths apart. They also used loud whooping calls,
which were to become familiar on the river along with calls of
“Paddle paddle paddle!!!”. Although we were kayaking down
stream and the water fairly high therefore relatively smooth,
there was one level three rapid to expect, the dreaded Sjambok,
preceded by Klein Sjambok – translated as The Whip and the
Small Whip. You can walk the Sjambok but the brave decided
to ride it without capsizing.

We started paddling each day after breakfast. It was a scram-
ble in the morning as we had to take down tents and pack the
kayaks. We stopped between paddling for tea and lunch, or
to swim or walk up a hill, or play a river game. I confess that
I walked to an old diamond mine with my eyes glued to the
ground hoping to find my fortune. Sadly it was hard to identify
diamonds among the stones, but if I had I would not have made
it back home with them as no rough diamonds are allowed to
My main concern in packing was to secure my camera. I took be possessed without a permit.
only a small Canon G1X with fixed lens in a tiny Pelican case, We certainly ate well. The guides made all the meals on a fire,
which is waterproof and floats. I also packed a Gorilla tripod. I simple delicious and very welcome after the exercise. Dinner
Cape Town Photographic Society 24