The 1000 Day Holiday

Yesterday did a kayaking day trip w a bunch of cool travellers out to an island that has a local village on it.

Post tour of the village had a real feast of crabs, and played frizbee w the kids. Its only the second time they have done the tour there. So the reactions of the kids & oldies is quite good fun.

They spotted us putting on sunscreen before we left. So they all had to have some. Im sure they think its what makes us white 🙂

Doing a mad dash for Jo-burg tomorrow as I fly to Sao Paulo on the 1st.

2 Amazing dives with Tofo scuba (dived Manta Reef & The Office)

Conditions @ Manta reef were excellent, a really busy dive with huge amounts of things to look at. Not so much coral, just lots and lots of animals. Including huge manta rays!

The Office dive was difficult with a strong current. However swam w a huge loggerhead turtle. Spotted a massive honeycomb moray which I rekon its head was almost the size of mine! Also spotted some white tip reef sharks,
The Ocean Safari was wicked too. 2 hours snorkelling with 2 Whale sharks, the biggest being around 5m. And there was also a Manta Ray hanging around on the surface as well. So plenty of time to swim with them. Totally amazing animals.

Wicked little beach spot to hang out for the next 10 days or so to end my Africa leg of the journey (for this year at least).

Yesterday we had heard about a local festival on at another beach not too far away. So we grabbed a taxi and headed down.

A few locals had said it would be a little wild. What I didnt expect was for it to be 15,000 people and a huge beach party wild! epic nite. The skys opened in a monsoon ~4am. creating a real mud bath as everyone tried to escape.
Killed my calculator watch, however it seems to be coming back to life as I write, just a bit steamed up. Im sure the guy promised it was waterproof. 😛

Snorkelling w the whale sharks and Diving w Manta Rays in the next few days
Thats the scale of the whale shark to a scuba diver, ala me!

Got picked up @ 4am for the trip. Was more than a bit rough as had come home from Casanova Club at 3. Wow havent seen such things in a long long time!

The route we took was awesome. Got to the border at 9am. 2 lane sealed highwawy all the way. Cross the border. The mozambique immigration post was run out of a shipping container with a window cut in the end. Once processed there was 2 roads to choose from.

ours, a deep rutted sandy route to maputo, the other to the southern coast. Definately a return to the real Africa. Headed for Tofo tomorrow.

Spent the day hanging on Durbans beaches. And scored a 1.48KG steak for the braii tonight. But I will, I will share it…I promise 🙂

Headed to Maputo tomorrow. Was going to be on the Baz bus, but a local going that way for work put up a sign at the hostel. So faster, better route ( up the coast, not via swaziland) and free too!  Cant wait to dive with the huge manta rays in Tofo.

My dive on Protea banks didnt work out. However all was not lost.

I scuba dived on Aliwal shoal (no cage). Both times a drift dive. On the second dive we drifted off the reef south of where another boat had been using burly. The Dive Master had instructed us at this stage to gather together in a small group at ~8m depth. This helps the sharks not to get spooked and will come around and have a looksee

Soon thereafter we spotted the first Black Tip sharks, they come in and circle and if they want to have a good look they swim in from below. total at any one time circling us was 8 or 9. All were 2M+ in size. Spooky but generally not dangerous.

Also crusing past we had Hammerhead sharks in a school of 6 or 7. Again 2M+ in size. Again generally not dangerous to humans.

It was by far one of the coolest experiences Ive ever done. And cant wait to see some Tiger, Bull (Zambezi) and Grey Nurse sharks.

It is probably wise that these didnt show up on these dives as Im sure my oxygen consumption went way up when I spotted a shark straightlining towards me to get a good look, even knowing they are not dangerous.

coffee shack…Surf was ok, smaller than island vibe

Off to Port Shepstone or Shelly Bay (fingers crossed to do a shark dive on protea banks tomorrow) No cage, just me, bull, tiger, grey nurse sharks.. woot.

 

Headed for Port Elizabeth. Then not sure, got to get a shimmy on, days are getting in short supply.

Jbay is totally wicked, And i can now surf 🙂

And then, well today theres wind, so I am hiring some gear and get to go kitesurfing! woop woop

Funny little surf town, where there is sometimes kitesurfing (yay) but so far the wind has been offshore.

Island Vibe, man what a backpackers.. totally fully booked (100ppl) and when every other hostel in SA has been almost empty. Sitting atop the sand dunes with a 200deg view of the coastline might have something to do with it.

Surf lessons tomorrow.

Ended up in this little town. Its famous for oysters (yum), and well not much else.

My ride from capetown fell through so Im on the baz bus for the next two weeks. Strange to be on a tourist transport after so long.. but its definately an easy way to get around.