Mana Canoe Trail - September 2007
02 Oct 2007
Staff
Brian and Matthew were joined by Chris Sadiere this month who assisted Brian down the river while Matthew went on his well deserved days off. Chris and Brian canoed together for a solid two weeks and made a great team and Matthew and Brian covered the other two weeks in their usual inimitable style. It has been a very busy but successful month for MCT.
Weather
It's hot, hot, hot down here so if you are coming soon bring lots of sunscreen and big hats. Temperatures are stretching towards the mid 30s and the only relief from the heat is a cool breeze that comes off the river for most of the day. The wind is still causing the water to break every couple of days but it's starting to die down, making way for the heat wave that is October.
Landscape and the Zambezi River
Despite the dry weather and crackling heat there are signs of life all around us. The trees and smaller plants are all getting ready to receive the rains. The Mahogany trees have all flowered and have infused the camp with their intoxicating smell. Sausage trees have mostly dropped their meaty flowers which are large and deep red in colour. If you look under these trees you will most likely see some sort of animal feeding on these flowers. It is quite funny to see a big beast of a buffalo with a red flower protruding from its mouth. The river is, as usual, permanently green on the edges and is a never-ending supply of food for the abundance of hippo that keep the lawns neatly trimmed. With the increase in heat comes an increase in fish activity. The tigerfish have nearly finished spawning and are on the bite. Our guests have also continued to provide bream snacks on the last night of canoe trails, a real treat if you have never tasted freshwater bream.
Wildlife Sightings
The end of season is near and wildlife sightings on canoe trails are still incredible. The floodplains along the shoreline are brimming with herds of buffalo, elephant, eland, kudu and impala. Nyala are also becoming increasingly common near the river's edge. These animals are extremely skittish but if you do get a glimpse of one you will find the males particularly impressive. Their coats are long and patched with colour along the front of their neck and the rest of their body is a glossy black.
We have had one very special sighting of a sable. This antelope is hardly ever seen down here in the valley. They are normally seen further inland near the escarpment. This is personally my first sable in two years. Our guests were also lucky enough to see a mini-migration of buffalo across a small channel. Fantastic shots of splashing water and buffalo leaping across was the result of that encounter.
Some other guests spent a hard day on the river only to arrive in camp, jump onto a vehicle and drive 500m to a pair of lionesses. These lazy felines had spent about four hours snoozing right in front of Chessa Camp. Just as the sun was setting they sauntered off into the distance oblivious to all the commotion they were causing with the impala. A group of our guests also tracked and approached a male lion with Brian on one of their morning walks. Tracking lions is not often successful but it is still very interesting to follow the tracks. So to actually find a lion at the end of the trail is very exciting for the guests, especially as it will undoubtedly be a close encounter on foot.
We have finally had another sighting of wild dogs on our canoe trails. Six of these 'works of art' were spotted relaxing in the shade just off the road on the way to the airstrip at the end of a trail. The moral of the story? Don't despair, even on your last day, as there is still a possibility of seeing something fantastic right up to the end of your safari.
Birding
The African Skimmers and Carmine Bee-eaters are still abundant and a favourite among the guests whether avid birders or not. The Bee-eaters are to be enjoyed as they will be deserting us soon. Once their young have hatched and matured, they move on south. The Skimmers' nests can be spotted as you canoe down the channels if you look very carefully.
It is almost always guaranteed that you will see vultures on the canoe safari. They are often seen circling in the air or roosting in the trees along the river. Some were seen cleaning their blood-smothered feathers in the shallows along the floodplain. The Finfoot, which is normally a very secretive bird, has been seen on quite a few occasions feeding around Chikwenya Island. There are also increased sightings of baby chicks along the shoreline. Baby Egyptian Geese, Long-toed Lapwings and African Jacanas have all been spotted and crooned over. We are looking forward to many more hatchlings.
Guests comments and highlights
· "Both guides, Brian and Chris, were very skilled."
· "Our highlights were the close up encounters with elephant and hippo by the canoe and game walks with Brian."
· "The entire experience. The game viewing, the guides and friendly staff. Well done!"
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