ACCIDENTS IN THE SURF :PART 1

KWA-ZULU NATAL

SOUTH COAST

BY:Ant Diplock

DESTINATION:CASA MAZARETTE

SAN SEBASTIAN

VILANCULOS

BY:Ant Diplock

This bustling tourist town, approximately 700km north of Maputo is the gateway to the beautiful islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago. Untouched, white beaches, pristine coral reefs and over 300 species of birds have long attracted visitors from all over the world. Vilankulo, previously known as Vilanculos, is a busy, energetic town with friendly people and a lively atmosphere. At the Vilankulo markets fresh produce is readily available, and there are shops selling basic supplies, as well as numerous restaurants offering fresh seafood on their menus. The Bazaruto Archipelago, a group of islands off the coastline, is easily accessible from Vilankulo, either by plane or boat. It was declared a national park in 1971 and is home to a diverse population of fauna and flora, including forest, savannah and wetland eco-systems. The regulatory ‘catch and release’ policy ensures an abundance of fish in the archipelago and it has fast become one of the game fishing meccas in the world.

The lodge offers five star accommodation and amenities. It is fully serviced and guests have the use of a fantastic chef to prepare all meals. It boasts six double rooms all with en suite bathrooms. The living area consists of an open plan bar, lounge and dining area, a TV room (with satellite TV and DVD player) and patio leading onto a magnificent swimming pool. Step off the patio and you’re on the beach! The Bazaruto archipelago is a unique environment with a huge variety of fish species. The fishing in this area will capture the interest of all anglers from the avid fly fisher, spinning specialist and big game anglers. With a distinct water temperature change, the area attracts winter and summer fish. Sailfish are abundant from April-July and again from September-January. It is not uncommon to catch these fish at any time of the year. Black marlin are the predominant marlin species and are caught from September-March with the main time being October-December. Many small fish are caught in September. Bazaruto is world renowned for its Black marlin fishery. SALT WATER FLY FISHING Many species are targeted in this area. Most of the fishing is done from a boat as this is by far more successful. In the summer months there are many species of trevally to be targeted. More than 15 species are regularly caught. The fishing that is offered ranges from surface fishing to active shoals of feeding fish to deep fishing with sinking lines in deep water. GT’s have been landed and released in excess of 35 kg! Most fish are caught with the Clouser minnow pattern tied on hooks ranging from 1/0-8/0. Tuna species such as kawa-kawa, skip jack, frigate and yellow fin can be caught from September-December and in May. There are many Dorado (dolphin fish) here in December and great sport is had by all anglers. It is not uncommon to catch more than 10-15 different species in one day while fishing in the shallows around the many reefs in the area. Using an 8wt rod and small flies such as Charlie’s and gotcha’s with an intermediate line success is guaranteed, weather and tide permitting. Sailfish have been caught here in numbers on fly from April-June and again in September-December.12wt rods being the norm for these fish. All fish are teased to the boat with hook less teasers and then a cast is made with the boat in neutral. Marlin have been raised with few been landed. Sharks can also be targeted but this is for the very fit and patient angler!

SPINNING Great fun is had by anglers targeting GT’s with surface lures and heavy or light tackle. These GT’s range in size from 3kg-50kg! The average fish weights are from 8-25kg’s and are regularly caught in the summer months. There are many fish to be caught on this gear from Tuna with metal spoons, reef fish with jigs or spoons and the use of live bait when available. Jigging is done all day long and mostly in deep water up to 60m-100m deep. In these depths fish such as grouper, snapper, trevally, king mackerel and many reef species can be subdued on light tackle. The king mackerel grow to over the 35kg mark and are great adversaries on light gear using spoons, jigs or baits. Good colors to use all year round are Chartreuse and white, red and white, yellow, blue and white. Wire is a must in the deep water as there are toothy fish of all sizes. GENERAL INFO Most fishing is done in the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park (BANP). All fishing is done on a catch and release basis with huge emphasis on the release of fish and many are tagged. The rules and regulations for the park can be found at the lodge. The boats used are 22-24ft vessels with two 60-85hp outboards and are in excellent condition. Only 2-3 anglers are permitted at a time per vessel and meals and drinks are supplied. November In November the angling starts to reach its summer potential in Mozambique with the water temperatures rising and currents shifting bringing with them, the marlin and GT’s along with a host of predatory fish too long to mention. We will be fishing out of casa mazarette on the San Sebastian peninsula half an hours boat ride from Vilanculos within easy reach of the Bazaruto archipelago. At this time of the year one can enjoy hot days on the water as well as hot fishing. There is plenty surface action to go around for all disciplines of angling. When the tide is favorable there will be ample opportunity for the GT’s close in shore. Most of the days will be spent jigging on the deeper reefs if the weather permits or trolling live bait for a marlin. It is said by the experts that the Bazaruto area is the second best spot in the world for targeting Black marlin. And from the records in history dating far back the period October to February certainly produces fish. February It is a hot month! The angling is traditionally good at this time of the year but it is not a holiday period and there are not many visitors to the area at this time of the year. This is good as you will mostly have the islands to yourself. We will be live baiting for many trevally and mackerel as well as fishing for tuna on the surface with light gear. Shark fishing is great at this time and there are many species to fish for. The boats are rigged with stand up gear and fun is had by all. All fish are tagged for research purposes. Remember to bring your sunscreen and hats. The boats are well stocked with drinks and food and days at sea are planned around the tides. A days could be from 4 hours to 10 hours depending on the conditions and tide as well as the intended target species. The skippers are mostly South African guides with loads of experience driving boats and fishing all year round. May May is traditionally the sailfish month in Mozambique. Depending on the currents and water temperatures every year varies in catches as to be expected. The sails are generally all in the 18-40kg class and give a great account of themselves, as well as Wahoo, Queen mackerel, King mackerels and bludger trevally. It is a great time of year to spend time snorkeling when the tide permits. The water temperature is usually around 25 degrees Celsius. Fishing for the sails is fun and we catch them mostly by teasing them, fly fishing or conventional. We use strip baits and live baits alike depending on the mood of the fish. Drop shot fishing is great this time of the year as the water is generally cleaner and there are an abundance of summer fish and winter fish on the deeper reefs. All tackle can be supplied but it is advised that you purchase a package of lures that works for the area. This can be supplied on booking.

Aug 2009 - Mozambique’s dangers

Road report

As most of you are aware, Mozambique if fast changing with the times as cash gets injected from a growing natural resource industry and tourism. With this comes an increase in traffic on the roads. For those tourists travelling from SA up along the coastal route as far as Inhambane you will be well aware of the stretch of the situation of the road north of Xai-Xai. It is a 95km gauntlet that is narrow and badly pot-holed. Over the years this stretch of road has claimed many lives and the good news is that it is currently under construction. It has been widened and the contract has once again gone to foreign contractors.

Ten years ago the roads were in a shocking condition and rapidly started deteriorating as post war traffic increased. Heavy logging trucks in the hot summer heat stressed the road and an increase in demand for fuel and goods caused an increase in heavy duty trucks using this road. Tourism has grown and seems to be the seed Mozambique needed to nurture for sustained development. Increased tourism creates increased traffic. It is simple.

The sad part of this inevitable consequence of progress is the loss of life on the roads. I have travelled the road from Maputo to Vilanculos, a 750km narrow road, for over ten years almost once a month. I have witnessed many accidents in front of my own eyes and come across many horror scenes roadside. Almost all of them could have and should have been avoided. The accidents involving tourists are either high speed accidents or caused by not understanding the mentality of the Mozambiquean drivers. Some pointers, for instance, would be first and foremost, DON’T SPEED! Maintain the speed limit at all times and remember that the maximum limit on the road is 100km/h. Avoid driving at night. Many vehicles are not road worthy and the high level of corruption in the country keeps these vehicles on the road. Many old trucks spew black carbon smoke that screens the rear chevrons of the vehicles and it is difficult to see at night if not impossible. Remember, when a vehicle in Mozambique indicates with the right indicator it means one of two things. Either it IS turning or it is indicating for you not to pass to the right as there is oncoming traffic or danger on the opposite side of the road. If it indicates to the left it is either turning off to the left or it is indicating that it is clear ahead and it is aware of you and you can pass, but always make sure first before you do. Then there is the case of the impatient taxis and luxury 4x4 drivers that pass on blind rises and corners at high speed especially when there is a string of cars behind a truck. These idiots generally are in a rush and have a total disregard for others’ safety and in the heat of Mozambique it is easy to get angry as you too are waiting to pass. Please, at this point remember that these roads are narrow and if anything should go wrong then many vehicles could be involved. Rather let the vehicle pass or give it a space to pull in in-front of you. Rather be safe and let the other person go to his or her end at their own speed. It is difficult to keep your cool on these roads and mental preparation is all important before a trip into this country.

Corrupt police are another obstacle. This will never go away so get used to it. If you stick to the following rules, from much experience, then your trip will be made a lot easier. Firstly, be friendly and courteous…it is not your country and the rules are different. Do not speed! Use your indicators as described. Stop regularly to rest. Remember if you are towing to have red triangles mounted on the REAR of your trailer and FRONT of your vehicle, or simply purchase the Mozambique yellow and blue triangles that stick on from the AA or your local spares or camping and off-road dealers. If you are caught speeding then be aware that the fines are payable in cash on the spot and a receipt must be written out by the officer. Keep cash on hand, Rand’s are good. If you are one of those people that subscribe to corruption…make a friend…offer to pay less for no receipt! It is not a good idea as it makes the cops more brazen. Do not argue and simply keep you hands on the wheel. They will always ask for your license first them walk away with it and possibly mess you around. A favorite trick is to get you to follow them to the police station for a fine. This is when you usually get scared and it is just a tactic as at this point they usually show aggression. As you agree to co-operate they ask for a small fee to let you on your way.

If you are towing a trailer or boat you will surely be a target, especially in the holiday seasons. Please remember, when towing in a built up area or town you may not pass or overtake. It is the law. Be patient. It is very difficult in the rush hour traffic when passing through the outskirts of Maputo. It is law in Mozambique for tourists to get third party insurance before travelling through. This is for your vehicle and trailer and cost R150 for the vehicle and R80 for the trailer. This is obtainable at the border or you can get it done before your trip through your insurance company. At most of the busy borders such as Komatipoort, there are border assistants. They usually have a photo ID and speak good English. They will offer to take your passports and papers and jump the queue saving you time and stress. It does not cost much and is worth it if you have no patience. BUT, negotiate the price first! If you have a vehicle that is being paid off monthly and is not in your name then be sure to have a letter of permission to travel across borders from the finance company. Make sure your passport in not expired and make the effort to carry extra fuel and oil for your vehicle as in holiday season the fuel often runs out in small towns. For the holidaymakers with boats, jet ski’s and quads remember to seek out the local MARITIMO office. It is the maritime official’s greatest joy to catch you operating a toy without consent in the form of a permit!

Before you travel to a destination in Mozambique it is advisable to let the people at you destination know your travel plans and stay in contact regularly. In the case of an accident make sure that, before you travel, your vehicle is insured and your license is in date as well as you driver’s license. Let at least two people know where you are at all times. Keep spares and tools in you 4x4. If you are towing, consider the fact that your trailer bearings can burn out at any time. Keep spare bearings on hand at all times. Also make sure that you are highly visible at all times on the road. Let you passenger handle cell calls and keep your concentration on the road. A good trick to stay awake is stop and eat at short intervals. If you have to push it and feel tired, remember to keep some chewing gum handy. When your jaw is working and your body is producing acids it seems to not want to fall asleep!

[ Go Back ]

July 2009 - Sea Birds

Sea Birds in July on our coastline.
July, in SA, is traditionally a holiday month for those with young children and an exciting month for the outdoorsman. Weather it be if you are a surfer, diver, hunter, photographer or simply a nature lover. It is less humid and dry, cooler and less cloud with longer periods of good weather than bad…well that is if you live on the coastal areas. For the avid bird watching fraternity this is a wondrous time and much happens off shore. The general population of bird watching people is of the mid to mature aged group of citizens…if you don’t mind me saying so! This also makes it easier for them to spend time on land glassing about for the elusive bird species being searched for with broad brimmed hat and field book under one arm and flask in the other.
I always used to be fascinated with the passion exuded by these seemingly “touched” people when seeing some unidentifiable creature in flight. Till I became one! It was a few years back in Mozambique that I had the pleasure in meeting a gentleman by the name of Jim McLuskie. I was chartered to take a group of people to see some whales out at sea from Vilanculos. After the trip I chatted briefly with the group and answered some questions on sea birds and some land birds. I was no expert and always had a fascination with these creatures. My interest was obviously noted as Jim disappeared and soon reappeared with a thick red Roberts’ book still in plastic. It was a sixth edition book that I still cherish and use much today. All Mr. McLuskie said was, “I will leave this with you to further your knowledge. If you don’t use it then please give it to someone that will use it.” Well, Jim, it is in good hands and in good use.
I have the great fortune of travelling to awe inspiring places and seeing wonders of nature unfold before my eyes and one such event is the annual sardine run. It is from June to end August and with it comes all sorts of surprises of bird life out at sea. I have been involved with this spectacle in nature for many years, either diving or netting. I have now started offering trips to sea to witness some of the most spectacular birds on the planet when it comes to endurance above, on and below the water! There are so many birds to be seen if you know where to look. A brief list such as Cape gannets, white chinned petrel, skua, Wilsons storm petrel, giant petrel, sooty albatross, shy albatross, shear waters, yellow nosed albatross, Audubon’s shearwater, Penguins, flesh footed shearwaters and many others. A day at sea is just a few hours long depending on the endurance of the group and many people take video and still photographs all day long. It is not only a show of birds but the greatest gathering of dolphin and other predators alike on the planet…and it happens here in our own country! My main interest has become the Cape gannet from a photographic point of view.

A squadron of gannets diving deep. Incredibly there are few accidents even though there are thousands of birds diving at once.

Birds on the surface with sardines in their mouths.
These birds are the kings of endurance. Flying hundreds of miles from their nesting sites on Bird island off the Eastern cape near Port Elizabeth and spending months at sea sleeping in colonies on the waters surface. They wake at first light and spend all day diving from incredible heights into the water exposing themselves to huge forces of impact when diving perfectly into the water.
Their lives begin as chicks on Bird island and they are fed by their parents for three months. In this period the sardine shoals are close at reach for the adults but start to move until it is impossible to make a return trip in one day to feed the chicks. After three months the adults stop feeding their young. They have approximately 10 days to learn to fly and dive for their own food or face starvation. The chicks also face other dangers such as dehydration from the heat of the sun and the seals. Seals take more than 10 000 chicks in a season off the island and kill them simply to eat the stomach contents, sardines. The soon copy the parents doing shallow dives and gradually learn to hold their breath for deeper more daring dives from much higher up. They can dive from a height exceeding 30 meters at over 100km per hour into the water and go down as far as 10m. Divers have recorded this as a fact and then a remarkable event in nature turns these birds into legends when at 10m down they follow the sardines, amongst the dolphins, sharks and seals to over 20m down! They become swimmers as they use their wings to swim underwater.

The gannets follow the sardine shoals all year round. An interesting fact is that these shoals of sardines are not only one species of fish but several. There are pilchards, herrings, anchovies and saury’s to mention a few. The bulk of the shoals are the Natal sardine as it is commonly known. It is easy to distinguish between juvenile, sub-adult and adult birds as the young are dark in colour and get progressively whiter bodies and black wings as they grow older. Gannets also pair for life. When one spends as much time on the water to see these magnificent creatures at work and how much energy they spend as I do you will soon realize that they are some of nature’s greatest birds.

If anyone would like to join in on this annual event then please contact me. I offer bird watching trips, dolphin viewing, as well as diving or snorkeling with these great creatures.

[ Go Back ]

June 2009 - Sardine Run

It’s that time of the year again and bookings are made by hopeful divers and ocean experience lovers. It’s the annual sardine run! Well, what most KZN coastal residents don’t know is that the sardine run happens almost every year but doesn’t always reach the coast of Natal. There are two ocean currents that fight for domination over the coastal territory between East London and Durban. The cold fronts are the major players in the sardine run. Without them the colder of the two currents cannot push up from the Cape. It hugs the coast bringing with it the sardine shoals and predators. With the coast of Africa on one side and a warm current on the other, the sardines are led into a trap. The small but numerous fish are predated on by many animals from seals, whales, dolphin of many species, birds and man.

Taking advantage of this knowledge, I recently had the pleasure of guiding Ian Georgeson and four of his clients who were competition winners on the Cross Country Insurance website - the X-Club. We met up at the Cremorne Estate resort in Port St. Johns. After checking into the lodge, we were off to a sundowner spot to look over the ocean and get an idea of what action was out there. Armed with a cooler box and binoculars, we were soon at the Agate Terrace Bluff, looking over the calm ocean at shoals of sardines being harassed by gannets diving from dizzy heights. The stage was set but there was an ominous weather warning for the days to come. After a warm meal and a few drinks, the guests were off to bed. We woke to a beautiful clear but crisp morning and after a rushed breakfast at the lodge we were on the boat and out to sea. We launch from the lodge 5 km up river and did a surf launch at the mouth of the river and headed out to sea. After a short drive on a crispy morning is was not long before we spotted a few gannets diving. We observed them for a while and were in awe at the picturesque coastline that showed itself more as the sun rose. The dramatic rock formations were a stark contrast to the rolling green hill scattered with local communities of all sizes. It is the stretch of the South African coast line with the most rivers and it boasts the most waterfalls in the world that fall directly into the ocean at Waterfall Bluff north of Port St. Johns.

After a short chat about the geography of the area, we were off to look for more action and we were soon rewarded with a sighting of a super pod of dolphin. More than a thousand of these mammals in one sighting is a rush on its own. With them came some birds and on the sonar system, I could see activity in the depths and the dolphin were chasing some bait balls to the surface and devouring them before we could get near to get pictures. As the action passed, we were adrift chatting about what we had just witnessed, when suddenly a humpback whale broke the surface for a breath and dive again. We watched the whale from where we were and then let it be. After a cup of coffee we set off once again. By now the sun was high and it burnt away the chill in the air and a slight breeze came up. Some of the guests were feeling a little queasy so I kept the boat moving looking for more action. We soon found some action near to shore. Birds were diving from high on a color line of river water and clear ocean water. Some red eye sardines were hiding on the line and being bombarded by juvenile gannets. We were all taking pictures and decided to look for some better action farther north. Soon we were amongst the friendly schools of dolphin again. After a lunch at sea and a talk about how the sardines start their lives and how they get here and what predators are to be expected with these shoals, we were off to the river mouth of the Mzimvubu. It was back to the lodge for a much needed warm shower and rest before having a sundowner on the airstrip overlooking the river and town. That evening we watched a production of many years of hard work of photography recording the sardine migration. It was awe inspiring to see the migration from all angles and in high definition. A new understanding was born to the clients and the next day at sea, so much more was appreciated. We were visited by friendly Sub Antarctic Skua’s and gannets as well as an albatross that let us take photos of it as if it was a modeling shoot. Ian had his guests Neil and Drew, the competition winners, as well as their wives and girlfriends taking pictures from all angles. The ladies were having a better day on their second day and we were lucky to not have had bad weather as the sea was calm. Dolphin soon joined us and played at length on the bow of the dive boat and while Ian was taking some pictures over the bow the cheeky but hungry Skua dived out of the sky and tried to bite at Ian’s shiny bangle on his right wrist. It missed and pecked him on the back of his hand and drew blood. The beaks of these birds are very sharp! After a fun filled day at sea we were once again off to the lodge to relax and compare pictures. The weather closed in and we got back to the lodge without incident and fun and learning was had by all. After a meal and some crazy jokes and laughter, it was off to bed and the trip came to an end the next day when we all met up at Enzo’s Pizzeria in Scottburgh on route to the Durban airport for all to catch their respective flights back home. Friendships were foundered and fun was had by all, with new respect given to nature and I hope they will be back next year!

[ Go Back ]

May 2009 - VILANCULOS MOZAMBIQUE

As the aircraft touches down at Vilanculos airport if feel a tinge of excitement as some good friends and clients have landed and the weather patterns are good for the next week. It is my sail fishing season here in Mozambique and we are hoping for a good run. Rob Timcke and Bruce Wilmore are long standing friends and clients. Bruce had caught sails on fly before and Rob was here to give it a go for the first time. After a short ride to the lodge of choice, Outdoor Vilanculos, we were soon unpacking the guys gear and the excitement was mounting as the weather was great. No wind at all and very clean, clear waters and sky.

The first day at sea got off to an exciting start with some sails being raised early in the morning and then the sudden disappearance of the fish set a stage for a difficult few days. Bruce, in true style, being the gent that he was insisted that Rob get a fish first before him. Well, it took days of trolling, four to be exact before the elusive fish showed interest again. It is very psychological fishing for these fish as sometimes they are clearly visible on the surface and they simply will not eat anything you cast at them troll for them including live baits. As true anglers would seemingly lean towards the superstition theories when all goes wrong, in true fashion so did we! We eventually decided that Rob was the Jinx. Carina, Rob’s wife had flown in to join in on the action. It was decided that Bruce should be behind the fly rod for the next session. He was being extremely patient for the past 3 days as we trolled for 100km’s per day and he just waited his turn. As Murphy would have it, a short while after commencing the days trolling for sails we raised a fish and it co-operated. I was able to tease it into the sating area. The boat was stopped and the cast was made and as fast as a hungry untrained pooch the sail struck at the well presented fly. The fish sped off and Bruce was on. With every jump it made there were squeals from Carina and nervous giggles from Rob as they both had not yet seen how the tease was done. The fish peeled off line and then settled into a respectable fight giving a good account of it self. Soon we had the fish under control and after some short last minute attempts at freedom the fish was landed, photographed and released. The smile on Bruce’s face said it all. A lot of pride mixed with satisfaction.

Next was Carina’s turn. She had started her salt water fishing with me 5 years earlier. She was now an accomplished fly fisher and was very excited for a fish. She was still a little apprehensive as the fish were quite long and seemed intimidating. After spending some time with my favorite student she agreed that she understood the task at hand. It was not much longer and she had her first fish in sight. A fish jumped a little to port side of the boat and with a quick change in direction we soon trolled the hookless teasers over the spot. Like a thief in the night the fish appeared behind the teasers. All went as planned and she did as instructed. The fish was very hungry and I was able to tease the fish really close to the boat. I stopped the boat and plucked the teaser from the water as she made a good cast. The fish sped towards the fly and gulped at it getting the hooks anchored safely in the moth and bill. It took off at a blistering speed and Carina did well to control the fish and her excitement. Her husband, Rob, was too happy for her but the 10% of jealousy shone through the smiles and he still gave encouraging comments while sucking on another Rennies tablet. The fish seemingly was under control as I was tacking photo’s of it leaping for freedom that it was eventually rewarded. Suddenly the line popped and the fish was free, we retrieved the line to find that the line had broken. It was hard to believe. We were fishing with heavy gear. When we were back at the lodge later that night we used the laptop to zoom in on the pictures that I had captured. It was clear that this fish was not going to be landed. The line had worked its way to the second hook that was not fully imbedded in the fishes bill and was pinching. The more line the fish took from the reel the more resistance there was in the water hence more tension on the line and the final result was the line giving in. Although she was disappointed she was happy and excited at what had been an awesome experience.

Rob was up next the following day and the fishing was difficult. The sea and conditions were maybe too good. Only a few fish showed themselves before Rob had his chance. A very aggressive fish crashed the teasers and broke the silence. Rob was at his rod in a flash and all went as planned. The fish was hooked as before and sped off. After a short fight we landed the beautiful creature, took some pictures and released it. Rob had now had a taste of a different style of fishing and I am sure he will be back to give it a go on his own boat soon.

A pleasurable fishing trip is always rounded off with a good experience at sea and on land. Back at the lodge, Outdoor Vilanculos, the owners Thierry and Anna were hard at work preparing meals for us and making sure that all was comfortable. They are great hosts and we all enjoy the lodge very much and hope to support it in the future.

[ Go Back ]

April 2009 - Aliwal Shoal MPA

Filled with long weekends, April was a busy month in the dive industry in South Africa. The Aliwal Shoal dive site was happily busy and the operators took full advantage of this busy period. For the average diver visiting the area, whether an international guest or local one has to be in position of a marine permit to dive. It is the exact same document for fisherman, spear fisherman and boat skippers issued and distributed from and by Kwa-Zulu Natal Wildlife. There is much controversy around the issue of permits as many questionable issues are at hand.

The MPA (Marine Protected Area) that stretches from the Umkomaas river mouth to the Umzimayi river mouth stretching several kilometers out to sea, has a few issues that seem to be contradicting. It is a fully fledged MPA and for the people using this area for income and recreation there seems to be many grey areas and law is being enforced and ocean going users both consumptive (anglers) and non-consumptive users (divers) are angry at the laws imposed on them by so called office jockeys that have no idea as to what is going on at ground level. For example: if the area is a MPA then how can there be any fishing allowed? If the area is a MPA how can they have shark nets that are destructive? How can fisherman be allowed to fish from shore and not on certain reefs? Off shore reefs are not allowed to be fished such as the crown area of Aliwal shoal but one can catch fish near the reef and at other sites a few kilometers away in the MPA. How can a pipeline from Sappi be allowed to pump effluent into the MPA? The pipe is north of the MPA and affects the reefs and fish as well as the diving visibility as the pipe is north of the reef and prevailing current transports it south over the reef.

The divers are always at logger heads with the fisherman and visa versa. The diver who is non-consumptive and takes nothing from the reef and kills nothing because of good guidance and operator policy must still carry a permit and ID at sea incase of inspection. The anglers also must comply and although there are very few guys that release fish the majority do not release their catches. I ask again: How can this be an MPA? I have personally witnessed uniformed officers watching offenders catching a vast amount of fish (shad) as well as undersized fish and do nothing. In a few cases the anglers that have been arrested are the more affluent citizens and not the true offenders. The beaches are really busy with boats being launched from various sites and on inspection by Wild Life officers no physical inspections are done on safety equipment and catches or licenses for proficiency to go to sea. All they want to see is the fishing permit and ID as well as ask what you caught for their register without witnessing it. Is this the correct way of enforcement? The only time boats are searched properly is when there is complaint laid.

The diving community in the Umkomaas area has formed an association to protect itself. It is the Aliwal Shoal Charter Boat Owners Association. It too needs to have a license per vessel and a diving exemption issued to each operator and it must police all divers and ensure that all divers have their permits. It has got to a stage that if you are not a member of the ASCBOA you will not be able to dive the reef. Is this fair? Much is swept under the carpet from the operator’s side as well as from KZN Wildlife so as to keep the peace. For if there was a confrontation there would be ongoing court cases simply going in circles as the systems in place are badly flawed. Fortunately there is a system of communication in place and an effort is being made from both sides to comply. But is seems, however, that there is disagreement in the ranks of the Marine Coastal Management (MCM) and the enforcers KZN-Wildlife. All seems to be going nowhere fast and disgruntled users just have to be unhappy and walk away as they cannot fight the government that is in place to protect their rights. Granted, there are many unscrupulous people with big mouths out there and they never come to the meetings and at the same time MCM cannot make a decision, as they seem to hog the rights to do as they please without explanation to those who use that area to make a living. I say these people should be challenged. It goes as far as the television in some cases with issues being exposed and then no follow-up as in a few weeks it is old news. This is not the way forward.

The way most people see it is as follows: The MPA should be completely closed to all users i.e. Swimmers, anglers, divers and paddlers. Nets removed and the SAPPI pipe removed so that Mother Nature can do her thing.

The other option is to close the area certain times of the year and open it at others which will also have its complications. There is also the option of simply policing it as it is and making examples of perpetrators from all walks of life. The responsibility also has to be taken by the users of the area to know the law and not to argue with the enforcers. It is also an issue that MCM is a bully to a degree when sending a huge expensive ship, the RUTH FIRST, to harass the users at sea. I was personally approached by a vessel launched from the ship and inspected; I had researchers from MCM onboard my vessel at the time doing research on the reef. When approached by the 6 men onboard the inspection vessel, I found the officer extremely rude. There was no introduction and I was barked at and given instruction as if I was under arrest. I made it clear that I was unhappy with this and offered to comply as long as there was some respect show as I had done nothing wrong. All my paper work was onboard as well as the MCM co-workers. The MCM scientists were interrogated by their own co-workers. It was a joke really. Would it not be cheaper and less labor intensive to have an officer sent to the site of the vessels being launched to do these types of inspections?

Well needless to say, I will still use the ocean off the coast of my country and as long as I know that I comply, I will not put up with being pushed around. Know your rights! Enjoy the sea responsibly and be a good example to others.

[ Go Back ]

March 2009 - Total Rally

It is March and time for the Total rally once again. The rally covers many stages in Kwa -Zulu Natal. One of which passes through my back yard, literally! I live on a sugar estate and look forward to this rally every year and have enjoyed spectating the rally for as long as it has run through the farm. Armed with my camera, I was off to some of my favourite spots and with intricate knowledge of the back roads on all the farms in the area, I was able to get to see so much more than then average spectator did. I had the pleasure of being accompanied by some close friends with a hunger to see these cars going at mind boggling speeds around the corners that seem to bend and hold the vehicles on the road. Amidst the high speed action, we all watch with anticipation to see an accident or some spectacular driving mistake. Although you don’t want anyone to get hurt, it is always a spectator’s secret wish to see off the track action!

Fortunately, there were no serious injuries on the stages I observed. There were some close calls though and I caught one of my favourite drivers, Enzo Kuun, in a spectacular downward hair pin turn. As you can see from the attached pictures it was a close call and fortunately no one was injured and incredibly the car landed on its wheels again! The car was unfortunately badly damaged and the race ended for Enzo. When observing from the side of the road it is hard to believe that the drivers can do such incredible speeds over the chosen track. There is no way they could know what is ahead of them at such speeds unless they had a co-driver/navigator. It is an incredible show of team work and trust, as the car does speeds of up to 120-130km per hour, with the co-driver not looking up from his or her lap at the navigational aids with instructions of angles and distances from corner to bends and lengths of road ahead. If the navigator should look up and lose his concentration it would all be over for the team. There is so much room for error and these guys and girls show incredible trust in each other to avoid an incident. After having walked around the service pits between stages, the professionalism in some of the teams was highly evident. A workshop is set up in the field in a matter of seconds and technicians of all sorts pull the vehicles apart and replace parts, tyres and panels in a matter of minutes. There are some heated moments as vehicles are put back together after having left the road and getting damaged.

We had some close calls when a car left the road and rolled. A tractor that was on stand-by was called from the workshops to assist with recovering the car. We made a call to one of the officials at the start of the stage to confirm that the race had been stopped so as to be able to send the tractor to the accident site. After two calls to confirm that all was ok for us to send the tractor down the road we escorted the tractor to the accident site. A third call was made to make sure that all was stopped, as we were on route and we could hear a race car coming our way and we were now committed on the road as there was no way to get off the road. Imagine the surprise of Enzo Kuun when hurtling down a dirt road at speeds of over 100km per hour, to find a tractor travelling at 20km per hour. You guessed it! There was some kind of miscommunication even after 3 calls to the start/ finish officials. How could this be? Well, the look on Enzo’s face said it all. There was fortunately no serious injury except that valuable time was lost for the team. While the overturned car was being recovered, I chatted to an angry Enzo and told him what the chain of events was and he stormed off to have a seemingly not so friendly chat to the organisers. All seemed to be sorted out and all got off lightly in a situation that could have gone seriously wrong.

I was fortunate enough to be able to follow the rally for all the stages in my area and travelled to many farms to watch as the cars came past. One such spot was a little bridge between two farms over a river. Without moving from this point, we were able to see four stages in one day. What was great was that we were able to guess who was about to come flying around the corner next. The sound of the vehicles was as if they had their own personalities. This was not true as it was simply the driver’s style that we could hear as they styled their angles on the road with powerful acceleration. Some were aggressive and others smooth, some cautious and others just simply crazy. There was a lady driver in a white car that was a pleasure to watch. She was really smooth on the road and her judgement was seemingly flawless. Then, there was the BP team of VW drivers. The first thought that came to mind was “no brains, no headache!” These drivers were definitely streaks ahead of other competitors on the track. A cold shiver escorted by an adrenalin jolt shot through your body when you caught sight of one of these cars coming around the corners or at speed down a track. Doing truly shattering speeds, these cars seemed to be made of rubber as they bottomed out in corners and the incredible suspension took the shock of the road and transferred it into energy that the drivers seemed to store and use for acceleration to the next corner.

The rally is a must for anyone who loves motor sport and is very exciting. Anything can happen and there is no monotony of watching cars going around and round a tarred track. The rally has on-road and off road stages and technical stages in car parks too!

[ Go Back ]

January 2009 - South Coast Surfing

It’s the beginning of a new year and all that is looming on the financial horizon is a haze of mixed uncertainty. Having completed some travelling with clients over the past few months, I am home now, on the Kwa-Zulu Natal South coast in the Umkomaas area. The next few months are daunting to say the least on the work front but fortunately a well deserved break is all too welcome for me. One of the best ways to relieve tension and stress is to go back to your roots and experience the pleasures of you’re youth once more.

Having grown up on the coast I was an avid surfer. Now I surf very little due to my fitness level and time availability. I however spend time with friends in and on the water and have the fortunate pleasure of being the photographer on some of their surf trips. We all live in close proximity to the beach and all it takes is a phone call and in ten minutes all the guys are on boats and jet-ski ready for action. The great thing about living next to and working on the ocean is that you can enjoy the best days on the water when you feel like it and there are no constraints.

A few days ago a friend and I launched my dive boat and headed out in large seas to take photos of mates of ours surfing big waves. Once out at sea the huge thrill for us was not only to be in the lineup of the surf zone and watch the guys getting pulled into huge waves by jet-ski’s, but also the adrenalin rush of maybe being caught by a big wave and getting washed ashore boat and all! Needless to say we were on high alert and tried to get in as close as possible to the breaking waves to get better shots with the camera as the weather was on the dark side. It takes a lot of dedication to surf the larger than usual waves. These guys train for months to stay fit and have huge patience to wait for the correct conditions and waves of huge proportions to hit the coast. Part of the training for the big wave surfers is stamina training and breath holding techniques. These guys could take a fall and have hundreds of tones of water crash down on them and be held down for a long time while being flung violently about under water hitting the bottom and only surfacing when the wave spits them out. By this time the jet-ski driver will be close at hand to rescue his buddy. The jet-skis are very powerful and drag a specially designed board with handles on it for the rescued surfer to hold onto for the daunting trip back through the surf into the line-up zone once again for another wave.

The danger in this sport is loss of life by drowning. This is what the guys train so hard for to avoid injury when falling and being held under for long periods. Many talented surfers have died due to bad falls or the surfboards hitting them in the head. Safety is always the highest concern.

The way it works is simple. Once the surfer and jet-ski are out at sea, that’s if they can get out there, the jet-ski pulls the surfer on a custom built surfboard with foot straps behind him with a ski rope. The trick is to time the waves perfectly and the trust factor between surfer and jet-ski operator must be flawless. With a mountain of water approaching the ski pulls the surfer into the wave at a phenomenal speed and pulls off the face of the wave as the surfer lets go of the rope. If all was executed perfectly the surfer will have sufficient momentum to catch the wave and ride it safely and bail off at a safe spot to be picked up again by the ski. The big danger here is when the surfer lets go of the life line that pulls him. Once he lets go he is alone. If he has good speed he will be able to ride the wave successfully. If not, then disaster looms in the form of the wave crashing down on him as he cannot get away from the lip of the wave in time. The adrenalin rush is inexplicable. As you take off and build speed going down the face of the wave the thunderous sound of water behind you edges you forward and is a reminder not to screw up. The first turn you make at the bottom of the wave if you get that far is possibly the most important move on the wave. You need enough speed from that turn to get you to the top of the face of the wave once again to regain speed for forward motion to ride it further. After every turn the surfer is forced to turn back to the daunting foam of the wave where the power in the wave resides to regenerate enough speed to carry on the ride.

For me as the photographer and boat skipper the rush is also pulsed through my veins as a wave breaks out of sight behind a wave blocking my view and the sound of thunder that carries across the water to the shore and echoes back is a reminder not to get too close! Being trapped between two waves is dangerous. Most of this type of surfing takes place near rocky points and there is no place to hide in-shore from the huge foamy waves. So if one finds oneself trapped, it is over. Swim is inevitable with definite loss of equipment and dented ego.

[ Go Back ]

December 2008 - BAZARUTO WORKOUT

It’s mid December and all the clients at the Bazaruto Pestana Hotel are in full holiday mode, lounging about on pool chairs, drinking cocktails and absorbing the suns rays while recovering from a hard year of work. From the bar the soft sounds of Bob Marley emanate as the waiters go about their work. The mood is relaxed and the breeze cool in the mid summer heat. In the background a tractor can be heard arriving at the reception area with new clients for the hotel. As my clients arrive I see them absorb the mood that is set before them by others already relaxing and have a private chuckle to myself…in less than an hour these strapping guys will be hard at work again. This time casting and retrieving surface lures at a pace that would make an Olympic athlete choke. Fishing with large lures is not for the feint hearted as they usually attract large fish.

Shaun McCarthy and Graeme Turner are regulars to this area and have been frequenting the islands for over 10 years. I have personally guided them for 8 years and every year we do our best to change the fishing style and enjoy the many different types of angling the area provides. These guys usually visit this area in a group of 10 anglers, half of which don’t set foot on a boat. On this specific trip amidst much jibing and friendly leg pulling was a hidden agenda. Two of Shaun’s friends, Graeme Yates “Crusty” and Jonathan “Nathan” were to join us at sea. Mr. Yates was still busy cutting his teeth in the salt water arena and Nathan had yet to see a salty critter. From a coastal persons perspective these guys would affectionately be known as “Urban Gerbils.” Shaun pulled me aside and asked if I would please put in a little extra effort in finding Crusty and Nathan a good fish each. “Your wish is my command” was the answer and so we were off! Little did they know that I had been fishing the area hard for the past few days and found out where what was and when they would be there? I had joined forces with Graeme Field of Liquid Horizon and fished with his clients for GT’s and other game fish the previous week.

Crusty had been watching too much TV and came armed with all sorts of jigging gear and was eager to get a line in the water. While travelling out to sea I noticed Shaun checking the obvious land marks and he knew we were heading to a spot he was all too familiar with. His smile said it all and I asked the other guys to let me tackle up for them, which was an obvious stalling tactic as we wanted Crusty to get a fish on first.

Know you need to understand the nature of this man, Crusty. He, at the best of times makes a Duracell bunny look like a tortoise. His dedication to the job about to be attempted was only superseded by the possible fact that he was vaccinated with a Grammar phone needle as a child! The boat hardly came to a stand still and he had his brand new tackle at the ready. As he steps to the front of the boat where I allocated him he turns his back and all his mates avoid eye contact with me. Wry smiles all about and lips being pinched between teeth, they know what he is in for. I keep myself busy as he makes his first drop. The other guys ask blank questions and comment on the weather. Crusty starts his retrieve on my command and “BANG” he’s on! Not a large fish. But he obviously never took note of the long section of wire attached to his lure! His fish was about to be converted into a sizeable shark! The specific reef we were at was thick with Zambezi’s….of the large version. His excitement and chirping carried on for a short while until I tightened the Stella’s drag! As his mood and chirps were waning and the other guy’s comments were waxing. Remember it is December in Mozambique, and it is hot, VERY HOT. Soon the guys could not hold out their howls of joy to see Crusty with his tongue hanging out and sweat pouring from him all over. About 90% through the fight he eventually realized what his mates had done and that event set the tone for the next two exciting days.

These guys came prepared with one job in mind. They came for GT’s. To catch them on plug or on jig was not going to be easy with the weather we were dealt but luck was on our side. I once heard that in angling, “LUCK”, IS WHERE SKILL AND OPERTUNITY MEET! For me it in more like where “EFFORT AND OPERTUNITY MEET! The tides were good only for a few hours of the day and we timed it all as best we could to get fish in the few short days we had. The guys were casting lures until they could not any more. And what made things worse was me telling them to do it harder. Plugging with Chugger poppers is no easy job, but if done correctly will be very rewarding. Color selection is personal to most people but to me at certain times of the day or year you better pay attention or you will just be doing some seriously expensive gym training in the form of fishing! The humor for me was to see the chirps end and the concentration start. It soon sinks in that you are here to catch fish and if you don’t pay attention to what you are asked to do with a lure then you efforts will be for naught.

Then it all changes, silence is broken by a huge splash as a fish hits and misses the lure. Again it returns with lightning speed and crashes the lure that tried to outsmart it. Shaun is on with the first fish. Expensive tackle being put to the test with max drag and heavy braid. The reel makes popping sounds as it amplifies the sound of braid peeing slowly from its spool. The rod dips and flexes violently as the fish tries to regain its freedom from the 10/0 hooks in its mouth. With some hard work Shaun gets the fish to the surface. The 25kg GT is tagged and released in a few minutes. Amidst the howls of excitement the other chaps don’t actually know what the strength of these fish is like. A short while later Shaun was on again. This time he was not so lucky. His fish was taken by a shark in the shallows and we only got the head back. I had only one lure of its kind and asked Shaun if he would let Crusty have a few casts with it. Sure as the sun sets, a few casts later he was on! Then reality sets in. “this is not fun and not easy” at this point. There is plenty coaching. Hands will not do what the brain tells them anymore the angler goes def and balance is not what it was. Leaning back on a fish with a full drag setting with 120lb drag is not easy. Your full body weight is transferred into you hands as they hold onto a rod handle. Well, let’s just say it’s like holding onto a pull-up bar with 70% of your body weight for 20 minute plus under a shower of water with the ground moving under your feet. The fish is landed and tagged. Crusty is unable to speak, thank goodness, simply because of the smile that was stretching his face. Job done, another angler hooked for life.

Graeme’s turn, affectionately known as “Turn’s”, he has been casting all the while with a lure that maybe didn’t suit his tackle. We soon remedied the problem and he was on too with a 20 +kg fish. This is where humor took a dip. It was hot and the guys were working really hard at casting at my command and retrieving as I asked. Energy was spent. Turn’s had a fish on for a short while and things went wrong. The laughing and howling stopped suddenly as he went white and said, “guy’s, I think I am having a heart attack! Take the rod. I need someone to hand it over to!” We all kicked into action with adrenalin rush. Turn’s is a big guy, and fit. But something was wrong. The situation played out and the fish was landed. His color came back as the fish surfaced. The laughing returned and to this day I still am not sure if Turn’s was going to hand that rod over or if something was wrong. He just could not do it, for if he did he would not have heard the end of it! As it was the guys had a “Borat” bikini (mankini) on tour with them. Should anyone not land a fish or the smallest fish of the day they would have to strip and wear the “mankini” for the day. I personally would rather have been shot by firing squad. So, Turn’s, if you read this ever then know this, I would not have handed the rod over either, even if I had a heart attack!

Now for you to understand how Murphy works, know this! All the fish taken thus far were on the same lure and rod. It was being passed amongst the guys as they took breaks to rehydrate themselves. And they soon realized the pattern that was developing. The one lure was working to the max and now the game was on to see who would get the chance with the stick that was working! It was Nathan’s chance but he did not have the lucky rod in hand. We were using the new Daiwa “Monster Mesh” spinning rods with Shimano “Spheros” and “Stella” reels with 120lb braid. These rods have incredible back bone for two piece rods. We were all cheering Nathan on as the tour was coming to an end and he was being eluded by the large fish having hooked and lost a few. As we were watching his lure intently a fish took Turn’s lure 2 meters from the boat and he was on again. He landed the GT and serious high pitched laughter echoed to the beaches as he tried to hold up the fish for the camera but simply could not lift the fish. It looked as if somebody cut his hydraulic pipe system with the amount of liquid emanating from the man in the form of sweat.

All were taking a break and doing the gentlemanly thing by allowing Nathan to cast freely while they looked on with positive comments. In true fashion for reward of effort the blue popper was literally inhaled by a 28kg king mackerel as leapt from the water 15 meters away and straight up into the air at us. It landed just short of the boat and screamed off. Now you need to understand both the shock of the fish and the angler as the fish took off. The drag is set tight and I mean tight 15 kgs + of drag. Also a well built guy and fit by nature he was put to the test. The fish could not peel off line to get away so just swam at an almighty speed in a circle. Some were nearly beheaded by braid in the process but organized chaos ensued and no one was seriously injured. The fish was boated and a good hearty laugh was had by all. We photographed the fish and had to put up with the “Jeez, did you see that?” The look on Nathans face tells the story of why I do what I do. That look for me is priceless!

TACKLE
We always fish heavy in the summer months as the larger GT’s seem to be around. Fish also tend to fight harder in the warmer water of summer than winter. There is no compromise in tackle at this time so use a good quality braid on a reel that has a super slick drag. Choose your lures carefully. Remember that round cup faced lures that are short tend to jump when used on a stiff rod. So, go for slightly longer poppers. The face of the lure is very important when buying. So choose according to the conditions that you will be fishing in. Color is important too. I can’t say what works and what not, so you choose. As long as the lure is worked properly and the fish is in the mood you will be successful. Hooks that already come attached are not always of the best quality or strength. Be sure to ask your dealer for advice. Hooks can be easily changed to suit the job. I almost always change the hooks to a much stronger hook. Remember to also sharpen the hooks after you purchase the lure, that is, if they are not chemically sharpened already.

To see more photos of the trip visit www.africanoceancharters.co.za

[ Go Back ]

November 2008 - RIO AZUL, MOZAMBIQUE

“Rio Azul”, it means Blue River in Portuguese. And that it is. Situated on the Govuro River 30 kilometres north of the town of Inhassoro in Mozambique, it is a gem of a lodge surrounded by wilderness and the primitive lifestyle of old. The lodge is built on the river bank and lends itself to the avid angler and getaway holiday maker alike. Managed and built by Craig Thomassen and assisted ably by his fiancé Pam Jamieson this is a destination not to be missed out on.

The lodge is on the water’s edge and is almost crystal clear all year round and makes for awesome photography especially in the evening and very early morning when the golden hues of light avail themselves. The river is always busy with local fisherman on dugouts and dhows netting, fishing or diving for bounty for survival. Fish traps can be seen almost all the way up river, and the river, which is open to the sea, is almost completely edged with mangrove. From early till late and all day long you hear the bird’s song. Take a trip up the river on your own and adventure is not out of reach. The river splits into many tributaries and soon you find yourself surrounded by nature in all its splendour. Fish chasing other fish on the surface is usually the only sound to be heard besides the chirp of birds and the gentle hiss of the breeze. The lodge owns 10 small aluminium boats with 15 hp Yamaha engines attached. On the boats is a radio and fish finder. They also have a 31ft boat for sunset trips and fishing trips for groups of anglers as well as a 15 ft seagoing ski-boat for fly fisherman and light tackle enthusiasts alike. The lodge has two young, super keen fishing guides from South Africa who will assist you in all issues pertaining to angling in the ocean or the estuary.

The rooms at the lodge are simple elegant and spacious with ample shower space and double cupboards and basins for him and her, so to speak. The rooms are well ventilated and have 24 hour electricity for fans to operate as well as lights. The beds are super comfy too! The lodge has 6 rooms (2 PER ROOM) and two houses that sleep 3 each. All rooms are serviced daily and one never sees the staff. The food is prepared in many ways from oven to open fire to the grill. Craig is a master in the kitchen and be sure to try his chilli sauces. The cuisine to be expected is all but a mixture of what you feel like to simply homemade and wholesome dishes. Much comes from the sea and river and is prepared fresh. For those with eating preferences, be sure to let them know beforehand so that provisions can be made prior to your arrival. It is a remote destination and most special requests need to be catered for prior to arrival, for example wheat intolerant guests etc. To get to the lodge you could expect to fly from Johannesburg for 2 hours to the Mozambique town of Vilanculos. The customs are a breeze and so is passport control. For South African passport holders no Visa is required. For foreigners a visa is obtainable on arrival at immigration anywhere in Mozambique. From the airport it is a 1 hour drive in a mini bus or station wagon to the small fishing town of Inhassoro where you will switch vehicles to a game viewer and drive 30 kilometres to the lodge along the sea shore. The other option is to take a drive into the country yourself. There are many B&B’s on the 1550km road from Durban or Johannesburg. For those who wish to drive please be advised to stick to the speed limit and pay special attention to trucks on the road as most of them are imports and are left hand drive. These are rather large vehicles and the drivers almost always misjudge the width of their vehicles and drive on the wrong side of the road! Be sure to stay in contact with the lodge regularly as the cell reception is lost in some place on the way. Should you have the misfortune of a breakdown at least the lodge will know and could possibly assist you.

Once at the lodge you will be shown to your rooms and given a sweet welcome and then simply left alone to do whatever it is you wish for. From the deep plunge pools to simply relaxing on the beach or fishing in almost secluded privacy at most spots you can make Rio Azul your own place in Africa during your stay. The bar is the centre piece of the lodge and is where all meet and greet and spend the evenings chattering. The lodge as you will see is built from local woods by Zimbabwean, Botswana, and Mozambique carpenters. Huge chunks of wild mango trees sacrifice themselves as bar tops and huge table tops. The majestic square uprights and flooring and furniture are made from Iron woods and are the main catalyst in the atmosphere at the lodge in the sunset. At night the lodge takes on a soft quiet atmosphere that is almost magical in its layout. Pam and Craig along with the rest of the team that is Rio Azul make nothing too much effort and are friendly and attentive all the time. After a short while the rigours of life fade and soon you feel part of the family and the only hint of negativity is the thought of leaving. You will not have the need for shoes or belts for the entire stay!

TRAVEL ADVISORY: Please be aware that when driving through Mozambique it is compulsory to be in possession of an in date third party insurance obtainable from any border post upon entry. It is R150 per vehicle and R80 per trailer. Should you be stopped by the police, you will have to supply them with these documents. If anything should go horribly wrong with your trip and you have no third party insurance, it is likely that you will suffer problem when making a cross border insurance claim.

One can pay for services at the lodge by credit card and the local currency is the Metical. It is advised that one has Dollars (USD) on hand as the Rand is ever fluctuating. Do not forget to bring sunscreen, hats and insect repellent. Please note that it is a malaria zone and prophylactics should be taken prior to arrival. There are no shops in or near the lodge so bring them with you. The lodge has a well stocked medical kit and Pam and Craig are proficient at fist aid.

To make a booking at Rio Azul please contact me at www.africanoceancharters.co.za We will make it a trip for you to remember.

[ Go Back ]

October 2008 - Safety in the surf

With the holidays approaching fast and the excitement mounting while preparing for a trip to the coast for fishing or diving safety is often overlooked. I have seen many a nasty accident on the roads in South Africa as well as bordering countries. It is imperative to have a safety plan set out with some very basic checks before leaving, during your journey and while launching your vessel through the surf.

Make sure, before your intended trip or departure that your lights on the trailer are working well. If your boat trailer has a breaking system, make sure it is working and have it serviced as soon as you are back from your trip as you would have surely got sea salt and sand on it. It is not sufficient that you might have sprayed it with fresh water! It needs to be dismantled and cleaned. The driver of the vehicle should always make sure that the trailer is not overloaded. By this I mean that the boat on the trailer should not be loaded and substituted as a safari trailer as the trailer was built to hold the boats weight and not much more. Make sure your tire pressures are correct on the vehicle as well as on the trailer. It is the driver’s responsibility to check that the trailer is hitched correctly. It helps too for on-road confidence.

Do not speed! Trailers were built for carrying….not racing to or from the coast. You certainly don’t want to become a statistic or spoil your well earned holiday. Drive as slow as possible but as fast as necessary. Check your bearings on the trailer every 100km or so. It is really simple. Just place the palm of your hand on the axle hub between the studs/nuts. It should be cold. If it is so hot that you cannot keep your hand on it you should not travel farther. Always keep a tool kit and spare bearings with you on your travels to fix this problem. Do not attempt to travel further. It is cheap to replace a bearing, not so cheap to replace an axle or your boat and especially your life. When towing a boat I keep to a simple rule. Treat every other driver on the road as if he or she was a fool. By this I mean you should make sure the other drivers are aware of your intentions.

Once you are at the coast safely and are ready for a day on the water you should seek local knowledge first before launching your boat. It is strongly advisable to do a weather check the day before too. Knowledge is power. Check some sites out like BUOYWEATHER, MAGICSEAWEED OR WINDGURU. These will help a lot to understand your next days launch conditions. Important info like wind speeds swell height and direction are critical factors for a safe trip to sea. It is truly not worth launching if the weather conditions are predicted to be bad. People’s lives are at stake.

It is also very important to launch only at a designated launch site. It plays a major factor with the law and with your insurer should something go wrong. Abide by the club or beach control regulations and always offer to help others when launching. (Make sure you have a valid skipper’s license and positive I.D.) Help turn their boats and push. You will see that the favor will be returned most of the time and it is always good to have extra hands for a safe push into the surf. Before you drive your vehicle onto the beach make very sure that you tires have been deflated to about 1 bar or 0.8. This will help a lot when launching. The last thing you want is to get stuck and have waves bash your boat into pieces against your trailer. If you feel the vehicle is not moving once the boat is dropped do not accelerate and dig in. Unhitch the trailer fast. Drive out and use a winch or rope to pull the trailer up and re-hitch it and park. It is important to time the dropping of the boat in the shore break. If the boat is light, drop it short as it is easy to push. If it is heavy chose a spot, if you can, that does not have a steep incline but that has hard sand. SEE PICTURES A1, A2 &A3, Make sure to do all the pre-checks on the boat. It is a good idea to always run the motors with fresh water for about 10 minutes before launching. Check the fuel lines and make sure you are fully loaded with fuel for the day. In dad weather you will always use double the fuel. Don’t forget this.

Once you are ready to go there will always be nervousness. If not, you should not be launching. Brief your crew should the worst happen. It is due to lack of communication that most accidents happen in the surf. If the boat should lose all power for example, throw the drogue overboard and keep the boat facing to sea or into the surf. If the crew are ok and it is safe to stay aboard then do so until you are safely in the shore break again. If not, abandon ship and get away from it. Swim to shore or stay together and wait for help. Do not panic.

Don’t rush. Wait and observe some of the locals and wait your turn. I have witnessed some rude characters in my life and it is all unnecessary stuff. It is, however, mostly due to nerves. Give the locals the respect they deserve and you will see that they will be helpful. Well, most of the time. Look for “safe zones” in the surf to wait or run back to. I find that the very best of the best skippers have the most patience. Wait for your break in the surf and do not hesitate. If you are not happy, beach the boat and try again. Nobody will laugh at you. They will respect you and it is safe practice. Make sure that there is only one boat in the surf at a time. And make very sure that all aboard have their life jackets on. A small tip is to launch the boat first then get your jackets on when all are safely aboard. This depends on the launch situation of course. The jacket gets in the way when trying to climb aboard most of the time. If you can do it with the jacket on then that is best.

Do not ever load the boat with crew. I see this every day in this business and it sickens me. A boat will not perform to its maximum and be safe if it is over loaded. If your boat is registered for 6 persons it does not mean that you should load 6 on board every time. It is also uncomfortable at sea and the ocean is a hostile place. You will soon hate boating with too many people on board. Also very important NO ALCOHOL! For some this is like a swear word. It is the law and if something should go horribly wrong you will need you wits about you. Always let someone know your estimated time of return and be aware or oncoming weather. Talk to the other skippers if need be before you launch to get an idea of coming weather if you are not sure and plan your day accordingly.

Pictures B1, B2 & B3 show how a boat can handle a wave head on. Pictures C & D show a skipper doing the right thing he only had one engine and could not turn the boat. The boat was kept into the surf and a safe launch resulted.

I hope this has helped for those of you who are new to boating. Please feel free to contact me for any advice or tips for launch sites on the South African coast line. I offer fishing trips and diving outings on the south coast.

Contact me at www.africanoceancharters.co.za or on mobile no. +27 72 501 8302

(A1) - Launching a boat directly into the surf.	(A2) - Hit the brakes! Wait for the boat to get off the trailer before pulling away.	(A3) - Pull away once water has subsided, you should not get stuck.
(B1) - Punching a wave.	(B2) - Keeping the boat staight.	(B3) - Let the wave pass and accelerate to offload the water on the deck.
(C) - Even small waves can be dangerous.	(D) - Keeping the nose into the surf.

[ Go Back ]

August 2008 - Natal Sardine Run

The coast line of South Africa is visited every year by a phenomenon we know as the Natal Sardine Run. What most people don’t know is that it’s not only the sardines that migrate up the coast in winter months. The coast between Cape Agullas and Durban sees annually a migration of mind boggling proportions that we technically don’t all ‘see’. It is estimated that around 40 plus species of sea mammals follow the sardine run as the little plankton eating critters migrate from the icy southern ocean to the boundary or warm water that, in winter, is as far north as Durban. Every year at the change of season from Autumn to winter the two major ocean currents on the eastern seaboard tussle for domination as the cold front systems of the winter solstice push winds and swells northwards forcing the warmer Mozambique current north up the coast line. These little fish will always be found in vast numbers in water temperatures less than 20 degrees Celsius.

At this time of the year we witness the earth’s greatest migration of creatures in biomass. That is, from whales of all species to sharks, game fish, sardines, seals, penguin, ocean birds and people too. Overseas visitors are starting to flock to our shores at this time of year to witness and document this occurrence. The best way to experience the spectacle is from a boat. There are operators that offer these tours at this time of year. One can dive with the sardines and sharks or just game view from the boat. It is a photographers dream to be able to see these creatures of the ocean up close and personal. I have worked on the sardine run most of my life and it is a time of year that I eagerly look forward to. A day would usually consist of an early wake up call 6:30, then a breakfast of your choice at the lodge and then a walk to the beach to board an Inflatable boat. The surf launch is half the fun and can at times be very tricky after big winds.

Whether you dive or not is irrelevant as far as I am concerned. There is much to be seen. A micro-light aircraft sends messages to the skipper of your boat informing him of the whereabouts of activity. It could be super pods of dolphins or whales. The bonus is to find a bait ball. This is just a terminology for a shoal of fish being predated on. Predators will break off part of the sardine shoal and push them to the surface where they are fed upon by the dolphin. Bryde’s whales also put in an appearance with their spectacular feeding methods. Finding the activity is easy. The Cape gannet is the sea bird most associated with the sardine run. These birds are found in their thousands, diving from incredible heights the air assault on the shoals of sardines are relentless and all that stops these birds from feeding is the darkness of night. This symbiotic relationship between the mammals and gannets alone is awe inspiring. How they don’t collide with the incredible impact they hit the water at is a miracle. It is estimated that a gannet will be successful in a dive only every 25th dive. That is huge energy to expend for the nutritious food source.

After a day on the water and a return to the lodge at lunch time weather depending, one can take a flight in a micro-light to do some photography or visit one of the many sundowner spots such as Magwa Falls. The lodges in the Port St. Johns area are well used to the influx of visitors at this time of the year and cater accordingly. It is cold in June with the off-shore winds that blow and there is nothing better than sitting around a fire in the evening with a beverage and reflecting the day’s events. Your skipper is your guide if you are boat bound. If you wish to dive, the minimum dive certification is usually Advanced course divers and above. An instructor or dive master will be on the boat to handle all the dive related issues. The boats are manned by only the best skippers and crews and safety is the first priority. All boats have GPS, sonar and radio. Cell phone reception is rather good too. There is a medic on stand bye as well. June is really a good time as the weather is stable and predictable. It is advisable to book in advance for this event and a minimum of 5 days on the water is the norm. If the weather is bad it will be up to the skipper to make the call and his say is final. Most of the time the bad weather at that time is year is short lived, 3 days max…usually but don’t quote me on that! It is easy to get to the area if you live in SA. Just drive or fly. One can fly into Umtata and can be collected or hire a car. For international clients a drive from Durban is usually and eye opener through the homeland of the Eastern Cape. The great thing is there is no need for malaria prophylactics or passport control and customs issues. Little really known and advertised about the migration of these sardines and it truly is a wonder of nature. As a South African one should make the effort to be a part of and see this spectacular event of nature that is unequalled anywhere on the planet.

The area best to see this phenomenon is the Port St. Johns area in the Eastern Cape (former Transkei). Port St. Johns and Mbotyi lodge are the most popular places for operators to launch their boats. This area is steeped in traditions and history with a breathtaking backdrop of natural bush and character filled people. If you wish to experience this event please contact me at ant@scottnet.co.za. It is a must for the wildlife enthusiast and birder or diver…or anyone for that matter.

Souther Right whale	Surf Launching	Travelling Humpbacks
Ant w/ clients next to Souther whale	Gannets diving into baitball	Humpback whale
Humpback whale breaching	Pod of common dolphin	Port St. Johns form air
One of many waterfalls into t/ ocean	Magwa falls	M/light in waterfall bluff Mbotyi

[ Go Back ]

July 2008 - Kwa-Zulu Natal Shark Diving

I wish I had words to describe the looks on people’s faces when they get back to the surface after a dive with sharks at the Aliwal shoal. One would expect them to want to get back onto the dive boat with all haste and be kicking wildly to exit the water. Instead, the mood is totally the opposite. Tranquil happiness oozes from their faces along with well directed expletives and hyena like giggles of ecstatic disbelief in what their eyes have conveyed to their brains for process. This is diving on the Aliwal Shoal in the winter months!

The Shoal area is visited in the winter months by the ferocious looking Ragged toothed sharks. This is one of the many off-shore areas they aggregate at for mating when the water temperatures drop in winter. Along with the Raggies there are many more mind blowing sites to see on the Shoal. Slightly south of the shoal, the area known as Eel skin and Castle is where the Tiger shark diving takes place almost all year round. Tiger sharks are apex predators and diving with these creatures is not taken lightly. All dive operators do the recreational dives on the shoal where the Raggies can be viewed at Cathedral or at Raggies cave. The more specialized diving with the Tigers and Black Tips is offered too by some operators and more specifically by Blue Wilderness and African Water Sports Adventures. Briefings are strict and safety is taken seriously along with etiquette. The extremely experienced dive teams will brief and dive with you. You can also have a video made of your dive with the sharks. You can scuba, free dive or simply snorkel on the surface. It is truly a life changing experience.

A typical day diving from one of the many operators in the area consists of dives starting from 6am in summer and 7am in winter. Every two hours boats are launched through the surf. A 6 for 7 launch means that you should be at the dive center at 6 and gear up, briefings take place and then the short trip to the river or beach for an African surf launch at 7am. Be sure to pay attention to the instruction giver by the dive leaders and skippers. Surf launching can at times be hectic here and I would like to call the total experience an extreme one. However I am not allowed to as I would probably chase away the fair weather divers. This is not the Caribbean! The area has dive sites that offer plenty for the underwater photographer and diver that wants to see big things as well as small. There are dolphins on the reef most of the time and plenty of whales to be seen from June to October. All the dive operators offer Ocean experience trips for the non divers and snorkeling trips on good weather days. The reef itself is 15 minutes by boat from the launch site at Umkomaas. The reef is just a few kilometers off-shore.

The small town of Unkomaas has the highest density of dive operators in the area. For bookings to dive or to learn to dive have a look in the dive magazines (Dive style, Submerge) for a directory or simply contact me. The dive industry certainly has its characters, from dive center owners to the skippers and instructors. It is a fun place to be. Remember though, these characters are generally shy ocean stewards until it gets dark. Then things change, the dry characters and Sergeant Major like behavior dissolves into laughter over much verbal sparring and a few drinks to take the edge off. Fun is almost always had by all and friendships are forged with salt water by day and cold beverages by night! There are also good restaurants. Rocky Bay, south of Scottburgh, has the “Bell and Anchor,” Scottburgh has a few more such as ENZO’S, Spur, Wimpy, The Dodo to mention a few. Umkomaas has Sebastian’s, Taste, Waves and Lala Manzi. Be aware that this is Kwa-Zulu Natal, which means that most of the folk here are infected by the salt air and things are a little slower, so please be patient and get into the laid back mood of the area. Make friends with the locals and enjoy!

This area of the Kwa-Zulu coast is home to some of the best in the business. From the highly experienced boat skippers to the dive masters and instructors, it is a pleasure to be there and learn with them. I spend all my time in the industry as a skipper and take business groups and friends alike on trips to the Shoal.

If you visit the area which is situated just 30 minutes drive South of Durban, be sure to use one of the many self catering facilities on offer. B&B’s are abundant and close to all the dive centers. Some offer their own accommodation. If you don’t know how to dive this is a great place to learn. Spend a weekend here and your life will change. If you dive already be sure to introduce this awesome sport to others. The operators all have resident diving instructors and they are either PADI or NAUI qualified. All operators are linked to DAN (Divers Alert Network) as insurance. You should have your own insurance as well. The operators can supply dive gear for hire or bring your own. Most, if not all, supply air fills and nitrox fills. The operators are accommodating. If you try to book a dive and the boats are full you will possibly be referred to another operator for an inter-charter. Feel free to do a few dives with other operations until you find people you are comfortable with.

Tiger shark – Aliwal Shoal	White chinned pertrel – Aliwal Shoal	Sailing whale - Green Point Umkomaas
Umkomaas Launch	Tigershark diving – Aliwal Shoal	Oceans Alive - Dive School
Ocean's Alive - Dive Centre	Ragged tooth shark - Aliwal Shoal	Ragged tooth sharks - Aliwal Shoal

[ Go Back ]

June 2008

It’s winter again and the memories of a hot summer are fading as I gear up for a season of sailfish fishing in Mozambique. I am surrounded by beauty every day in my profession with nature all around me. One see’s and experiences the most awesome spectacles when you spend most of your day on the water or in the bush.

June was great, weather wise, along the East coast of Africa. With exception of the flooding in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Ocean going fanatics were kept busy with their respective sports on and in the ocean. I spent most of my month at a small lodge just north of Vilanculos called Outdoor Vilanculos. I had 3 weeks of charters booked from there and one week at the beautiful Bazaruto lodge. We fished with friends and clients alike and fun was had by all. The fishing was not as memorable as last year. That is just the way it goes. We had some very productive day’s with6-8 sailfish being landed. Last year in 36 days we landed and released 154 sailfish in the Bazaruto Archipelago. This year was not as good for fishing. We saw huge numbers of these fish feeding on the surface and just could not get the fish to bite. One reason, simply from observation, is that the baitfish that the sails were feeding on were so small that the neat baits and live baits we were presenting to them were simply too big. We call it selective feeding. Once that fish is programmed onto a certain food type it is like offering an alcoholic a bottle of still water halfway through a drinking session.

Almost every day we saw whales and huge pods of spinner and common dolphins. At this time of the year the huge Hump back whales migrate north from the southern ocean into the warmer waters of the Mozambique Channel to mate and give birth. It is said that once they start their migration it takes just a few weeks for them to travel to this vast area and males can be seen competing for females and females giving birth in the quiet bays of the Mozambique coastline. These brutes of the ocean can be seen breaching all over the area. It is said that the females give birth to a calf that is approximately 4 meters long and weighs in at one ton!

For the birders there was a treat when a trio of Lesser Noddy’s was spotted on the north bank of the Bazaruto Island. They were kept company by a host of Terns roosting on the secluded sand banks. This area is also well known for the Crab Plover. I once had a client travel from Europe to see these birds and as most bird books would say that one could find these birds on sand bars amongst flocks of terns mostly being found in numbers of 3 to 30 (if you are lucky). On this particular day we ventured out to a sand bar in and area well known for these birds and we found them. I had a gentleman almost reduced into tears when we saw that we had stumbled onto a flock of over 200 sitting roosting on a small peninsula. It is days like this that I wonder if I could ever do a desk job again. A few months back I had the honor and pleasure of meeting a gentleman by the name of Jim McLuskie. He and a group of friends were on a birding trip through Mozambique and I was asked to show him around a little. After a whale watching trip at sea we had a brief chat back at the lodge and I was soon presented with a sixth edition ROBERT’S bird’s book of Southern Africa. I was elated as I had always wanted one. All he asked in return was that I used the book to educate others about the beautiful creatures he loves so much. Well, if anyone out there reads this and you know a Jim McLuskie then be sure to let him know that the book is in good use and that I say another huge “thank you!”

It is amazing that in my line of work how many times in one day you can see things that are breath taking and how much it affects people that are much less fortunate. It can have life changing affects. I have witnessed events of Mother Nature that have changed the lives of clients so much that they have changed their lifestyles for the better. Is nature not wonder-filled!

Here is a little challenge for you to appreciate your surroundings, for example: If you have a dog, let’s say a Jack Russell, look it up on the net or in a dog book. Don’t ask someone. Look it up yourself. You will find out so much about that little feisty lovable and brave animal that you will appreciate it more. Point being that we, everyday, see things that we do not really appreciate. Before you go an the next fishing trip, or bush outing, hunting, skiing or camping, think of an animal that you would see there and research it. You will appreciate it more when you know more about it. It is good for you as it creates awareness and respect. Then tell someone about it. Two non-expensive books that are a good idea to have with you when on an outdoors trip are a book on mammals of Southern Africa and a birding book of birds of Southern Africa. In July I will be diving the Aliwal Shoal just south of Durban to look for Ragged tooth sharks and Tiger sharks!

[ Go Back ]