We met our pilot Matt and boarded the six seated Cessna to fly from Maun into the Delta. I noted that all the bush pilots operating out of Maun seemed to be in their twenties or so. However what they lacked in age they made up for in flying experience.
We were flown into Pom-Pom (translated – The Place of Mosquitoes – TRUE) international airport. I say this with great jest, as the runway is probably the length of a standard ruler, about as wide and sand. Matt let the wheels down and the plane hit ground and sharply braked stopping within the ruler length – just!
MOKORO TRIP TO BAOBAB ISLAND
A 45min drive on the back of a game viewer took us from Pom Pom to the Mokoro Port then an hour Mokoro trip to Baobab Island. It was summer, so the water was quite high resulting in our having to carry all our gear for about a kilometre to the campsite.
This area is a bird sanctuary so we were there more for the birding than the game.
• Spurwing Geese
• African Darter
• Swamp Boubou
• Purple Heron
• Little Egret
• Shaft-Tailed Whydah
• Redbilled Firefinch
• Blue Waxbill
• African Paradise Flycatcher
• Hamerkop
• Woodland Kingfisher
• African Fish Eagle
• Pels Fishing Owl
• Kurrichane Thrush
• Marabou Stork
• Eastern White Pelican
• Pinkbacked Pelican
Not forgetting:
• Sausage tree
• Water Lilly (stunning floating flowers some that flower in the day and others that flower at night)
• Water Lettuce – very pretty
• Papyrus grass all around
• Squirrels galore
• Lechwe (an antelope found in flood plains)
Make sure you carry a good bird book as there is an abundance of bird life.
THE CAMPSITE ON BAOBAB ISLAND
We arrived around midday with the temperature up in the forties. Once we settled in and unpacked and made our bed it was time for lunch. Shaku knocked together a very welcomed and tasty Tuna Salad and finally some ice-cold water. How is it that simple food always tastes better in the bush and when you are thirsty water tastes so sweet.
After lunch Shaku showed us around the camp. There was a bucket shower – literally as the name implies, it is a bucket suspended on a rope with a shower nozzle underneath and a tap. All this in an enclosed shower tent. This was a pure luxury as the bucket could be filled with water heated on the fire – a girl needs her luxuries outdoors.
There was really someone upstairs looking after me. The long drop was a camping toilet with a seat. Gavin referred to this as a heated toilet seat because it was behind a bush, but in the sun. If the toilet was occupied the spade and toilet roll propped against a tree at the campsite would be missing – make sure you take the spade, you need it to throw some sand on your business to keep the flies away!
At this point I must compliment Drifters on their amazing service. You have to understand that to get to Maun was a one hour Mokoro trip, forty five minutes on a vehicle and then a twenty minute flight. Yet every day we had fresh Ice, salad, wine and beer. Shaku would radio Maun in the evenings and before lunch the next day fresh provisions would arrive. This is an amazing accomplishment considering the logistics involved.
The camp consisted of tent two sleeper tents, with a central mess tent. The mess tent also served as a kitchen. Shaku was really organised and everything had its place.
When we arrived he asked us what we liked to eat. Gav, always affable, said anything although I did hear him say a few bottles of wine would be good. Madam here on the other hand, said as long as there was always fresh salad and plenty of ice I would be really pleased.
Shaku is an amazing person who could not do enough to ensure that we enjoyed our adventure. He was born in the Delta and knew every sound, plant and animal. The lugging of our reference books became so special, as he spent hours studying them in order to learn the English names, particularly the new bird names.
We chose the second tent as it was in the shade. You want to get any shade possible in temperatures of 45 degrees centigrade and more.
We were scheduled to take a trip up the Delta in the Mokoro late in the afternoon so we had a few hours to kill. Shaku suggested that we go for a swim in the Delta, so off we went. The water was crystal clear, a golden colour and so refreshingly cool.
At 4pm we set off on our trip and had sundowners aboard the Mokoro as Shaku guided us with a long pole through the channels in the reeds. (“Driving” the Mokoro was not easy, as I was to discover later).
As always, the photographer does not appear in many photographs, but we were there to fulfil one of Gav’s greatest dreams – to visit the Okavango Delta.
THE BUSHWALK
We awoke bright and fresh to go on our bush stroll, yeah sure, it became a five hour trek.
It was well worth the effort though. Shaku took us to a ‘fresh’ day or two old Giraffe kill. The pride of Lion had heard us coming and moved off but you could smell the cat urine. Very strong but not as strong as the smell of the rotting Giraffe.
We came across some of the tallest ant-hills I have ever seen.
It was passed midday when we got back to the river. The water in the Delta is so clean one can drink it without fear. We duly did as our water bottles were empty by this stage.
A few of our sitings along the way were:-
• Black Crake. They sound like they are in their morning meeting – babble babble.
• Green Pigeon
• White Back and Hooded Vultures near the kill.
• Crested Barbet, we refer to them as Cresties
• Crested Francolin
• Brownhooded Kingfisher
• Saddlebilled Stork
• Pied Kingfisher
Shaku pointed out trees and herbs.
• Wild Basil and Sage
• Silver Termanalia – which is used to make the Makoro poles from
• Knob Thorn tree
• Jackleberry tree
• Mopani – a delicacy which the Elephant love, the leaf is actually shaped like a butterfly or elephant’s ears
• Small Sour Plum – which is edible but as the name implies very sour
• Russet Bush Willow – another Ellie delicacy
• Sausage or Makoro trees, used for Makoro making, (the only form of transport in the Delta), one tree is used per Makoro but they last forever. The government is now insisting that people use Fiberglass Mokoro’s. Only those who live in the Delta may cut down the Sausage Trees.
• The Lala Palm, apparently the fruit has to pass through an Elephant to fertilise it. The locals use the sap to make beer. Lala means sleep, maybe after too much beer.
Arrived back to a Delta swim in the golden metse (water). Back at camp was a really rowdy bunch that were staying only one night, more there to have a party than to appreciate a wonder of the world, which can be seen from outer-space. Think the social butterfly is becoming a socio – path dragon fly, I much prefer this (The dragonfly has become one of my favourite winged friends).
BIRD SIGHTINGS
• Lilacbreasted Roller – Botswana’s national bird
• Redbilled Woodhoopoe
• Cape Turtle Dove
• Bluecheeked Bee Eater
• Glossy Starling
• Redbilled Firefinch
• Southern Black Tit
• Brown Firefinch
• Male Cardinal Woodpecker
• Kurrichane Thrush
• Blackcollared Barbet
• Bearded Woodpecker
• Jameson’s Firefinch
Many Dragonfly round the camp, who really seemed to take a fancy to me.
MAKORO LESSONS
Another Makoro lesson, eventually getting the hang of it, but if there was a driver’s test would not pass. Gavin started with the name Makoro Queen.
Thank goodness for the cool water of the Delta, the heat was sweltering; staying in the water you ironically get goose bumps, after an hour or two.
IN SEARCH OF THE PEL’S FISHING OWL
Shaku took us on a Makoro trip to near the Mokoro Port looking for the elusive Pel’s Fishing Owl. I think one of the most beautiful of the owls.
We did not find the elusive Mr Pel’s, but, we did see the little Painted Tree Frog, hardly larger than a thumbnail.
Headed back to camp for Guy’s (the other guide who had arrived) Stroganoff a’la Delta. I told Shaku that part of our trip was that he had to have a whole chilli. Shaku, the cheat, pretended to take a bite and in his feigned agony tossed the chilli. Oh well, it is an acquired taste. The longer one eats these fiery ones, the hotter one can go!
After dinner we thought we had lost a member of the camp, but it turned out that he had just gone for an extended moonlit toilet experience.
Thanks to Shaku we did find the Pel’s. Read on.
HEAVY-HEARTED DEPARTURE
Gav and I got up really early to prepare for our sad departure to Maun
One of the guides “Fly” took our luggage – did not get to find out the origins behind this nickname.
Now comes the real surprise! Shaku had sent out a scout, Carlos to look for the Pel’s Fishing Owl. He was determined to find one before we left.
En route we passed a “channel hopping, swimming Chameleon”. Quite the Olympic swimmer.
We stopped off at “Baboon Island”, as Shaku wanted to check whether he could spot the Pell’s. He and Gavin set off to find Carlos.
I opted to “guard” the Makoro, as I was feeling quite heavy-hearted at our imminent departure.
Soon thereafter I heard this frantic calling from Shaku “Karen, Karen!” My word what had happened to Gavin? I think I walked on water to get off the Makoro.
BUT!!!! They had found the Legendary Pel’s! A beauty with B…..I……G eyes, which most of the pictures in the birding books do not do justice to. He was sitting very quietly and allowed us to walk around underneath his tree with no problem. Shaku told us that it was because there was a Fish Eagle sitting in a tree across the river. They are both fish hunters and therefore natural enemies, so if the Pel’s moved then the Fish Eagle would attack him.
What a finish to an awesomely amazing trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Arrived at the airfield and our plane arrived promptly at 10h00, unlike our good old SAA!
During the flight we saw a herd of Ellie’s – much to Shaku’s relief, as one of the requirements was to see my beloved elephant. Boy was this man out to please, any takers ladies?
Flew over dozens of tin roof houses – in that heat they must really stew.
Met at the airport, by Eric from Drifters – what a professional, well run company. They are eco friendly, constantly moving their camps, so as not to impact on any area.
Read on to find out about how we got stuck in the mud on the road from Maun to Savuti……
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