Table of contents for October - November 2020 in go!

The therapeutic relationship between nature and mental health is well documented and probably better understood by readers of this magazine than by most other mere mortals! This thought was on my mind during springtime, when it seemed as if the earth wanted to give us an extra spiritual lift, to help free us from the lockdown web that had entangled us for months. In the western parts of South Africa, the wildflowers were simply sublime. We streamed to Namaqualand and the West Coast in our thousands to witness the flowering of spider lilies, pincushions, daisies, bulbinellas and marigolds. In other parts of the country, booking hotlines for national parks and provincial reserves overheated as people yearned to escape their homes in the cities. And then the beautiful documentary My Octopus…

MUNGO Colourful towels spun in Plettenberg Bay – just what you need for your beach holiday and made from 100 % organic cotton. From R270 mungo.co.za BACK2NATURE Handmade Capetonian skincare products that only contain organic ingredients. Their sun cream (R390) emits no harmful chemicals into the water – both you and the fish can have a good time! sa-back2nature.com FREYA HATS Made from fabric that would otherwise have been discarded, each hat is unique to its wearer. From R50 freyahats.co.za SIMPLY BAMBOO Nifty bamboo toothbrushes! Once the bristles are worn out, you can use it as kindling for the fire… R50 simplybamboo.co.za FAITHFUL TO NATURE Eco-firelighters (R30), kids’ cotton sleeping bags (R1 150), solar camping lights (R155)… This is your one-stop shop for all things eco-friendly in SA. They also…

FULL MOON 1 OCTOBER SPRING TIDE: 2 OCTOBER HIGH TIDE: 3.27 AM & 3.39 PM LAST QUARTER 10 OCTOBER NEAP TIDE: 10 OCTOBER HIGH TIDE: 8.57 AM & 9.50 PM NEW MOON 16 OCTOBER SPRING TIDE: 17 OCTOBER HIGH TIDE: 3.21 AM & 3.33 PM FIRST QUARTER 23 OCTOBER NEAP TIDE: 24 OCTOBER HIGH TIDE: 10.21 AM & 11.03 PM NOVEMBER LAST QUARTER 8 NOVEMBER NEAP TIDE: 8 NOVEMBER HIGH TIDE: 8.30 AM & 9.14 PM NEW MOON 15 NOVEMBER SPRING TIDE: 15 NOVEMBER HIGH TIDE: 3.02 AM & 3.12 PM FIRST QUARTER 22 NOVEMBER NEAP TIDE: 22 NOVEMBER HIGH TIDE: 9.28 AM & 10.04 PM FULL MOON 30 NOVEMBER SPRING TIDE: 1 DECEMBER HIGH TIDE: 3.39 AM & 3.45 PM These are the high tide times for Cape Town.…

The Mystery Is How By Ella Joyce Buckley Donation, at ellajoycebuckley.bandcamp.com Ella Joyce Buckley is an enigmatic Cape Town singer: This is only the third album of hers that I know of. Fifteen songs strong, The Mystery Is How is wrapped in understated but cinematic production, leaving the soulful songs – and Ella’s voice – to progress in unhurried fashion like poplar trees soughing in the wind. The sense of springtime bloom in progress is aided in no small measure by Ella’s pick of musicians on the album. Gene Kierman on French horn and Suki Antonia on violin, especially, deliver drama exactly when it’s needed. Highlights include “Caught Now In A Butterfly Swarm” (“it’s not the joy in life that killed me”, she sings) and the rousing “Swiping At Comets”.…

Where do you stay? Airbnb gives discounts when you book for longer than 28 nights in one place. We occasionally meet people who let us rent their holiday house at very reasonable rates. Campsites are expensive in certain parts of the country. What do you look for in a temporary “home”? Good Internet. South Africans are… Friendly and open-hearted! We have made many friends on this journey. Safety issues? We’ve never felt unsafe in the places we’ve stayed. Car troubles? Not a single breakdown. We’ve had two flat tyres – in St Lucia and the Cederberg. How far have you driven? 55 000 km How many times have you moved? We’ve stayed in 57 different houses. To watch Declan and Charma’s home videos, check out the family’s YouTube channel under…

This two-day hike links Bloubos Retreat at Wathaba with a camp called Pongola Express on a neighbouring farm. Pongola Express is part of High Five Hiking Trails, previously known as the Num-Num Trail, and guests sleep and dine in vintage train coaches. “A maximum of 10 people start at Bloubos and you walk the Lynx Loop in reverse to the train – about 10 km,”Wathaba manager Christia Newbery explains. “Then you walk the Kokoboom route at Pongola the next day, which is about 7 km.” The cost is R500 per person for the slackpacking option; R440 per person if you carry your own backpack. (Meals are not included in the rate.) “We wanted to offer a backpack route for people to practise longer hikes, in preparation for treks like the…

Delport Botma’s wide smile often pops up in his photos on Instagram, whether he’s releasing a puff adder, perched on a bakkie tailgate with his Jack Russell, or sitting behind the controls of a helicopter somewhere in Africa. He visits places where few other people go, like the Zambezi Delta in Mozambique, and he also lives close to nature – on a farm outside Thabazimbi in Limpopo. That’s where I track him down during the national lockdown, when he had no choice but to stay home. “The pandemic has messed up my plans,” he says. “I was supposed to be in Kenya right now. Usually I spend more time away than at home.” Delport grew up in another Limpopo town, Vaalwater in the Waterberg, but he’s lived in Thabazimbi since…

WHY? We publish a selection of reader pictures every month. Don’t be shy, haul out those shots you’ve been hoarding on your computer and send them to us! We like just about anything: wildlife, landscapes, portraits, holiday snaps or bugs in your garden. HOW? Send your best photos to takeyourpic@gomag.co.za Don’t send files bigger than 4 MB – if we need a bigger version, we’ll ask for it. Give the name, surname, home town and contact number of the photographer. Also include info about where and how the shot was taken, and what equipment was used. If you manipulated your photo in any way, tell us what you did. THE FINE PRINT We reserve the right to use your photos elsewhere in the magazine, on our digital platforms and marketing material.…

Patagonia R1 Hoody This surprisingly lightweight (392 g) layer combines the best of soft, flexible fleece with the latest in material technology, which is why it’s worn by some of the world’s best outdoor athletes. The R1 is made using recycled materials and is Fair Trade certified, which guarantees sustainable livelihoods and safe working conditions for textile workers. The Polartec Power Grid fabric traps heat but offers best-in-class breathability and venting channels, and it has built-in odour control. Bottom line: less sweat and smell, regardless of how hard you’ve pushed yourself. It’s not as cheap or thick as some other fleeces on this list, but if you want to invest in a durable, eco-conscious mid-layer that masters both fresh-air adventure and home-based chill sessions, this is it. R1999 goneoutdoor.com K-Way…

HOW LONG IS THE TOUR? Six-day/five-night adventure (lodge and guesthouse accommodation) DATES AND RATES 26 February – 3 March 2021 5 – 10 March 2021 R9 450 per adult sharing; half-price for children under 10 THE TEAM Your tour leader is an experienced nature conservationist and adventure guide. He will be in radio contact with you at all times to impart a wealth of biological, cultural, historic and 4x4 knowledge. INCLUDED IN THE RATE • Lodge and guesthouse accommodation for five nights. • Breakfast and supper at the guesthouses every day. During daily excursions, the Bhejane guide and his assistant will prepare picnic lunches for you. WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING • Your own 4x4 vehicle; fuel is for your account • Valid passports and documentation (required at the border post) • Money for border-crossing fees…

“Mountain Zebra National Park has such a diverse animal population. We spent hours watching a group of ground squirrels and their antics, and were lucky enough to see an aardwolf, too. The light in the Karoo is truly special, with beautiful blues and pinks and stunning landscapes. “The rest camp facilities were neat and well maintained, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Each campsite was spacious and had a big paved area to set up your tent, trailer or caravan. The kitchen had a fridge and a hot-water urn. What a pleasure!” Follow Sanette: africaunplugged.co.za; @africa_unplugged on Instagram; “Africa UnpluggedNow” on Facebook…

When we travelled in Bali in 2019, the exchange rate was Rp1 000: R1 – the amounts listed here reflect the 2019 exchange rate. The rand has since depreciated and the current rate is about Rp858: R1. Visas: South Africans don’t need a visa for Indonesia if your visit doesn’t exceed 30 days. Flights: Because we wanted to visit Vietnam after Bali, we bought multi-destination return tickets through Emirates. There: Joburg–Dubai–Denpasar in Bali. Back: Hanoi in Vietnam–Dubai–Joburg. In total, flights cost us R11 195 per person. We booked a one-way flight from Bali to Vietnam via Jetstar – R2 683 per person. UBUD • Scooter: Rp75 000/R75 per day • Sound healing session: Rp300 000/R300 • Spa treatment: Rp250 000/R250 • Meals and drinks (for both): Rp200 000/R200 per day • Accommodation at Cito Guesthouse…

How did you end up in Montagu? My dad worked here as a young man and he always told stories of outings to Poortjieskloof Dam and Cogmanskloof. I visited the town often and once did a story about rock climbing in the area. Local guide and rock climber David Webster took me into Boschkloof, which had recently been reopened to the public. I was hooked and now I’ve been here for three years. I’m still a beginner climber, but I can understand the fascination with the sport. It’s like fishing – the fish and the rock are both just excuses to be in nature! But that’s true for most outdoor sports, I think. Favourite thing to do in town? I love all the hiking and cycling trails in and around…

The pangolin’s scales, meant to protect the animal against predators, are what puts it most at risk – trade in pangolin “products” has earned this shy animal the title of most trafficked mammal in the world. In Pangolins – Scales of Injustice, conservationist Richard Peirce details the rescue and release of a pangolin poached in Zimbabwe, and investigates the wildlife trade in China and South East Asia. Where did your interest in wildlife and conservation begin? I suspect it stems from never having grown out of childhood interests! Like many boys, I was attracted to predators and large animals: sharks, lions, tigers, elephants, and whales. In adult life, I have been privileged to spend a lot of time in wild places and encounter the species that captivated me as a…

• Overnight trip on the Orange River • Rock climbing at Monteseel, near Ulundi; Truitjieskraal in the Cederberg; Paarl Rock in Paarl • Skydiving in Mossel Bay • Snake-handling course in Durban • Sandboarding at Witsand Nature Reserve in the Kalahari • Surf camp in Muizenberg with Surf Emporium • Hiking in Bain’s Kloof • Spending the night on Table Mountain • Cycling in the forest in Mtunzini • Historical walks in Barberton, Piketberg and Stellenbosch • Two-day red bus tour in Cape Town • Surfing at Kingsburgh, Umzumbe and Hibberdene in KZN; Muizenberg, Blouberg and Plett in the Western Cape; J-Bay, Port Alfred, PE, Coffee Bay and Mdumbi in the Eastern Cape • Watching stock-car racing in Port Elizabeth • Walking in the Knysna Forest under giant yellowwood trees • Parkruns in Amanzimtoti, Uvongo, Springbok, Stellenbosch, Hermanus, Paarl and Hout Bay • Anglo-Zulu Battlefields self-drive…

“We farm with firewood and hikers here at Wathaba,” says Christia Newbery when she welcomes new visitors. She manages both the hiking and the firewood business. Christia’s mother, Wimpie Rauch, moved to the farm in 1984. Her father Frits worked as an anaesthesiologist in Pretoria, but her mother felt claustrophobic in the city. “She wanted a farm in Africa, so my dad bought her this place in the mountains, with seven waterfalls.” Christia has four siblings – three sisters and a brother. “My mom moved here with the three youngest children and they went to boarding school in Belfast. I was on my way to university at the time, to study nature conservation.” She ended up working in nature conservation for 21 years and her job took her all over…

“It took me three years to get my licence, but all your exams have to be completed within a period of 18 months,”Delport explains. “Time management is important. Some people fly and study full-time, others do it part-time. I flew two days a week to build up my hours and studied on the other days. “The process started in Bloemfontein, where I got my private licence at Westline Aviation. You have to pass eight exams and fly with an instructor for 50 hours. I then moved to Thabazimbi to obtain my commercial licence, where I had to write exams again (eight of them!) and fly 150 hours, this time without an instructor, before I could do my test flight. “Do your research if you’re interested in becoming a helicopter pilot…

SAVE FACE: Buff Reversible Polar Fleece Made from recycled microfibre, this softer, warmer version of a Buff works as a neck warmer, mask, bandana… It has four-way stretch and offers UV protection, too. R429 Drifters Adventure Centre HELPING HANDS: Capestorm Fleece Gloves Soft, flexible, durable… Keep them in the cubbyhole for that spontaneous snow mission up the Swartberg Pass. R189 Outdoor Warehouse HOT HEAD: K-Way Fleece Beanie This plush beanie is your best friend when the temperature drops, thanks to the heat-retaining Thermalator fleece. R150 Cape Union Mart HEARING AID: First Ascent Fleece Earmuff A light, soft, stripped-down beanie made from Firestorm fleece, which warms the most critical areas on your head. It also has a water-repellent coating to wick sweat away from your skin. R129 firstascent.co.za…

11 days,10 nights Start point: Letlhakane, Botswana End point: Kasane, Botswana DATES AND RATES 27 March – 6 April 2021 R15 950 per adult sharing; half-price for kids under 10 THE RATES INCLUDE • The services of an experienced field guide • Two-way radios in all vehicles • All camp fees, park entrance fees and advertised activities • All tents and associated camping gear, including cutlery and crockery • Three meals a day, plus coffee and tea all day in camp WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING • Your own vehicle, and fuel • Mattress, sleeping bag, camping chairs and a camping table • Drinks and snacks • Travel insurance and medical evacuation insurance (compulsory) • You’re responsible for border-crossing fees and road taxes…

Mountains, wetlands, birds… There are many reasons to visit Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga, but for the Smit couple, owners of the Pot & Gieter Guesthouse, the Afrikaans film Vrou Soek Boer was the deciding factor. “The film was set in town,” says Lizet Smit (pictured below, far left). “We watched it and I told my husband JJ that I had to move to Wakkerstroom – it looked idyllic.” Idyllic is exactly the right word. There are no traffic lights in town; instead, goats and cattle wander the (mostly dirt) streets, past old willow trees that sway in the wind and past guineafowl going kek-kekkek on nearly every gate. Wakkerstroom is a birdwatching hotspot of international renown. There are various biomes around town, including grassland, patches of indigenous forest and wetlands. Pot…

1 Walk (or run) around town There are many well-marked routes in town and in the surrounding mountains. Walk the easy Badskloof (2,5 km) or Cogmanskloof (12 km) trails, or do the Bloupunt Trail if you’re up for a challenge (about 16 km). Get maps and permits at the Montagu Mountain Reserve office at the end of Tanner Street ( 023 614 8000). Or download a map with all the hiking trails from montagu-ashton.info If you want to hike with the Montagu Mountain Meanders group, contact Richard Hicks ( 082 453 4255) or Willie Long ( 082 256 7160). 2 Tractor rides on Protea Farm The Burger family has been taking visitors up the Langeberg mountains on a tractor since 1985. You’ll get a bird’s-eye view of the Koo Valley,…

TRICKY PLOVERS We’ve talked a lot about field guides before – books that help you put a name to the different species, with a photo or an illustration, a distribution map and some useful diagnostic information. But once the birding bug has bitten badly, you’ll progress to site guides. These books tell you where to go birding, and where to find specific targets. As a kid, my favourite such book was called Go Birding in the Transvaal. (I’m giving away my age here.) Thanks to this book, my dad and I found ourselves in Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve one cold spring morning. The book had promised all sorts of arid western specials: pygmy falcon, rufous-eared warbler, pririt batis, double-banded courser… and we’d found a good number of them. I was…

THE OSTRICH AND THE AARDVARK It was June 2019 and my friend Ayesha Cantor and I had booked two nights of camping in Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock in the Eastern Cape. What were we thinking? It was the middle of winter! We weren’t sure what to expect of our visit, but were looking forward to exploring this beautiful national park. On our second afternoon there, we drove the Rooiplaat Loop up on the plateau and then came down the mountain to Link Road, on our way back to camp. It was about 4.40 pm, the breeze was icy and our hands were rather frozen, but that’s when we spotted something unusual: a pair of pink ears! It was an aardvark 1 trying to warm up in the last…

The Republic of Indonesia consists of thousands of islands home to more than 267 million people – the fourth biggest population in the world. More than half of those people live on Java, the biggest island, but most tourists visit smaller Bali, with its rice paddies, beaches and culture. You can see or learn something new every day in Bali, or you can just choose a beach and do nothing. The island is popular with surfers, digital nomads, honeymoon couples and yoga fans – there are more than 500 yoga centres on the island. Most tourists first head for the southern part of the island, which offers something for every taste and budget. The busy town of Kuta is known for its nightlife and is often the first stop on…

By the fourth or fifth day, everyone kind of knows each other. Not by name necessarily, but by a wave or a nod – an acknowledgement of a shared experience, of another day in each other’s company. Since Air Mauritius only flies from South Africa and other countries a couple of times a week, and resort packages are designed in blocks of days to accommodate this, people tend to arrive and depart as a group. You’ll notice another family in the boarding area at OR Tambo, also with too much luggage, also with whining kids, and you’ll all look surprised and maybe laugh when you end up on the same bus to the same resort. By the third day, you’ll have had enough snippets of conversation at the beach bar…

Yoshi and her species are the largest hard-backed turtles in the world. They are called “loggerheads” because of their big, broad heads that support powerful jaws. 50 000 The estimated number of nesting female loggerhead turtles left in the ocean. 80 – 200 An adult’s weight range, in kilograms. 60 The number of days their eggs incubate for. Nests can consist of up to 126 eggs. 50 The loggerhead turtle’s average lifespan, in years. They often live even longer in captivity. 20 The duration of time, in minutes, for which a loggerhead can dive before coming to the surface for air. Sources: conserveturtles.org; worldwildlife.org…

Going to Ground – A geologist’s adventures in Africa and South America  by Nick Norman, The Franschhoek Press R320 in bookstores Born and raised in KZN, Nick Norman’s successful career as an exploration geologist has taken him to remote corners of the world to collect samples and identify areas that might be rich in minerals. He’s 75 now, and in this memoir he looks back on many of the highlights of his working life. In South America he prospected for gold in the rainforests of Guyana and looked for copper in the foothills of the Andes, but his obsession with Africa – a feeling so strong he likens it to an affliction – proved to be more powerful. He was called back to the continent again and again, to work…

ALTA PRETORIUS IG: @altap.2 Nikon D5300 Nikon 200 – 500 mm lens ALTA WRITES: I took this photo at Rietvlei Nature Reserve in Gauteng. I was watching some ducks at Otter Bridge when the early morning peace was shattered by two male common moorhens – they apparently had a score to settle before breakfast. It probably had something to do with the female in the foreground. She was distressed, swimming around them while making a racket of her own. The males tackled one another with their long claws and even tried to dunk each other under the water. Then, as quickly as the altercation had started, it was over again – as if nothing had happened. It was early and the light was poor. I pushed my ISO to 640…

Lamb potjie with green veggies Serves 6 Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 2 hours, 30 minutes You need • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1,5 kg lamb shank or neck slices • 1 big onion, in wedges • about 12 baby carrots • ¼ glass white wine • salt and pepper, to taste • 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped • 2 bay leaves • few sprigs of thyme • 1 tablespoon flour • 2 cups vegetable stock • 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen) • 200 g green beans, halved • grated zest of 1 lemon Here’s how 1 Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and fry the meat until brown. Remove the meat, retain the fat in the pot, and sauté the onion and carrots until glossy. Add the wine and use a wooden spatula to deglaze the pot. 2…

ADVENTURE ITINERARY DAY 1 Our adventure starts in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands town of Himeville, where we meet at the Stone House Café. For the rest of the day we do the awe-inspiring drive up Sani Pass. After clearing customs on the South African side, we have a picnic lunch and then make our way up the pass, with more than enough time to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. Our accommodation for the night is the cosy Sani Mountain Lodge. It feels like you’re on top of the world at this lodge, which is built on the edge of the Drakensberg and affords stunning views into KwaZulu-Natal. DAY 2 Our route to Katse Dam takes us along the highest roads in southern Africa. We cross the Senqu River, which becomes…

Colourful and unique A wild dog has a unique appearance. With its big, round ears, you might mistake it for a hyena until you see its colourful coat – the black, white and rusty brown spots are unlike any other animal’s. The spots are as distinctive as a human’s fingerprints – no two dogs look the same. The tip of the wild dog’s tail is white, and a vertical black line runs across its forehead. The wild dog’s appearance inspired its scientific name – Lycaon pictus. In Greek mythology, Lycaon was a king that was transformed into a wolf. And the Latin word pictus means “painted in colour”. THREATS TO THE WILD DOG • As towns and farms develop and expand, it becomes harder for wild dogs to move freely from…