My! What a busyweek it has been, first we have a full lodge, completely packed out!!
Then we get our Kayaking concession from parksboard meaning that we can now explore not only the lovely blue lakes of Kosi Bay, but also the many winding channels amongst the reeds and sand dunes of the Kosi Mouth Estuarine system.
But, we had no photos of these areas! So, as disappointed as we were at pulling ourselves away from work, we went to do some exploring.
Check out the video below – don’t worry, no sound, so it’s safe for work!
The environment means a lot to us and we know it does to you too, so, as we are situated in the UNESCO World Heritage site of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, we thought that we would do our bit to help preserve it.
So…
What have we changed?
The first thing we have changed is that we now run on solar power!
After a few years of planning we have now gone green!!
This means; no generator needed, no noise pollution, no waste of fossil fuels, no pollution and most importantly, no impact on the environment.
But, there is a downside…
…we do not have our fairy lights at the moment, we are working on a way to make them compatible though!
Each unit now has its own solar panel, this feeds to a USB charging point in each room – perfect for point and shoot cameras, mobile phones and anything else that charges via USB.
This solar battery is good enough to power not only your mobile phones, but also the room lights, all night!
Everything on the camp is now solar – from gate to boma.
We have also settled our Jo Jo (water tank) on a platform 5 metres off the ground – this means that (drum roll please!) we now have continual water pressure to all chalets 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and all without the need for any generators. These gravity fed showers are even better than they were before on generator power!
As if this wasn’t enough, we have been working like beavers to improve the facilities we already have at the camp. So far we have re-reeded most of the chalets to keep out the creepy crawlies and the kitchen has been extended, we also now have a second stove and sink so that our self caterers have more space. And now by the fire pit we have a brick built braai giving us some where to keep the firewood dry and enough room for 2 people to braai at the same time.
Pictures coming soon!
Stephanie was more than a little happy at this prospect, although in truth we all were. It was hot, and the mere thought of swimming was making us all eager to get to the beach.
Even Tommy was eager to get to the water!
The visit to the fishtraps is first. this sustainable fishing method is as much a part of conserving the area as preserving the traditional Tsonga culture.
Elmon explained how the fish trap worked to us and gave us spear fishing lessons to show us how hard it is, then it was time to walk/splash out to the fishtraps to take a look for ourselves.
We were in luck, one of Elmons fishtraps had bream, grunter, mullet and even kingfish! So we got to test our wits against that of the fish and try our hand at spearing dinner.
Stephanie speared her fish on the first try… Sleep with one eye open Adrian…!
We all emerged from the handmade cage triumphant. We would have a feast tonight!
Armed with our mask and snorkels (no flippers/fins needed at this reef!) We crossed the estuary feeling the alternating hot and cold currents swirling around us.
The beauty of the snorkelling at Kosi Bay is that you swim across a channel and walk up on to the sand bank that runs parralel to the reef, walk along the sand bank, and lower yourself once more into the balmy waters of Kosi Bay Mouth.
But now is where the hard work comes… Ok, only joking – all you
need to do now is float with the current, cameras at the ready.
Effort free snorkelling gave us plenty of energy for posing under the water and playing with our cameras.
Carry on reading about this trip as Stephanie and Adrian go from place to place on their African holdiay.
We are jam packed at Amangwane Kosi Bay at the moment with everyone wanting to make the most of the sunshine on the beach at Kosi Mouth.
The braii has been going, there have been many sundowners and the turtles have been coming to shore to nest – there have been some fantastic turtle tours so far!
Why not join in the fun and end the school holidays on a high with a stay at Amangwane in January 2012! There is no TV, so bring your favourite games and books for real family time in the evenings after a day at the beach 🙂
We are getting a lot of enquiries now for accommodation in December. This is our busiest time of the year, and books up fast. We do have some availability in December – still space before Christmas, but we are full after Christmas and over New Year.
South Africans with children – we still have availability in January before the school holidays end. Sunshine is almost guaranteed! Bring your bucket and spade and enjoy the beach!
We are delighted to announce that we will not be increasing our rates for 2012.
Times are still tough out there, we know – so we’ll do our bit to help!
Catered DB&B still R550 pp! Self catering R350 pp.
For all you city-bound saffers : Why not grab a cheap flight to Durban, hire a car and head to beautiful Kosi Bay for a few days? We know you deserve some relaxation time on the beach.
We had a very full camp over Christmas and the New Year. Many thanks to all of you who chose to spend your holidays with us. We had a great time with lots of laughs – hope to see you at Amangwane Camp again in the future.
Things have quietened down a little now, but there is still lots of fun to be had in beautiful Kosi Bay! The turtles are still here and it’s now the best time for fishing – especially if you are after the Kingfish (GT’s) – so give us a call if you are keen.