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Adventures with Kingsley Holgate - Afrika Outside Edge 24

Adventures with Kingsley Holgate - Afrika Outside Edge 24

Author: Kingsley Holgate
Date: 2017-09-28

I feel the pebble in the pocket with mixed emotions. We all should be gung ho, upbeat, bright eyed and bushy tailed. But with 444 days into the journey we're mentally and physically exhausted, tired out, somewhat emotional, hanging in on a thread, running only on adrenalin with just five days to go - it's a countdown to the finish line. On through the beautiful Tsitsikamma Forest, Natures Valley, Keurboomstrand and Plettenberg Bay.

The beauty of the Garden Route unfolds, Sedgefield, the Wilderness, Victoria Bay and over the Groot- and Klein Brak Rivers. We gaze out to sea, from the mouth of Bat's Cave below the Cape St Blaize lighthouse. Below us is historic Mossel Bay, where we have the Scroll stamped with the seal from the Post Office Tree. Batholomeus Dias, unaware that he'd in fact rounded the Cape of Good Hope, sailed into this bay in 1488. Vasco da Gama followed on his way to India and named the bay Aguada de São Bras (the watering place of St Blaize).

Chasing our deadline, the Landies one behind the other, on to Boggomsbaai, Fred Orban's Oyster Catcher Trail, Vleesbaai, Kanonpunt and the mouth of the Gourits, Stilbaai and on to Witsand where we watch the whales breaching behind the waves in Saint Sebastian Bay. Across the Breede at Malgas. We arrive at De Hoop Nature Reserve. After 446 days on expedition it's luxury in the fynbos. Great accommodation in Cape Dutch style cottages but I battle to sleep - it's all happening too fast.

Up before sunrise Bruce's voice crackles over the radio. "Is this the second to last morning on expedition " Yes, comes my reply - day 447 says Ross. From Koppie Alleen we look out over a bay that stretches from Cape Infanta to Rys Punt just east of Arniston. Move, move, move - the coast of Africa seems endless.

With flashing lights and a wailing siren, a red and yellow National Sea Rescue Land Rover escorts us into Struisbaai. School children sing and wave and at Cape Agulhas where the two oceans meet at the Southernmost point of Mama Africa. Tomorrow is our last day on expedition. Will keep you posted.