25. Mazeppa Bay Hotel to Wavecrest Hotel

25. Mazeppa Inn to Wavecrest Hotel

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17 June 2023

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four rivers and a whale​

[Mazeppa heading south]

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Yesterday afternoon, I rushed from Mazeppa Bay Hotel to the Kob Inn river mouth and back, and this morning the weather forecast was perfect for hiking. Cath and I went to breakfast together, and since my legs and feet felt good, I decided to walk towards Wavecrest. The tide was low, and since I had to cross at least four rivers, I wasn’t sure whether I could complete the entire stretch during low tide. I was also informed that there was no shuttle or transport from Wavecrest back to Mazeppa, so I planned to walk only halfway to the Cebe River and back.

At 09:00, I left the hotel and walked towards the beach through a gate next to the high cell phone tower. The path led to an incredible viewpoint where I stopped to watch a whale occasionally breaching just beyond the breakers. Further down the coast, a beautiful beach stretched below the Sihlontlweni River. It was spring low tide, and after navigating a steep, wet downhill path, I easily crossed the river, the water reaching knee height. So far so good.

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Thirty minutes later, after a swift walk along the long beach, I reached a steep rocky point that forced me through a dense, bushy area. The ground was very wet from recent rains, and I nearly lost a shoe when one foot completely sank into the mud. Stuck, I had to stay calm and patient to avoid falling into the mud as I tried to lift my foot. Each time I attempted to pull my foot out, my shoe would stay behind.

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By 10:00, I finally made it back to the beach, and the walk became much more pleasant. The sun was bright, the sea calm, and there was no wind. The tide was very low, and there was not a soul in sight. I had the entire coastline to myself, my footprints the only sign of life on the wet sand.. I am always surprised at how un-alone I feel in these moments. Soon, I reached a narrow but fast-flowing river mouth. Having walked nonstop and at a quick pace, I thought this was the Cebe River and my turnaround point. It was only 10:10, so I decided to cross the river and risk walking further, as the weather was perfect and I still felt strong. However, I soon realized I was mistaken, and this was not the Cebe River but the Ngqwara River.

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The terrain began to change, with less beach and more flat grassland along the sea. I stopped to take a photo of cattle on the sand and among the rocks, as well as a video capturing the distance I had already covered. It feels important to remember progress. It was 10:48, and in the enlarged photo, the cell phone tower could be seen far on the horizon. The walk remained brisk, and soon I spotted another blind corner ahead. Luckily, this led to another long, beautiful beach, and just after 11am I allowed myself a rest. A large tree stump made a perfect bench for me to sit on. The view and the weather were absolutely perfect. There, I sat alone in paradise, enjoying a snack and cool drink, wondering when it would be the right time to turn back toward Mazeppa. The tide would soon turn, and I still had two rivers to cross. I realized that, given how remote the coastline was and how far I had already come, it would be foolish to turn back now. After all, when would I ever return to finish this stretch of coastline in such perfect weather and low spring tide? Impulsivity my old friend - you have been both a wise guide and a traitor - shall I trust you this time?

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I decided to continue, fully committed to completing the walk to Wavecrest. Soon, I reached a stretch of beach covered in driftwood of all sizes. Walking through this mess was challenging, but it didn’t last long. I soon reached the river that brought the trees from inland. With no cell signal on my phone, I couldn’t verify the name of the river via GPS, nor could I notify Cath that I was now walking all the way to Wavecrest. At that moment, I realized I was in the "double river" section, deep in the wilderness. I was thankful the tide was low enough for me to cross it at waist height. (At breakfast, I had warned Cath that this was the most dangerous and unknown section of the hike.) Perhaps it was this danger I had been chasing since the morning - perhaps for longer than this. At 11:35, I crossed the first river, Gqunge, and about 10 minutes later, I crossed the Cebe River, which I had mistakenly thought I had already crossed earlier.

Once again, the terrain shifted to grassland, and I followed cattle trails for about 5 kilometers along the shoreline. By 12:30, I reached the Transkei Holiday Cottages, feeling both tired and relieved. A couple there told me that Wavecrest was only 7 km further. They assured me there were no major obstacles, and if I walked fast enough, I could stay along the shoreline. The cottages were neat, with small gardens and proper gravel roads leading to each one. At 12:44, I was back on the beach and took a photo showing me the distance to the only potential tide problem on the blind corners ahead. To the right of the photo, a lifesaving ring on a pole was visible, which I found unique, as it was the only one I’d seen on my hikes in Transkei.

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This long beach made me stop again, and I recorded a video message of gratitude, soaking in the beauty of "paradise" on Father’s Day. A path led up a grass hill at the end of the beach, and I followed it into a bushy forest area. The sea washed up onto rocks, and the terrain was too slippery and uneven to stay above the high water mark. I sat down on the edge of the path and finally found a signal on my phone. I notified Cath that I was on my way to Wavecrest and asked her to arrange for someone to fetch me, regardless of the cost. The footpath through the forest was well-maintained and easy to follow, reminding me of childhood camping trips at Mpande. With the tide coming in fast, I hurried to pass the next blind corner.

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At 13:42, I reached the blind corner and decided to take the inland route via the sand dunes, not wanting to risk getting stuck between the rocks and the sea. I was tired and didn’t want to backtrack at that point. Unfortunately, I soon found myself in a similar terrain to a previous hike at Woody Cape (my worst hike ever - you can read that saga on leg #8), amidst vast sand dunes with no shelter, water, or visible tracks. Although the sand dunes didn’t look bad on the GPS map, I quickly realized I was in deep trouble. I continued walking along the ridge of each dune until I reached a thick, overgrown bush area between me and the beach. It was a short 250-meter section, but I started to panic. If anything went wrong, no one would find me here. The dense bush left me with bloodied arms and legs as I forced my way through. Eventually, I reached the open sand again and took a photo of the beach ahead, with the last 3 km to Wavecrest visible in the distance.

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Feeling safe again, I knew there were no more obstacles until I reached the Ngqusi River at Wavecrest Hotel. I had seen this long beach from the Wavecrest side on a previous hike, and though I was very tired, I walked the last stretch without stopping. I had spent too much time in the dunes and still needed to cross the incoming tide river. I knew there was a ferry crossing available, but it had to be arranged via hotel booking. I also didn’t know if anyone was fetching me or whether I would have to stay at Wavecrest Hotel overnight, as I still had no signal.

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Finally, just before 16:00, I reached the river, which was now very deep and wide. I whistled and waved to people on the other side, and soon, a young man appeared with a life jacket and paddle ski to fetch me. I paid him R20, and he helped me across. Just as I reached the other side, my ride from Mazeppa arrived. Cath had arranged for a local handyman from Mazeppa Bay Hotel to fetch me in my own Nissan Xtrail, for a fee of R500. We shared a quick beer at Wavecrest Hotel before tackling the 60 km dirt road back to Mazeppa Bay.

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I arrived safely back at our cottage around 18:00, having walked 34,478 steps and 27.45 km. After a long, hot shower, I joined Cath in the ladies' bar, where the Pumas beat the Sharks 26-20. Sadly, the hotel closed its doors in September 2023, as it never fully recovered from the COVID shutdown and the poor roads that kept visitors away.

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The past two days have not been simple - but I am slowly getting to the place I want to be - and the rest inside of me is growing deeper with every step.