9. Kowie River Harbour Wall to Fish River Mouth
19 April 2012 - 23 April 2012
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9. Kowie River Harbour Wall to Fish River Mouth
19 April 2012 - 23 April 2012
let's try this group thing...
After the harrowing ordeal of my last walk, my family insisted that I stop hiking alone and suggested that I join a hiking club. I would be forced to not be a loner on the beach if I wanted to continue pursuing my dream of walking the coastline. Having taken an early retirement offer from ABSA Bank in 2007, I had plenty of time to kill - at least until time killed me - as it does us all.
I joined a very active hiking club called Voetsac Hiking Club early Jan 2012 and hiked almost every weekend with a group of between 10 to sometimes 30 hikers of all ages. It was during one of these hikes that I found out about a planned hike all along the coast from Port Alfred to Fish River Mouth. I immediately indicated that I was keen but that hike was organized between the ladies and was already fully booked (12 ladies). I told them about my goal to walk the coast as I already covered almost 90% of the section from Van Stadens River Mouth to Port Alfred and this would help me to cover another 45 km north of Port Alfred.
About 2 weeks before the planned hiking date I received a call from the leader of that ladies group that 1 of the ladies had withdrawn and that the remaining ladies had indicated that if I was still interested, I could join them. Enthusiastic, I attended the next hiking meeting where we discussed logistics, supplies, agenda etc). Here I was introduced to all of them and, of course, told everyone what they wanted to hear. The only man? No problem! Need something? I can do it! Some resentment would kick in later, but for now, I was only too happy to be able to continue my little adventure! This was going to be slackpacking, and in more ways than one, this would be quite different to my last time out on the dunes.
Day 1 - Port Alfred Eastern Beach to Milkwood Hut (8.6 km)
We all met at the club and departed in four vehicles to the starting point near Fish River Bridge. We arrived at about 10:00 and were shuttled back to Port Alfred in a minibus with our day packs and sleeping bags. Just before midday, we were dropped off on Eastern Beach, with the harbor wall visible across the river. We took a group photo and started walking towards our first overnight stop at Milkwood Hut. Along the way, we walked long stretches of flat beach sand, with high dunes providing protection from inland ventures. We were advised to look for an opening in the bush on top of the dunes, which would lead to a footpath to the hut.
It was an overcast afternoon, and I quickly learned that hiking in a group had its challenges. Everyone spotted an opening in the bush about 400 meters away from where we were walking. As the only man in the group, I felt obliged to volunteer - each time (and there were many) - to climb the dunes to find the path while the others stayed on the stable beach sand below. On my fourth attempt, I finally found the correct path and waved them to follow my footsteps in the soft sand. From there, it was an easy walk of about 20 minutes until we reached a large single-room structure with six double bunk beds inside. There was an open "afdak" at the front, so I decided to take a mattress and sleep there while the 11 ladies sorted themselves out inside the room.
As it started raining lightly and the sun disappeared, I started a fire. We all had our first night’s food, and only a few had meat to braai (which was also my unspoken duty). The temperature dropped outside, and the ladies didn't stay outside long after we ate since I had to wait to make my bed. I slept well and, despite the cold, remained dry.
Day 2 - Milkwood Hut to Umtunzi River Hut (11 km)
I woke up before sunrise and used the toilet and outside tap before the ladies opened the door. Although the rain had stopped, everything outside was still wet. We had coffee and rusks (boiled water on portable gas stoves), and by 8am, we had returned to the beach via the same footpath. The walk was easy, covering a rocky outcrop for about 5 km. We made good time and when we stopped for an early lunch, some ladies went swimming and snorkeling while I tried to catch fish with a small fishing rod I had brought along.
After the break, we continued until we reached the Riet River and spent another 30 minutes watching small fish jump in the shallow water. We passed the cottages on the Port Alfred side of the river and followed the dirt road to a gate, crossing the R72 main road. We entered a large gate and followed a well-marked path along the riverbank for about 1 km before arriving at the Umtunzi River Hut.
The walk through the "forest" along the river was beautiful, with many birds and plants around rock pools. There were two high treehouses built above the water (about 3 meters off the ground), and I chose to sleep in one that night. Both treehouses had long ladders leading to a trapdoor, which had to be pushed up to open before climbing onto the platform. Closing the trapdoor was important to avoid falling, and once inside, there were no toilet facilities. The ladies slept in the hut beside the river. We had a braai that night, and (once again) it was my duty to carry all the sleeping bags and cooler boxes from the vehicle to the hut before starting the fire. Sleeping high in the tree branches, listening to the slow-flowing water, was a special experience that I will always remember.
Day 3 - Umtunzi River Hut to Three Sisters (8 km)
The hike started late, as it took the 11 ladies quite some time to get through the single toilet. They also complained about the cold night. It was the shortest hiking day, and we retraced our steps along the river towards the Riet River Holiday Cottages. After crossing the Riet River (which was closed and formed a lagoon), we walked along a beautiful long stretch of beach towards a distant rocky outcrop.
Upon reaching the rocks, we spent about an hour there. I tried fishing again, but the sea was too rough for my small rod. This part of the coastline was the most scenic for me, and the "Three Sisters" rock formation is a great spot for a day visit, offering protection from the wind and plenty of nooks and crannies to rest in, as well as safe swimming areas and a clean beach.
Just after midday, we continued walking and eventually came across horse tracks. We knew our overnight camp was near a horse stable, so we followed the trail inland for about 1 km before reaching a face-brick building. It looked like an old army barracks. With plenty of daylight left, I explored the surrounding area while the ladies chose their rooms and unpacked. This must have been some sort of hostel in the past since the main building had four rooms with beds, a small kitchen, and ablution facilities. I had a room to myself that night and the alone time was welcome.
Day 4 - Three Sisters to Stone Cottage (12 km)
The morning was misty, and we started early, walking back towards the beach and the Three Sisters Rocks. Some ladies walked along the ridge of the high dunes, while others took more photos of the sunrise before we set off towards Kleinemond. The group split into three subgroups for most of the day, and I sensed a bit of tension between some of the ladies. Perhaps the residue of late night chatter?
The walk was easy along hard sand, and we soon reached Kleinemond West, where we stopped for a tea break. The lagoon was closed, and within minutes, we passed Kleinemond East Resort (where the local shop and bottle store were available for provisions) before heading towards the last overnight hut. Just before reaching Clayton Rocks, we spotted the mast of the Umvolozi, which sank in 1890, at low tide.
Around 12:00, we spotted a white beacon on a sand dune, indicating the inland route to Stone Cottage, our last hut. The walk was slow with many breaks, but we reached Stone Cottage just before 13:00. It was very comfortable, with lights, hot water, a lounge, three sleeping areas upstairs, and a kitchen. Outside was a huge fire pit, and enough firewood to burn well into the night. The ladies were excited about the "luxury" of electricity and decided to make pasta for dinner. After they took turns showering, I made a fire outside and relaxed with a few beers that were delivered by the organizer. As I sat sipping my beer, I had a moment of reflection on just how different this all was from my last experience alone in the restlessness of nature. Sure, there were elements and dynamics that I was not loving. But there was something about “together” that was different to “alone”. I slept in the kitchen that night after everyone finished cooking and making coffee, moving a mattress from the upstairs sleeping area. I was the last to shower and went to bed around 21:00.
Day 5 - Stone Cottage to Fish River Mouth (14.4 km)
The group seemed happy after a good night's sleep, and by 07:00, everyone was ready to start the final day of hiking. I took a group photo of the 11 ladies, and we made our way back to the beach. It was a cool morning, and the walk along the water's edge was brisk. The lighthouse came into view, and only myself and three other ladies wanted to explore its surroundings. The rest of the group continued walking slowly.
I volunteered (obviously!) to walk about 400 meters up the dunes towards the thick bush below the lighthouse in search of a hidden footpath that led to the lighthouse entrance. After finding the path, we climbed the steep hill, which led to a small gate and some steps up to the lighthouse garden. The view was worth the effort, and it took us almost two hours to catch up with the rest of the group.
At 11:00, we walked past a rocky outcrop and spotted Gibraltar Rock in the distance, signaling the entrance to Fish River Mouth. After another long stretch of beach, we finally reached the river and followed it upstream towards the N2 bridge. Around midday, we crossed the bridge, washed our faces, and sat down to enjoy a special meal and some wine to celebrate our hike. The organizer then shuttled us back to our cars, about 7 km from the Fish River Diner.
