10. Coega Harbour to Sunday’s River Mouth

10. Coega Harbour to Sunday’s River Mouth 

​

10 September 2012

​​

short trip to secure a long leg

​

I had walked from Port Elizabeth (PE) to Coega Harbour one year earlier (11 September 2011), and this hike was planned to continue my journey along the coastline towards Sundays River Mouth. It was spring low tide, and although there were no river crossings, I wanted to walk on hard sand when on the beach as often as possible.

​

I left PE at about 08:30  and drove past the Coega main off-ramp and across the Coega River (with all the salt pans) to the next off-ramp on the N2. I followed a road into the industrial area, passing the Marine Salts Factory, and continued along a gravel road that led towards the sea. The road ended in a cul-de-sac at a stone quarry. I made arrangements with the office manager to leave my car (green Audi) in their car park.

​

From the car park, I surveyed the area and could clearly see the Coega harbour wall and the two small islands just off the coast. I followed the smaller gravel road that led to a building near the harbour, and from there, I walked onto the beach, making sure I didn’t enter any restricted areas. I took some photos and set off on the next section of my coastal walk at about 09:00.

The first section of the walk was quite quick, as it was a flat beach and the tide was still very low. An hour into the walk, I came across some flat rocks covering the beach and some lovely fishing spots. However, I also noticed that the water level rose and covered the entire beach during high tide, which had caused the dunes to collapse. This made walking or fishing during high tide impossible. Snapping a quick photo, I continued on my way.

​

The coastline was full of small blind spots, and I never knew with any certainty what lay beyond the next dune or rocky outcrop that ran into the sea. It was an overcast day, and the sea was grey and cold. I didn’t see any people but spotted plenty of birds on the sand and rocks. At 10:10am, I walked past a huge area (about 500 meters) of flat rocks covered in green moss and realized that where I was walking would normally be covered by water. My timing with the tides couldn’t have been better for walking this section of the coastline.

​

It was quite encouraging to observe no pollution along the coastline, especially so close to a harbour, although I did come across a dead penguin that had washed ashore. About 2 km further, I noticed a single shoe that stood out on the vast, open beach and found myself thinking about this outer covering for a foot that was not my own… about the circumstances that might have been necessary that led to the presence of one lonely shoe here in the middle of nowhere. I find that my mind follows its own unprescribed paths while my own feet move, and I enjoy having nothing else to do but go along with it. 

​

A little further, I passed a well-hidden house (a large cottage or farmhouse) in an opening between the bushes. It was in such an isolated spot, and I wondered if anyone actually lived there permanently, and the many more thoughts that can cascade from just one observation. 

​

I continued walking at a steady pace (without stopping to rest other than to take a few photos) and knew I was covering a great distance in good time as the tide started to turn. I came across a pump station and a thick pipe running towards the sea, which made me think Colchester village probably lay beyond the high sand dunes. However, the dunes were too big and too far to even think of crossing over them, so I kept walking towards Sundays River Mouth. This last stretch of about 5 km was really tough, as there was absolutely nothing but the sea and sand dunes as far as the eye could see.

​

Finally, I reached the river mouth, but there was nobody in sight, and I didn’t want to attempt to walk through the river. It was only about 20 meters wide, but I knew it was a big river, with a mouth that never closed. I know people like this too, I thought. With the spring tide, it becomes deeper as sand washes away. I was hoping to see someone fishing or even a small boat, but I found nothing. The tide was coming in, yet it still looked as though the water was moving towards the sea (perhaps due to the wind). So I decided to walk up the river as far as possible from the sea before attempting to swim across, just in case I got swept away by a strong current.

​

The river made an "S bend" about 400 meters from the sea. I decided to pack my rucksack into some black refuse bags I carried with me, making sure that there were no holes and tying a big knot to close them securely. There was still some air trapped inside the black bags, and I carried the bags into the water, walking as far as I could before it became too deep for me to stand. The black bags then became a floating device, and with me holding on and kicking my feet, I soon reached the other side without any problems. I was wet and cold, so I quickly unpacked my bag for a towel and a dry shirt I carried with me.

​

Now I only had the final journey along the gravel road back to Colchester village and the N2 left. I had made tentative arrangements with Darryl to pick me up from the petrol station there and take me to my car, which I had left at Coega Quarry earlier.

​

At 13:30, I reached the parking area where Cath had dropped me off on 3 November 2011 when I hiked to Woody Cape. I took a photo and sat down to reflect on my day's hike and the safe crossing of the river when a couple (who were pumping for sand prawns) approached me and offered me a ride to their fishing spot near Colchester Caravan Park. The kindness of strangers was once again evident - they didn’t even mind my wet shoes in their car as we made some light small talk. I phoned Darryl to fetch me, and as I waited an hour for him I peacefully considered how everything on this walk had been so easy. I felt accomplished - proud that I could add this effortless chapter to the unfolding journey.

​

Darryl’s hoot interrupted this daydream and he drove me back to Coega Quarry. I then drove myself home and soon enjoyed a hot shower and opened my phone to look at some of the pics and to scribble down a few thoughts…

​​​​

​