Slug eater snake!

We regularly see this snake around our house. It is small, about 30cm

The best dives at Rocktail

This was an incredible day. Whale shark, Whales, Dolphins, Turtles, Raggie shark and two incredible dives with visibility of 30m. It was like a swimming pool.

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Maputaland Bush Lodge

darryl the dive master

dive launching

dive1

dive2

A Great Lunch!

Thanks Isabelle for this lovely lunch. You guys really looked after us well.

lunch

ourhouse

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Maputaland Bush Lodge

Mozambique and SA link hands across sea creating Africa’s largest marine protec ted area

Mozambique has declared its first Marine Protected Area (MPA) that now links with the iSimangaliso Wetland Park to create Africa’s first transfrontier marine conservation area.

This now extends along 300 kms of unbroken coastline and pristine beaches from Maputo Bay in Mozambique to Cape St Lucia, the southern boundary of the iSimangaliso Park in South Africa.

The Mozambique MPA of 678kms² includes Inhaca and Portugese islands, the Maputo Special Reserve, and stretches three nautical miles into the sea.

Southern Mozambique is a vital nursery for commercially important fish stocks with fish, larvae and eggs carried in south-flowing currents into South Africa’s iSimangaliso. “Protection of these will benefit both countries and iSimangaliso directly” said Zaloumis. Park CEO and Chairman of the Ponta do Oura/Kosi Bay TFCA Task Team.
The long-term vision for the marine components is to create Africa’s first trans -boundary marine World Heritage Site. Mozambique has placed its new MPA on it’s tentative list, the first step towards formal application for listing with UNESCO whose technical team will evaluate the proposal.

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park was listed as South Africa’s first World Heritage Site in December 1999.

The Ponta do Ouro-Kosi Bay Marine Transfrontier Conservation Area is one of five such initiatives – coastal and interior – under the Lubombo TFCA that aim to consolidate the unique biodiversity of the Maputaland Centre of Endemism and link the elephant populations of both countries.

Mozambique Tourism Minister Mr Fernando Sumbana said “this was a vital step in protecting marine turtles that nest in high densities along the pristine beaches of the Maputo Special Reserve, other rare or endangered species, marine mammals and ecosystems.”

Activities like semi-industrial and industrial fishing, fishing on the coral reefs, fishing with explosives, driving of motorised vehicles on the beach and building other than approved developments are now prohibited.

For more information re: Reserva Marinha Parcial da Ponta do Ouro contact:
Dr Bartolomeu Soto
Director: Ministry of Tourism
Unidade de Coordenancao das Areas de Conservacao Transfronteira
Tel: + 258 (82) 302 362/303 616
Mobile: + 258 (82) 302 9300
Email: bsoto

For more information re: iSimangaliso Wetland Park contact
Andrew Zaloumis
Chief Executive Officer
iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority
Tel: + 27 (35) 250 1633
Mobile: + 27 (82) 788 3000
Email: andrew

The best summer spots according to Getaway Magazine staffers.

The best summer spots according to Getaway staffers.

http://www.getaway.co.za/content/getaway/magazine/feature.asp?id=1397&fe_page=2

Maputaland Bush Camp, KZN, chosen as top destination by Khumo Ntoane

The northern part of Maputaland appears uncharted and vast. The landscape folds, elevates and flattens out. It’s abundantly vegetated with swamp forests and wetlands. It has lakes, rivers and a rich coastline. The attractions in this magical space are simple; it’s a wonderland to anyone with an active imagination. This rustic slice of the past is doing its bit to keep the 21st century at bay.

The camp is on a hill overlooking a hippo pool, 16 kays south of Kosi Bay. Owners Willie and Isabella Labuschagne lived in a tent for six months while they built the camp themselves. Their aim was to have as little impact on the natural surroundings as possible.

The bush camp sleeps 10 to 14 people. En suite huts are made from reeds and thatch. The watersaving shower among the trees is rudimentary. To operate it, you pour buckets of water into a sack-like contraption with a shower head before hoisting it into a tree with a pulley. Solar panels generate power for lights in the evening and gas is used for cooking.

The sound of a vehicle is rare and you need a 4×4 to get there. The Labuschagnes have a stable full of horses for exploring the area. Fishers collect their catches in mekoro and in the elaborate fish traps at Kosi Bay. Reeds are harvested along the edges of the lakes and the fields hoed.

This is a great hiking destination, with only hippos posing some danger. The animals tend to be shy, but there are plenty of birds to be seen. Canoeing on the Siyadla River, well-fed crocodiles surface with calm precision. As one paddler said, ‘Even the crocodiles are happy in Maputaland.’

The locals like to refer to this corner of the country as paradise – and I have to agree.

Tel 072-727-3079 or e-mail mail or web http://www.maputaland.net.