Tsitsikamma; Storms River Mouth -- Waterfall and Suspension Bridges hike -- Saturday 19th June 2021

 

Tsitsikamma;   Storms River Mouth -- Waterfall and Suspension Bridges hike -- Saturday 19th June 2021

Leaving from Port Elizabeth at 7.00am we are able to start hiking at 10.00am.    We are in three vehicles.   I have my Kombi;   I hire a 14 seater Quantum and John & Ren take their own car.    We meet some of the group at the Windfarm and then a quick stop at the Storms River Bridge.   

On the hiking trail today:   Peter and Ally;  Ayanda, Lungi,  Vuyo and Pinky;   Ayanda and Lilly;  Belinda and Sonja;   Brittany and Hayley;  Brenda;   Gerhard and Liz Anne;   Ludivine and Maeline;  Ren and John;  Sally,  Gay,   Linda and Debbie;   Gillian K;   

This is a tough hike,  We start with an easy pathway through trees and forest.   And then the boulder and rocks before the Cave and Step ladder.  Multiple Boulders to climb.   Exhausting and dangerous.   Lots of slippery rocks. Look for what I call the Gang Plank.  When you reach this you are almost at the Waterfall.   Allow 1.5 to 2 hours to get to the Waterfall.   You may not hile beyond this as that section is exclusively for those doing the first day (5km) of the Otter Trail.  A couple of the group get into the Ice Cold Water.   Brittany; Hayley;  Ren and John.   I still have an infection so I am not ablel to join them.   We stop for a snack lunch and Picture taking session.    It is essential that you take it carefully on the return hike.   Your legs and feet will be tired and it is easy to make mistakes.     Ren falls and gashes her leg.  Others fall with minor cuts and bruising.  Fortunately it is low tide and that makes the tricky bits a little easier.     To the waterfall and back is four Hours.   Minimum 1.5 liters of water per person.   Also some energy snacks required.   

After the waterfall hike we do the suspension bridges.   This too can be tiring with the multiple steps both us and down.   .

We leave the reserve at about 3.30pm and are back home by 6pm.    

Gerhard goes ahead of Ally at the Aloe section

Friends on the trail.   Sally;  Hayley and Brittany

Looking down to the Suspension Bridge

Ayanda;  Ayanda and Pinky

Belinda and Sonja

Debbie from George and family member Linda with Belinda

Our group takes a break at the top of the step ladder

Chilling. 

This is what makes the hike difficult.   Boulders and slippery rocks. 

The three suspension bridges.  The two on the left were built 2009

Ayanda.   

Regrouping means that we are able to stay together.  

At the start of the hike.   We are 24 today.  

Not easy walking these big boulders. 

The end of the first rocky section.   Quite tiring. This is where the Otter Trail now begins. 

The beach at the mouth of the Storms River. 

Suspension Bridge. 

African Hemp.  

On the way back.   Walking down the ladder.  There is still a long way to go with lots of boulder climbing to be done. 

Gay and Linda

On the Gang Plank.   From here we have just a few minutes to the waterfall. 

Huge boulders and rock formations. 

The Otter Trail starts at the Entrance gate and emerges to the rocks at this point. 

Each step must be carefully placed.  You should have a confident and sure footing to walk this trail. 

Step Ladder to the place where we regroup.   We did not have much sunshine on the trail today.   Not Cloudy -- just in the shade for most of the trail. 

Huge swells created these big sprays

Waves crashing on the rocks.   A wonderful sound. 

Occasional foot bridges with some steep falls 

You should not take this hike lightly.   One slip could lead to serious injury. 

We had to use hands and feet to climb across the rock edges. 

At the start of the trail.   This sign makes it clear.   This hike is not long at 6.5km.   But the level of difficulty makes it a tough hike and you should allow 4 hours when you are in a big group like ours today. 

Peter Giddy's hiking and tours group..... To enjoy the outdoors and to discover and explore places you have never seen or experienced.  Meet people and make new friends.  I understand that not everyone is at the same level of fitness and ability.   So I accommodate everyone but providing hikes to suite the individual.   No one is left behind.   

SA Guided Tours and Peter Giddy Guided Tours -- Shore Excursions -- Addo Elephant and other Wildlife Reserves -- Garden Route.  Flowers of Namaqualand -- 

0027 (0) 82 55 03 714    Whatsup
peter.giddy@gmail.com
Addo Elephant Park Day Visit and Night drive. 

• Kragga Kamma Wildlife Reserve
• Daniel Cheetah Project
• Pumba; Shamwari; Amakhala; Kariega -- Day trips Private Reserves.
• Three day tour of Mountain Zebra Park. Graaff Reinet, Nieu Bethesda and Addo. 
• City Historical and Cultural Tours, 
• Horse riding for both experienced and inexperienced riders
• Hikes and Walks around Port Elizabeth (2 hour Nature and Coastal walks)
• Garden Route Adventure Tours (Zip Lines; Segway  in the Forest; Adventure Quad Biking; Bridge Walks; Bungy Jump; Knysna Elephant Park; Monkey Land and Birds of Eden; Big Cats Sanctuary; Oudtshoorn Cango Caves and Ostrich farms)
• Shore Excursions from Passengers ships
• Transfers. Airport; Hotel and Wildlife Reserve.
• Flowers of Namaqualand.  Seven days of adventure and exploring places and sights you never even knew existed.  History and natural beauty of the South West of South Africa
• Karoo to Garden Route. Six days of fun and activities.  Prince Albert; Swartberg Pass; Die Hell; Oudtshoorn; Prince Alfred pass; Plett and Tsitsikamma. 

Website --   petergiddyguidedtours.wordpress.com

For tours and bookings.. email me at.    peter.giddy@gmail.com
Contact me on Whatsup....  0027 082 550 3174

Wednesday 24th June 2021

A woman from Saudi Arabia has been killed in a fall at Storms River Mouth.

NSRI Oyster Bay station commander Lodewyk van Rensburg says their satellite station duty crew at Storms River was activated at around 4.40 pm on Wednesday and responded to the accident scene along with other emergency services and SANParks rangers.

A SANParks craft was launched and an EMS paramedic, NSRI crew and rangers were transported to the rocks where the body of the 48-year-old woman was found.

Van Rensburg says it appears that the victim was with her husband and two other men, one believed to be a guide, when she fell from a significant height onto the rocks on the shoreline.

The body was recovered and taken into the care of Eastern Cape Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Police have opened an inquest docket.