Lockdown 534

Lockdown Day 534 - 11 September 2021

So our Saturday outing became a Baviaans excursion. We decided to take on the 198km route between Patensie and Willowmore, with a sleepover at Verlorenrivier.  We were told it would take roughly 4-5 hours traveling time on the narrow ups and downs through the area, which included the Baviaans Nature Reserve.

To me, it was once again as much a spiritual experience as it was a travel delight. Even the so called 4x4 parts were easily negotiated by hubby and our faithful Toyota. The vegetation changed from soft yellow bellowing bushes to amazing scenes of the blooming Waboom, a member of the protea family.

We were also lucky to see a male and female bushbuck.  They are the evasive ghosts of the bush and a rare sight. We managed to take a picture of the female just as she skitted off.

The incredible scenes of contrast in this drought stricken area really touched us as we drove through occasional greenery and fresh water pools, contrasted by hungry monkeys stripping off and eating the bark of young trees due to the shortage of food.

On the way out of the reserve, we also heard of a leopard holding one of the reserve's guards hostage in their little office at the gate.

We arrived at Verlorenrivier with the day temperature on 34 °C, and a dismal wind bringing in dust from Willowmore.  When the wind subsided at sunset, we managed to just finish our dinner on the fire as the wind suddenly turned cold, coming from the opposite direction out of the gorge.

With the words of the Messianic blessing in mind, I ask God to bless the Baviaanskloof, Langkloof and adjacent dry areas, the Loerie dam and the Kouga dam with the most water they have ever seen. Because He's got this.