The stream on my local hiking trail has become no more than a trickle in recent months as we await the winter rains to fill it up again. Fortunately those winter rains have arrived, although tentatively. Despite the reduced water flow over the past couple of months, I still appreciate the little stream every time I cross it on this awesome stretch of coastline on the southern shores of Africa, in the idyllic region called the Garden Route.
Stream of gold at a low point awaiting the rain
My hiking trail takes me along what is called the Cape Robberg Coastal Corridor. We are in the Western Cape Province, near the border of the Eastern Cape, in the central region of the south coast on the African continent. If you look at a map of Africa, you will find us in about the center region of the southern coastline, at roughly 23 degrees east longitude, and 34 degrees south latitude.
Just a mile or two eastward is the main geological feature, called the Robberg Peninsula, which juts out to the sea and creates a sheltered bay called Plettenberg Bay, where whales come annually for their calving. That’s due any day now. It’s always an awesome experience if you’re able to catch a glimpse of the largest mammals on the planet as they breach the ocean surface, even fleetingly.
A small crab at home in the pool
In my photos here you can see this lovely little stream in the steep little gorge or ravine that has been carved over millennia. Who knows just how many centuries – perhaps thousands of years – it takes for this stream to carve out the rock like this? In summer I might see numerous frogs, though for now I spotted a crab keeping a low profile in the shallow trickle of fresh rain water.
After two waterfalls over their respective cliffs, the stream lands at sea level just a few yards from the shoreline itself, where it eventually flows into the ocean. The last pool just before the final waterfall is a very tranquil place with the most awesome view. The view remains constant, though when the heavy rains come this pool and the stream are anything but tranquil.
Narrow ravine visible
When the stream is at its peak, it becomes a challenge just to cross it without getting the feet wet. I have to clamber about to find a way through the bush surrounding the torrent and then make a little leap at the narrowest point just before the final pool and waterfall. By then the fast flowing torrent of a stream is loud and animated, making the place seem very exciting.
Today the little flow of water is quite the opposite, being hardly a trickle, though with the rain I can hear falling outside right now, I expect the flow to pick up somewhat. It may take a few more days of serious rain to really fill the stream to its peak, perhaps even a few weeks, since the rains are sporadic. In a month or two the full flow of the stream turns it into a river. Because the ravine is actually quite narrow, it doesn’t take much to really create quite a pumping torrent of water between its walls.
Final pool in the stream before the waterfall to the sea level
I always enjoy the full force of the river after the heavy rains. I’m eagerly anticipating the event in coming weeks and love making my way to this point on the hiking trail to check out the condition of the flow after each rain shower, which only lasts two or three days at most sometimes. Then the rain water accumulates and the run off ends up in this stream which turns into a river which plunges down the waterfall to the sea level just a few feet below. I find it amazing to also occasionally come across water just seeping out of the ground on the slopes leading to the river itself. The rain seems to accumulate and travel underground in places and comes popping out of the cracks in the rock all over the place on its way down the hill to meet the river.
Sometimes these underground water flows make their own way to sea level through their own underground channels. It’s possible to drink this water as it springs out of the ground or rock surface because it’s pure rain water which has been even more purified by its water course through the earth. The place really feels abundant and life-sustaining then.
Water is the source of life and so I appreciate hearing the rainfall now and when the chance comes I will hike down to the stream to check out its progress toward becoming a torrential little river. Then I’ll post some more photos of the event for all the other nature lovers to admire, so stay tuned for the next posts from this little cove of paradise on the furthest shores of the African continent.
(photos my own)