Another beautiful opportunity today to take a paddle on the idyllic Keurbooms river, here on the southernmost shoreline of Africa. This time I have paddled downstream toward the lagoon and eventually to the dunes which lead to the beach.
The weather is overcast so photos show a more muted landscape. Nevertheless you get the picture. It's an awesome mild late summer's day, in what I would say is the most beautiful region in the entire southern Africa.
Instead of paddling upstream like last time (which you can read about in my previous blog post) I'm floating downstream today, which means going under the main N2 highway bridge. This is one of the closest passes that this major national highway makes to the sea, and the town of Plettenberg Bay is about 5km away to the west.
This is pure fun and if you love outdoor adventuring then this will be ideal for you. It's so easy to leisurely paddle along with the tidal current to assist you, if you time it correctly to match the tide.
Once I passed under the highway bridge, I cruised by the local boat club and launch area. You can see some sweet little rides there, tied up at the dock or anchored in the shallow water of the river.
A house boat does indeed have a certain romantic appeal to the rugged individualist and independant maverick in me. It probably has its quirks or downside too. This would be the ideal place to park your house for a bit.
The river is shallow here but luckily I know the position of the channel of deeper water, so I can avoid the sand banks and make my way past the boat club and on to one of the topmost private estates in the region.
This prime real estate is called Twin Rivers Estate because it is bordered on either side by the two rivers that both flow into this lagoon before flowing out to sea. Millionaires have their houses here, though I can paddle right through, since I know my way around.
This is the home to not only millionaires but also local indigenous wildlife and birds, like the fish eagle and other buzzards. I spotted one on top of the highest tree. See if you can spot him in the photo.
I also passed by what appears to be an old empty derelict house right on the river bank. This is a relic from a past era before the expensive estate houses were built. The river bank gets eaten away with time and tide, and may reach the ruin one day - which is still somewhat habitable if you feel like squatting a prime riverside real estate house.
Or you can invest in one of the riverside houses for yourself. The estate on the banks of this river is so contained by the rivers, that they have introduced wild deer or buck, which roam freely about the unfenced houses.
Here you have a combination of the best that Africa has to offer, in the form of wildlife, birds, outdoor water sports, all combined with exclusive upmarket living. It's a small wildlife eco-estate perhaps.
I feel really blessed to be able to paddle freely through this exclusive private estate and view the epic indigenous bird life, while absorbing the fresh air and healthy atmosphere.
The holiday town of Plettenberg Bay can be seen in the distance at the far end of the lagoon. In fact I can paddle there, across the lagoon, if needed. This region has it all for the outdoor nature lover, which is why it's one of the most exclusive holiday resorts and regions in Southern Africa.
Photos my own. Edited and published from my mobile device onto the Hive blockchain for all nature lovers.
[//]:# ([//]:# (!worldmappin -34.00360 lat 23.39980 long Plett boat club, Keurbooms river d3scr))