'Public holiday'...Along the coast to Francis Bay

Tuesday 12.1.16

Today is basically a 'public holiday'. We drive from Knysna to the east under dense clouds and reach the Bloukrans River Bridge as the first bridge. With a height of 216 m, this is the highest bungee jump in the world. 

On the way to the Visitor Center/Registration, there are some stalls with very beautiful wooden souvenirs. But no, we don't need anything else...

People jump from the middle of the highway bridge every minute while trucks thunder over the N2 above. We watch for a while, and everyone who jumps spreads their arms. Soon after, when we start talking to two German girls in the shop, they tell us that everyone automatically does that and the worst part is really before the jump. Who would have thought!? :-)

On the parking lot, we see someone dressed as 'Banana Man'. Somehow, he looks like Superman dressed as a banana. He lost a bet with his buddies and now he has to fulfill today. He already has his jumping time – he has never jumped before. But we don't wait for his jump and continue driving.

The sky doesn't want to clear up properly, so we already passed Plettenberg Bay without stopping because we couldn't see the beach due to the mist and fog.

A few kilometers past the Bloukrans River Bridge, we reach Storms River Mouth. 

Four kilometers further, we find ourselves at a rocky bay with breathtaking surf. Great photo opportunities! Behind the restaurant, where we can park, the path to the Suspension Bridge over the Storms River Mouth begins – the end of the Storms River where it flows into the ocean.

When entering the Tsitsikamma National Park, the woman from the park management mentioned 1 km for the round trip to the Storms River Mouth – so we have time for that. 

In fact, it is 2 km, which is not a problem, only the path consists practically only of slopes and steps of completely different heights. The path really leads through the jungle and it is a great path. The sea is roaring to our right, but unfortunately, it is hardly visible due to the sea mist.

At the end of the boardwalk, there is a steep staircase that is better taken backwards like a ladder, and then you are standing at the suspension bridge over the Storms River. 

Kayakers are passing below us and soon disappearing into the gorge on our left. It looks a bit like the Three Gorges on the Yangtze. The sea mist over the Indian Ocean has cleared a bit, so there are some nice photo opportunities. 

We cross the suspension bridge and then climb the 'ladder' back up to the path over countless stairs and steps, heading back to the parking lot. Our tongues are hanging out, as it is now quite hot.

In the middle, the ladder/stairs going up into the bushes - back to the boardwalk

We each have a liter of water at the restaurant, and I treat myself to a delicious salad. On the short drive back to the parking lot, we see rock dassies (rock hyraxes) for the first time. These animals only exist in Africa. Even though they look like a cross between a groundhog and a badger, they are the closest relatives of elephants and they also have teeth that grow back!

Just 10 km further east on the N2, we reach 'Big Tree'. Here too, we have to pay an entrance fee, fill out a form with our name, telephone number, car number, and pay 36 Rand (locals only pay 14 Rand). We walk through dense forest-like woods on a good boardwalk again. These Grootebooms (Afrikaans) are Yellowwoods or podocarbs and look like Kauri trees in New Zealand. This Big Tree is supposed to be 1000 years old and is about 40m tall. The round trip here is only 1 km, so we are soon back at the car, as it is flat through the forest here.

Big Tree round trip

It is already almost 4 p.m., and the next stop is the Paul Sauer Bridge over the Storms River. We walked across the long suspension bridge at the end of the Storms River earlier, and this bridge here spans the deep gorge that the Storms River has dug inland. 

You can't see the river from the bridge because the slopes are so narrow and densely overgrown, and the gorge is so deep. Quick photo stop and off to St. Francis Bay.

Just before 6 p.m., we pass Humansdorp, which makes us feel a little uncomfortable, and we are glad that we are not staying here for the next 2 nights, but by the water. To get there, we drive several kilometers through completely flat marshland – what a contrast to the rest of the scenery of this day. We mainly had towering mountains next to us, wild vegetation, a variety of trees, or sometimes large cow meadows, and then dense forests, bushes (fynbos), or huge ferns in the undergrowth. And now marshland – that's awesome in South Africa.

Shortly before St. Francis Bay, there are almost only reed-covered, whitewashed houses. The whole scenery is extremely reminiscent of Sylt. The houses are big, look expensive, luxurious, and – as so often – practically all uninhabited.

The i-lollo Lodge is at the end of Shore Street. Opposite is the entrance to the beach of a river, which flows into the sea 150m further. You can see the beach of the sea, but you can't reach it on foot even at low tide by crossing the river.

Rob, the host, brings us a tray of coffee and cookies on our balcony shortly after we arrive. We live directly under the thatched roof and in front of our room, there is a "deck" with two chairs and a table. The room has a peculiar, almost musty-acidic smell, which comes from the unventilated thatched bundles on the roof.

So first, we open all the windows for some fresh air. Because there is no air conditioning here either, and it is already quite hot, making the room very stuffy. The room is nice with a very nice bathroom, a fridge, and Wi-Fi. The standing fan is put into operation, hoping that it will blow away the musty smell. The humidity here in St. Francis is 70%, while we have had rather dry air with 40-50% humidity so far.

At around 7 p.m., we drive back to the town and have a hearty fish dinner at a restaurant that looks like an extended snack bar. Calamari + Hake for me, both grilled. A Castle Light beer with it – wonderful!

In the dark, we sit on our balcony until past midnight and empty a bottle of Delheim wine from Stellenbosch. A gigantic starry sky spreads above us.