Nothing like the first day of an expedition! Today aboard National Geographic Explorer we explored Cape Town, an excellent way to start a trip. Guests were treated to scenic views of Table Mountain, tours of the botanical garden, and even a wine tasting tour, while our staff divers documented seven gill sharks. Shortly after lunch we cast off heading eastward down the coast. Petrels, shearwaters, and cape gannets were seen in large numbers as we rounded the Cape.
Today we loaded onto buses for an exciting journey inland so we could all go on a game drive. My group headed for an 11,500 hectares (28,000 acres) private reserve called Kariega. We went straight into game vehicles for our safari, and it wasn’t long before we saw some excellent game. We had sightings of small antelope, such as impala, nyala, and blesbuck, and larger game, such as giraffe, buffalo, and zebra. The highlight was a large bull elephant drinking at a small waterhole. It was a such a treat. We went back to the lodge for a wonderful lunch and some entertainment before heading back to National Geographic Explorer. That evening, cocktail hour was buzzing with tales of all our adventures and encounters with iconic African wildlife.
Today our guests divided into groups depending on their interests. The options for excursions were a drive through a game reserve, a Zulu experience, or a boat trip on the St. Lucia River with a short game drive on a local reserve. It was difficult to choose because they were all exciting. My group departed National Geographic Explorer for the cruise on the St. Lucia River with a game drive afterwards.
We have left behind the beauty of South Africa to set sail for what we are sure will be another amazing destination on our expedition, Madagascar. During the last few days, we have grown accustomed to encountering wonderful views filled with megafauna observed from the comfort of our 4x4 jeeps. That is about to change once we arrive in Madagascar and encounter a completely different environment. It is lacking terrestrial predators, which is the very reason why the island-country is considered one of the richest hotspots in biodiversity and the world’s 17th megadiverse country. Just like some of the early Bantu settlers in the ninth century AD, we are crossing the Mozambique Channel, and experiencing relatively pleasant seas. Our day has been filled with wonderful presentations on all aspects of our current journey, giving us the chance to reflect on our exciting days in Southeast Africa and building great expectations for the days ahead.
Today we had the pleasure of arriving in Madagascar, and our first day of exploration offered a diverse array of experiences. Some of our fellow explorers chose to venture to the Antsokay Arboretum where they were treated to the sight of magnificent baobabs and the unique octopus tree, Didierea, all while enjoying a delightful musical performance. Meanwhile, others opted for a visit to the Reniala Reserve, a sanctuary for the captivating spiny forest ecosystem. Here, amidst the vibrant local fauna and flora, we had the chance to visit the heartwarming Village des Tortues, a haven for tortoises, including the endangered radiated species. After immersing ourselves in the beauty of endemic plants, playful lemurs, enchanting chameleons, and other fascinating creatures, we returned to National Geographic Explorer just in time for a relaxing cocktail hour. Truly, it was a day filled with unforgettable encounters and enriching experiences.
During a day at sea on board National Geographic Explorer, there is never a dull moment. A riveting presentation by Eve, our resident whale expert, was complimented this evening by the sighting of a mass pod of short-finned pilot whales. Expedition Leader Lisle Gwynn, who has managed our expedition with a masterful blend of dynamic planning, cool demeanor, and quiet British humor, gave us a run down on what to expect on shore tomorrow. Down below, Ross and Eva sorted through and catalogued some of the on board displays, while up on the top deck, Ming and JR from the mechanical team carried out the endless routine maintenance that keeps our ship safe and sound. An impromptu midafternoon “beer and barbeque” on the aft deck was enjoyed by staff and guests alike, while guests on the bridge kept watch for any further pilot whales as the sun set over the ever-changing seas.
Overnight, National Geographic Explorer sailed east from Cape Town and we spent today discovering the history of Mossel Bay. In 1488, explorer Bartholomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope and arrived at Mossel Bay to replenish freshwater supplies. In doing so, he opened the sea route to the east, linking the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to advance trade in goods, silver, spices, and many other commodities. 500 years later a replica caravel reenacted Dias’ voyage, which then became the Museum at Mossel Bay’s featured exhibit. A gin distillery and lighthouse were among other interesting town tour stops. While the Pinnacle Point caves are located on cliffs beneath a golf resort, they are protected as both research and world heritage sites. We visited cave 13B, itself over 500,000 years old and first utilized by people 164,000 years ago; as one of only a few sites in all of Africa that document this crucial phase in human origin, cave 13B is especially significant. Here, archaeologists have found the earliest dated evidence of humans consuming marine food resources, using pigments, and applying heat to improve the quality and function of their stone tools.
It was a lovely day at sea on board National Geographic Explorer as we made our way to Richards Bay. The day was filled with incredible in-depth presentations from our team of naturalists. The morning started with our National Geographic photographer sharing about story telling for conservation, followed by a talk from our naturalist, Javier (bird nerd), on seabirds. There were bird sightings over lunch, then we enjoyed two presentations in the afternoon. The first one was given by me, Naturalist Ross Gammon, and the other was given by on-board historian, Stephen Fisher.
After a night ashore, National Geographic Explorer’s guests bathed in the bright morning sunshine in Saint Lucia and prepared for the day’s activities. Striking out in all directions, guests headed to Hluhluwe Wildlife Reserve to see elephants, and boat cruises to view hippos wallowing in the mud. For those who had missed Eshowe the previous day, a visit to an amazing Zulu cultural site beckoned. At one of Eshowe’s outlying villages, we saw how the people of Zululand live, in widely dispersed settlements that might stretch for miles across the hills and valleys, a legacy of the structure of their society for hundreds of years. Visiting the head villagers house, we were treated to a symbolic meal and a taste of some home brewed Zulu beer! A short drive away was Fort Nongqayi, a late 19th century fortification built by the British and home to one of their colonial garrisons. Now the centerpiece of a museum of Zulu culture and even a butterfly dome, guests were able to explore more of Zululand’s colourful and fascinating history.
We spent the day at sea with moderate sea conditions and a few glimpses of flying fish off the bow. All aboard were royally entertained by the presentation of Alize, our National Geographic representative, who took us on a spellbinding tour of her time spent in Madagascar. In addition, there were presentations by Jacob on the music culture of Madagascar, Martin on Madagascar’s natural history, and Russell on hominid evolution, which were all very entertaining. The day was rounded out by Lucio’s hilarious recap quiz on animals’ collective nouns, as well as a few breathtaking clips of 7-gill sharks captured on their dive in Cape Town, by Brett and Ross.
Today was an exciting day here along the shores of Madagascar. Our first stop was Zazamalala, a place where wild lemurs roam, and a place where over a hundred species of trees are grown for the forest restoration program. Endangered turtles are bread for release back into the wild and there’s an incredible effort underway to save the Madagascar of yesteryear. We were amazed by the project and the wildlife we encountered. After our visit to Zazamalala, we had a wonderful opportunity to visit the Avenue of the Baobabs. This is an area of incredible baobab trees that line the road and give visitors a spectacular appreciation of these magnificent trees.
A spectacular sunrise broke as we started to lower Zodiacs at the peaceful hour of 06:00. Light reflected perfectly off a sea full of traditional sail boats as a few intrepid explorers took the early shuttle to begin their adventure to Ankarafantsika. The late risers among us drove through the “city of flowers” to Lake Mangatsa, passing by the old baobab tree once estimated to be over 1000 years old, a focal point of the city and a sign of good luck when you circle around it 7 times. Lake Mangatsa could be defined as a photographer’s paradise, with glistening crystalline water and numerous lemurs. To punctuate the amazing day, we were graced with 3 separate musical performances, organized by our onboard ethnomusicologist Jacob Edgar.
