Shona’s wonderful Wild Coast Walk – Day 5

Nothing beats the open arms of a happy huggable ‘magic mamma’ after a sweaty and testing 20 kilometre or so hike.

ALSO READ : Shona’s wonderful Wild Coast walk – Day 2

Our host, Noxolile Dwetye greets us with a huge smile, and tea and steam bread awaits us. Day five is upon us, and it’s the longest hike of the eight days.

It’s an early start –  we are on the rocky path before 8am. A few miles into the walk, our guide Sinegugu Zukulu stops us, and points to the waves crashing in the far distance.

“You see the waves hitting the shoreline, jump and twist up – this is what we call ‘Lubatana’ in our local tongue. The waves look spectacular today as there is no wind,” says Sinegugu. The overpowering south-westerly has died down over night, and the weather is perfect.

As we make our way down to the beach, we stumble across a dune covered in shell medium, bits of clay pots and hand tools. Sinegugu tells us that Pondoland is the only place in the world which has a short continental shelf, and has archeological evidence of human occupation during the last ice age, as everywhere else the evidence is under water.

“Therefore these sites are heritage sites, and not for mining. Only here in Pondoland do we find sites dating back to between 12 000 and 24 000 years ago known as the glacier maximum.”

We make our way to Port Grosvenor, which was a harbour, near the spot where the Indiaman Grosvenor was wrecked in 1782. Port Grosvenor was only in used in 1885 and 1886. Nearby lie the graves of the Goss family who were early pioneers of Pondoland, and passionate about the Wild Coast.

The future of pretty Port Grosvenor hangs in a balance, as the portfolio committee of Public Works visited the Eastern Cape last year on the sites where Grosvenor and Port St Johns harbours are planned to be built.

A lone fisherman and his dog skirt the edge of the coastline, and we spot a jackal buzzard or ‘isanxa’ in Xhosa perched on a rock. Sinegugu sets the pace, and like soldiers we follow in single file, preparing ourselves for the long day ahead. The Nguni cows on the beach stare at us unfazed, as we stride ahead.

Sinegugu explains that the colors of the cows mean different things. Any cow with white legs, ‘means a woman crossing the river, and they are dragging their feet,’ says Sinegugu.

We climb slowly up the side of a mountain to get Waterfall Bluff and the caves nearby.The scenery from the top is breathtakingly beautiful, and below, we watch a whale and her playful baby entertain us. We carry a rock and place it on the famous stone cairn which is a man-made pile stones.

“A stone cairn is often found by people who have walked a long journey. Your stone placed on the pile also shows that you have been here,” says Sinegugu. Cathedral Rock is another spectacular sight that catches you by surprise.

Lunch is enjoyed at Mamba River, as the river is shaped like a mamba. Thankfully we didn’t see any mambas! The hike ain’t easy. “You must eat the hills, like you eat an elephant. Take one step at a time, and before you know it, you would have conquered it,” says Sinegugu.

Wise words for one to keep in their pocket, and use when life throws them lemons.

** Writer’s Notes:

My gates are always open to visitors, says Noxolile Dwetye, the ‘magic mamma’ at Khuthwini village.

The 49-year-old woman has lived in the village her entire life.

She says she gets very excited when visitors arrive at her homestead.

“I just wish they could stay longer,” she says.

She has opened her home to visitors since 2013, and is grateful for the business.

* Shona Aylward is taking part in the Wild Coast hike sponsored by the environmental journalism training agency, Roving Reporters (www.rovingreporters.co.za) and the 8 Mile Club, an adventurous group of charity swimmers who raise funds for various deserving charities.

* Shona will update us on her journey as and when conditions and cell phone signal permit, so watch this space.

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