South Africa: Elephant, Le Cygne, Swiftsure, Kate, Crystal Palace, Buffalo, Natalia & Fontao shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Zeila shipwreck in Namibia

August 8:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1750: Elephant, this wooden-hulled Danish East Indiaman wrecked at the Gouritz River mouth in the Western Cape. The crew experienced hardship on the return journey from the East, with many falling ill. It was eventually decided to attempt to get the vessel to Mossel Bay but it was instead run aground at the mouth of the Gouritz River. The crew of 65 were all rescued by local farmers, and they travelled overland back to Cape Town.

1840: Le Cygne, this French wooden-hulled brigantine entered Table Bay late at night and ran aground near Paarden Island in the Western Cape and was later condemned. One man died because of the wrecking.

1847: Swiftsure, this wooden-hulled schooner wrecked during a strong north-westerly gale in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape.

1862: A north-westerly gale in Table Bay resulted in the fouling of several vessels and the wrecking of three. On this day, two wooden hulled barques wrecked, and the following day would see another vessel wrecked:

• Kate, wrecked near the Salt River mouth.

• Crystal Palace, wrecked on Woodstock beach.

1889: Buffalo, this iron-hulled paddle-driven steam-powered tug wrecked after striking the sand bar in the Kowie River in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape whilst trying to assist the USS Saxon. The remains are often visible about 3 km up the river at ‘Buffalo Bend’.

1955: Natalia, this motor-powered fishing vessel was scuttled in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape.

1963: A SAAF Avro Shackleton MR 3 (registration no. 1718/K) crashed on this day in the Stetteynskloof Valley just north east of Franschhoek in the Western Cape with the loss of all 14 crew. It was on its way to conduct a military exercise with the Royal Navy submarine HMS Alliance, having flown into, as the investigation board described, atrocious weather conditions, with a low icing height. The board held the captain solely responsible as he disobeyed direct orders by routing overland instead of oversea as was decided in the flight briefing. The crash site was discovered the following day as the weather made searches incredibly difficult.

1991: Fontao, this fishing vessel was scuttled south of the Umhlanga Lighthouse in KwaZulu-Natal by the Oceanographic Research Institute to form an artificial reef to study the rate at which wrecks are colonised by marine organisms. The remains are claimed to make for one of the best dives in South Africa with the deepest section lying around 27 m in depth and the top at about 17 m.

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Botswana: new Atzaro Okavango Camp in the Delta

INTRODUCING ATZARO OKAVANGO CAMP: SUSTAINABLE LUXURY IN THE HEART OF THE DELTA

Welcome to Atzaro Okavango Camp, a premier safari destination that offers sustainable luxury in the heart of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Surrounded by lush palm islands and vibrant delta vegetation, our eco-friendly oasis is nestled within the breath-taking landscape of this World Heritage wilderness. At Atzaro Okavango Camp, we provide an unparalleled combination of “savanna meets delta” adventures and unforgettable wildlife encounters, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the captivating beauty of the Okavango Delta.

As a guest at our state-of-the-art safari camp, you’ll be able to experience year-round sightings of iconic African wildlife such as elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe, lechwe, and hippo. Our premier destination is ideal for safari enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, offering a private and exclusive experience, irrespective of the number of people you’re traveling with.

At Atzaro Okavango Camp, we take pride in our harmonious integration with the stunning natural environment and incorporation of the diverse culture of the local people. Our camp is powered entirely by solar energy, offering the perfect balance of sustainable living and opulent comfort. Indulge in our on-site wellness spa, maintain your fitness routine in our fully equipped gym, or take a refreshing dip in our expansive 20 m pool. Each luxurious tent comes with air-conditioning, private plunge pools, and Wi-Fi, ensuring that you never have to compromise on modern amenities while enjoying the serenity of the African wilderness.

This remote location is easily accessible by fixed-wing flights, road, boat (seasonal), or even a thrilling helicopter ride, making it more accessible than you might think. When you visit Atzaro Okavango Camp, you’ll immerse yourself in a uniquely curated safari experience created out of the vision and dream of Atzaro and African Bush Camps, a strong partnership in global luxury travel.

Experience the pinnacle of sustainable luxury, where eco-consciousness and indulgence meet, and discover the ultimate iconic safari experience at Atzaro Okavango Camp.

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Sanctuary Retreats: Sanctuary Tambarare is open | Тамбараре Кения

Sanctuary Retreats: Sanctuary Tambarare is open and welcoming guests!

Discover Sanctuary Tambarare

We're thrilled to announce Sanctuary Tambarare is now open!

Located in a secluded spot in the wildlife rich 90,000 acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Sanctuary Tambarare delivers the perfect balance of adventure and serenity. Nestled amongst indigenous diamond-leaved euclea trees in the shadow of Mount Kenya, the 10 luxurious guest tents are peaceful havens that perfectly reflect their surroundings.

The individually decorated canvas tents have a boutique-meets-bush style with teak floors and unique touches that reflect the local culture. Each luxury tent is large and airy, with a private veranda overlooking grassy plains often frequented by buffalo and elephants.

Gently billowing white curtains add to the romance, with Masai-inspired art in traditional blue – representing the sky and precious rainwater. Enjoy floor-to-ceiling cinematic views of the landscape from the super king beds.

Inside the spacious and beautifully appointed main tent, inviting sofas and chairs encourage guests to linger. The camp’s colours are inspired by nature, from ‘sun-bleached’ wood and wicker lampshades to intense bursts of colour in the exuberant fabrics, like wildflowers dotted around the landscape. The lounge looks out onto the boma, where guests gather to hear thrilling tales and local legends shared by the camp’s safari guides.

Home to the two last northern white rhinos on earth, as well as over 150 critically endangered black rhinos, Ol Pejeta Conservancy prides itself on being at the cutting edge of conservation innovation. Guests can enjoy unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the wildlife adventures available at this stunning retreat.

° Meet the last two northern white rhino and hear their dedicated keepers tell their incredible story in this unforgettable experience

° Get closer to the wildlife riding on horseback across the Ol Pejeta plains

° Explore the conservancy on daily game drives with expert guides

° Experience life as a ranger on a morning 5-7 km run in the wild

° Meet the incredible anti-poaching dogs and learn what it takes to look after the specially trained canine team

° Accompany a ranger on a lion tracking adventure and help to protect these big cats

° Get up close and personal with the sights, smells and sounds of the African bush on a guided bush walk

° Discover Ol Pejeta Conservancy after hours on a night game drive

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Botswana: Under One Botswana Sky's Rra Dinare photo gallery

#UnderOneBotswanaSky #RraDinare #GomotiRiver #OkavangoDelta #MoremiCrossing #buffalo

Under One Botswana Sky

Rra Dinare - Setswana for Father of many Buffalo

After welcoming its first guests on 1st June, Rra Dinare's official photos can now be viewed. As expected the first month's wildlife highlights included magnificent sightings of large buffalo herds, breeding herds of elephants, lion, wild dog, leopard and aardwolf.

Due to the areas diverse combination of wetlands and drier Acacia and Mopane veldt, which attracts a variety of animal and bird species all year round, bird-watchers enjoyed a mixture of sightings of aquatic species including Open Billed Storks, Hammerkops, egrets, ibis, herons, ducks and forest/savannah dwellers including raptors, shrikes, drongos, sunbirds, woodpeckers, orioles, Ground Hornbills,ostrich, korhaan, Kori Bustard etc.

Under One Botswana Sky's second camp, which is currently being built on the banks of the Gomoti River, is scheduled to open at the end of 2017 and will be common rated with Pom Pom Camp and Rra Dinare. The second camp will consist of 9 tents. Both camps are set in this exclusive and game-rich area of 27,700 hectares (67,000 acres) bordering the world-renowned Moremi Game Reserve on the remote south eastern side of the Okavango Delta.

With the highly complementary addition of Ra Dinare to its portfolio of camps and lodges in Chobe and the Okavango, Under One Botswana Sky can now offer a complete Okavango Delta circuit – Rra Dinare (Eastern side of the Delta), Pom Pom Camp (Western side of the Delta) and Moremi Crossing & Gunn’s Camp (Central Okavango Delta). Rra Dinare is now featured in the Green Desert Safari which is Under One Botswana Sky's fully inclusive fly-in Botswana safari circuit offering competitively priced 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 night safari itinerary options.

Opening Offer - Book a minimum of 2 nights at Rra Dinare and 2 nights at Moremi Crossing or Gunn's Camp then the intercamp charter currently valued at US$ 110.00 per person will be free of charge.

Rra Dinare  -  Fast Facts

° Game-rich private concession of 67,000 acres
° Adjacent to the Moremi Game Reserve
° Located in south eastern side of the Okavango Delta
° Camp overlooks Gomoti River's seasonal flood plains
° 20 mins charter from Maun + 45 mins game drive to camp
° Lounge, bar, dining room, lapa with camp fire
° Swimming pool, Curio shop
° 7 tents, 1 double tented family tent (+ 1 guide tent)
° Each tent has large private lounge and verandah
° Spacious bathroom, double vanity, flush toilet, 
° Outside enclosed shower
° Ceiling fan and safe
° Complete Okavango Delta circuit
° Common rated with Pom Pom Camp
° Additional Opening Offers for families and groups

Wildlife & Activities

As mentioned the mixed habitat and river system attracts a wide variety of game all year round. Familiar favourites include: elephant, buffalo, giraffe, kudu, impala, tsessebe, hippo, crocodile, genet, honey badger, aardwolf and a host of plains game. Rare antelope breeds including roan, sable and eland, not normally seen in the Okavango region, occur here. As the Gomoti is the main water source in the area, lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog come down to the riverside to drink and hunt. The area is also a bird-watchers paradise due combination of the wetlands and the drier Acacia and Mopane which are perfect environment for a both the aquatic and forest/savannah species.

° Game-rich private concession known for its diverse bird & wildlife
° Favoured area for tenacious old buffalo “dagga” boys and buffalo herds which often make for exciting predator interaction
° Game drives, on and off road, with trackers
° Nocturnal safaris - opportunity to look for the more elusive and rare nocturnal creatures such as aardvark, leopard, porcupine and pangolin
° Seasonal mokoro trips
° Seasonal game walks with armed guides

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