TRAVEL: Magnificent Maphelane

TRAVEL

Words & Photos: Andrew de Villiers

Magnificent Maphelane

The mundane metronome of the work week was getting to us and a weekend away to a remote beach seemed like the medicine we needed. After a Google Earth search of secluded beaches on KwaZulu-Natal's North Coast, we decided on Maphelane: the southernmost campsite in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Our choice would not disappoint.

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Magnificent Maphelane

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Maphelane means 'big hill' and the campsite's name was inspired by its most noticeable feature, the largest dune in iSimangaliso (183 m), which

supports a rich variety of life in its lush forest.

The size and angle of the dune gives the impression that the forest dove onto the beach epochs ago and is still stuck there.

We arrived on Friday via a single sand track that leads to Maphelane from KwaMbonambi. The shift from barren plantations, flanked by a dune mining operation that harvests ilmenite for titanium production, into paradise was heavenly. The thick green, multi-storeyed coastal and dune forests (with its full complement of vines, creepers, figs, red duiker, wild olives, mangroves, bushbuck and mahoganies) were simply breathtaking. After driving through this Eden for a few kilometres, my wife said, "I have just realised that I’ve been smiling this whole time."

This prominent feature is contrasted by the vast open beach and yawning iMfolozi Estuary to the north. The tranquil beauty of the estuary is deceptive and you should only be lured into the waters if you enjoy swimming with hippos and crocodiles (which I don’t recommend). The beach is also deceivingly spectacular, as there are no shark nets in the bay (it is a reserve after all), thus restricting your movements to splashing in the shallow waters during low tide.

Once we had checked in, we headed to our campsite.

Maphelane has 40 campsites and 5 wooden cabins.

The campsites are sheltered by large mahoganies and coastal silky oaks and patrolled hourly by opportunistic vervet monkeys, who are masters at raiding food supplies. We merrily unpacked and set up our home for the rest of the weekend, under the watchful gaze of the mischievous monkeys.

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According to Maphelane’s official brochure, ablution and shower facilities are 'modern', but we suspect the brochure was printed in the 1930s. The warm water proved

an erratic dribble and the smell of sewage and heavy rust on anything vaguely metallic did not help the cause. That said, this was the only negative experience of our entire stay.

As evening approached, we headed down to the beach to have a look at what Maphelane had to offer. Emerging from the vegetation, only 50 m from our campsite, we found ourselves staring at the immense expanse of ocean in front of us, with long stretches of beach to the left and right. We had arrived.

Night descended on the campsite and brought with it various calls, such as insects chirping slowly and intermittently in the distance and frogs rhythmically squeaking and croaking to each other about the day’s events. These sounds, along with the crackle of the fire and laughter between the ten of us, made the week’s stresses and worries melt away into oblivion. This was the medicine that we needed.

On Saturday morning we decided to go for a walk.

Maphelane has two trails: one that climbs up the towering dune and offers stunning views of the beach and estuary, and another that hugs the estuary and meanders through a Tarzan-like setting under towering fig canopies and criss-crossing vines. We chose the latter, the Umphafa Trail, as we were planning to spend the majority of our carefree hours on the beach.

The forest transformed us into children again. We climbed trees, hung on vines and marvelled at all things bright and beautiful. Hours skipped by in the rich cool air and eventually our stomachs reminded us that it was time to return to camp.

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After lunch we scampered off to the beach. Some went for leisurely walks to the mouth of the iMfolozi Estuary to the north, others jogged to a shipwreck about 7 km to the south, and the rest went fishing at the estuary.

Despite Maphelane’s reputation as a Mecca for fishermen, our attempts proved fruitless. This was anything but disheartening, as the stunning views of the beach and estuary more than made up for the lack of fish. We lay there watching grunting hippos make their way up and down the estuary, while two fish eagles soared and called above us as the sun set over the mighty iMfolozi.

After our nightly braai, we returned to the beach to look at the stars. The sky was on full HD display and we ten stargazers stood there enchanted, trying to spot shooting stars against the backdrop of the Milky Way. We noticed that as we ran excitedly to the water’s edge and kicked the sand up behind us, small glowing 'stars' would launch into the air and then slowly fade once they had landed. We stood there stunned. We started to run wildly about with expectant amazement, flicking the sand and watching the bursts of luminescent light. On closer inspection we found that these were, in fact, tiny bioluminescent jellyfish (Ctenophores, or comb jellies, to be more precise). Hundreds of these Ctenophores seemed to have washed up onto the shore with the high tide and were left stranded in the damp sands when the water receded. This was fantastic and we spent our evening watching stars in the sky and on the sand.

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The next morning we spent our time on the beach. The sand glistened again, this time not from bioluminescent jellyfish but from the sun. A sandbar formed a convenient skim cricket* pitch about 15 m into the sea. Fittingly, that’s how we spent our last morning: playing cricket on the sandbar and lying on the beach, as oblivious humpback whales cruised northwards just beyond the breakers.

Maphelane was the magic potion we needed from the long weeks of work.

Rejuvenated and relaxed, with wonderful memories of forests, stars, Ctenophores and the sea, we headed home. •

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More information • Skim cricket is when a bowler skims the ball on the water to the batter.

Things to know: • The campsites do not have electricity.

• The water is not fit for human consumption, so bring your own drinking water.

• The access road to the camp is narrow and very sandy in places, and not suitable for vehicles with low clearance.

• Only single-axle class caravans towed by a 4x4 vehicle are allowed.

• Electricity is restricted to generator times and there are no plug points.

• Ablution facilities provide showers, flush toilets and dishwashing facilities.

• Maphelane is in a malaria area and special precautions are necessary.

• The nearest town that has a full range of services is Kwambonambi, 50 km away.

Costs: • R70 pppn (rate correct at time of publication) Gate opening and closing times: • Summer (October to March) 06h00 to 19h00 • Winter (April to September) 06h00 to 18h00

Magnificent Maphelane

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