Shell-ter From The Storm

[ TRAVEL ] KOSI BAY, ISIMANGALISO, KWAZULU-NATAL

“You’re a travel journalist, what is your favourite spot in South Africa?”

I was recently asked this question at a braai. Usually, my favourite spot in SA is the place that I’ve just visited… until I get to explore a new destination.

But if pressed, I guess that I would say the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in Kwazulu-Natal is in the top five of my list (if not right at the top) of the best travel destinations in South Africa.

And yes, I have just returned from Kosi Bay on a trip with Jannie Rykaart of Protea 4x4 Adventures.

Our mission was to hopefully see the leather back and loggerhead turtles laying their eggs on the white beaches of Maputaland – an occurrence that dates back over 300 000 years.

In 2001 Tata Madiba said in a speech: “iSimangaliso must be the only place on the globe where the world’s oldest land mammal (rhinoceros) and the world’s biggest terrestrial mammal (elephant) share an ecosystem with the world’s oldest fish (coelacanth) and the world’s biggest marine mammal (whale)”

For some reason he left out the leather back turtle that was around on these ancient shores since a time when humans (Homo sapiens) only first started appearing on earth.

While writing this story, I found a marvellous turtle quote that seemed so relevant to this trip. The quote is by Esther Tallam, and goes: “I'm as self-contained as a turtle. When I put my key in the ignition, I have my home right behind me.”

Like any good old "Loggerhead", I put my key into the ignition of the brand new Mitsubishi Pajero SWB 3.2 DiD. It had the grand sum of 47km on the clock!