Boat trip at Maabwe Bay…

Kariba, a large body of water, can have waves a metre high. Luckily, when I went on the water at Maabwe Bay, they didn’t get THAT big.

As soon as we were out in the middle of the lake, the wind came up and the smooth water, became these choppy waves. The boat man had a plan to tack, so the motor didn’t keep coming out of the water, but had to avoid illegal fishing nets too!

I took the above photo for the tree – of course – this is opposite Maabwe Camp on our way to the hot springs.

I can see all sorts of faces in these rocks!

I have psoriasis and  always search out hot springs for my skin. This one was jolly hot, but further down the valley (in the next photo) it has cooled down enough I could spread the sulphur mud onto my skin. (Probably mixed with a whole load of cow manure too!!!)

And then we got back to Camp Maabwe, and what do you know? The wind died down!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kariba Kapenta

Although I find the kapenta rigs noisy, they make good subjects for foregrounds:

This is sun-set at Maabwe Bay, on the Zambezi, the sun still out of the photo, although the lovely copper colour has already spread across the water

Kapenta, which look like little sardines, are attracted to light. So the Kapenta rigs go out at night and shine a strong light down into the water and then collect the tiny fish with a net. So ALL night, the generator’s diesel engines belt away, to run the lights.

The net and the rig that pull the fish out of the water, is at the back, hanging over the water.

The fish are sun dried, salted and packed for sale far from Kariba. I find I have to soak them overnight and then drain off the salty water before I use them. Rather than bore you with details, I’ll add this link: Kapenta at Wikipedia 

I think the rings on this boat are stuffed – it stuttered its way slooowwwly across the bay!

The workshops and packing sheds are directly behind the jetty in this shot. Taken in the morning, I love the shine off the water and the busy people working.

All these photos are taken at Maabwe Bay on the Zambezi. Click here to find Maabwe on Google Maps

 

 

Maabwe Bay

Imagine waking up to this view every day?

This is Maabwe Bay on the Zambezi River.

The owners have developed the area, and are selling off a limited number of units (13) with similar views. Owners can then buy outright, or share with two or three others.

Just at the corner of the first bend, is a house site…oh man, I am SO tempted. Imagine spending the cold, cold Johannesburg winters here, knowing your house is maintained for the rest of the year? Spending time at the Zambezi of old.

I took the above photo standing on the house site, the Zambezi river at my back. What I love so much about Maabwe Bay, is that its pristine, and the owners hope to keep it like that as much as possible – with natural vegetation, rocks etc.

To the left of this road, I was told is a house site suitable for an “off the grid” existence. For me, the draw card is “solitude!” Imagine waking to the fish-eagle early morning wake up call, with no sounds of humans!!!

Luckily there are no crazy building restrictions on the Zambezi and the owners of the company who hold the lease to Maabwe Bay, are allowing a variety of building styles – although they want all the development to blend in as much as possible with the environment.

 

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And Mopane trees… How I love them!

I took this photo from the driveway of the first member of this exclusive “Zambezi Time-share.”

Maabwe is on Facebook – click here to check it out and if you want to find out exactly where it is, click on this link to google maps Maabwe Bay