Decided to take a long weekend - hadn't gone anywhere since February! - and go up to Koingnaas. A long distance, from Citrusdal to Koingnaas is 4 hours.
Left home at 11h20 Friday morning and travelled on the N7 till we came to the turnoff for Hondeklip Bay 4km beyond Garies. Stopped at Van Rhynsdorp for diesel. Saw the butchery and bought some sosaties and biltong. Biltong not so nice – a bit grisly. Also bought booze.
You still have to get a permit to be able to go to that part of the world. De Beers may be pulling out but the restrictions are still in place. Take your ID books.
| Distance Table | ||||||||
| Bitterfontein | ||||||||
| 253 | Citrusdal | |||||||
| 199 | 54 | Clanwilliam | ||||||
| 62 | 315 | 261 | Garies | |||||
| 149 | 402 | 348 | 77 | Hondeklipbaai | ||||
| 88 | 111 | 57 | 147 | 237 | Klawer | |||
| 164 | 417 | 363 | 92 | 15 | 250 | Koingnaas | ||
| 177 | 430 | 376 | 107 | 28 | 263 | 13 | Caravan pk | |
| 67 | 186 | 132 | 129 | 216 | 21 | 229 | 242 | VanRhynsdorp |
9.9.2011 - Friday
Trip to Koingnaas
The purpose of the trip was to see the sewerage works that are supposed to be marvellous. Decided to make a long weekend of it as the appointment was only on Monday 12th September.
Made a booking through Diamond Coast – Forever Namaqualand. They also help you with getting a permit. Small dogs allowed at certain times. Yay for Nuggett.
Cost for 3 nights = R390.00 (R65/person/night)
From N7 to Hondeklip Bay is 83km of gravel. Some lovely flowers to be seen.
After about 4hours (from Citrusdal) driving we arrived at Koingnaas (14km from HKB). A very nice lady helped us at the boom. We gave her a pocket of oranges.
Koingnaas Caravan Park
13km north of Koingnaas is the caravan park right on the sea – no trees (although there is a small one that looks as if it’ll have a chance to grow big). Got there past 5pm and started to “put up the tent”. Three other bakkies turned up. Those guys were clever and went straight to the ablution block. They found NO water. That’s fine we said we have water in our tank. (Do we?? The goddamn tank is still leaking!) Anyway one of their group went to organize the water thank goodness. We gave them a pocket of oranges. They were on their way to Richtersveld.
Ablution block
The shower at the ablution block is neat and reasonably clean. The walls painted bright sky blue which gives it a nice fresh look. Think I’ll do it for Jill’s bathroom at Haga. The hot water comes in waves so you get hot cold hot cold – brrrrr….shoo-shoo…brrrr….shoo-shoo.
It was a lovely evening and we walked north for half an hour and found a rusty old jetty – it must’ve been used in the diamond industry – everything in these parts was used in the diamond industry. We saw some Egyptian geese in the sea – unusual but there’re quite a few. No oyster catchers so far.
Sosaties for supper with fire spuds and salad.
10.9.2011 – Saturday
Got up at a leisurely hour and had breakfast. Noticed the others leaving – we’re all alone. A fresh breeze. We decided to walk south. Hiked to a beacon to see if we could see Noup and there it was not too far – got there after an hour’s walk from caravan park.
Alan almost stood on a teeny tiny puff adder sunning himself on the jeep track. At first we thought it was dead but then Alan put his stick at his nose and he reversed! It must have been all of 10cm long
Noup
Noup is a cluster of little cottages right on the sea shore – beg pardon - “Sunset Boulevard” separates the sea from the cottages. They are built from the rocks from the sea shore by diamond divers. They must have been zonked while building or there was no level to hand. The doors and windows are not straight – all out of sinc with each other. This however adds to the quirkiness of them and they are really very cute and quaint. Each cottage is unique but all are built from the same rock and windows and doors all painted the same blue. One family from Oranjemund was staying but all were open so we made use of the opportunity to look around. A very good idea to go and stay there if you want to see the spring flowers along the coast.
A large rusty Anchor rests on a rock at “Sunset Boulevard”, the jeep track between the cottages and the shore.
Not much beach here. mostly rocks so our walk was along the jeep tracks except the teeny beach near Noup.
Saw a colony of seals on the rocks in front of the beacon nearby.
Nugget was in her element chasing the sandpipers and gulls.
Back 2 Basics Backpackers
Saturday afternoon we took a walk north again and walked further to take a look at Back 2 Basics Backpackers. The gates says “No Enter” but the place is abandoned. Must have been fairly recently as other blogs from 2009 mention that it was open. The guy who stayed there obviously had budgies and dogs as there were bird cages and a sign saying “Passop vir die Hond”! Signs all over the place on the philosophy of life. Workshop still had paint and a wheelbarrow amongst other things. There were beds still in the out room. Nothing locked up. Quite fascinating.
Apparently there is a secret surf spot nearby but we didn’t find it.
Supper of Hardekooltjie wors – the best and fire spuds and salad.
Sunday 11.9.2011
Got up late again. What is it about going somewhere else that lets you sleep longer than at home? After all home is the most comfy isn’t it?
We drove all the way to Die Houthoop (50km) to watch the Rugby: Springboks against Wales. SA won by a hair’s breadth 17-16. If the Boks play like this during the World Cup they won’t get very far. Wales played better rugby but it’s the break-through that counts and SA broke through twice.
We gave the lady there a couple of pockets of oranges.
Nice rest Sunday afternoon. Finished reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Enjoyable but could’ve been shorter.
Shipwreck – Piratiny
Drove to the far side of the back-packers to a gate that was locked. The sign said “4x4 Shipwreck”. We decided to walk the distance. Started along the road and should’ve turned down a jeep track but carried on walking. Decided to cross to the dune to see where we were – there were three more dunes between us and the sea! Walked straight across all three dunes. Found the jeep track and proceeded along it. I saw a beacon that I thought would be a nice place to check bearings but as I got close I could see the shipwreck in the distance. Not too far.
We walked all the way there. A lot of the jeep track was v sandy so we walked on the rocks and some of the little beaches much of the time.
Saw a seal and cormorants all sunning themselves on one rock. Also saw a very elegant heron. My camera is not suitable to take bird pics.
It took about an hour and a quarter good walking to get to the shipwreck. The sign says Piratiny. You can still see timber decking on the wreck. This was a Brazilian Cargo Steamer and was wrecked South of Kleinsee in 1943.
Nugget loved the walk – chased the birds and lizards.
Diamond Mining Rehabilitation
There is some re-hab going on of the dunes and dumps but there’s still a lot of scarring done for the sake of Diamonds. DON’T BUY DIAMONDS – NOT ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
“Diamonds are forever but the damage done by mining need not be” Dr Peter Carrick of SKEP (Succulent Karroo Ecosystem Programme). After 80 years of mining along the Namaqualand coast DeBeers is pulling our of mining there. Some of their mines are being sold to Transhex. The town of Kleinzee which is owned by De Beers has become a ghost town and needs to be re-proclaimed so that individuals can buy property there.
The environmental footprint left by the mining is not a pretty sight to see. However SKEP along with De Beers is taking the initiative to restore the coastline and rehabilitate the mine dumps. It is vastly improved since three years ago but many places are really ugly still.
Monday – 12 September
Koingnaas Sewerage Plant – the main purpose of our visit. Alan was shown around the place but there was not much he could learn as it was too big to copy for our resort.
We gave both blokes a pocket of oranges each.
Travelled down to Hondeklip Bay to fill up with diesel. THE NEAREST PUMP IS KOOINGNAAS. Oh No. back to Koingnaas again.
Namaqua National Park
De Beers gave this piece of coastline (between Spoeg river and Groen river) to SANP in 2008. It is now incorporated along with the other piece of land near Kamieskroon (Skilpad).
The last time we travelled this route was in 2008 with Ronnie and Fabio. The entrance is a few km outside Hondeklip Bay. Since then the road has improved vastly – still a short very sandy section. Still have to drive slowly through. SANP have done a good job of signposting the route but there is still no map. Every place has a GPS but we like maps!
A lot of the wild roads have been closed and the vegetation is taking over. This is really nice as its not so scarred looking anymore.
Spring Flowers
When thinking of Namaqualand flowers we always think of the fields of flowers that are so spectacular at this time of year (usually August). But drive this route in September and you will come across a whole new realm of flowers. Still daisies and vygies but bouquets all over the veld. Just magnificient. Almost makes you want to believe in God… yellows, oranges, pinks, whites and then we came across some deep red watsonias that were also wonderful. My camera doesn’t do justice to this amazing sight.
We also saw many steen bokkies, ostriches and their cutest little chicks. The poor things can’t run too far before they get tired and then they just flop down. Meerkats – too cute for words and then we surprised a secretary bird coming round a corner – just fantastic.
Groen Rivier Mond
This is the end of the park and where the park ranger’s office is. We were told its free parks week so no conservation fee needed to be paid. (We have a wild card so it was immaterial to us). She gave (actually sold us some brocures – one with a map of the whole Namaqua Park. Not very good and nothing about the spots along the coastline. But its still a new park so lets hope a map will be forthcoming in the future.
Popped in to say hello to McDonald and his wife. Their house is the only one left at Groenriviermond. They have life rights but may not sell the house on. It becomes property of SANP once they die. The place looks so much nicer without all the hideous shacks people erected (without permission). I think its great that there is a bit more control on this shoreline.
Carried on down the coastal route – a long drive but worth it to see all the wonderful flowers. Namaquasands is another eyesore but they too are required to rehab the dumps.
Arrived in Koekenaap at 5pm and travelled through Lutzville, Vredendal and back onto N7 at Klawer. Home after 7pm.
The trip down the coast took about 7 hours as opposed to 4 if you go via N7.
Distances in the Namaqua Park Phone 027 531 1015
Hondeklipbaai Gate: 0 10h15
Spoeg River turnoff 17 10h45
Boulderbaai turnoff 20 camping
Bitter River 32
Skuinsbaai North 34 camping
Koningkorrelbaai 38
Namaqua Beach camp 39.6
Skuinsklip 40.6
Bamboeskamp 43.6 camping
Varswater 45.4 camping
Kwass se Baai 47.4 lovely beach southwards
Abjoel 52.7 dive spots
Jaarse Baai 54.7
Galjoen Baai 62.7 skerms
Delwerskamp 63.7 camping
SANP office Groenrivier 64.7
Groenrivermond 69.7 14h00 McDonald
Worsie se kamp 110 not in park
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