Into The Delta

The Okavango Delta.

In an open safari vehicle we bounce along the hwy, then rock and roll through a long thorn lined dirt track for an hour or so, during which the skies open up. “Do you want the sides up?” “You have sides for this thing? Yes! Yes please!” By the time we figure out the jigsaw puzzle of the canvas and plastic sides it stops raining. That’s Africa.

At the deltas edge we load into blade thin mokoros – dug out canoes with two seats each plus a poling guide. We really have no idea what to expect of this rather expensive adventure, no idea at all.

Our guide, native islander, father of 8, and Pastor – Dolphin

We are pushed out into the clear shallows – the absolutely unique Okavango Delta. I believe it’s the only river in the world that dissolves into a desert rather than discharge into the sea. It originates in Angola, spreads out in Botswana into thousands of ever shifting channels forged largely by hippos, and evaporates into the Kalahari Desert

I’m in the front of the lead boat, and the effect of dividing the meters tall reeds, absolutely silently with the prow of the boat, is stunning . The peace is overwhelming, sacred

There are Fish Eagles and many other beautiful African water birds.

There is a lagoon full of hippo, all staring at us and wiggling their ridiculous little ears. There are crocs about but we never see one, our boatman “knocking on the door “ to warn them, and other animals, that we are about .

Hippos!

After two hours we reach the island