OKAVANGO ODYSSEY

The Okavango Delta in Northwest Botswana is one of the most spectacular areas in the world. The Okavango River is one of Africa's biggest permanent rivers where is leaves the Caprivi Strip and enters Botswana at Mohembo, and after flowing "conventionally" for about 100 miles down what is termed the "panhandle", it suddenly spreads out into a huge area of islands, marshes, free flowing channels and lagoons.

This huge delta is only curtailed by a geological fault running from the Northeast to the Southwest through the village of Maun. There is no significant flow out of the delta for much of the year and most of the huge water flow is lost through evapotransporation, evaporation and seepage to underground reserves.

The subject of much interest by ecologist, wildlife experts and hydrologists, the delta supports a very varied range of wildlife and today supports a vast tourist industry all on its own. In the mid 70s, the camps providing accommodation in the delta were few and far between, very spartan and very inaccessible; the only way in was by light aircraft to the landing strips which the pioneering developers put in as a matter of priority, and by dug out canoe propelled and navigated by river Bushmen who knew the area intimately. To a stranger, navigation through the maze of channels would be totally impossible.

In August 1998 we were planning to leave Botswana after an 18-year residence and I took Carol, Sandra & Paul on a once in a lifetime trip by air to Oddballs camp in the delta. The magic carpet effect of the light plane in Africa could hardly be better illustrated than in a trip such as this; departure from the gleaming new Sir Seretse Khama Airport at Gaborone on a crisp clear morning before dawn, the flight over the limitless Kalahari desert for three hours or so, followed by the amazing contrast at the Maun fault line. The Maun NDB beacon was the only navigation aid available and it required careful map reading, navigation and timing to locate the tiny scar on an island that marked the presence of an airstrip where we could put down. There were several such strips in that area of the Delta and one could never be quite sure that one had landed at the correct one until you got to the campsite and had a quick look at the literature! In this case we off-loaded our luggage from the hold of the still cool 'plane into a warm, wet mekoro and were poled the last mile to the campsite; the right one as it happens!

The next four days saw us poled through the Okavango from one island to the next, setting up camp by the riverside, fishing with modern spinning tackle but not catching much, eating instead bream caught by the poler Rrasimona with his net. We walked among giraffe, impala, buffalo and tsessabees, and watched fish eagles catch bream & barbell from the river. At night by torchlight we could spot the eyes of scores of buffalo coming to the edge to drink. We fell asleep to the sound of lions calling in the distance and never really thought of danger.

The highlight of the trip for Paul and I occurred while walking through thick bush on one island when our guide stopped suddenly and pointed out a lioness about 100 metres ahead; she was standing on an anthill looking around the area, and the guide felt sure there was another lion nearby. Sure enough, after a few minutes we spotted a second at the base of the anthill. It was touch and go who would retreat first, but after a few minutes, they both appeared to leave and we pressed on in order not to show fear I suppose; when we came to the anthill, there at the foot was a freshly killed antelope just waiting to be eaten!. The guide was very wary that the lions might return, but it seemed they had given way to us, so with my Swiss army knife, the guide had the impala skinned and butchered and we made our way back to the camp each with a load of choice impala meat! We immediately had a fry up of fresh impala steak, courtesy of the lions of the Okavango! Paul kept a foot of the impala as a momento and as far as I know, has it to this day as proof of the pudding!