My Annual Migration To Mana Pools, Zimbabwe. October 2012

[wilddog]

" A bit"????

 

Glad you planned the visit and awfully sorry its not a month prior!! But would be great to get the November perspective!

 

I know just could not quite fit with your timing. You will have the dogs all to your self (with your trusty guide of course). Are you still doing Gonrezhou?

[mphelps]

Thank you for the report. I am going to Mana in September and you have made it really hard to wait. I especially enjoyed the video of the elephants. I have been debating about buying a video camera and I think you have tipped the scales in favor. I live in the western US and have made three previous safaris, each about a month long, but this will be my first time to Mana Pools. Your report has been helpful as well as interesting, exciting, informative and... THANK YOU

[Atravelynn]

You can start turning your Mana reports into sequels. How wonderful you have found your paradise and you do a great job of sharing it with those who may never get there in person and those who are stirred by fond memories of Mana Pools.

[wilddog]

@mphelps thanks for your comments. I fully understand (and others will too) your sense of urgency about getting back into the bush particularly at this time of year. I am sure you will enjoy it your time in Mana.

 

I have found a a video camera a great asset, particularly for reliving a special experience, although our memories are always there. My video camera is quite old now and HD has moved on. My travelling companion had a dual mode (camera images and video clips) which had better quality than mine; AVCHD I think.

 

With a video camera you can aim at 'a close encounter' and then look in real life at what is happening, rather than constantly watching through a lens. With the elephant the video camera was in my hand just below eye level, (my arm got tired, hence the pause!) and as the elephant was not moving fast, but very close, I could watch him directly and enjoy the experience.

 

If you are sitting on the ground with wilddog, you can just let it run

 

Have a fabulous time and I look forward to seeing your TR, and your photos and any video clips.

[wilddog]

You can start turning your Mana reports into sequels. How wonderful you have found your paradise and you do a great job of sharing it with those who may never get there in person and those who are stirred by fond memories of Mana Pools.

 

Thanks Lynn. I do love it; perhaps wanting a familiarity/continuity is an age thing ( and I am very old) or a response to our constant, rapidly, changing world at home.

[Atravelynn]

Very old? Nonsense. Not in human or wild dog years. And not in your ability to crawl around on the ground in the bush.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Atravelynn

[Whyone?]

Hi Wilddog, I am enjoying reading your excellent trip report, though I am only part way through....I will finish reading on the train home this evening, something nice to look forward too.

We were most certainly in Mana at the same time last year - we also saw Granny-No-tail, the mature female and her cub on the bank next to the car park with the warthog.

 

Small world eh?!

[wilddog]

 

In my view she has lost a lot of condition since you saw her mating in 2011. I also found her that year (early October) with her daughter and a dead buffalo. Not sure she could tackle that now.

 

Just working on my final chapter.......................

Edited December 17, 2018 by wilddog

[wilddog]

Chikwenya 2 - the final 24 hours

That afternoon, our last in Mana, we went on another boat trip. Our first mission of the afternoon was to ‘bake’ a Safaritalk 6th Birthday ‘cake’. Rather than asking the camp staff to make us a cake Doug, at his creative best, made a plan for an alternative. So we headed for a low lying island, with elephant in situ, ready to make the ‘cake’. As we climbed out of the boat into the shallows, and onto the island, we could see the body imprint of a very large crocodile which had been disturbed by our arrival and slipped away; a good thing really. The elephant was some distance away and untroubled by our arrival.

 

 

Once the cake had been made and the photos taken we returned the island to its normal state and continued with the trip. If you want to know more about this amazing cake and its contents please look at ……. http://safaritalk.net/topic/9385-safaritalk-is-six-launched-2006-10-27-the-cake-thread/?p=77887

At this time of the year the elephants, and others, make full use of the last remaining green grass in Mana, much of which can be found on these islands. Every day you can see a variety of animals making their way out to the islands for a good feed. With the elephants you often see whole herds crossing to the islands and then on, into Zambia. For them there are no country borders.
We came across this a very fine bull who was giving a great demonstration of grass washing. We drifted past with the engine off to watch him in action. And a little later we found a nice female and her calf.

 

 

It was a pleasant last boat ride but, keen to get back for a final evening drive, we off-loaded the cake-making tools and got in the cruiser, set off and …………….found the dogs, just as the sun was dropping down behind the trees. Initially they were resting undera tree but the pups, keen to get moving, got up and headed towards the stream, part of the Zambezi, with runs just under the river bank at this point.

 

Shortly after this the adults followed and we got out of the cruiser, walked down to the edges of the river (slightly upstream of where they seemed to be heading) and sat at the edge of the water to watch them. They were aware of our presence but were more concerned about the potential of a crocodile in the water than worrying about us.

 

 

We assumed they were going to cross this small stream and head out to the main flood plain so shoes off, we waded and squelched our way across the stream and sat on the far bank, with mud covered feet, and waited. But no, they were too nervous to cross there, so they went further along the edge of the stream and drunk there………..so we squelched back. This is what i love about being in the bush- forget the hair-do, nail varnish, general sartorial elegance and get in amongst it. What freedom!

 

While we had been driving around earlier I had seen some people in the distance, with a vehicle, milling about on the river bank at what seemed to be a barbeque area. As there was only one other group of tourist on the concession, and it was not them, I was wondering who these interlopers were, and felt quite resentful of their presence. As the sun finally slipped away we went towards this area again onlybto find………… a last night bush-barbeque had been set up for us. The ‘interlopers’ were the Chikwenya staff who had been working on our behalf all that time. As we sat there in the dark, glass of wine in hand, gazing at the stars and listening to the sounds of the bush and the steaks sizzling on the barbeque, I reflected on what a fantastic 10 days this had been and how sad I would be to be leaving in the morning. A wonderful last night.

The following morning we were determined to fit in a drive before the flight back to Harare. The delight of this morning was a very fine pride of lions. We spent much time with them as the younger ones were still active and were playing on the edge of the plains, while the adults sat on the top of the sloping bank.

 

The younger element were busy playing around and, over time, they decided to head back to the main group, which meant that they had to cross a small stream. Their facial expression is very interseting; a mix of basic nervousness and threat display to any lurking crocs. It is obviously not an enjoyaable experience for them and reminiscent of the dogs the previous behaviour the previous evening.

 

In our way back to camp we found some male nyala, zebra and a small herd of buffalo amongst other things

 

Once back at camp we collected our bags and started the drive to the airstrip. As we went down the track from the lodge we could see shapes under a tree out on the plain in front of the camp. It was the dogs again.

I have no doubt I will be back to Mana again......................

 

 

Edited February 3, 2013 by wilddog

[Pennyanne]

I enjoyed this report and have eagerly looked forward to each new instalment. Great writing and awesome pics. The wild dog video with the belling sound is amazing. We are going to Mana in September for our first time and I'm already really excited.

[Atravelynn]

The cake at last! Perfect timing for another monumental birthday—Game Warden’s!

 

Great shots of the dogs in the water and mud. The behavior of the lion cubs entering the water mimics my behavior entering cold water, although I generally don’t have to contend with crocs.

 

Did you mention any of your resentfulness toward the interlopers to Doug? If so, he must have had a good laugh. Proves you were truly surprised.

 

That last shot from plane of Doug waving on the ground captures a lot of emotion, not necessarily of the subjects, but of how each of us feels at that moment of departure. But for you, a return is on the horizon.

[wilddog]

Thanks Pennyanne- I am sure you will enoy your Mana trip..

 

Atravelynn - you are so right about the cubs in the water - in fact that is why the sound is muted, I am rambling on, (on the initail recording) about how I feel getting into a supposed heated swimming pool -elbows aloft etc- total wimp!

 

Yes, I made some mention of interlopers (well, something like ' who the h*** are those people' etc) to Doug who seemingly ignored/did not hear my comments. i was a liitle put out at the time!

 

GW was asking about the cake again, so only one day late!

Edited December 17, 2018 by wilddog

[Game Warden]

Great trip report Wild dog. Really enjoyed it and I think like the previous Mana reports, it is really helping to turn people onto Zimbabwe. Especially me

 

Matt

[wilddog]

Glad you liked it GW, only sorry we could not go and make another cake for your big birthday!

[Atravelynn]

Atravelynn - you are so right about the cubs in the water - in fact that is why the sound is muted, I am rambling on, (on the initail recording) about how I feel getting into a supposed heated swimming pool -elbows aloft etc- total wimp!

 

The last time I went into in an unheated outdoor pool was 1988. That might "outwimp" you. Elbows aloft--exactly. On tiptoes.

 

I made some mention of interlopers (well, something like ' who the h*** are those people' etc) to Doug who seemingly ignored/did not hear my comments

On a nature trip one time our group referred to anyone else we encountered as "sh!+heads." Had we interacted face to face, we would have dropped that label and been more polite.

 

We're all as territorial as those wild dogs!

Edited February 3, 2013 by Atravelynn

[wilddog]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! As Doug would say ........................'Only a pleasure'.

[Atravelynn]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! As Doug would say ........................'Only a pleasure'.

I can hear him speaking those words in that lovely Zimbabwe accent--an accent to my ears--as he is waving goodbye to your ascending plane.

[Sangeeta]

Me too! I can hear him saying it too

 

Thanks, WD - for sharing all this. The videos were a treat as always, and I heartily second your motion to upgrade your camcorder if it means that we get to see even nicer clips than these The ele encounter and the belling vids were especially memorable for me.

 

Did you ever do a detailed write up on your July trip to Chitake? If so, could you direct me to it? Tks!

[wilddog]

Here you go Sangeeta. It hardly compares with those that the 3 of you did on your trip. http://safaritalk.net/topic/7081-gorongosa-matusadona-and-mana-pools-2011/

[Sangeeta]

This one I know really, really well (having read it multiple times before our trip I thought we were missing another stand-alone Mana TR somewhere based on your July comment on that other thread! You're so right - you got great lions and buffalo even in July, just proving that capricious Nature likes to toy with her victims

[wilddog]

I was in Mana October 2011 as well as July, but no Chitake in October only the flood plain. Did a TR on that too; that might be your missing link. http://safaritalk.net/topic/7632-mana-pools-revisited-october-2011/?hl=%2Bmana+%2Bpools

 

Thanks for reading them anyway.

Edited February 8, 2013 by wilddog