Below is a recent article written for Rhodesians Worldwide by a client - many thanks Pete. The Call of the Fish Eagle Peter Hagelthorn In May and June this year my siblings treated me to a truly wonderful month-long holiday in Zimbabwe and South Africa. I made notes of everything I experienced, most of it being family time, but a five-day cruise on Kariba on board the Abangane houseboat will, I am sure, be particularly evocative to readers. I arrived on the 17th May at Bulawayo airport along with my brother Paddy and his partner, Ilva, and there we were met by my sister and brother-in-law, Dee and Dave Thompson. We jumped into their fully-loaded 4 x 4 and went straight off to spend our first night at the Ivory Lodge, near the Hwange Game Reserve. The long drive brought back many memories of my old stamping grounds, and for long periods I just sat silently in the vehicle ‘drinking in’ the bush, remembering…. The Ivory Lodge was superb – they have a hide, and a large pan beyond that, in front of the Lodge, and a big herd of elephant treated us to some outstanding viewing for a couple of hours while we supped our sundowners and nibbled away at biltong pieces. A salt-lick just a few yards from the hide meant the elephants came ‘right up and personal’ – I was able to get some very good shots with a new camera. We wasted no time the following morning getting to Hwange town for further supplies, stopping briefly at the (very good) Wild Dog Conservation Centre, and at Main camp where Paddy, a bird expert, captured a ‘lifer’ on camera – a hybrid crimson-breasted shrike with a bright yellow chest! At the start of the journey to Binga one couldn’t help but notice the vast tracts of land which looked, at first glance, as though a bush fire had raged through – just black everywhere… In fact this was soil-cleared bush showing coal deposits ready for mining, apparently, by Chinese companies. The Binga road was still surprisingly good (built in the 60’s) so it did not take us long to reach our destination. More memories as we passed the old DC’s Office and the Police Station en route to Binga Harbour, with the croc’ farm opposite, and where the Abangane stood proud. We met the three-strong crew who gave a very good first impression, and that was confirmed during the next 4 days of our adventure. We helped load provisions, completed formalities in true ‘Africa fashion’, and slowly made our way on to the Lake, full of anticipation. The houseboat is 18 metres long, twin-hulled, and can accommodate 12 passengers along with a crew of 3 or 4. The spacious upper deck features a central bar (a really impressive well-appointed wooden semi-circle behind which is an excellent braai-ing area complete with big gas braai), space for 12 beds under mosquito nets, and protection of the elements. If required there is a large dining table, but it is just easy to have meals at the bar. On the lower deck there are cabins/changing rooms, shower rooms and a fully equipped kitchen including a gas stove, fridges and a freezer. The Abangane tows very comfortable and practical tenders for fishing and game viewing. The next 5 hours were heavenly for me…. The temperature was about 27C, there was a gentle breeze, not a cloud in the sky as we quietly made our way eastwards on Lake Kariba. We had lunch, enjoyed a beer, reminisced and left the troubled world far, far behind. Four hours later we tied up at a small island, watched in awe a fabulous sunset, had a huge roast supper with our drinks, listened to the night sounds and eventually drifted off to sleep, the sleep of the brave in total contentment. The beds were very comfortable. In the morning we woke up to a glorious sunrise and fish eagles calling while we enjoyed tea and rusks. A scrumptious breakfast was consumed as we made our way towards the Sengwa basin. We reached our destination by 2pm, and set out almost immediately on a tender for our fishing spots… we caught very little and I just hoped this wasn’t a sign of things to come (was this too near winter for good fishing?) We did see elephant and kudu on the shore, and crocodiles were evident on all sandy beaches, but went back to the Abangane slightly disappointed, a feeling that was soon obliterated by another lovely sunset, and, complete with sundowners, a superb meal (lots of banter as to who would catch the most and biggest fish tomorrow). An early start meant we were at our spots by sunrise, and at once our fears were allayed as we hauled the bream in. Paddy caught a +4lb monster, there was success for all of us, and the promise of delicious meals to come. Back to the houseboat for lunch, and then out we went once more, with equal success. We had an absorbing and fascinating couple of hours calling in fish eagles to take the small fish which we threw into the water some 15 yards from us…. Paddy’s resultant photos were amazing, National Geographic standard. He and I caught tiger fish this day – mine being a nice 9-pounder. The night was perfect – we had an excellent braai, heard hyaena laughing and a lion roaring – I was in utopia. And so the next couple of days followed suit and I did not want this to end. We had been treated royally by the staff – Obert, a very good skipper and all-rounder; Frank, a top-class chef, and Josam, a gillie who was spot-on – and Dee and Dave ensured we had everything we could ever wish for. This truly was a houseboat trip to remember. I was very glad we didn’t go as far as the eastern basin as the kapenta boats are noisy and spoil the blackness of the nights. We hardly saw another boat where we were, it was almost as though Kariba was reserved and preserved solely for us. But back we had to go, to further adventures at Msuna, the Kruger National Park, Savanna Lodge, and all the time a continuous, brilliant reunion with Dee and Dave, my elder brother Tony and his wife Lesley, and Paddy, and their families. The trip on the Abangane was memorable, and I can recommend it to anyone who goes back to Zim, or who is planning a dream holiday. The contact is: Fish Eagle Safaris, e-mail abanganeboat@gmail, tel 263 712 412 707.
Posted on: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 10:00:00 +0000