Left: Paddling a canoe is a bit like riding a bike - a good place to start is by getting the vessel pointed in the right direction. Right: Travelling the river in this stealthy manner it is possible to get very close to game without causing alarm. As we sat shivering, thunder-andlightning crashing all around, how poignant that statement seemed now! However, with a bit of gentle coaxing (threats) he had a change of heart and in the end he relented. In fact, in the days leading up to our departure, there was a tangible excitement in the air. He was actually looking forward to it all. Just two days into the safari, as rivulets of ice-cold rainwater formed a new, uncharted, tributary of the Zambezi in the bottom of the tent, I realised we were in a dire situation. We were drenched! All our kit was soaked through. And, judging from the intensity of the rumbling overhead, it was obvious that if anything, the storm was increasing in ferocity. It was going to be a very long night. We had been invited to join one of Natureways’ ‘Tamarind Safaris’ - a fourday canoe safari starting at Chirundu and finishing at Mana Pools. These are semiparticipatory expeditions - all equipment, food and supplies are carried on the canoes. Stopping each night at a designated island, the canoes are unloaded and everyone helps set up camp for the night. It all sounds a little ‘Heath Robinson’ but Natureways have a long history as a tour operator and has been conducting guided safaris in the Zambezi valley and Mana Pools for many years. It was a motley crew that gathered riverside at Chirundu for day one of the adventure. There were twelve of us altogether, a mixed party comprising representatives of the travel industry. For several individuals in the group, this was their first canoeing experience. On paper an 18 foot canoe sounds like a big vessel, but in reality, when you are loading one with all the necessary equipment and supplies for a four or five day safari,
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Camp life. After a day or two, everyone tends to settle down to a routine. Camp can be set up or struck (not by lightning) in a matter of minutes.
you quickly run out of space. There was a little anxiety as the reality finally sank in that these craft were home for the next few days. However, under the expert direction of Gus and Tendai, our professional guides, everything was neatly stowed and tied down under cargo nets. The nets, it was explained during the safety talk, were there to ensure that in the event of being flipped over by a hippo, all the equipment would be safe and secure. That got everyone’s attention. Especially Bryn’s. I gathered from his strained expression that he was more concerned about what happened to the occupants in event of flipping! After a quick bite and some refreshments the moment had finally arrived. Time to get underway, there was no going back now. It was obvious from the way in which Bryn attentively got into our canoe that he halfexpected to be attacked by a crocodile or hippo the moment he set foot in it! He scanned the river expertly, and carefully made a mental note of all likely looking hippo haunts. “Right, let’s go,” he said with an air of authority. Great, I thought to myself, now he thinks he’s Hiawatha! We plunged the blades of our paddles deeply into the river and set off for adventure and fame. It was immediately obvious that there were a few in our party who didn’t know one end of a canoe from the other. Which is understandable, considering both ends are very similar! Going down the river backwards is a novel idea, but not recommended. It took a little while for everyone to get their bearings, but with a little practice and instruction, and with all the canoes heading in more or less the right direction (forwards), we all began to relax a little. In spite of what some people might think, canoeing the Zambezi is not a strenuous exercise. You are moving with the
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