Beautiful Remote Transkei

The Transkei is the area above the river Kei, below it, is the Ciskei. It used to be the Republic of Transkei, an independent state, set aside for members of a specific ethnicity. It was legally recognised as a legal entity by South Africa, however unrecognised internationally. It was long diplomatically isolated as it had broken all ties with SA. In 1994, it was reintegrated into South Africa and became part of the Eastern Cape province. The main language is Xhosa, a click language which is quiet difficult to imitate. A lot of places in this area were renamed after 2004, however people still mix both names, which sometimes is quiet confusing.

The Wild Coast, as it is now called, consists of wilderness where man is a part of the landscape. The hillsides are literally littered with cows, sheep, goats and mud huts with a roof made of dried grass. According to the lonely planet, "with its rugged cliffs plunging into the sea, remote sandy beaches, rural villages and a history of shipwrecks and stranded sailors, it is a place for adventure and action." The Eastern Cape is one of the poorest provinces in SA, and in particular the Transkei region. So this is the place to be for rural South Africa. Subsistence farming predominates and natural resources are used for every day life. Many roads are unsealed and don't appear on the maps and signposts are few. No driving after dark and always be on the look out for animals or people crossing roads at any time.

However it is also the homeland of none other than Nelson Mandela. He has retired now to his home village, Qunu, south of Mthatha. Currently his health isn't at its best... after all he is already 94 years old.

Nelson Mandela's house: the orange one in the center of the photo, with the trees around

I was amongst a group of renowned estuarine scientists and we stayed at the Haven Hotel, inside the Dwesa-Cwebe nature reserve. My project is on the catchment area of the Mbashe river and its mouth is situated inside reserve. Some 290 species of birds have been identified inside the reserve and crocodiles have recently been reintroduced. At breakfast I was lucky enough to see a whale jump up quiet close to the coast line. I cannot describe how beautiful that was.

The lonely planet states that you may see rhinos come down to the beach, however I just heard from a park manager that the last 5 were poached in 2010...

Mbashe estuary

I had a few sampling days in the estuary, especially in the mangroves. It is quiet an experience, slipping and sliding along the pencil roots of Avicennia trees and there is no way to stay clean. Crabs are very abundant. While crossing the estuary we had to be very vigilant as Zambezi sharks (or bullsharks) like to swim in the estuary with the tide.

On the other side of the reserve, not too far from the Haven Hotel, lies the Mbayana estuary, smaller than the Mbashe, but not less precious.

The catchment area of the Mbashe is very diverse. From grassland to savanna to coastal forest. A lot of land seems degraded due to cattle grazing enhanced by the relief and the gullies are numerous. And all over these traditional (or now less traditional) huts, homes to the Xhosa people. 

In a few words: a wonderful experience.