Our Week At Stormsriver

This week has been absolutely wonderful, as we had no school and 100% vacation. My dad still had to work though. This week's camping at Stormsriver was a dream of my mom - to be so near to the waves you could almost feel it crashing on the rocks....and hear the sound all the time. Surrounded by beautiful nature with sea, forest and mountains all close together, we all had a good rest physically and mentally. Less than 100m from the sea,we've had an amazing view all the time.

Attics in the swimming pool (we couldn't really swim in the ocean because of the rocks; the water was too cold anyway).

Hummingbird.

We did a hike every day except Wednesday (which was our sightseeing day). We walked the first 3km of the Otter Trail (a very beautiful and well known 5-day hike along the coast), had lunch on the rocks and even dared to swim in a pool (in our underwear).

Tame "Bambi" bushbuck.

Smile!

The waterfall. 

 Rock climbing.

We also hiked the Blue Duiker, Loerie, Suspension Bridge, and Lookout Trails.

The suspension bridge.

Beautiful nature. 

Admiring the view. 

Mountains behind...

....ocean in front. 

Monkeys.

Throughout Friday the waves were massive and very impressive. When the full moon came up later, we realized it's because it's spring tide!

On Wednesday, we drove to Plettenberg Bay for some shopping. Even though the weather did it's best to dissuade us with rain and mist, we visited Monkeyland and Birds of Eden on our way back. It was an experience we will never forget. We saw all the species of monkeys they had, including the 5 they only had two individuals of such as the Gibbon and the Spider monkey.

Our welcome committee.

A feast of fruit and sweet potatoes....  The white one is a Gibbon.

 Lucy, the only big Spider Monkey in Monkeyland.

Liam, her little one. He didn't like the rain or being photographed in his bedraggled state, poor thing.

 Blue vervet monkeys and lemur.

 One kind of Loerie in Birds of Eden. We saw the Knysna Loerie, but I couldn't get a picture. Notice the misrable 'neushoringvoël' in the background.

There were numerous adorable Blue Duikers everywhere.... They were tame as well. 

 Birds...

 

 Group picture.

We also stopped at the Stormriver's bridge, and walked over it in the rain. Maarten and my mom did not enjoy it at all.

In the rain and mist. 

Looking over the side....

 We visited the Tsitsikamma Outeniqua Yellowood Big Tree twice, once in the rain and once in the sun. It was interesting to compare the two experiences. 

Aprox. 1000 years old, 36,6m high.

Walking in the rainforest, in the rain (how appropriate). 

Spot us at the bottom!

Lastly, we did the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour!! A dream of my dad's, it was amazing. The weather was perfect, our guide was funny (as well as nerve wrecking....), and the feeling of looking down on the forest is something special.

All geared up!

Theuns...

Maarten...

Dad....

Mom...

Me!

Looking down. 

It was the first time we saw a chameleon in the wild. 

Tomorrow we are headed on towards George and our next volunteering farm near Uniondale!