Turtles, mangroves and fish kraals

We recently spent three days in Kosi Bay, with plans to do exactly three things: a river tour, a visit to the Kosi River mouth and an evening turtle-nesting tour. On the river tour we explored the five-lake system, saw some long-legged flamingos and sailed within metres of a baby hippo catching a ride on his mum’s back. We saw the fish traps up close and jumped off the boat to snorkel to our heart’s content. On the second day we bashed along the beach track down to the river mouth – a 15-minute trip that should only be done in a 4x4. We encountered a fellow traveller who ended up getting stuck in the sand twice on the same day. The sandy track took us in and out of an indigenous forest, home to giant raffia palms that are unique to the region and can reach heights of up to 16 m. We spent the afternoon basking in the sun and dipping in the water before the tide came in. But the highlight of the trip – by far – was the following evening’s turtle-nesting tour. We drove to Bhanga Nek, one of the few remaining protected beaches in South Africa and an important breeding site for leatherback and loggerhead turtles. Our tour guide prohibited the use of torches because artificial light confuses the turtles and deters them from coming ashore. Our guide also warned us that we might not see any activity and that we should lower our expectations, but we must have been lucky because we saw three female turtles and two of them laid eggs. Kosi Bay gave us an unforgettable holiday that I’m only starting to fully appreciate now that I’m back in the city. When I stepped off the Gautrain on my first day back at the office, I texted my husband and said, “Take me back to Kosi Bay!” EDEONA PARKERSON, Johannesburg