On the morning of Tues 07 March we arose early to catch sunrise on the dunes. 0528 SAST (South African Standard Time).
0546.
0557. So pink.
0603.
0612. Ah, hello sun.
We parked at the edge of Sussovlei and hopped in one of the park's 4x4s. Although our Mahindra was a 4x4 we weren't confident we wouldn't get stuck and it's pricey to get the rangers to tow you out. Anyway, the ride was a lot of fun.
By 0624 we were walking towards Deadvlei across saltpans.
Big skies.
0632.
As the sun was only just up the sand was cool enough for me to walk on bare footed.
We sat on a log on Deadvlei and had some breakfast, spending 50% of our time squishing tiny gnats which kept biting us (small flies - big teeth).
Look at the pancake salt.
There was a group photographing the shadows as the sun crept over the dune to our east. As it nudged over a part of the dune they would all up-sticks (up-tripods I suppose) and scurry towards the next set of trees soon to be exposed by direct sun.
A strong shadow line.
And people sitting on the easterly dune watching us watching them.
OK I'll zoom in for you: there they are.
Deadvlei in the sun.
A tree still the shade.
These peeps were waving at their friend on the Deadvlei taking photos of them. Lots of fun to be had on a sand dune.
By 0658 Deadvlei was more or less all in direct sunlight , as were we, so headed back to catch a lift back to our car.
This snake was only about 30 cm long but was still worth giving a wide birth to. It's a venomous adder, Bitis Peringueyi, known as a sidewinder adder amongst other names.
0816.
The oryx were strolling across the bare grounds as we drove back.
And that was a wonderful way to start the day.
0546.
0557. So pink.
0603.
0612. Ah, hello sun.
We parked at the edge of Sussovlei and hopped in one of the park's 4x4s. Although our Mahindra was a 4x4 we weren't confident we wouldn't get stuck and it's pricey to get the rangers to tow you out. Anyway, the ride was a lot of fun.
By 0624 we were walking towards Deadvlei across saltpans.
Big skies.
0632.
As the sun was only just up the sand was cool enough for me to walk on bare footed.
We sat on a log on Deadvlei and had some breakfast, spending 50% of our time squishing tiny gnats which kept biting us (small flies - big teeth).
Look at the pancake salt.
There was a group photographing the shadows as the sun crept over the dune to our east. As it nudged over a part of the dune they would all up-sticks (up-tripods I suppose) and scurry towards the next set of trees soon to be exposed by direct sun.
A strong shadow line.
And people sitting on the easterly dune watching us watching them.
OK I'll zoom in for you: there they are.
Deadvlei in the sun.
A tree still the shade.
These peeps were waving at their friend on the Deadvlei taking photos of them. Lots of fun to be had on a sand dune.
By 0658 Deadvlei was more or less all in direct sunlight , as were we, so headed back to catch a lift back to our car.
This snake was only about 30 cm long but was still worth giving a wide birth to. It's a venomous adder, Bitis Peringueyi, known as a sidewinder adder amongst other names.
0816.
The oryx were strolling across the bare grounds as we drove back.
And that was a wonderful way to start the day.
No comments:
Post a Comment