Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Whale Coast in South Africa view of plane

A little over an hour east of Cape Town, South Africa, we move into a series of bays, beaches and cliffs where nature is measured in whales, white sharks, penguins and sea lions. From Betty's Bay and along nearly 200 kilometers of Cape Whale Coast Route born, whales Coast, being one of the best places on earth to see the Southern Right Whale. Hermanus and Gansbaai are the main cities, the latter also based to enter a cage from which to observe the great white shark. The rest is absolutely wild, with high surf beaches, caves in South African aborigines living Walker Bay and a collection of unusual endemic flora in the reserve Grootbos. This part of the country, certainly among my favorites, has a ravishing beauty whose splashed by ocean waves breaking on a scenic trail unsurpassed which should stop. During our trip to South Africa we could not only live on land all these wonders, but also contemplate from the air aboard a four-seat small plane that flew the Coast whales.
Walker Bay (Whale Coast, South Africa)
Precisely that experience in light aircraft, from which we could even make out the silhouette of great white sharks, I keep in my memory (and video) one of the most exciting and adrenalíticos time of the trip. Fasten your seatbelts, we're going to fly Coast whales and wind gusts ahead!

Somewhere in South Africa ...

We had just barely dry after being for nearly two hours in the cold waters at the edge of Gansbaai to meet the great white shark . The mission was a success, because we could have it just a foot from our noses for a couple of seconds that still put me goosebumps, and obviously were discussing the play. It was in the car with my friend Pau ( Pachinko ), one of the members of the expedition. Suddenly a plane so light came down from the sky like paper and landed just thirty meters from our vehicle. We could not believe what was happening. It was all orchestrated by the organizers of this African adventure was a surprise that he was born in the Grootbos Nature Reserve to see the Whale Coast otherwise, from the air. Of course neither Pau nor hesitate one second to move from the seats of the car they were going to put on our helmets and fasten our belts a small Cessna that we would show the outline of the coast in an exceptional way.
Sele in Grootbos by the plane that flew Whale Coast (South Africa)
The company African Wings , which was set up this racket in collusion with the local agency Adventure Africa , as does air routes in South Africa, although they have the greatest success in this part of the country, especially in the months of the year highlighting the presence of many southern right whales that congregate here during a period running from July to November and even early December. Its pilot, with more impossible british accent, told us we were going to fly over Walker Bay, Gansbaai and would try to go find the imposing silhouette of white sharks, which are legion in this part of the world as we have seen was only a while. The bad news was that we would not be able to see the whales, as they had begun their long journey for weeks to Antarctic waters. When sighting season reach dozens of them, many boards, and perfectly appreciable from the air. In fact we showed pictures taken a few weeks ago in which one takes no less than forty seven whales were distinguished. This tour is called "the flight of the giants" because between whales and sharks can not deny that we are talking about small things.

tags: 
ECCMID 2016    
Euro PCR 2016        

EFORT   2016   
    EHA 2016  
EULAR 2016  
 
    ESHRE  
ACC 2016 AAD 2016


NAVC 2016   

 

 
Lighthouse on the coast of South Africa Whales view plane
And with the car parked on the roadside begin a flight in a small plane moved enough during the opening stages. The most complex part of the trip was to circumvent the mountain we had in front because we had to take altitude quickly. From there the thing was more calm, and finally we go to cut the coast, which from above looked so masterful. The waves tore so strongly between Gansbaai and Hermanus the white foam on makeup water haunt kilometers before a bare and barren shore where talk of the term beachfront shocking. Simply does not exist, the first line is the sand, the second and third rocks vegetation of a kind of Garden of Eden in the southernmost Africa. If land Whale Coast is beautiful, a view of plane leaves you without a word in your dictionary.





Walker Bay beach on the coast of whales (South Africa) view plane

Shark in sight!

When we come to realize one of the ships in the cage as we had been seeing sharks before we started looking like crazy silhouettes of large ocean predators. It was not easy, far from it, since the device was quite moved and floating algae and branches that could lead to confusion. But it does not really take long to realize that there was not one, but many sharks. The light color of the sea (which coincidentally are too murky below) helped, and much, in this frantic mission to locate the presence of the great white shark in waters off the coast. Lonely, they are moving in search of food, very near the surface. We are talking about an animal that can reach six meters in length, so it is normal that it can be seen from up high in a clear as we were enjoying the day. I can not imagine how it must be this trip by plane in whale season ...
Silhouette white shark in the waters of Gansbaai in the balllenas Coast (South Africa)
When at first we got Pau and the plane had between the eyes of sharks, as the alpha and omega of this trip through the air. But we soon realized that did not involve the best part, much less, of that flight. Coastal landscapes attracted our attention, were much better than we had ever imagined. We did not know what to look for ourselves window left and right panoramic that lined both dazzling caused great enthusiasm.
Gansbaai to view plane (Cape Whale Coast, South Africa)
They were little more than thirty minutes flight for that rugged coastline, known as whales. And no one's watching, who were already far away, enjoy this unexpected gift that gave us an extraordinary experience and highly recommended in that country called South Africa, which was being protagonist of great moments, a great adventure.
Whale Coast (South Africa) from a plane

Video Coast whales plane view

And if we turn these words and pictures in a video? No sooner said than done. Here you can see all this that I have told around Cape Whale Coast from a small plane that appeared out of nowhere and landed in front of our car. Prepare well for takeoff, because it is fireworks.
South Africa, as the crow flies, offers travelers a fantastic, exciting world. All of it is a track that should not remove eye. Africa hooks, Africa excited ...\
AAD 2016



NAVC 2016   

Photo safari in Kruger Park in South Africa

The Kruger National Park is one of those places in Africa that anyone would be very strange that Noah's Ark had landed at the end of the flood. Located in the northeast of South Africa and with an area of 350 by 60 kilometers, adding acres could reach the size of Israel, Wales or the province of Caceres, has a dizzying number of animals. Wildlife in the Kruger has their own paradise with over 500 species of birds and 147 of mammals, considered one of the best parks in Africa to observe and photograph animals. This is where the word safari, which in Swahili means "journey" takes its full meaning and true nature lovers become children again to look with clear eyes that once saw on television and told him books . All who visited South Africa Kruger dream as the place to cradle you at night roars of lions and feel you constantly monitor the shrewd eyes sparkling leopard.




   
    EHA 2016


  

    ESHRE  






 

Cheetah in the Kruger Park, South Africa
During my last trip to South Africa I had the opportunity to spend several days of photo safari in Kruger Park, specifically in the green plains of the Sabi Sand Private Reserve. Aboard an SUV witnessed one of the greatest displays of wildlife that have ever lived (and feel) in Africa. As luck, whose sole owner here is Mother Nature, it had agreed to make every outing a success. And I can almost ensure no one missed the appointment ...
I still remember what my first experience nature in black Africa. It took place in the Okavango Delta (Botswana) which have intact the image of a huge hippo out of the water and looking as if we were a speck of dust in the middle of the road. Premiere safari in South Africa is not bad because, although do not have the vast savannah of other countries such as Kenya and Tanzania, provide much more intimate scenes. Especially if you are the one driving the car, as the case of our group of friends in the neighborhood who decided to rent a 4 × 4 in Johannesburg and escape back in 2009 to Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and company. But that trip, I remember him with great affection, I left with a thorn. He had not been in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, which is for many experts one of the peaks in terms of photographic safaris in Africa is concerned. So when the opportunity to travel years after this African country could not imagine not go through the Kruger without photograph the Big 5 emerged.
Map Kruger Park South Africa Sabi Sand outstanding

Sabi Sand and the esplanade of the Cheetahs

Nearly 19,000 km² is the protected area of ​​the Kruger, which borders Zimbabwe to the north and Mozambique to the east in what comes to be regarded as a continuation of a transboundary park. Which it will be a real slaughter by ruthless hunters from the nineteenth century and well into the twentieth, firing their prey as that targets a trade neighborhood was saved in time before their original inhabitants disappear so final. Fortunately the years and the gradual awareness of the people involved the exchange of guns for cameras. And we can say today that the Kruger National Park is one of the most important wildlife havens in southern Africa.
Leopard in the Kruger Park, South Africa
While most of Kruger's public area where visitors can make their own safaris independently, there are several privately owned reserves within the park where you can stay overnight and from there organize each of the expeditions. One of the most consolidated reserves here is Sabi Sand, with 65,000 hectares by passing two rivers such as the Sabi and Sand. There are a few lodges inside and the difference with the public area is that one always goes on safari with ranger at the wheel, there is never overcrowding of vehicles at the same scene (in Sabi Sand is only allowed will come to join three cars at the same time) and you can leave the marked paths.
Sabi Sand is recognized as one of the corners of the Kruger Park with a greater presence of fauna and stands out for its ease of viewing and photographing wild animals. Such Cheetah Plains car with which we did the safari in Sabi Sand (Kruger National Park, South Africa)rating makes it worthwhile to consider laying the groundwork for a series of outputs which are usually made in the early morning and evening, ideal to spot a greater number of species, mostly are nocturnal moments here. No accommodation of different categories within the reserve and we were at Cheetah Plains (meaning esplanade Cheetahs), a fantastic lodge that will be the most expensive of the reservation was not lacking any detail. We heard it through, Aventura Africa , the specialist travel to South Africa and other African countries who organized this expedition and featuring such bases its customers. Super equipped slept in huts on a site very type of Out of Africa. No wonder he would join an elephant dinner in the light of the moon or we we took the tea in front of a herd of buffalo taking a dip in the pond that looked from the pool. I never had the chance to experience a safari that and recognize that it is one of those luxuries that be worth at least once in life. You have to delve into the bank more than normal (about 200 € / day per person all inclusive) but the experiences they have made to compensate. There is disappointment in Sabi Sand and, of course, in a place like Chetaah Plains in which not only make you feel better than staying home with honor but also deal with organizing two departures a day (included in the price) for animals really prepared rangers (this is one of its greatest values) that are able to make you live an unforgettable safari.

In search of the Big Five Kruger

It is so motivating and fun set goals when you do a safari. Perhaps first of all that we got in Sabi Sand, in addition to entrust to chance, it was able to observe and photograph the Big Five. This name Big Five, from hunters seeking their most prized pieces, refers to a podium where is the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Of course in the Kruger not need any of them. Some easier to see and more difficult, but with patience and time you can achieve the 100% target. We retrospectively accounts by each of the outputs we took from Cheetah Plains (twice daily) saw at least four of five, but ended the day without ever we hit these big five. Here is an example of this:

The lions were always kings

The lion is by far, my favorite animal. And many who go on safari. Run into them in the Sabi Sand Reserve or across the Kruger, without being the simplest in the world, is quite feasible possibility. In fact it is estimated that around the Kruger there are approximately 2,000 copies, although it should be remembered that in a space quite important. Lions in the top of the food pyramid in any African National Park that boasts, are among the few animals that are not seen just stressed, showing fully aware that their power is irrefutable. Maybe that's why males sleep sometimes more than twenty hours a day leaving the tasks of hunting for the real queens of the jungle, the lionesses. With these lazy hairy we stumbled once. There were two under a tree ... of course, were in full nap. But even with closed eyes proved impressive. The first time you see a male lion is not forgotten. Never.
Male lion in the Kruger Park, South Africa
But the most impressive and unforgettable scenes of our series of safaris Kruger Lionesses were starring. At first we saw a lone walking along a sandy path. It was swollen and his face was enough to be satisfied, according to the guide because the night had been alive well after eating a buffalo. We followed slowly, watching his big belly and filled eyes as piercing as mellow.
Lioness in the Kruger Park in South Africa
Suddenly they appeared from behind the trees four companions hunting. The car was then surrounded by no less than five lionesses for which there seemed to be more than a bump in the road. We stood behind the guide who did not ask us for any reason levantásemos (premise to ignore it costs when you have these wonders so close to you) and hope to see their stuff. Luck had allied with us. The five went to a nearby pond and began to drink at a time, leaving countless images to immortalize. And that one thing is to see lions and another to pose like that ...
Lionesses drinking water in a pond Sabi Sand (Kruger Park in South Africa)
Lioness drinking water in the Kruger Park, South Africa
One while traveling in search of the true nature and dreams of seeing animals in the wild, his dream with scenes like this. I know it depends on many factors and fortune, but I'm convinced that if you want something with many forces, ends up being true. And then you witness the absolute truth that exists, which speaks of life of all beings that inhabit our planet. Just for that look worth the effort. No attempt is in vain ...
Lioness in the Kruger Park, South Africa

The leopard wearing his best suit

For many, the leopard is the Big Five harder to see by far, although I have to admit that I've already found four safaris (at the gates of the Chobe in Botswana before our car broke down in the Yala National Park Sri Lanka and two of the four outputs which I am narrating Sabi Sand). It is silent as a shadow, hides in the vegetation and prey stealthily monitors from the top of a tree. You do not see until you have reached a foot from your face. Elegance is its flag and green eyes lock consciously and unconsciously in your memory.
While the first exit Sabi Sand we encounter one of them lying under a rock, it was not until the last day when we saw it in all its fullness. It was a surprise, as I was walking quietly along the trail that started from the lodge no more than one hundred meters from where we had spent the night. The first rays of sun caressing his back a few minutes of arriving at five in the morning. It was night when his return, probably unsuccessful because his mouth was not stained with the blood of one of their prey.
Leopard in the Kruger Park, South Africa
Andrew, our ranger, masterfully guessed his next steps and was ahead of the events. He knew exactly where our friend was. We traveled with him very slowly until a ravine with an almost dry pond and there appeared again the leopard, who remained silent while living semitumbado his mere presence. They were ten minutes, maybe fifteen, which were left over every word. Nothing better than reading their coat of stain and pray to Heaven we devote one of its paralyzing stares. Being in the house of one of the biggest leopards around the Kruger, according to the good of Andrew, it's not something you can do every day.
Leopard in the Kruger Park, South Africa
While we say goodbye to him as if we were to see him near the end of the safari, when we head into the next stage in Cape Town, appeared suddenly to the left of our vehicle. He left the comfort of the bushes and finally placed at a distance of a meter or meter and a half in the car door. Of all the times I'd seen him, none had been so close. We could hear her breathing while we were the ones that held our air.
Leopard in the Kruger National Park in South Africa

Large herds of elephants waiting for us on the other side

They say the lion is the king of the jungle but neither he nor any of the animals that we see in the Kruger are stronger than the elephant (the largest and heaviest land mammal on the planet). There is no rival for him beyond the Human Trafficking with ivory. With an estimated 11,000 animals in the Kruger National Park population is one of the species belonging to the Big Five we saw not once but many times. Their size gives them away, and their habit of traveling in packs, except some specimens apart by the group that also reveal alone (said to be the most dangerous).
Elephant in the Kruger National Park in South Africa
Of all the times we see elephants in our daily outings in the Sabi Sand Reserve specifically I stay two. The first coincided with bath time, when a good crowd gathered around a lagoon. Their games and splashing were a treat before our cameras you try to collect it was probably the best time of day for these large pachyderms.
Elephants taking a dip in a lagoon Sabi Sand (Kruger Park South Africa)
The second scene with elephants lived with which I stay is full of beauty. A group of five or six elephants had starring a baby that was less than six months to live. He was always with his mother, but sometimes insisted on trying to imitate his teammates, despite its small and weak trunk was unable to start one branch. There was a time when the mother gave us a reminder that mantuviésemos barrito distances, moving ears with great intensity. Until suddenly the little elephant stood in front of him and began to imitate the movements of his mother. It was the way he gain respect and communicate your intentions if we approached more than necessary. But the curious and visceral Dumbo pointing as good ways caused us more compassion than fear. Probably we were facing the most sympathetic, gentle and beautiful animal that had met us at our South African safari.
Baby Elephant in Sabi Sand (Kruger National Park, South Africa)

Rhinos, those antediluvian animals

Rhino is one of those species that take us back to prehistory and that bring to mind the term "antediluvian" that Charles Darwin applied to the curious Galapagos wildlife . The most imposing of the Big Five is, in turn, the most vulnerable, as their great curse comes from the horn that is started by poachers to satisfy stupid Eastern beliefs. More than 300 rhinos per year are slaughtered only in South Africa and if bleeding does not stop within twenty or than thirty years we will be regretting their extinction. So free to observe the large rhino is a prize whenever a safari to in these lands. Fortunately Kruger has 5000 (and about 300 blacks, on the verge of extinction) white rhinos, so the chances of meeting them here is higher than in other parts of Africa (also in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya.
Rhino in Sabi Sand private reserve within the Kruger National Park (South Africa)
Of the four exits we did in Sabi Sand we had a 100% success with rhinos. Always we saw couples or even a third member of the team. As a true gift we could photograph them up close on several occasions. The qualifiers stunning and wonderful spun all our conversations when we had to face this mammal that can exceed three tons.
Rhinoceros in the Kruger Park (South Africa)

Buffaloes and large antlers

Big Five is the fifth Buffalo, who does not enjoy much fame as his four companions perhaps be one of the most numerous species easy to see in Africa. Only in the Kruger it is estimated that there are about 25,000. Almost always they go in herds, so when we find a solo can IRLE goodbye to this world because they will be days or hours to be doing the digestion in the stomach several hungry lions. What impresses Buffalo is obviously his antlers. The skull of this animal is exposed to form an effective weapon against pesky predators. The horns of the males are larger than females and it is noteworthy that team are very, very powerful. They are not just vulnerable as Thomson gazelles. If a lion will not have them victory assured.
Buffalo bathing in Sabi Sand (Kruger National Park, South Africa)
During all exits we did in our car Cheetah Plains saw them, but not needed if you want to leave the lodge to do. The pond is visible from the bar received daily visits ten large specimens (all males also) for a refreshing bath. Apparently it's a must in recent months in this place, also shared with a hippo with ingrained habits that kept a safe distance.

It does not take Big Five to provide memorable scenes on safari in Kruger

One of the big mistakes that happen in the safaris have to do with people who are obsessed with the Big Five, as if Savannah had no more animal species. You can not disdain to 97% of mammals and forget that more than five hundred species of birds fly over the blue sky that we see every day. Wildlife Kruger is so admirable that if there were five major would still have at our disposal unforgettable scenes with cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, impalas, gazelles, wild dogs and a long list of honorary members capitalized PARK South Africa. And if not then will a sample with other animals that gave us most exciting experiences in each and every one of the days we spent touring the Sabi Sand Reserve, that's probably one of the best natural areas that are part of mythical Kruger.

That pair of cheetahs

I never had the chance to see the cheetah and Sabi Sand had to be the place where he could observe the elegance of the fastest mammal on the planet. For ten or fifteen minutes we had to look two cheetahs were brothers who were busy marking their territory on trees in their path. The time of day was outstanding and even the light was allied with us so that they can grasp in all its glory. What a couple of bellezones!
Two cheetahs in Kruger Park in South Africa

A sea of ​​plain clothes impalas

Estimated 170,000 only in the Kruger, impala members is favorite lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas lunch. Some say they are just tender and delicious nuggets in the bottom of the food chain. Always they go in large groups and speed is your big gun, with the caution of all steps taken. November and December are prolific breeding for months and why we find many small (good news for predators) that are not separated from their mothers. Sometimes their presence is so large that seems to be a sea of ​​impalas in full plain. Of course like the sites cleared to be alert to possible shocks and having to flee open field.
Herd of impalas in the Sabi Sand Reserve (Kruger Park in South Africa)
Something very strange is that Impalas when they detect a threat expand through glands on the feet with a strong smell well known by members of the species that serves as a warning against an imminent danger.

Where not reach giraffes ... it does not exist

When you go on safari one of the animals that like to see the whole world is the giraffe. Surprise from his walk to the characteristic long neck with the food arriving in the highest treetops. If it is estimated there are 12,000 giraffes in South Africa, more than 9,000 are citizens of the Kruger Park, so there is no better place in the country to run into this kind whose neck can measure up to two meters. While it is true that in our case we only saw giraffes on a couple of occasions, siéndonos more elusive than expected. True, the Kruger is a much more lush park that we imagine typical savanna in the Masai Mara in Kenya or the Serengeti in Tanzania, so we must trabajárselo a little more to see the animals.
Giraffe in the Kruger Park, South Africa

Zebras, horses of the gods

It has always seemed to me that the Zebra is one of the most photogenic species on our planet. The horses of the gods, because man has never been able to tame and mount fairly well, always go in droves and apparently have stripes that mislead the lions, whose vision is not the best, and even to avoid bites tsetse fly. It was not the animals most watched while on safari in South Africa, maybe two or three times maximum. And when we did were almost always in the company of other species such as impala and wildebeest.
Zebra in Sabi Sand (Kruger Park South Africa)

The wildebeest that had just been born

With 17,000 estimated in the Kruger members of wildebeest, along the buffalo and impala, larger presence in this park. Allied with zebras, impalas and gazelles are not a few enemies that prey voraciously, so that is always seen in groups and in flat areas and unobstructed to stay alert. Although we find wildebeest several times there was one that was very special. We saw a mother with a baby who had been born just a few hours ago, probably that night, and she still hung on its cord. This species and other herbivores in Africa, it takes just a few minutes to stand up completely and walking. They can not afford too many whims nor tranquility because they are extremely vulnerable to attacks from carnivores salivate just thinking snack that will give.
Wildebeest in the Kruger National Park in South Africa

The hyena was given his morning bath

Hyenas, but they are reputed to know scavenger hunt well. In fact they are the most intelligent mammals of Africa and when working in groups get great results, although at first glance seem misshapen and clumsy animals (nothing is further from reality). Only we got to see a spotted hyena in four outings we did in Sabi Sand, although it is considered to have up to 2,000 copies around the Kruger National Park. The we find a swim with the body submerged in water and dedicating a gesture that could be translated as "But what do they do this here? I can not you give me a dip without anyone bothering me? "Quickly go elsewhere as it had occasion.
Hyena bathing in the Kruger Park, South Africa
He had not had the opportunity to meet with a hyena from that night when we were lying on the Chobe Park in Botswana and had to camp in a clearing. It has been several years now since they were circling our tents and one of them came to approach us barely a meter and a half away as a server recorded with the camera shaking.
You never underestimate a hyena. Never. It is the strongest jaw jungle, surpassing even the lions.

Pumbaa the warthog

One of the funniest characters in the film The Lion King's Pumbaa, Timon the meerkat inseparable. It is a warthog (also written facocero) or what comes to be also a warthog, denomination set by the English when they realized that it is very prolific to have warts on the face. There are approximately 4000 in the whole Kruger, what makes him a possible sighting. We were able to photograph only once when he went with his brood.
Warthog mother and son in the Kruger National Park in South Africa
These are, broadly speaking, some of the most beautiful scenes of wildlife to the extent we had making a photographic safari in the Kruger Park in South Africa or in the Sabi Sand Reserve if we specify a little more. He could have also mentioned other species that we saw kudu, hippos, waterbucks (waterbucks), lots of mongooses, osprey (white head, much like the bald eagle that appears in the shield of the United States) and even a civet night. You could say we were lucky in every way and we live with fascinating moments we had always dreamed of.
Water or waterbuck antelope in the Kruger Park, South Africa
Fortune is an indispensable for a good safari the best condition, but just think we're in the home of these animals just go over together makes it worth a try. We also always be that African immense sky and highly harrowing landscapes that define a continent they say is black but remains a blank map of many travelers.