Adventure capital of the world

Published Oct 15, 2010

Share

On April 6, 2010, 91-year-old Mohr Keet of George leapt off the Bloukrans Bridge and bungee-jumped 216m. He broke Guinness World Record for the "oldest person to bungee jump" off this bridge, a record previously held by a mere 83-year-old gentleman.

The Bloukrans Bridge, the highest in Africa and third-highest in the world, is the highest "commercially operated" jump worldwide. Yebo.

Dangling at the end of the line, he felt absolutely elated. You can't blame him.

South Africa has the reputation of being the best adventure country anywhere. With good reason.

Name an adventure activity and we have it. White-water rafting, black-water tubing, surfing the highest waves, the longest most radical rides, mountain biking, abseiling down steep cliff edges or climbing up wild peaks, ballooning, deep-sea and inland fishing.

Wreck and scuba diving are alternative options and they have their adrenalin-pumping breath-holding charms. Alternatively you can go whale watching. Believe me, the sight of a beautiful southern right breaching is awe-inspiring in the true sense of the word.

Last weekend, I found myself overlooking the cliffs at De Kelders, peering at the expanse of Walker Bay in the Western Cape.

Sitting quietly at the edge of a rock, within an hour we counted 40 whales. Now, in anyone's language, that is a serious amount of blubber. All the cliches come to mind - breathtaking, mindblowing? but I promise you they are inadequate. To see whales so closely and so calmly is a mystical experience.

In the same category is going on a walking trail through the bush in one of South Africa's many game reserves. Again, we are overwhelmed with choice.

Our national parks really are legendary - the name Kruger brings a chill to the fine hairs on your neck. Then there are the many private reserves offering walks in the wild. We are so blessed.

Peering around reeds in a river bed and coming upon a herd of elephants - mythical creatures in the same vein as whales - makes your heart beat at triple tempo.

In South Africa there are hundreds of reserves where this can happen.

Or, you might be walking silently - well, as silently as people can walk - though the veld and you step over a rise, and there is a pride of lion intent on a herd of appetising wildebeest.

This happened to me at the Kruger National Park recently.

A small group of six intrepid walkers, we all stopped breathing.

Fortunately, the lion were far more interested in the scrumptious wildebeest.

We, the lion and the wildebeest were alone. Only in South Africa can this still happen because our game and people are well managed.

I'm not talking politically here, and there are several politicians I'd like to throw to the lions, but that is another story.

Getting back to the bungee jumping. Should Bloukraans not be your thing, then take a leap nearer home at the Orlando Towers in Soweto.

This is jumping with a difference as you can either jump into the air or jump into and inside the tower. Apparently we are the first country in the world to offer jumps inside a cooling tower (the tower is 100m high).

Foefie slides are quintessentially South African. My kids used to string a rope across two old oak trees, fashion a hold, then launch themselves from one tree to the next. Miraculously, no broken bones resulted.

Today, the foefie slide is a|recognised adventure sport and you can foefie slide (other terms are zip or fox slide) your way across several beautiful South African valleys and kloofs.

Our longest aerial cable trail is in Hazyview along the Sabie River - and you foefie your way from platform to platform

Sections of the slide vary from 70m to 230m (this is the longest foefie slide in our country) and part of the beauty is that the birdlife is prolific. Trail organisers say birds are used to foefie sliders - they probably think we're a new kind of flying creature. Which, in a way, is accurate.

Foefie sliding can be carried out at the Gouritz River bridge (as can bungee jumping) and at Swellendam in the Cape at the Buffeljags Dam. This foefie slide traditionally ends in water with an almighty splash.

Sun City, too, has its own foefie slide - 280m high and 2km long. That is a lot of foefie-ing.

Then there are canopy tours for those who enjoy exploring above the trees.

Our first tree-top canopy tour was developed in the Tstisikamma at the Storms River where you slide from platform to platform (10 in all) above the forests. The longest slide is 100m. Then there's the Karkloof canopy trail in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands which crosses a waterfall and a stream.

Finally, nearer home, is the Magaliesberg canopy tour down the picturesque Ysterhout Kloof. Those who have done it report that the scenery is breathtaking - that's if you still have breath in your lungs while participating.

When canopy touring, you are placed in a harness and, as with all adventure sports in our country, safety is the highest priority.

For those who long for adventure but not quite extreme, there are hundreds of mountain bike trails ranging from extremely easy to really hard.

Mountain biking is a great family sport and one that, once you have invested in a bike, is not ridiculously expensive. It also rates as a healthy sport.

Hiking is hard work but also a fantastic family sport and hikes range from really easy to very hard.

Then there are the trails along the coast - the Otter and Oyster Catcher trails come to mind. Both are remarkable for many reasons, including the fact that you are preserving wildlife while trailing.

Horse-riding trails through game and nature reserves offer a different kind of break.

I once spent four days on a horse trail in the Drakensberg mountains and covered myself in glory by sliding off my horse, hanging upside down on his neck.

Another memorable horse trail took place in the Cederberg, where my rear learnt the meaning of the word "gallop". I came late to the sport of horse riding.

Kloofing or canyoning - following watercourses or mountain streams and waterfalls then jumping into the pools - is another extreme sport.

This should always be done under supervision because to jump into rock pools can be life-threatening. So often there are underwater rocks and broken necks or spines result.

Kloofing in mountain gorges often involves abseiling and is high risk. To do this alone and without experts around is foolhardy.

Suicide Gorge and the Riviersonderend Gorge are well-known, as is the Kaaimans River near the Garden Route's Wilderness.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the Mfongosi River near Eshowe is known for its steepness and the Sabie River also offers less extreme kloofing.

I sound a pain, but I can't stress the need to do this with people who know what they are doing.

Mountaineering will always be one of our finest adventure experiences and, again, when mountaineering, it is essential to go with folk who know what they are doing.

We have every range of climb but to take chances is just stupid.

Abseiling down steep cliff faces is exhilarating - a memorable experience - and we have more rock

faces and mountains than you can imagine. We also have great mountaineering weather.

Skydiving will provide an adrenalin rush to those with a keen sense of adventure, and the Parachute Association of South Africa offers different venues throughout the country. More elderly adventurers will be happy to know that there are seniors' events.

In winter we offer skiing at Tiffindell - OK, it might not be the Alps or Andes, but skiers have the time of their lives.

While researching adventure sport - and yes, I know there are many adventures I've excluded - I discovered Thunder City based at Cape Town International Airport.

According to the report, this is the world's "largest and most diverse private fighter squadron, the only civilian operator to offer supersonic flights in ex-military fighter jets".

If you fancy flying in English Electric Lightnings (the famous Cold War supersonic jet interceptor) or Buccaneers or Hawker Hunters, then a visit to Thunder City is essential.

Emergency ejection skills are part of the experience, as is a supersonic climb to 50 000 feet (15 240m). You'll break the sound barrier and have the flight of a lifetime.

If this is not adventure, I don't know what is - I can't wait to go up, up and away.

CONTACTS:

- Bungee jumping - see www.sa-venues.com/activities/bungy-jumping.htm. Or ring 0861 801 802 for further information.

- To jump off or into the Orlando Cooling Towers call 012 345 5114, or 071 674 4343, or see www.orlandotowers.co.za/adv_swing_inside.htm or www.orlandotowers.co.za/adv_bungee.htm

- For other bungee jumping or foefie slide options check the website: www.safarinow.com/cms/bungy-jumping/irie.aspx and www.faceadrenalin.com/bloukransbridge.html

- Shark cage diving at Gansbaai:e-mail [email protected] or check out the website: www.sharkcagediving.co.za/

- White water rafting - check out the webite: www.sa-venues.com/activities/white-water-rafting.htm

- Mountain bike trails - check out www.linx.co.za/trails/|lists/bikelist.htm and you will find 21 pages of bike trails throughout the country varying in different degrees of difficulty.

- Thunder City - see www.capetown-direct.com/jet-fighter-flight/thundercity

- Skydiving through the Parachute Association of South Africa (Pasa), call 021 553 3398, e-mail: [email protected] or website www.para.co.za/paasa.php

- Rock climbing in South Africa, see: www.southafrica.info/travel/adventure/climbing.htm

- Whale watching tours - google whale watching tours South Africa and a host of options will come up.

- Foefie slides in Hazyview, see http://www.wheretostay.co.za/activities/skywaytrails and this will also give you information on hot air ballooning.

- For canopy tours in South Africa, check out the website: www.savenues.com/activities/canopy-tours.htm

- For wreck diving sites see www.ecotravel.co.za/activity/diving/wrecks.htm

- Kloofing - you must always go with experts if you take up this sport. See www.safarinow.com/cms/kloofing-canyoning/irie.aspx

Related Topics: