The Crocodile River continues to rise. We’ve never been anywhere in the world when it rained as many days as it has here in the past ten days. Last night, warnings were posted on Marloth Park Facebook groups that residents in bush homes along the river may have to evacuate.
All guests residing in camps and resorts in Kruger National Park were evacuated yesterday, and the park is officially closed. All entrance gates (nine in South Africa and two in Mozambique) to the vast national park are now closed due to flooding, washed-out roads, huge potholes, and mudslides.
It is one of the largest national parks in the world, with an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi). The park is approximately 360 km (220 mi) long and has an average width of 65 km (40 mi).”
We feel bad for the tourists that spent fortunes to get here since airfare is so expensive, hoping to do multiple game drives and camp and resort stays in the park and now will not be able to do so. Let alone those currently staying in Marloth Park, the roads to their holiday homes are washed out, and they can’t enter or leave. Can you imagine their frustration?
We are safe here at our bush home. Water isn’t leaking into the house, and there don’t appear to be significant issues on our dirt road. As much as we’d like to see the roaring river, we avoid the area for the above reasons. Nor do we want to get stuck driving with the lightweight KWID car rental. It hardly had enough oomph to go up a hill with the aircon on, let alone maneuver out of a deep mudhole.
Some of our readers have written to us inquiring about how excessive rain and flooding impact wildlife. These animals are so resourceful and intelligent. They know what to do to stay safe as long as they aren’t caught in the rivers’ fast-moving current, which may prove deadly. But many animals are excellent swimmers, and many others are wise enough to know to maintain their position on the banks of the river.
Numerous waterbucks have been stranded along the Crocodile River, unable to swim across the raging waters. They can survive on the Marloth Park side of the river since there is plenty of vegetation for them to eat. However, if nosey locals approach them, they can become stressed, panicky, and die. There have been numerous warnings for locals and guests to stay away from the river, not only for their safety but also for the safety of the wildlife.
Tom woke up early this morning to watch the US Football Super Bowl. I watched for a few minutes of the halftime show, which I usually enjoy, but this time it was just OK, not as exciting as some I’ve seen in the past. Although his favorite team, the Minnesota Vikings, wasn’t playing in the game, he enjoyed it anyway.
Last night, while on the veranda at sundowner time, we enjoyed ourselves with Norman. He is funny, animated, and so attentive to our voices. He always makes us laugh. Afterward, we had a great dinner but experienced a WiFi outage for a few hours, preventing us from streaming our favorite shows.
Instead, we watched a mediocre movie on the external hard drive that Rita and Gerhard gave me last year for my birthday. With the 1000 movies Gerhard loaded on the four terabyte devices, it has been a lifesaver when there’s no signal. Right now, we’re working on watching movies beginning with the letter “b,” thus, we have a long way to go.
We always have a good time regardless of what we do each day and evening. Tonight, Tom’s having pork chops on the braai with rice and salad, and I’m having prawn salad. As always, it will be a lovely evening.
Be well.
Photo from one year ago today, February 13, 2022:
