Twin River Adventures
Mission: Adventure
Over the years, thrill-seekers have come to settle in THE GARDEN ROUTE, unleashing its wild side WITH THEIR PREFERRED ADRENALINE FIXES. STARTING OFF WITH A NEED FOR SPEED AND ENDING UP WITH JELLY LEGS, WANITA NICOL’s mission was to spend three days SEEING how many times, in how many ways, SHE COULD get HER heart racing.
Gee-whizz kids
The highlight of kloofing is flying off cliffs into the rock pools below; (above) the longest slide on the Tsitsikamma
canopy tour is 91m. Guide Pandora enjoys zipping along it at speed
DAY 1 Forest Canopy Tour
Our guides, Pandora and Funeka, are friendly and efficient as they strap us into harnesses and hand out helmets and thick gloves. Funeka runs through the safety briefing, which is fairly straightforward: listen to the guides and do what they say. We’ll be attached to the cables by two ropes. When we’re ready to slide, we sit down in the harness, legs up, and let gravity do the rest. Grabbing the cable with a gloved hand slows the descent.
I sit back and give myself over to gravity. The cable whirs. Up ahead, Pandora and the next tree are approaching way too quickly. I grab the wire and slow down instantly, stopping slightly short of the platform. Pandora, easily half my size, hauls me up.
Now secure in my ability to brake, I relax into the next slide, enjoying the sun-dappled calm of the forest. Not a breath of a breeze disturbs the still air, the silence broken only by insects buzzing, the whir of cables and the excited exclamations of another tour group unseen ahead of us.
We catch up to them – two couples – at the fastest and, at 91 metres, longest slide. The women in the group are afraid. While we wait I ask Funeka (our other guide) why she chose this job. ‘I love nature,’ she says simply. ‘These trees are my office.’
Ashley Wentworth started Stormsriver Adventures to create upliftment opportunities for young people in the tiny village of Storms River, off the N2 past Plettenberg Bay. One of the first companies in South Africa – and the only adventure company in the world – to achieve Fair Trade status, they’ve trained around 1 400 youth, many of whom have moved on to careers abroad.
Up close one can see how the mechanisms have been clamped to the trees so that none of the leafy giants were harmed by nail or screw. During construction, suspended catwalks were used to transport building materials without touching the forest floor. The result is 10 ziplines criss-crossing the canopy while the forest remains undisturbed around them.
By now completely at ease, I let go of the cable and build up as much speed as I can on the longest slide. It reminds me of freewheeling on rollerskates as a kid. ‘I wanna go again!’ I laugh as soon as my feet touch the platform. Pandora grins back. ‘That’s my favourite one, too.’
Two slides later, we reach terra firma and, perspiration trickling down our backs, begin a 600 metre hike back to the road. ‘What comes down must go up,’ mutters photographer Morne. It will become our motto for the rest of the trip.
Danger 4/10
Thrill Factor 6/10
Do It R450 per person, including lunch
Stormsriver Adventures, 042-281-1836, www.stormsriver.com
Canyon walls rush past on either side … suddenly there’s a bruising pressure on my shins and I bounce high, weightless for two long seconds before falling again, arms swinging freely. Braden says he jumps whenever he needs an injection of life, and I understand that now. I feel as light as spun sugar on a breeze
DAY 2 Bungee Jumping
‘We knew it was going to be the highest in the world,’ grins New Zealander Braden Tuohey, talking about the Bloukrans Bridge bungee jump. ‘Although there’s one in Macau [see page 85] off a building now that’s 230 metres to our 219. But there your descent is controlled by cables. Ours is still the highest unrestricted jump.’
Braden started South Africa’s first bungee-jump operation on the Gouritz Bridge in 1990. One day he was asked to do an advertisement that called for a more impressive bridge, and found Bloukrans just
a few hundred kilometres up the drag.
From the bar I look across to the bridge and am shocked to realise it’s the same one we drove across a few minutes before, the bungee underneath the road. ‘It’s very high,’ I breathe quietly to Morne. Suddenly a tiny figure leaps from the edge, swinging wildly. A television screen shows the jumper close-up, arms flailing as he falls. The butterflies in my tummy have turned into bats.
The ‘catwalk’ to the bridge is essentially a wire-mesh cage. Looking down, I see the canyon I’m about to dive into and weigh up the consequences of turning back.
It’s surprisingly spacious under the road. The crew introduce themselves – Vern, Robin and Jack – and speakers suddenly blare to life with Bob Sinclar’s Lala Song. The bats in my tummy dissolve into the beat and I’m no longer concerned about jumping; I’m concerned about what I’m going to look like doing it. I’m aiming for a perfect Lara Croft swallow dive.
It’s my turn to have my legs strapped together. The cord feels thick and reassuringly tight. Then Robin and Vern are walking me to the edge of the platform, unclipping my safety cord. ‘Ah yeah,’ raps Bob
Sinclar. ‘Ah yeah, Wanita!’ Vern grins.
The guys cluster around. I extend my arms, suddenly afraid again. They’re counting down. Five, four, three…’ I feel Robin’s hands on my back. Is he planning to push me if I don’t jump? That wouldn’t be very – ‘…two, one, bungee!’
I push off from the platform. Bizarrely, my first thought is that I’ve messed up my swallow dive and
it’s going to be a disappointingly ungraceful photograph. The thought lasts only a moment before it’s knocked out of my head by every drop of blood in my body. I realise my mouth is open, half scream, half grin. Canyon walls rush past on either side. Suddenly there’s a bruising pressure on my shins and I bounce high, weightless for two long seconds before falling again, arms swinging freely. I laugh with the sheer exuberance of it.
Danger 6/10
Thrill factor 9/10
Do It R690 per person
Face Adrenalin, 042-281-1458, www.faceadrenalin.com
Greater heights
Wanita felt a little air sick as she swooped in to land on firm ground in Plett; (above) there’s no door on the little Cessna, which offers skydivers a great view of the bay below
DAY 2 Skydiving
The bungee is still fresh in my mind as we park outside a plain-looking building claiming to be Plettenberg Bay airport. Inside is an empty room with a humming fan and a security guard dozing on a plastic garden chair. ‘Skydiving?’ He points to the back door.
My tandem master, Reinier, runs me through what’s going to happen. Just before we reach our jump altitude of 10 000 feet (around 3km) he’ll strap my harness to his at four connection points. When we reach altitude I need to swing my legs out of the plane. ‘Then when we leave the plane, put your arms out and your head back and make like a big banana,’ he explains, arching his back to demonstrate. ‘Bend your knees so you kick me in the back and stay like that ‘til we’re under canopy.’ A few metres away, Morne is receiving a similar speech from his tandem master, Jeff. It all sounds very straightforward on the ground.
The tiny Cessna 182 looks more insect than aircraft. Inside there’s just enough room for the pilot’s seat and four skydivers sitting on the floor. The climb takes around 20 minutes. Below, buildings shrink into Lego blocks; the sea becomes a glassy surface of mottled blues. Too soon I feel Reinier strapping our harnesses together.
‘Right, let’s go,’ he says. My leg is stuck. I’m not as flexible as I used to be. He helps me wrench it out. My heart pounds. My brain, in survival mode, screams at me to get the hell back in the plane. It’s too late.
I’m hurtling through the air. Blue sky and white cloud rush past in a blur. Amazingly I remember Reinier’s instructions and get into position – the big, flying banana. It occurs to me that I should scream, but cold wind whips the sound away before it’s fully formed. It seems like we’ve been falling forever. In reality it’s been about 35 seconds – at 223km/h, I’ll find out later.
There’s a jerk and the world stops. At 4 500 feet, Reinier has deployed the parachute. The air is warm and absolutely still. We hang there, as if suspended in time and space. Reinier’s voice is musical. ‘How was that?’
‘Amazing! Awesome! I can see why you guys do this. What a rush!’ The ground rises. ‘I want you to keep your knees up and your legs out,’ says Reinier. I do my best. We swoop in and hit the ground running. My whole body is shaky.
In the offfice two more people are waiting to jump. Reinier and Jeff stash the parachutes and strap new ones to their backs. As we head for the car I hear Reinier explaining about the big banana. And up they go again.
Danger 8/10
Thrill Factor 10/10
Do It R1 600 per person
Skydive Plettenberg Bay, 082-905-7440, www.skydiveplett.com
DAY 3 Kloofing
The forest path is narrow and tangled, exposed tree roots hard under the soles of my aqua booties, bought especially for this trip. Our guides, Steven and Melody, tread lightly, as at home in the forest as a pair of woodland elves. I struggle to keep up, the loamy scent of growing things filling my nostrils with every laboured breath. Ahead the elves have stopped to marvel at something in mid-air. It’s a kite spider, small and square, in the centre of an intricate web spun across the path. ‘We can’t break it,’ says Steven. ‘It will take him hours to spin another one.’ Bending low, he ducks under the web. We all follow suit.
After what seems like hours but has been no more than 20 minutes, I’ve ducked under enough kite spider webs to be paranoid. I’m relieved when we at last see the Kaaimans River snaking beneath us. The ruddy water is cool and refreshing. Buoyed up by my wetsuit and life jacket, I paddle about, my feet popping to the surface like corks. Around the next bend the elves are out of the water, hopping nimbly across the rocks. Morne and I follow. I move slowly, pulling myself onto rocks with all the strength in my arms and shoulders, sliding down the other side, stretching my legs wide to move from boulder to boulder. It’s good to feel my muscles doing what they were built for, but it’s frustrating how unused to this kind of effort they are.
When I finally catch up to the group, they’re perched on the edge of a Guinness-black pool. Melody has foam in her hair; cobwebs drape Steven’s hat. We’ve reached the first of several optional jumps. Steven and Chris scout all the pools after heavy rain to ensure they’re deep and clear of obstacles for jumping. I climb up to the ledge and leap in without hesitation. I’m delighted to be back in the water.
The next several hours are a see-saw of emotion, ranging from despair while scrambling over uneven terrain to undiluted joy each time I slip into the cool, fresh water of a rock pool. I float gently with the current, gazing up at rocky canyon walls draped in velvety green virgin forest, my mind at peace.
When, after nearly five hours, we begin our final swim, my muscles are trembling with exertion, my legs and arms are scraped and bruised, and my energy levels are in the red. Yet, inexplicably, I’m sorry to be leaving the wilderness behind.
Danger 8/10
Thrill Factor 8/10
Do It R475 per person
Eden Adventures, 044-877-0179, www.eden.co.za
wet and wild
Melody lowering herself down the last stretch of a 45-metre abseil as the rain comes down
DAY 3 Abseiling
A kloofing/abseiling combo seemed like a good idea when I booked it from the comfort of my office. Now, wet-haired, pruney-fingered and exhausted, I’m feeling considerably less enthusiastic. As Chris parks the car there’s a boom of thunder not too distant. Perhaps we’ll have to abort on account of the approaching storm?
But, no, Steven hands me a helmet and gloves and, for the fourth time in three days, I’m strapped into a harness. Steven, Melody and I will hike to the abseiling point – a cliff face next to a waterfall; Morne and Chris will meet us at the bottom in canoes.
The hike is at an acute angle but adrenaline gives my quivering legs the strength to keep up with the other two, and we reach the top in less than 10 minutes. As Steven starts fastening ropes to brackets
permanently embedded in the rock face, the first fat drops of rain begin to fall.
He explains that my harness will be connected to the rock by two ropes, so I can’t fall. I will control my descent by tightening or releasing the rope. As I descend the 45-metre cliff face, the rock will be uneven so I should walk down rather than bounce. Eventually the cliff will drop away completely, at which point I simply lower myself into Chris’s canoe.
Melody goes first to demonstrate. By now it’s raining hard and thunder claps are chasing the lightning above our heads. As soon as Melody reaches the canoe, Steven clips me in. Over-confident, I move quickly and I haven’t gone two metres before my foot slips and I swing into a protruding tree branch. Steven yells a warning, but I’ve already corrected myself and proceed more slowly, placing each foot with deliberate care.
When the rock face falls away, the rope spins and I find myself facing away from the cliff, looking out over a lake. Morne is paddling his canoe on the far side; to my right a waterfall is tumbling over the rocks and lightning is flashing high in the sky above. Melody and Chris, in another canoe, are under a rocky outcrop, sheltering from the heavy rain drops, which send ripples dancing over the surface of
the lake.
It will take some time for them to reach me, so I stall my descent and hang for a few moments, taking in the spectacle of nature in a dramatic meeting of earth, water, fire and air. Then I lower myself into Chris’s canoe and we paddle back to the car. At least a warm bath is only minutes away.
Danger 7/10
Thrill Factor 7/10
Do It R365 per person
Eden Adventures, 044-877-0179, www.eden.co.za
More Garden Route Thrills
Paragliding, Wilderness
Paragliding instructor Jan Minnaar conquered a fear of heights to pursue his sporting passion, so one can rest assured that he’ll be sympathetic to fellow acrophobes. Tandem flights take off from various picturesque sites around Wilderness and Sedgefield, with views of mountains and beach. Flights are weather dependent so it’s a good idea to have two or three optional days.
From R450 per person. cloudbase-paragliding.co.za
Elephant Walk, Plettenberg Bay
The Elephant Sanctuary at The Crags aims to teach visitors about elephant conservation through first-hand interaction with the gentle giants. Visitors can choose from a range of encounters, including walking trunk-in-hand with the elephants, feeding them, brushing them and riding them.
From R295 per person. elephantsanctuary.co.za
Tubing, Storms river
This high-energy watersport is like a lilo on steroids. Travel downstream through the Storms River gorge on an inflatable tube, negotiating swift currents, rocks and rapids with a bit of rock-jumping and hiking thrown into the mix. It’s weather dependent and seasonal: from October to April.
R495 per person, including snacks and lunch. stormsrivertubing.co.za
Shark-cage Diving, Gansbaai
I’m sceptical about the ethics around shark-cage diving operations, but Shark Diving Unlimited is operated by conservationist/‘shark whisperer’ Mike Rutzen and approved by Marine & Coastal Management and the Department of Environment & Tourism. No diving experience is required for the four-hour excursion, during which one views sharks from the safety of a steel cage.
R1 350 per person including breakfast, snacks, soft drinks and lunch. sharkdivingunlimited.com
Travel Notes Garden Route
BEST TIME TO GO
February and March for most activities (summer, but outside of tourist season). Kloofing does not happen in winter. The Garden Route has rain all year round and temperatures are milder than elsewhere in the Western Cape. Winter is lovely for canopy tours, when it’s cooler and the forest is at its most beautiful.
NEED TO KNOW
Take a pair of walking shoes – most adventure activities involve hiking at some point – and make sure they won’t fall off while suspended from a rope or cable or jumping out of a plane. Trail-running shoes
are ideal for kloofing, but for a more affordable option, aqua booties work well. Mine cost R150 at Sportsman’s Warehouse. Don’t forget a towel, dry clothes and dry undies to change into after water-based activities. The bungee cord tugs at one’s trousers, so wear trousers high and tight enough not to come off.
SLEEP HERE
The Plettenberg (plettenberg.com) hotel in Plettenberg Bay is in a prime location on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It’s conveniently close for skydiving and not far from the Bloukrans bungee. For an unusual
treat, Tsala Treetop Lodge (www.hunterhotels.com), just outside Plett, has secluded villas tucked into the forest canopy. Kurland (kurland.co.za) is a balance of luxury and cosy comfort and is paradise for families with young children. Kids under 12 stay free out of season. It’s close to the Bloukrans bungee and Storms River canopy tour. For a more affordable option, Tsitsikamma Backpackers (tsitsikammabackpackers.co.za), also near the bungee and canopy tour, includes a four-star self-catering house at backpacker rates. Pine Lake Marina (pinelakemarina.co.za) resort near Wilderness has various self-catering accommodation options for families and couples, and is a good base for the kloofing and abseiling.
EAT HERE
Sand at The Plettenberg (044-533-2030) offers fine dining, beautifully presented with interesting flavour combinations. The winelist is extensive and the bar has an excellent selection of whisky and other spirits. Marilyn’s 60’s Diner (044-281-1182) in Storms River opened at the end of last year and is worth a visit to see the owners’ collection of restored Cadillacs and Chevies, and their Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe memorabilia from around the world. A jukebox plays rock ’n’ roll and on the menu are Americanstyle burgers, steak, seafood and pasta, best enjoyed with a creamy milkshake.
GO THERE
BA flies to Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. From there the Garden Route is best explored as a road trip down the N2. Cape Town to Plett is about six hours, from PE it’s around three hours. ba.com
