After a lengthy drive from Coffee Bay we arrived at our destination in Durban, the very homely and hospitable Ansteys International Backpackers. The first thing we did was head down to the nearby beach and dip our feet in the water as we had been assured that it was warm enough to not require a wetsuit and this excited us all after 7 weeks of colder water. The water was amazing and it put us in high spirits for the surfing ahead of us.
Our surfing in Durban really started to take shape as we all started developing our styles and techniques and equipped with the new stoke of getting our own custom surfboards shaped from local shaper Clayton we hit the water as inspired as ever. We had good days and bad as the wind and the swell couldn’t agree with each other on most days but we had a few great sessions in excellent conditions which was just what we needed after the challenges of Coffee Bay.
One of the great things about Durban besides its tropical weather, warm ocean and shark nets is that when the waves aren’t working the Wavehouse is and that’s exactly where we were when the surf was a shambles. This seemed to be another daunting task as the pictures we’d seen made it look delightful and easy but once you’re staring the wall of water in the face you feel quite differently about it. So we’d asked the technician to take the wave down a few notches to help us ease into it a bit and we all ashamedly opted for the bodyboard option to start out with. After many a tumble and a few ‘over the falls’ experiences we got the hang of it but were by no means pro’s just yet.
A few of the guys managed to ride it at quite a high level while the rest of us messed around in our comfort zone. It was then time to try stand-up riding which proved to be a great laugh for all the spectators on the sides especially when Christian somehow managed to give a little dance whilst standing on the wave before falling, he received a resounding ovation from everyone in the vicinity.
Another great thing about Durban is the amount of wildlife you’re able to see with just a short drive outside of the city. We rose early one morning and drove through to a reserve, which had the ‘Big 5’ on showcase. We were extremely lucky and within minutes we were seeing all kinds of wildlife both big and small. We managed to get within meters of a mother Rhino and her calf and given the threat they’re currently under with poaching in South Africa we all felt very privileged to have witnessed it, however as we drove deeper into the reserve we saw dozens more and we were confused as to how they were endangered when we’d seen so many, but then we found it this is one of the highest concentrations of white rhino left in the world. We were lucky.
We managed to get close to a herd of Giraffes and saw Water Buffalo, Zebra, Buck, Wild Dogs, Warthogs, Dung Beetles and monkeys from close range. We drove for hours trying to find Lion, Leopard and Hippo but unfortunately it was not meant to be. We did however manage to run into a few Elephants with one in particular blocking the road in all his glory, he was the biggest animal I’d ever seen, towering above our big minivan. That experience marked off a memorable day.
Durban really has been action-packed, here is the video from our time here.
Hope you enjoyed,
Luke
Blurb
Rich times in Durban from boardshorts and bikinis to elephants, buffalos and the flow rider, photo and video blog to share.