Places Ive Been - Easter on Lake Kariba
by Guest Author
Starting out from Harare at 5am on Easter Friday, we were all eager to get to the Andora Harbour launch at Kariba and onto our houseboat, Tahilla.
After a five hour trip our feet were itching to get on the water so we loaded the boat in the stifling Kariba heat and set sail. Our destination was Elephant Point, which is about four hours from Andora Harbour. As the name suggests it is renowned for its plentiful game, especially elephant, as well as prime fishing.
We arrived, the men with their fishing gear at the ready and me with my camera ready to snap away, transferred into the little boats and took off for the rest of the afternoon.
The bream were on the bite and we slaughtered them that day, each catching around 50 fish, setting a definite precedent for the rest of the trip. The fish eagles hovered above our boat, waiting for us to throw a tasty titbit. The hippo kept a close eye on us, making sure we didnt overstay our welcome.
The next morning, after a sweltering night where not a breath of air licked us, we set out early to try a new fishing spot.
The following days on the lake were much the same: Rising early, catching and eating lots of fish, seeing elephant galore and experiencing plenty of exciting photographic opportunities!
On one occasion we were charged by an angry elephant bull that was tired of seeing our boat every day.
It was definitely an Easter worth remembering and even included an egg hunt on the houseboat on Sunday morning...after fishing, of course.
The sunsets over the lake were spectacular and every evening we enjoyed a cold drink and enjoyed the view painted for us. The trip last only three days, but it took us away long enough to remember why we love Zimbabwe, and also why it is important to take time out to appreciate our surroundings.
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