Last week the team at Wildside Africa took delivery of a brand new sixteen-seater boat for use at Xobega Island Camp and surrounds.
The delivery itself was just the beginning, though, as the boat still had to be driven all the way from Maun up through Moremi Game Reserve to Xakanaxa Boat Camp, where it would eventually be launched before being driven to Gcobega Island.
While this may sound fairly straightforward, towing a boat this large through the wilderness and over the challenging terrain of Moremi was no easy task.
The utmost care had to be taken around narrow bends in the road, through thick sand and over sections torn up by heavy vehicles moving through the park in the wet season, when they often bog down to their axles and have to be dug out by hand or pulled out with winches.
The shiny new aluminium hull had to be protected at all times, and the protruding arms of what would ordinarily be beautiful trees and shrubs now took on a decidedly menacing character.
The massive propeller attached to the bottom of the 115 horse engine was also a major source of concern, jutting out as it does into the path of oncoming boulders and obstructions.
And then there was the wildlife to contend with: it is never a good idea to encounter a grumpy bull elephant while towing a ton and a half of boat and trailer!
Fortunately, in the course of a morning all of these difficulties and dangers were safely overcome or avoided through the patience and experience of the Wildside Africa team. Not a single scratch blemished the spotless shining hull, and not a dent or mark was to be found on that all-important propeller blade.
There was little time to celebrate this feat of skill and courage, though, because the canopy still had to be assembled and the boat launched for the very first time into the crystal clear waters of the Okavango Delta.
The team set about these tasks efficiently and with all the ability you’d expect from a group of seasoned Okavango wayfarers. Soon enough the canopy was up and the boat was pushed off her trailer for the very first time.
She glimmered and shone in the bright mid afternoon light as she floated just off the bank. It was time at last for her maiden voyage through the meandering waterways of the Delta, where the cylinders of her brand new engine would be put through their paces and where all those lucky enough to be aboard would feel her glide through the water.
She went like a dream, slicing with ease through all the narrow twists and turns the Okavango Delta could throw at us. The engine on the back was perfect too: all the power you need when you need it, but also quiet enough to move up close to wildlife without disturbing them or the scene when this was is an option – and in this part of the world it very often is.
As the afternoon wore on and we drew closer to Xobega, I lamented the fact that the maiden voyage was just about over. Arriving to the usual warm welcome by the camp staff was enough to stave off these feelings – the place is just so incredible that one can’t help but be happy to be there, and the very evident pleasure of the boat drivers at the arrival of their new vessel did a lot to raise our spirits too.
After some refreshments, we set off again on a late afternoon cruise around the Gcobega lagoons – just to make absolutely sure that she was a hundred percent ready for active duty. After another hour or so of birding and game viewing from the cool, comfortable vantage point of her deck, all present were convinced of her quality, the intelligence of her design, her suitability for the task of introducing visitors to the wonders of the Okavango Delta.
Don’t take out word for it though; the only way to be absolutely sure is visit and try her out for yourself!
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