The Fossil and I were supposed to start Day 4 of our Walk 4 SOS Huskies journey along the beach from Buffels Bay to Sedgefield. We’ll we did the B to S part. But not along the beach. Why? ‘Cause No Dogs Allowed!
Like, really!? So humans can hike along the Goukamma Nature Reserve & Marine Protected Area beach and trails but not when they’re attached to a dog on a leash. It’s not like I’m going let the Fossil off the leash to go chasing after birds or something.
Anyway, what makes humans more akin to nature than dogs? Why are our rights not protected, let alone our species? Remember what I said in day two’s post? About ‘No Dogs Allowed’ notices posted at the Thesen Island restaurants in Knysna? Well, not only are we not allowed in food preparation establishments, we’re also not allowed in nature reserves!
So, after finding our way to the beach blocked by stupid ‘No Dogs Allowed’ signs, and Cape Nature unwilling to permit an exception for my cause, we had head inland to the N2 motorway. Instead of walking just 17km along the beach, we ended up walking 24km to get to Sedgefield!
Near the end of this 6km stretch of road, just before the N2, we saw a ‘Pet Friendly’ sign at a road-side restaurant. The Fossil and I were so glad to see that I’m “allowed” somewhere that we took a break and supported them.
OK, so we weren’t big spenders – Des had a coffee and ‘rooster brood’ and I had water and a Marlton’s Treat Stick that he carries in his backpack.
So, after the treat, we walked on and came to the N2 motorway. Now, that road really scares me! The road verge is very narrow and these big, noisy, trucks come flying past, and my tail gets buffeted in the slip stream.
Then the Fossil saw a bridge and an old road on the other side of the N2, so we ran across the motorway and turned left at the Blackwaters River Lodge sign, then across the old bridge and up a steep dirt road to the top of a hill.
The Fossil was really puffing by then, so I pulled him up the hill with my leash (that’s what we Huskies do, you know. We were bred to pull sleds across snow – and now old fossils up hills too :-).
From the top we could see those dreaded trucks rumbling by harmlessly along the N2. Eventually the dirt road levelled out and then turned inland away from the N2. Actually, the road made a u-bend around a steep valley but the Fossil didn’t want to walk all the the way to the bend and back to the N2 on the other side.
So, we found the least cluttered way down to the bottom of the steep valley and clambered up the other side to continue along the road, and then farm track, and then barely a pathway through bush and long grass (the Fossil had to spend some time getting ticks off my fur after that).
It was actually great walking through the timber plantation. A lot of interesting smells – especially baboon smells. The Fossil actually thought I hadn’t already noticed that they’d been here when he showed me their spoor in the soft sand.
The Fossil seemed to be enjoying himself too, singing weird lyrics that sounded worse than cats screeching.
Eventually, the enjoyable part of our walk ended when we found a track leading back to that dreaded N2 motorway. Fortunately there are a few picnic stop sites along this stretch so did that. Except Des’s backpack didn’t have picnic goodies in it – only water – and my treat sticks – and wet socks.
We passed a sign indicating the turnoff to Teniqua Treetops (our pet-friendly overnight hosts for tonight) and when we reached Sedgefield, we turned left off the N2 and headed for our ultimate destination – the beach. I was kinda glad when Andre from Lakeside Accommodation Knysna (last nights pet-friendly hosts) arrived in our sponsored Mahindra PIKUP to fetch us.
So, tomorrow the Fossil wants to walk from Sedgefield beach to Wilderness. He checked out the route on Google Earth and the 22km distance along the beach seems walkable. Except that from Gericke’s Point the beach butts up against cliff faces, so it may only be doable at low tide – and that’s at 6am. Somehow, I can’t see that happening. But tomorrow’s post will tell all!
That’s all for now human folks. BTW: if you happen to be anywhere along our walking route between Plettenberg Bay and Cape Town during late July to mid-August 2021, look out for us (we’ll be walking along the beach, or on a hiking trail, or along the side a main road) and come over to say “Howzit Husky Boy!” and “Fossil Man” if you want.
Wanna talk to us? WhatsApp the tall fossil hanging onto my leash. Here’s his number: +27 (0)82 374 7260.
JAXX
PS. That extra X on the end of my name is supposed to be a kiss (yeah, I know it’s soppy).
