Halfway
Have you ever wondered why Ostrich Eggs are only filled halfway? It all started when !Zhu was wondering the great plains in search of water and fresh grass for the cattle to eat. Now he was well aware that at times they would run out of water if they did not plan accordingly so !Zhu had a habit of never finishing the water that was stored in the ostrich egg. Instead he would make sure that the egg was always half full. Now there were only so many ostrich eggs that !Zhu could carry, so he needed to devise a plan so that he could always have ostrich eggs available. So his first plan of action was to hunt down the biggest ostrich he could find so that he could have an endless supply of eggs. So whilst he was out tracking and trying to find the biggest ostrich he could find he came across a rather peculiar animal. It had legs and a head of an ostrich but it had the feathers of a peacock. He quickly managed to capture this strange bird but was at a pickle as to what to do with this bird. All of a sudden this strange creature spoke and begged for it’s life and offered !Zhu it’s magical ostrich eggs. !Zhu was intrigued and asked what was so magical about these eggs. This strange creature explained that if you fill its egg halfway with water and bury them on a full moon night by the next full moon you will find that this egg has grown into a pool that never runs dry. Now !Zhu did not want to believe this as he knew that water was scarce. So he decided to try it out first. So on the night of the full moon he went and gathered some of these magical ostrich eggs and filled them halfway with water and buried them along a large stretch of the plains. And then he waited for the next full moon. In the meantime he also started to bargain with this strange creature as to how many eggs could !Zhu have if he released this strange creature. By the time they settled on an amount of 100 eggs the next full moon arrived. !Zhu could not sleep that night as he was excited to see these magical pools. And he was not disappointed as wherever he buried an egg there was water. And so upon agreement he let this strange creature go. Over the next few months at full moon !Zhu was hard at work burying ostrich eggs that are filled halfway with water. And so this is how this area became known as The Place of Much Water”.
This trail is on the Tsitsikamma Striptease River Trail. The owners of the nearby Lodge which maintain this walk has given full permission for the caches to be placed. Also due to the nature and terrain of this walk it is recommended that minors are accompanied by adults.
1. Due to heavy rains or work in the nearby plantation we never know when the trail will be closed so a phone call is always welcomed. You can phone 042 280 3702
2. Anyone hiking must report to reception to sign the permit (which is free) and they must report back after completing the hike.
3. It is advisable that hikers must wear suitable shoes as some areas are more difficult.
4. You may drink the water from the river as it is safe to drink but it is also recommended that you bring water and refreshments as it is not a short Hike. It can take from a min of 4 Hours of brisk walking without stopping for a swim or looking for the caches.
5. With the trail being called the Striptease Trail please be aware that you may encounter nudity on this trail. For those who are brave and daring and want to engage in nude caching please only do so from the start of the trail and not from the lodge.
6. Photo logs are more than welcome, clothed or unclothed, but please just remember that this is a family activity so if you are daring to pose unclothed please make sure that all private areas are concealed either by the cache or by the natural surroundings.
7. The trail is well marked just follow the blue markings and you won’t get lost.
8. Please remember that this is a nature area so no fires, no pets (unless it’s your spouse), and don’t leave anything behind, not even your spouse.
9. Please be back by dark as we don’t want to send out a search party for you as they tend to party instead of searching for you.
10. Gates and reception open at 7am.