Seascape Surf

Seascape Surf
What was your most memorable beach or seaside holiday?

Surfing, scuba diving, or just relaxing on the by the sea, what is your best beach story? Share stories of your best beach outing with us and tell us what made it a special get-away. The winning story will get +50 bonus points, be featured on our blog or even as a Yahoo! Travel article.

Read details of this initiative here: http://www.yanswersbloguk.com/b4/2010/08/17/travel-time-on-answers/ Got a picture that you took on holiday? Share it here http://www.flickr.com/groups/seascape/

At the end of a contract, where I had been working in S. Africa, I was invited to go on a trip to Maputo Elephant Game Reserve with a South African colleague and friend. Coming from the UK, where camping generally involves a small field and enough facilities to support an army, the prospect of spending 10days in a remote elephant park with no running water, toilets, shops or medical facilities nearby was daunting...But not one to pass on a challenge, I found myself sitting in a serious 4x4 surrounded by fishing gear, tents and all the drinking water and diesel we would need for the 10 days.

Passing out of South Africa we experienced the usual organised chaos at the border control - locals asking for money to get your passport stamped by the 'back door', and standing in 'queues' the had no logical start or end in the sweltering summer heat - before the getting to in Mozambique. You knew you were in Mozambique within minutes as you were stopped at a police road block, which had the official aim of confirming holiday makers had the correct insurance and documentation, but unofficially was a Christmas bonus fund for the officers. When travelling in Africa it is essential to see the funny side of such things, and once you do, you just accept them for what they are and get on with enjoying your holiday.

Travelling from the border to Maputo Elephant Game Park involved 8hours of driving on dirt roads, a ferry crossing on a boat that defied the laws of physics and a stop at a local market to pick up some fresh supplies...We had arrived! We were greeted by Alfred, a local, who we subsequently hired to clean, wash up and provide us with local knowledge. After setting up camp in a sheltered sand dune on the edge of the beach, darkness fell and we sat there stunned to silence as we experienced the warm sea breeze on our faces, the relaxing sound of waves coming to shore and a night sky that revealed stars and galaxies with such clarity that I can't begin to explain - we were in heaven.

The following morning I woke early to clear blue skies and stepped out on to the beach. I saw nothing but perfect white sand lining the blue sea. I had expected to see one or two people walking or fishing, but there was no one. It felt like I had been stranded on a breathtakingly beautiful desert island. It felt good!

Within hours I was in a complete state of relaxation - the hectic pace of the previous 12 months of work, the seemingly endless traffic queues and the noise of traffic and police sirens were a long-distant memory as I took my first steps into the warm Indian Ocean with my snorkel and mask...

The fishing was great - fishing from the shore or out at sea on fishing skis, both yielded good results and enough to keep us fed. The wildlife was exciting - elephants in the park, and a visit from an enormous sea turtle one evening as she came up the beach to lay her eggs which was a magical experience. And the tranquillity was heavenly - in 10days, the only people we saw, apart from Alfred, were two park rangers who walked by one day.

At the end of the 10days we parted our beach with sadness, looking forward to a shower with fresh running water, but even more so, looking forward to the prospect of one day returning to this small piece of tranquillity.

This was a holiday where we could get away from it all with such ease, but one we'll never forget.

Thoughts - Light Within The Waters - Seascape Poetry