Richtersveld in July

[Jasper]

Could you please send me details of the trip jasperstupart@gmail.com

[Andre]

Details sent Jasper

[Andre]

No thanks, I am going there on Saturday, yeeeeeha

Will let you know what the conditions are like, staying 2 nights at Potjies and 3 at De Hoop.

How was thr trip??? Tell, tell !!!!

[ebf]

Hi Andre,

Just got back to the office :-(

Trip was awesome. Lots of rain on the way up, the Olifants had burst its banks between Citrusdal and Clanwilliam. On a couple of places between Alexander Bay and Sendelings there were flash floods and mud !

No rain in the park while we were there, but a couple of mornings overcast with mist. Potjies was pretty mellow. De Hoop is absolutely amazing place, one of those spiritual places that you have to visit at least once in your life.
I did not do a lot of fly-fishing only my wife and I there, so from a safety point the rapids were not a good option. Spent a lot of time hiking and just relaxing (spinning with mielliepitte) while sitting next to the river with a cold brewski :-)

Couple of locals had set up operation on the island near de Hoop, catching yellows in nets and then drying them on racks. They had a couple of clapped out old fibreglass canoes and would paddle up and down the river early morning and late afternoon. Will be interesting to see if the are still there when you guys go. I have atached a google earth file with the locations of our campsites for reference (remove the .txt at the end)

[Nymph+O-]

So do you have any pics to share?

[Andre]

Thanks for the update, I agree with your sentiments on De Hoop, I have been there several times and also have a connection with the place. The other camp upstream at richtersberg is also amazing, but the most amazing of all is Kokerboom Kloof. Although not near the river, is a place that had spiritusl significance to the San Bushmen, and when you are there, it is easy to see why. I will check if I can dredge up a few pics of the place.
Anyway, what was the water levels like and water clarity.

[ebf]

don't have a reference point i.t.o. water levels, but will post some pics, maybe you can work it out from that

water clarity - i'd say about 20 cm, then you can't see your fly anymore

yup, next time i definately want to go to kokerboom, as it was my first time there i was not sure about fuel and distances. can't wait for the pont to open at sendelings, coz then it will only be 30 odd km to rosh pinah

1st pic is at potjies, 2nd is from de hoop, about 3m in front of my tent !

[Andre]

Yup, water looks nice and low, confirming reports a I have had. I imagine it was quite cold at night and early morning.

[Nymph+O-]

Damn! It seems like a piece of heaven over there. Just by looking at those pics I can sense the 'zentraquil' of this posi. The thing that boggles my mind a bit however is that you did not swing a fly. Speaking for myself I'd have SWAMBO tied up in the cab while I enter a state of nirvana on those absolute sexy waters.

[Andre]

Damn! It seems like a piece of heaven over there. Just by looking at those pics I can sense the 'zentraquil' of this posi. The thing that boggles my mind a bit however is that you did not swing a fly. Speaking for myself I'd have SWAMBO tied up in the cab while I enter a state of nirvana on those absolute sexy waters.

Eish boet, you have no idea, I have been there no less than eight times , and still long to go back.