Chobe Boat Drive

After my last journal entry Jen, Jenny and I took a walk around the Mowana Lodge. The landscape was marvelous. We came across an opening in the BBQ area and I struck up a conversation with a few of the workers. I asked if anyone had ever gone swimming in the Chobe River. The man went on to tell us that a crazy white man walked to the end of the dock, jumped in the crocodile infested water and swam to the other size to touch Namibia and swam back. Everyone was yelling at him to return from the shore. There is poisonous snakes, crocs, tiger fish and many other dangerous creatures in the water. We were even told not to walk near the river bank after dark because Black Mamba snakes were very common. One of our group members Titus informed us that he had been bitten by a Black Mamba when he was hiking at the age of fifteen. Luckily he was smart enough to know how to find a vaccine for the dangerous creature before it turned deadly. We then saw a stray wart hog walking around the parking lot as I was asking about prices to play golf. Jenny got pretty close to get some pictures but stepped back after it began snorting at her.
That night we went on a Boat Ride down the Chobe River. I was told this was better than the Game Drive but I didn’t know what to expect. We were on the top deck of the boat and only ten of us were allowed up there because of the weight capacity. The Boat Drive was by far the most peaceful experience I’d had thus far. We drove the boat right up to the bank where four Elephants were about thirty yards from us eating.
It was so surreal and I feel like words cannot describe what I felt while starring at those beautiful creatures. We began heading back down the river and we passed a crocodile lying on the bank, a few seconds later we saw another one and our captain drove the boat right up to the bank until the shallow water stopped us from moving any further. The boat came to a quick halt and the crocodile turned quickly and snapped his jaw at us and scurried off into the water.
Croc Picture
I am glad I captured the screams on video tape; Mandy even ran half way to the opposite side of the boat. A few minutes later we passed two bald eagles sitting on a tree and then they flew off into the sunset. We approached a heard of buffalo although they are not the buffalo you would typically imagine, a bit smaller, less hairy and their horns made an oval shape.

It was funny to me to see all these wild animals living in harmony. I couldn’t help but think how humans were very similar. I even found a youtube video later on the night that showed other animals helping each other out. Look up Hippo saves Antelope and you’ll know what I am talking about. As we turned to head farther down stream was approached a herd of over 200 Elephants.

I was amazed to see so many, our guide told us the park holds about 60,000 total. This was exactly how I had pictured Africa in my mind. Wild animals, amazing sunset and fresh air, I have never felt so clear. We came up on four elephants playing in the water we were hoping they were going to cross the river over into the island but we lost hope the moment another boat passed us in the opposite direction and scared them off.

We pulled closer and sat for a moment and watched in amazement as the enormous beings played freely. It’s everything you could picture watching on the animal planet. They were splashing water on each other, dunking each other and having fun. I was upset for a moment because my battery had died and I couldn’t video tape everything that was happening. A few seconds after my camera battery died the elephants took a leap of faith and began crossing the dangerous river. Everyone around me was filming in amazement, I was disappointed. Then it hit me, it was supposed to be this way. My battery was dead for a reason and I was able to sit down and take it all in. I felt excited, astonished, scared and most importantly I felt in sync with the animals. One of the baby elephants jumped on the other forcing its head to submerge. The disappointment floated away and being in the moment took over.

I couldn’t help but to wish my family was sitting right beside me taking it all in with me but I know I will be able to show them the videos and describe everything that happened in detail to make them feel like they were there. That night we returned to the resort and watched the sunset on the deck overlooking the river and the wild terrain behind us. I had never felt so close to the sun as I did that night, Everything in Chobe felt more intense. The sun felt closer, the stars were brighter and the moon felt like a constant halo fallowing you around.
(I TRIED TO POST PICTURES BUT THE INTERNET HERE WAS NOT ALLOWING ME TO DO SO) please see me at home if you want to see these magnificent photos