Sunday Times Magazine F/C 6-7 - 20/08/2014 05:00:42 PM -
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August 24 20146 ❘ ADVENTURE TRAVEL WESTERN CAPE ❘ 7August 24
2014TRAVEL W E E K LY TRAVEL W E E K LY
T HE rapid reared up in a cold whitefury, poised to devour our
raft andspit out battered bones 500mfurther down the Doring
River.Staring at the turbulence, I said to my
friend: “Let’s do the chicken run.” Yes, achicken run is how it
sounds: a cowardlyline to avoid the worst holes and rocks.
The Doring’s power depends on winterrain. On our trip, it kept
rising as the Capeof Storms lived up to its name, until theriver
flooded its banks downstream.
The first drizzly day, we ran the rapidsin two-person inflatable
rafts. By Sunday,under clear skies, the water was highenough to
launch a six-person raft, usuallyreserved for big rivers, such as
theZambezi.
Of the many whitewater rivers inSouthern Africa, the Doring in
the WesternCape and the upper Blyde in Mpumalangaare the most
beautiful I’ve rafted.
Going 26km down the Doring at thatlevel would have been risky
for us withoutexpert paddler and former river guideTrevor Ball who
knows where to find thepotentially dangerous rapids. That is whywe
were scouting Krans rapid on foot
■ WHAT TO DOBundi River Rafters: Contact: 021 975 9727, e-mail
[email protected] or visit b u n d i .co. za .
Book ahead for Doring River trips. This is the season for Breede
and Orange River trips. Costfor a two-day trip: adults R 1 500,
students R1 400 and children R1 200. No children under 12years
old.■ WHERE TO STAYOudrif: Contact Bill or Jeanine Mitchell on 027
482 2397, e-mail [email protected] or visitoudrif.co.za. Book
ahead; children under 14 will be accepted by prior arrangement.
Cost: R850per person inclusive of all meals, drinks and
activities.■ GETTING TO OUDRIFFrom Cape Town, take the N7 west.
Take the Clanwilliam turnoff. Drive 2.5km from town thenturn left
to Klawer. Drive 18km and turn right up Nardouwsberg Pass. At the
foot of the mountain,turn left to Papkuilsfontein. Proceed through
several gates. Oudrif is about 50km past Clanwilliam.
PICTU R E S : For moremultimedia, go towww. t i m e s l i ve . c
o . z a
before running it. Krans has a boiling potand a rock formation
that is shaped like atooth jutting sideways, right before a
dropinto another churning hole and waves.
The water was freezing and mysteering was rusty so I opted for
theeasier line with my old friend, psychiatristNeil Horn — at
least, that was the plan.
Trevor felt confident about steering theteenagers in our group
down the chickenrun and he went first, doing two smoothruns with
three of the four children. Theother chose to walk.
T r evo r ’s adventure-racer wife Alisonand physiotherapist
Cheryl Moolmancame next. Cheryl half tipped out in thefirst hole
and they capsized in the secondbut got flushed through the
churning
fo a m .Then Neil and
I set out, pullinghard left to avoidthe intimidatingholes. We
didn’tmake it.Drenched andbucking in thewaves, I focusedon keeping
theraft straightwhile he paddled
flat out.Though we didn’t end up swimming
and were wearing wetsuits with glovesand booties, we were
shivering at the end.
Rafting the Doring will always be chillysince it is a winter
river, yet it is one ofthe best whitewater trips in the
country.
The rapids are an easy-to-fair size(grades two to three) and
swell with rain;the water is pure enough to drink; and thescenery
in the northern Cederberg isgorgeous.
The river runs through fynbos andbright flowers, past
waterfalls, burntorange cliffs and hundreds of caves withrock
art.
The commercial river-rafting trip byBundi does the 26km route —
which wedid in one day — over two days.Participants sleep in a huge
cave with ashelf above the river.
We were content to be sleeping indoors— especially as the
off-the-grid OudrifStraw Cottages where we stayed areidyllic — when
we set out in intermittentrain.
We launched at Oudrif and soon hit thefirst big rapid, House. We
all made itwithout swimming, though Neil and Iwent down it
backwards.
The water level resulted in anexhilarating trip, with far more
rapidsthan flatwater and plenty ofunthreatening waves. After Krans,
a thirdbig rapid called Island also required tightst e e r i n g
.
All day, we paddled or drifted with theswift current, stopping
only for tea andlunch. The spectacular environmentenhanced every
moment of a perfect day.
As we curved around the last bend, BillMitchell, the dreamer
behind Oudrif, waswaiting to fetch us with warm clothes andcold
beers.
By Sunday morning, the water hadrisen even more and Trevor,
anadventurer who started Abseil Africa, gotus out on the big raft
owned by Bill, aformer river guide and chef.
We did a short hop through House andthe hurtling waves below it
beforereluctantly getting back our land legs andreturning to Cape
Town.
The Doring rafting season usually runsuntil spring although it
ended early thisyear. This is the best time, however, tosee the
Namaqualand daisies. The hiking,swimming and fishing last all year
andthe summers are very hot.
In addition to its dazzling flora, Oudrifis a remote destination
with diverse fauna— buck, otter, aardvaark and leopardhave all been
spotted on the doorstep,literally. The only sounds are
birds,baboons and the river.
Bill and Jeanine are an artistic couplewho have created a 100%
green, stylishretreat. He built the five straw-balecottages with
sloping walls and salvageddoors and she cooks outstanding
organicmeals with home-baked bread and cakes.
The river views from each cottage andthe details — great books
in the corners;recycled retro, comfortable furniture;beaded cords
hanging from solar-poweredlights; gas heaters; fans; and
luxurybedding — make it special.
After three years of travel, Oudrif is oneof my favourite places
in the country.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge captures asense of the Cederberg’s magic
in theselines:
And mid these dancing rocks at once andever
It flung up momently the sacred riverFive miles meandering with
a mazy
motionThrough wood and dale the sacred river
ra nThen reached the caverns measureless to
man …For he on honey-dew hath fedAnd drunk the milk of
Paradise
A RIVER RUNS THROUGH FYNBOSThe Cape’s winter rainsmake for a
thrilling, chillyrafting day on the Doring,writes Claire Keeton
HOUSES OF STRAW: Oudrif cottages in the Cederberg, Western Cape,
above; and Claire and friends battle the Doring River rapids
Picture: OUDRIF
IF YOU GO . . .
Picture: TREVOR BALL
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