Lake Kariba
by Oli Bidwell
Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Swart and their Vunduful house boat we now all have a serious case of Kariba fever. I’d like to give you all a little rundown of our day to today activities to help illustrate why Lake Kariba was so sublime. You wake just before dawn, grab a quick cup of tea, with real milk, then you’re are out fishing in time to watch the sunrise over the stunning lake. Next it’s back to the house for a breakfast that always pleases, in fact all the meals on the boat were amazing. It’s not to say that Quest’s food isn't good but it can’t quite compete with fish and chips made from the fish you’ve just caught. During the middle of the day we were given media lessons and a chance to work on a number of different videos that would be screened at the end of the trip. In amidst the filming we were still able to find time to relax in the hammock, read, sleep and even chill in the plunge pool. Some fan favourites were the near limitless supply of diluting juice, a luxury all have missed dearly, and the bar, able to supply us with drinks for our sundown fishing moments.
Mr. Ward was with us on the boat and his wealth of knowledge about Kariba, fishing and the Dam meant that we all came away from that week having learnt something new. Peoples luck with fishing varied but just about everyone was able to catch at least one fish, with some catching their first fish ever. Even those who were not keen fisherman could enjoy the social aspect of being out on the water for sunrise and sunset. The day would end with settling down for sleep on the deck of the boat with a view of a stunning night’s sky accompanied by the low rumbles of hippos grunting around us. The week was a well-deserved rest for all of us and I’m sure we would all jump at the opportunity to spend more time on Lake Kariba.
