Tankwa Karoo Camino 256 km 2 Provinces 10 days desert trek: cause; Red Cross Children's Hospital Day 4: 9 May 2016

Day 4 Tankwa Camino

What a crazy night, in fact what a crazy two nights we had experienced in the Tankwa Karoo. This is the desert right? The night before we had hectic high winds, an electrial storm with a few large raindrops drops that disappeared as soon as they had begun and of course a huge and violent sandstorm. Last night we had a massive thunderstorm that included heavy rainfalls creating rivers running through our camp, flooding our tents, washing equipment away and hail, yes hail!. Apparently the heaviest rainfull in some 10 odd years and we were told that even if you kept comming back here it would take another 100 years to experience what we had in the past 2 days, Incredible. As much as it made conditions difficult it was damn exciting and not what anyone of us had anticipated and this had the hallmark of one great desert adventure, certainly in my books! At 07h00 it was still dark and at 08h45 most of us were making our way onto the road, while others where still trying to salvage their tents and gear. I had rolled my muddy and wet tent up but left it partially out of its bag and the support crews where going to open up all our tents to allow them to dry. The skies looked ominous and I wandered if the support crew would have some sun to complete this ardious task, so I had consoled myself that my tent would be wet and will deal with it when I get to the other side.

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino

The huge heavy trucks all got stuck in deep mud so they took several hours to dig themselves out and off-load and reload all the camp site equipment and luggage. While this drama was unfolding us walkers had our own set of problems.

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino

The following pics show the building of the campsite as the rain started to race towards camp 3 just before the heavens opened at last nights camp!

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino - the wind had picked up

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino - Danie and Roy putting up the shower

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino The fantstic cooks and camp staff getting dinner ready

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino - the mess tent that we huddled under during the hail storm to no avail and the poles started to lift, leaving us hanging on for dear life or we would have all become Tankwa's version of Mary Poppins!

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino

Some of the walkers cloths were soaked through and we found ourselves walking in the now much colder temperatures and in continous rain. Luckliy for me I had idividually packed each of my items in seperate plastic bags, a bit radical but it had paid off, I had learnt from previous adventures the importance of waterproofing everything regardless!. All my clothing was dry and I had all my rain gear with me. I put on my La Sportiva hiking boots which proved to be extrememly waterproof and luckily I never got a drop of water inside my boots and my socks remained dry all the time.

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino - give you and idea of the gusting winds we had to endure for most of the day

Photo Credit: Tankwa Camino

The first 10km I pushed through, due to the rain, the roads had become heavily flooded with "new rivers" being formed which criss-crossed the pathways and roads. We found oursleves wading through knee deep muddy water in some crossings. None of us could perform our usual ritual of stopping every 5km, taking our boots/shoes and socks off and then putting our feet up against the fences to recover. Some even having hot tea during their stops.

This perfect lone mushroom had popped up after the heavy rain we had last night

The clouds looking like they may not clear away.

The ground was still surprisingly wet and muddy I thought with the arid and desert terrain that the water would have been swallowed up.

Blue skies and a warmer last half of the day creating a promise of better weather.

My feet were really painful now and the plantar fasciitis was really bugging me, causing my feet to swell. My inner socks had actually become too tight and I had to stop in the rain and take take them off just leaving my thick loose hiking socks on. They had started to feel like a vice grip around my feet and each step had become unbearable. I was really in trouble here as I could not put my Trek sandals on in this rain and flooded road. I had brought some pain killers with me and they took the edge off but not for long. It was going to be a really long day. Was not sure how I was going to make the last 19 Km. One of the men caught up with me and gave a great tip. On the right side of the road every 1 km you will find a white concrete tablet perched mostly on a small concrete barrel on just against the fence. He encouranged me to use this as a countdown marker which I used till the end in Ceres right to the last 1 km!. When you are in such pain to walk towards every 5km becomes a little harder but to walk kilometre to kilometre as your target became far more managable and you also became distracted to how far you still had to do.

washing hands in the Tankwa Rain!

The clouds remained thick and cotton like for most of the day.

The mountains looked eery as the mist rolled over them and onto the lower desert floor. The fynbos and desert flowers covered in rain droplets intensifying their colours. It was incredible to see that this desert which only days defore was dry, arid and dying had suddenly been given a new life, new beginining and incredibly we were all part of it. Just as we had not expected to face or see anything like this, the local had also not anticipated the dramatic weather we had to endure. It was as incredible as it was difficult. Many of the walkers were really struggling today. Those that did not have waterproof boots got their socks and feet really wet. They were in real pain as their blistered feet would slide inside the wet shoes.

Today was a 29km trek and it promised to be challenging, for everyone. I love walking in mist and light rain. Many of the walkers who had tackled Fish River Canyon joked that they had done more river crosssings in the Tankwa Desert today than they had ever done during the Fish River hike. How incredible is that. A real Miracle actually!

Love the clouds and water in this photo - the water and sky match

Love this photo and how the water and the landscape blends in and just hint of the sky reflection.

footprints in the Karoo - love the refection of Elmarie at the top in red

What was so intense for me was the silence, just the sound of your feet plodding through the water and mud. If you closed your eyes and listened to the running water as it snaked its way across the main road, along its sides and inwards to the desert plains, it would be crazy to think this was all happening in a desert. The birds had come alive and continued to chirp the whole day. The little "road rats" kept on popping their heads out of their little burrows near the side of the road as we passed. For some of them this would be their first rains they would have experienced in their entire little lives.

One of my favourite shots of the day the refections here just worked and were spectacular.

The rocks and pepples take on a new life with water submerging them - their colours deepen and are more dramatic.

The rain fell strangly with big large drops, rather than the smaller ones we have in the city. When it hit the puddles and newly created streams it would do so with a loud "plod" and splash up. It was facinating to watch. Very few puddles were filled with clear water as most had a tan red mud colour. The green stringy succulant shrubs seem to shine a deeper green, showing off in the rain.

The thunder rolled as lightening crashed over our heads and the rain fell even harder, soaking many of the already wet walkers. I made it to just over the 10km mark and my plantar faciiatis was excruciating. I had waltched as several walkers had jumped into the trucks, some going back to camp to to rest and take up the walk tormorrow, while others had decided it was time to go home. The walk had taken its toll on many of us, our feet were hammered and some of the poor guys had blisters that would make Ironman cry. Many feet were looking infected and would need antibiotics and some extra care. Two walkers left to go and seek medical attention in Ceres due to serious infections. One returned to follow the group but did not walk again and the other went home.

Always the most welcome sight every day - camp is close and the rich smells of Karoo food on the brew filled the air.

I watched as one of the husband and wife teams jumped into the truck, the wife was in huge pain and yesterday really struggled, my heart went out to her. I was really sad to see them go as they were such a fun couple. They had done several walks, Kilimanjaro, Spanish Camino and the Fish River to name a few, so they were by no means rookies and knew how to prepare for this. What I discovered was that whatever experience you came here with, you were going to be challenged, 98 % of us got blisters and suffer excruciating pain in our feet. I told them that it took courage to get into that truck, I so badly wanted to climb in myself but I certainly did not possess that kind of courage, my stubborness would carry me for 4 more days before breaking point.

My camp for the night - note the yellow ducktape on my blow up mattress drying on the top of my tent- on the first night a thorn got stuck on my mattress and punched a hole and I had not even pumped it up yet or used it. Duck tape is always a must on trips expecially this one. I never had another problem with my mattress after that.

Note all the clothing drying on the fence - this became the norm with all the rain we had had. Dew built up on the outside of the tent and fly sheet making the tents wet.

I waved them goodbye feeling the hot tears running down my face as I continued my lonely struggle, encouraged by the fact I was not alone in my pain. I will confess however at one stage I was ready to lie down in the road and beg the circling Jackals to come and eat me. I would not have put up a fight in fact I was an easy and obliging pray but they did not come for me instead somewhere after the 15k mark with 12km odd still to go, God sent me two angels in the form of mom and daughter team Elmarie and Madelein van Zyl. They saved me to walk another day!. They walked with me the rest of the way that day, encouranging me, helping me to take breaks and distracting me form the pain. We chatted, laughed and walked. Some people had opted to walk without a backpack, sharing one bag amongst the group, while others had just a camel pack on. The daugher had insisted that she take my backpack, I had said no. Towards the end I had a loo break and when I got back the daughter had taken my backpack and told me I could not have it back. I did not argue and she was not taking no for an answer. With the load off and lots of painkillers I managed to hobble the last 5km into camp just before 16h30. Later Elmarie hurt her knee I was able to repay her kindness for this day by loaning her my knee guard which I did not need.

I had lent my spare green poncho to Kelvin Baron and he and the Owens became my camp neighbours and helped me to set up my tent. They were a God-send! They had done many walks similar to this one and were really up for the Tankwa. Their campsite each night was truly impressive. They were machines and finished earlier than most and did not get hectic blisters or sore feet. I need those Cape genes from this lot!!! Clive and Shireen Owen came rushing to me to give me a sheet of Mypradol their firends Karen and Bobby Bell had left for me. This became a life saver for me as this was the only medication that turned things around, treating the plantar faciiatis and looming stress facture for me and I was able to carry on till day 8 and then complete day 9 and 10.

Stunning and breathtaking Karoo sunsets

The last rays of sun were still shining and warm so I raced to my bags to hang out my wet cloths from the previous night when I had pitched my tent in the rain. At least they were now clean I just did not want them to start smelling!! Madelein and Elmarie set up camp near my tent.It was time to wash up, dress into something warm and have a hot well earned dinner. We all sat around the campfire and chatted about our day as we ate. We then got our updated weather forcasts which promised no more rain, but cold weather instead. Our message tonight was one of choices. I had grown to look forward to the bible readings and messages at the end of each day followed by our Tankwa stories.

The cloud here looks a bit like a pre-historic dolphin!

Just before I went to bed I put in new inner soles into my hiking boots and hoped that this would help relieve my sore in-steps and foot bones. We had opted to be close to the big truck to sheild us from any wind, duststorms or crazy weather. The camp crew slept inside the truck at night and I fell asleep listening to the old man telling the younger guys stories of times gone by. It was really special and very sweet. It remindind of the times I would spend with my grandmother listening to her stories around the campfire. In that moment I really missed her and wished she could come on my adventures. She was so much like me, loved mountains, walking in the forest with her beloved dogs. Had a strong sense of adventure and during the 2nd World War was stationed with the Red Cross at Port st John's. When the American Exello an unescorted Steam merchant ship carrying soldiers was torpedoed by German U-Boats on the 13th November 1942 at 08h01 with 51 souls on board. 2 died and 49 survived. My gran was among the people who brought the wounded out of the water onto the beaches. She then nursed many of them and we have her little "autograph" book where many of the soldiers wrote messages and drew pencil/pen pictures. Many even left their contact details in America for her. My grandmother was a beautiful woman and it was easy to see how the soldiers would have been basotted by her!.