DRAZIL
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2008
- Messages
- 4,219
- Reaction score
- 7
- Location
- Port Elizabeth
- Bike
- BMW R1200GS Adventure
I was fortunate a few years ago to find a 2006 reprint of an autobiography book by Sydney Hey first printed in 1957, he was an avid fisherman and introduced and fished many parts of south Africa before and after the Anglo-Boer War 1899.
The cult classic book is called "The Rapture of the River"
I have been following the mans footsteps which has been loads of fun.
I have now found the best place S.Hey had fished in my opinion,CATA.
Cata, is a small rural village hidden in the Amatola mountains and was stocked with trout from Loch Leven Scotland, prior 1920 and their descendants are what I am after.
The Cata community received 11 million rand from a land restitution claim and half was used for development, chalets, farming, trout hatchery, open museum, hiking trails through the indigenous forests. The commercial forest of pine trees belongs to Cata residents and they are planning to purchase the saw mill, hopefully they will not destroy the indigenous forests and encourage the growth of the indigenous trees as this will bring in the tourists, hikers and anglers on a regular basis and generate far more than the timber forests which they have to wait a few years to collect on.
There is no crime and everyone is friendly and helpful. One does not even see a beggar and the children don't beg. Pity the rest of the Eastern Cape can't learn from Cata, as this is the best village I have come across, everyone is so friendly and helpful and the best part made me feel extremely welcome.
I was told that I was the first person to ride the area on a motorcycle and this would explain why the bike was more popular and myself as just another person.
All bikes are welcome to ride the roads between the indigenous and commercial forests which is a treasure of multiple dirt roads.
S32 33.755 E27 07.830 forest and tracks view in Google earth.
I cannot put in words the full and fantastic experience that I had with the community and the exploring of the area. I HIGHLY recommend to everyone to go and spend not less than 2 days there. I was there for 3 days and have not covered everything.
Here is some info.
Chalets - single bed R130, Double bed R260
4 rooms to a chalet,2 bedrooms with double beds and 2 rooms with 2 single beds.
small sink, fridge and kettle.
Bath and outdoor shower, hot and cold water
Flushing toilet
The perfect drinking/showering water comes from spring water flowing out of the ground on top of the mountain which joins up to each other to become a waterfall. The waterfall is over 3km away on top off a mountain.(see photos) and this is the beginning of the Keiskamma River
Everything is clean and will be cleaned the next morning by a friendly women and her male friend brings wood and does maintenance, cut lawns, etc.
The cleaning lady and guide do not ask for money and donations is how they earn some money. Please donate as they are worth it.
Fly fishing R150 per day
S32 35.071 E27 06.784 chalets
S32 34.093 E27 07.180 waterfall forest
S32 33.755 E27 07.830 forest and tracks Google earth
Boniswa Tontsi, 072 568 7926 or 083 734 0739 head and brains of Cata tourism.
Luyolo Tete, 074 274 5974 guide ( good man Friday),fantastic clever young man and new friend. I call him, my good man Friday from the book "Robinson Crusoe".
He was riding pillion and guiding me through some of the forests.
Here are the photos. Combination of cell phone, Contour head cam and camera, enjoy.
Please support as it is truly a rewarding magical place.
Pack and go there now.
The cult classic book is called "The Rapture of the River"
I have been following the mans footsteps which has been loads of fun.
I have now found the best place S.Hey had fished in my opinion,CATA.
Cata, is a small rural village hidden in the Amatola mountains and was stocked with trout from Loch Leven Scotland, prior 1920 and their descendants are what I am after.
The Cata community received 11 million rand from a land restitution claim and half was used for development, chalets, farming, trout hatchery, open museum, hiking trails through the indigenous forests. The commercial forest of pine trees belongs to Cata residents and they are planning to purchase the saw mill, hopefully they will not destroy the indigenous forests and encourage the growth of the indigenous trees as this will bring in the tourists, hikers and anglers on a regular basis and generate far more than the timber forests which they have to wait a few years to collect on.
There is no crime and everyone is friendly and helpful. One does not even see a beggar and the children don't beg. Pity the rest of the Eastern Cape can't learn from Cata, as this is the best village I have come across, everyone is so friendly and helpful and the best part made me feel extremely welcome.
I was told that I was the first person to ride the area on a motorcycle and this would explain why the bike was more popular and myself as just another person.
All bikes are welcome to ride the roads between the indigenous and commercial forests which is a treasure of multiple dirt roads.
S32 33.755 E27 07.830 forest and tracks view in Google earth.
I cannot put in words the full and fantastic experience that I had with the community and the exploring of the area. I HIGHLY recommend to everyone to go and spend not less than 2 days there. I was there for 3 days and have not covered everything.
Here is some info.
Chalets - single bed R130, Double bed R260
4 rooms to a chalet,2 bedrooms with double beds and 2 rooms with 2 single beds.
small sink, fridge and kettle.
Bath and outdoor shower, hot and cold water
Flushing toilet
The perfect drinking/showering water comes from spring water flowing out of the ground on top of the mountain which joins up to each other to become a waterfall. The waterfall is over 3km away on top off a mountain.(see photos) and this is the beginning of the Keiskamma River
Everything is clean and will be cleaned the next morning by a friendly women and her male friend brings wood and does maintenance, cut lawns, etc.
The cleaning lady and guide do not ask for money and donations is how they earn some money. Please donate as they are worth it.
Fly fishing R150 per day
S32 35.071 E27 06.784 chalets
S32 34.093 E27 07.180 waterfall forest
S32 33.755 E27 07.830 forest and tracks Google earth
Boniswa Tontsi, 072 568 7926 or 083 734 0739 head and brains of Cata tourism.
Luyolo Tete, 074 274 5974 guide ( good man Friday),fantastic clever young man and new friend. I call him, my good man Friday from the book "Robinson Crusoe".
He was riding pillion and guiding me through some of the forests.
Here are the photos. Combination of cell phone, Contour head cam and camera, enjoy.
Please support as it is truly a rewarding magical place.
Pack and go there now.
