Sunday Times Magazine F/C 6-7 - 20/08/2014 05:00:42 PM - Plate:

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 info@bundi.co.za 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 oudrif@telkomsa.net 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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