A Zambian summer

South Luangwa in green.

The summer colour becomes her, the South Luangwa river, I mean.
The river is a bold, beautiful blue reflection in the morning and evening light. The heat of the day bares the rich brown content she carries from her source in Malawi.
It is a constant mass moving between the now inches of bank just containing the body of water, that were canyons in the dry season.
These banks seemingly coping with the volume are not the full story though, the river has found its path along familiar previous routes she took. Once being part of the main stream, now oxbows and channels relieve the pressure of the torrents flowing to the ocean, preventing bursting banks.
Visiting at this time of the year is very rewarding. The land between the water is rich with life of all forms. Access is gained mostly by boating through the incredible scenes created by the waterways of old that are revisited by the river. One significant channel runs along the Norman car memorial drive road and is actually called the “dead” Luangwa – in summer …it is all but dead. Besides the never ending forest of leadwood trees and lush grasslands in-between, we experienced and lazy leopard, a dog hunt, a leopard attempt to hunt a puku and many elephant in-between all of the above.
The waterways through the park provide for challenging survival for both predator and prey. We were very privileged to observe a large pack of dogs over some days, learning, in the time we were there, they lost the alpha female to a crocodile. Although we did not witness the attack, I think thankfully, it was a surreal experience to witness the packs behaviour after the loss – this was a time I could have cancelled my flight home and stayed to observe the dogs indefinitely.
Crocodiles and hippo move deeper into the park away from the river, no pool of water is a safe place to use. The general game is dispersed as well since water is widely available but instinctively very cautious of any water body.

We enjoyed beautiful walks in the lush bush, being able to observe animals more safely and sometimes closer than would be possible in open bush veld with no cover.
Water birdlife is very active this season naturally. We were able to access the yellow billed stork colony by boat, the boat offering a perspective and access to game viewing that is tolerated much easier by birds especially.
Safari out on the river in a speedboat is a unique wildlife experience in that you feel a lot closer to nature than being in a vehicle. The sounds on the water are amplified, like floating through the age old ebony forest was just an all together different level of magic on water. This channel literally only navigable for a few specific weeks a year where water levels rise high enough through the channel itself.
Photography and videography from a boat has its challenges and opportunities and provides an exciting new application of creativity.
It can be that we want to keep finding more or new challenges and places to explore, and I certainly fall into that temptation. Having just explored South Luangwa in the green season, has filled in the blanks left in my imagery by the dry season, and made the destination more whole. It feels more whole to me, like I can say she, the Luangwa river, is a closer friend than before… but what of her northern sister???
I laugh at myself, already imagining the next encounter and a possible new friend, but there is so much to learn! While I am writing, expecting someone will gain some of my experience from reading about it on a page, I acknowledge that I am a practical learner, I must see and feel to understand. I simply must go and see. The privilege of seeing and feeling is so overwhelming that it drives me to share.

I hope the images I capture can speak highly enough of that which I witnessed. Simply magnificent forces of nature, so very intricately balanced, that we can miss half the secrets they hold. Walking in the bush with an elder who calls this place home soon enlightens one to the gaps in understanding of one from another land.

My Oryx guide, Daniel Bailey, I think is never sure what strange idea I may have next but this one was a winner -even worth the tsetse flies and spiders. Thank you Dan for hitting the heat in the green season with me and to the Oryx team who just always make it happen with perfect symmetry.