Bokkoms, cold beer & 4x4 make Velddrif the place to be

The tar road is calling again. Stompneus Bay and its people, of whom we told last month, crept deep into our hearts. We are a little sad when packing up at Midwest Caravan Park – our vehicle is by no means as neat as it was three days ago, but at least everything fits in and does not rattle too much when we take the R399 to Velddrif.

It’s amazing how quickly you leave the beach mentality and feeling behind, and the sheep and grain farms on either side of the road remind you that you are actually standing with one foot in the Swartland. We do not drive over the bridge into town but turn onto the Hopefield road down to Kuifkopvisvanger, our next campsite.

We get the “emergency stand”, owner Jan Kotze tells us as he is showing us around. He explains that one of his friends called one December and said that the Namaqualand singer, Boeta Gammie, wanted to come camp and that they had to make a plan. The camp was full, and the new stand was hastily added. This is a prime spot – under a large tree, only a short walk to the ablution facilities and high on the embankment overlooking the river. What more could you ask for?

The campsite also features two fully-equipped permanent caravans, eight self-catering cottages and 19 sites altogether. As we pitch our tent, we have to glance over our shoulders at the river from time to time, where flocks of birds bathe, hunt, or dry their feathers in the sun. Down by the water, a couple sits on camp chairs with their binoculars, and, from time to time, you hear the excitement in their voices as they see something new. Jan gave us a list of the more than 180 bird species that occur on the