Our Kenyan Adventure, Pt 3. Death & Chaos on the Mara River
Discussion
(This is a photographic amalgamation of a number of wildebeest crossings!)
(If you find dead animals offensive, don’t look!)
(Hope it's not too arty fartily waffly!)
They came in their thousands, in their tens of thousands, in their hundreds of thousands, marching north from the Serengeti, following the rains and fresh pastures into Kenya. They had a weary and resigned look on their faces, like Napoleon’s army on the retreat from Moscow.
But half way, the mighty Mara River blocks their path, and they must cross it to get to that sweet green grass on the other side. They accumulate in vast numbers, wildebeest and zebra, at favourable points along the river bank, no one individual able to make a decision to cross.
They surge backwards and forwards, wary, as they know what lies ahead.
For in the muddy waters of the Mara lurk crocodiles, huge crocodiles. They hide beneath the surface and laze on the banks, biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike. (I’d like to point out at this time that the crocs were all full when we were there, so next time I’ll go in early July!)
But they can also see on the river bank what happens when they cross en masse. They stampede and trample each other, they break their legs jumping off the river bank, they drown. They are fearful, and rightly so. The stench of death pervades the air; rotting carcasses litter the river bank on the other side.
A vulture spooks them and they remain hesitant.
But finally a few brave wildebeest venture to the river bank. They stand, staring at the other side, knowing what lies ahead.
At last! One makes a decision and leaps into the water, and more follow.
They swim like mad, surging through the water in a desperate attempt to get to the other side.
They scramble, exhausted and afraid, up the rocks on the far bank.
As suddenly as they crossed, they stop, confused, worried...
Then the zebra move tentatively to the bank, sniffing the water and looking longingly at the other side.
A few cross, and scramble relieved up the other bank.
The others remain on the near bank, unsure of what they should do, milling and jostling each other for space.
Again they surge forward, in great numbers, and pour down the bank and up the other side.
But so many don’t make it.
Marabou storks and vultures swoop in to pick the carcasses, arguing as if there was not enough to go round.
Bodies float down the river, their bellies bloated, or lie rotting on the banks, snagged on rocks or trees that have been ripped out of the bank by previous floods.
Those that do cross congregate in vast herds and move off north into the Masai Mara, where the plentiful rains have made the grazing sweet.
Those that don’t make it today trudge back to the dry grass lands to the south.
And wait for another day...
(If you find dead animals offensive, don’t look!)
(Hope it's not too arty fartily waffly!)
They came in their thousands, in their tens of thousands, in their hundreds of thousands, marching north from the Serengeti, following the rains and fresh pastures into Kenya. They had a weary and resigned look on their faces, like Napoleon’s army on the retreat from Moscow.
But half way, the mighty Mara River blocks their path, and they must cross it to get to that sweet green grass on the other side. They accumulate in vast numbers, wildebeest and zebra, at favourable points along the river bank, no one individual able to make a decision to cross.
They surge backwards and forwards, wary, as they know what lies ahead.
For in the muddy waters of the Mara lurk crocodiles, huge crocodiles. They hide beneath the surface and laze on the banks, biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike. (I’d like to point out at this time that the crocs were all full when we were there, so next time I’ll go in early July!)
But they can also see on the river bank what happens when they cross en masse. They stampede and trample each other, they break their legs jumping off the river bank, they drown. They are fearful, and rightly so. The stench of death pervades the air; rotting carcasses litter the river bank on the other side.
A vulture spooks them and they remain hesitant.
But finally a few brave wildebeest venture to the river bank. They stand, staring at the other side, knowing what lies ahead.
At last! One makes a decision and leaps into the water, and more follow.
They swim like mad, surging through the water in a desperate attempt to get to the other side.
They scramble, exhausted and afraid, up the rocks on the far bank.
As suddenly as they crossed, they stop, confused, worried...
Then the zebra move tentatively to the bank, sniffing the water and looking longingly at the other side.
A few cross, and scramble relieved up the other bank.
The others remain on the near bank, unsure of what they should do, milling and jostling each other for space.
Again they surge forward, in great numbers, and pour down the bank and up the other side.
But so many don’t make it.
Marabou storks and vultures swoop in to pick the carcasses, arguing as if there was not enough to go round.
Bodies float down the river, their bellies bloated, or lie rotting on the banks, snagged on rocks or trees that have been ripped out of the bank by previous floods.
Those that do cross congregate in vast herds and move off north into the Masai Mara, where the plentiful rains have made the grazing sweet.
Those that don’t make it today trudge back to the dry grass lands to the south.
And wait for another day...
Sarah87 said:
Wow this is a fascinating group of photos! Kenya looks truly amazing. It's very sad about the dead animal though. But the photos are very interesting overall.
Welcome to Pistonheads.Is it a coincidence that your first post is in the photography forum and you appear to own a business that makes money out of peoples photography ?
Or is my cynicism getting worst ?
Anyway,apart from that, top work FP !
Edited by Toyless on Friday 1st October 21:00
Awesome photos FP, really impressive* - looks like you had a stunning time and saw some great stuff...we thought our Tanzanian outing 12 months ago was a resounding success but you've trumped us in some ways (even excluding the river crossings)!
Those 3 male cheetah...pretty sure there's been a couple of nature documentaries about them as they're the only co-operative hunting cheetah that have been observed. Attenborough did a bit on them in his last one with them hunting and bringing down an ostrich.
(If I can hijack, here are my favourites - fewer than FP's, you'll all be glad to hear!)
http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m54/martin-w/Ho...
http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m54/martin-w/Ho...
http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m54/martin-w/Ho...
PS - the toast!!!
Original, granted...and obviously effective. But you do realise that legions of PH'ers will now eschew the usual expensive meals and weekends in Paris/NY! 
* What kit...please tell me it was first-rate kit as I'll be thoroughly upset if it's similar to my stuff!
Those 3 male cheetah...pretty sure there's been a couple of nature documentaries about them as they're the only co-operative hunting cheetah that have been observed. Attenborough did a bit on them in his last one with them hunting and bringing down an ostrich.
(If I can hijack, here are my favourites - fewer than FP's, you'll all be glad to hear!)
http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m54/martin-w/Ho...
http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m54/martin-w/Ho...
http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m54/martin-w/Ho...
PS - the toast!!!
Original, granted...and obviously effective. But you do realise that legions of PH'ers will now eschew the usual expensive meals and weekends in Paris/NY! * What kit...please tell me it was first-rate kit as I'll be thoroughly upset if it's similar to my stuff!
Edited by havoc on Friday 1st October 22:33
Toyless said:
Sarah87 said:
Wow this is a fascinating group of photos! Kenya looks truly amazing. It's very sad about the dead animal though. But the photos are very interesting overall.
Welcome to Pistonheads.Is it a coincidence that your first post is in the photography forum and you appear to own a business that makes money out of peoples photography ?
Or is my cynicism getting worst ?
Welcome Sarah.
On topic - stunning pictures. How much time did you spend there?
Edited by rottie102 on Friday 1st October 22:13
Toyless said:
Is it a coincidence that your first post is in the photography forum and you appear to own a business that makes money out of peoples photography ?
I think anyone who is into/interested in/does/likes/sells photography tends to gravitate towards the Photography thread. Kind of natural.....Thanks for posting the photos they are fantastic - some look truely profesional. I was thinking about the exact same safari for my honeymoon. I just wondered if you could do the kenya safari again would you visit the same parks or lodges? or would you change the itinerery in any way. Also do you have any advice on how to go about booking a safari in kenya - i note you work in the travel industry.
Congratulations on your engagement
Congratulations on your engagement
Thank you for all your kind words guys and gals!
I had two Nikon D300 bodies with a Nikon 80-200 f2.8 and a Nikon 200-400 f4 with a 1.4 convertor on. Most were taken with the latter lens. The happy snaps were taken with a little Sony point and squirt. These pictures are just low res versions of them so I didn't clog up Simpo's broadband connection!
I would like to have done a few nights at one of the lakes with the flamingos, but time (and money!) prevented us from doing so. Next time!
Having never been on safari before I cannot comment on whether the camps we stayed in were better or worse than others. I made the decision to go the whole hog on this trip and went for top notch stuff. Hence the smaller camps with a more personal service. And in both instances we were in a much less crowded environment than most. Also a lot of the camps (especially in the Mara) take you back for breakfast, whereas we stayed out all morning and if you wanted to, could do a whole day out. We left at 6:30 one morning and got back at 7@:00pm that evening. It's tiring, but rewarding!
If you want some advice and who to talk to, then I'd be more than happy to chat with you, but maybe best to do it privately so we don't bore everyone else!
havoc said:
Awesome photos FP, really impressive* - looks like you had a stunning time and saw some great stuff...we thought our Tanzanian outing 12 months ago was a resounding success but you've trumped us in some ways (even excluding the river crossings)!
Those 3 male cheetah...pretty sure there's been a couple of nature documentaries about them as they're the only co-operative hunting cheetah that have been observed. Attenborough did a bit on them in his last one with them hunting and bringing down an ostrich.
* What kit...please tell me it was first-rate kit as I'll be thoroughly upset if it's similar to my stuff!
Yes Martin, I think the 3 cheetahs have been on Big Cat Diary. Their mum is the mother of the 6 babies. Can't see all 6 surviving but she's clearly quite a good mum!Those 3 male cheetah...pretty sure there's been a couple of nature documentaries about them as they're the only co-operative hunting cheetah that have been observed. Attenborough did a bit on them in his last one with them hunting and bringing down an ostrich.
* What kit...please tell me it was first-rate kit as I'll be thoroughly upset if it's similar to my stuff!
I had two Nikon D300 bodies with a Nikon 80-200 f2.8 and a Nikon 200-400 f4 with a 1.4 convertor on. Most were taken with the latter lens. The happy snaps were taken with a little Sony point and squirt. These pictures are just low res versions of them so I didn't clog up Simpo's broadband connection!
rottie102 said:
On topic - stunning pictures. How much time did you spend there?
We spent 5 nights at Laikipia and 5 nights in the Mara.gsw said:
Thanks for posting the photos they are fantastic - some look truely profesional. I was thinking about the exact same safari for my honeymoon. I just wondered if you could do the kenya safari again would you visit the same parks or lodges? or would you change the itinerery in any way. Also do you have any advice on how to go about booking a safari in kenya - i note you work in the travel industry.
Congratulations on your engagement
Looking back I wouldn't change it. Most people seem to flit in and out of a camp for 3 or 4 nights, some just 2. We had 5 nights at eahc place so it afforded us the opportunity to relax if we wanted to, simply because we had enough time at each place, and there was no feeling we had to cram it all in in as short a time as possible. ON the first full day we had at Laikipia we took the afternoon off, slept, relaxed, watched the world go by from our tent, all that sort of stuff!Congratulations on your engagement
I would like to have done a few nights at one of the lakes with the flamingos, but time (and money!) prevented us from doing so. Next time!
Having never been on safari before I cannot comment on whether the camps we stayed in were better or worse than others. I made the decision to go the whole hog on this trip and went for top notch stuff. Hence the smaller camps with a more personal service. And in both instances we were in a much less crowded environment than most. Also a lot of the camps (especially in the Mara) take you back for breakfast, whereas we stayed out all morning and if you wanted to, could do a whole day out. We left at 6:30 one morning and got back at 7@:00pm that evening. It's tiring, but rewarding!
If you want some advice and who to talk to, then I'd be more than happy to chat with you, but maybe best to do it privately so we don't bore everyone else!
Edited by Fezant Pluckah on Monday 4th October 10:47
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