Angola, Angola - a tale of “tręs cavaleiros”

[2 Stroke Dan]

Well start the bloody thing.....

[KwaiPappaGaai]

Donner!!Epic shit! 

[Hagar]

Gooi maar.  Julle het ons aandag...

[Woestersous]

Wat Dan gese het......................!!!!

[Beserker]

Angola, Angola

A tale of “tręs cavaleiros”

Day 4 and 5, Foz du Kunene to Flamingo Lodge.

Due to the wind, everybody retired to the shelter of their tents early, and after a long night, were out and about at sunrise.

After packing, we used the first 20km for a warm-up, the riding relaxing although the sand was quite soft.  

All packed up..


 
Some wide open beach.



If you look closely, you can see Pete’s headlight..




 
At the start of the tight section, me sucking out the last drop from Pete's bladder…now we only had Danie’s 2 x 2 liter coke bottles left.


 
Danie happy to be doing what he came here for:


 
The start:


 

 
Unknown to us, not having access to the modern day expedition “necessities” like sat-phones, two of the guide led 4x4 expeditions that were to share the beach with us, were cancelled due to the extremely high water levels.

We were to learn this only on reaching Flamingo Lodge (fortunately, as we were not tempted to change our plans), but I do remember thinking that “Hell, it sure looks a lot narrower than on photographs I saw..”  

Tracks left by me and Pete..



This stretch was narrower than the width of a vehicle,  I do not think a 4x4 would have fitted here….BONUS…we had the whole stretch to ourselves.

As we progressed, and the tide receded, the beach did get wider, and what ensued was to me a heavy metal cacophony of engines screaming along the beach…this was what they were built for, and we were maxing them out…it was exhilarating!!!

I was bending down with my ear as close to the Akropovic as possible, and just twisting the throttle, the noise and the surge of power made me go Beserk!  Lol !


 

 
Running along the beach in 4th, I did not bother stopping for photographs, at opportune moments I would snap away with my left hand whilst keeping the throttle pinned, a bit like having a helmet cam, like they say ”same, same…but different!”

These are from the saddle.





According to my tracklog I was going 96km/h for most of the stretch, we finished the narrows within 90 mins…we entered at 8:41, exited by 10:13.

It is worth noting that we came across packs of feral dogs on this stretch of beach. They feed, and get the water that they need for survival, from the seal carcasses washing out on the beach (There is a lot of them)

Speaking to locals afterwards, they hunt in packs, and will not hesitate to attack humans….as a matter they did give chase when we passed, bikers beware!

The Consortium Alpha:



The Vanesa Seafood (Bloody hooligans on XT’s - can’t take them anywhere – right over the deck):



Or rather, what is left of it.




From here we turned inland, to Tombua, for petrol and water.

I could taste the beer, and left Danie and Peter for dust.


 
One approaches Tombua from the South Eastern side, bypassing the shanty town and  “city dump” , not a favourable first impression, and unfortunately one that lasted throughout our very brief visit.  

Although the former grandeur as a Portugese holiday town is still visible, the place is a dysfunctional stinkhole with no public services, the smell of dead fish and decaying animals permeating the air. We changed money, and although not threatened, the reception by the local police on demanding our passports was less than friendly. It was as if a general rot had set in, and after stopping for a photograph or two of the harbour, we rid ourselves of the place.



By the way, the ships on the horison are all beached wrecks on a sandbank.

En route to Flamingo Lodge, we passed this interesting town, the coastline characteristic of what we saw till we eventually turned East towards Lubango.



After taking a turnoff to early, we wound up at this lighthouse, within site of Flamingo Lodge, but going by the only route in, another 37 km. I was all for hopping over the side, off-piste style, but Danie convinced me otherwise. (Looking at it from this angle, fortunately)



Eventually we arrived at Flamingo,



Our hosts, Bernard and Hilda…thanks guys, a brilliant stay, great food, good company:



The sheer luxury…a roof over our heads,



not sleeping in the dust,



And a bar with chairs, tables, a fridge and coffee machine (and interesting local characters.)



Pete making sure of dinner..(Thanks Spyker for taking him out)



Flamingo lodge…very, very nice!

Entering from the North,


 
The restaurant..



 The accommodation.









Getting round..



People, do yourselves a favor…we arranged our letter of invite through Flamingo, they facilitated our Visa applications, and as a courtesy we booked for one night at the lodge, camping. For what you get, the rates are more than reasonable, so we opted for a Bungalow, and ended up staying for 2 nights. Had we not a mission to complete, we were all keen for a longer stay, it was s-o-o-o very nice.

After a good night’s rest, we took our off-day seriously, a good breakfast, lots of coffee, and then we did what all dyed in the wool bikers do on a day off….we went riding.

Stripping our bikes off luggage, oh so wonderful to have them light again, we went exploring along the beach …thanks Ray (KTM 530) for the tour…(the pace was brisk, and thoroughly enjoyed by all…some serious HIGH flying, hey Ray    )

Some happy snaps:






 


Spyker explaining the in and outs of fishing on this piece of coast…fisherman’s tales? Not at the rate his clients were pulling out the big ones!



After the beach ride we went back for a leisurely lunch, with a promise from Ray to go show us the Canyons during the afternoon.

On the way in, very flat, what could possibly be out there?


 
Some clue..



Amazing canyons, the formations and size quite awesome.




 


Still life with XT


Ironically, as the pace was fast, and being free of luggage, irresitable to give it stick through the desert, I mentioned to Danie over lunch that we should take care and not crash ourselves or the bikes out of the trip. A few minutes after the above photographs were taken, a bought a farm in this desert that I like so much.

Gunning along in the dust being kicked up by Ray on his KTM, I wacked a small donga, popping my rear tyre. Al that Pete behind me saw was a huge cloud of dust. I did not actually fall, although I summersaulted over the handlebars, I landed on my feet…small consolation that Ray popped his rear tyre over the same stretch.

Major difference between other tyres compared with the Mich Desert, the Desert has such stiff sidewalls , you can ride them flat without actually noticing it.



The nett result of the fun and games: 2 popped tyres, a broken rear brake calipher adapter (which I only noticed back home, and torn knee cartlidge, which was to hound me for the rest of the trip. Danie kindly helped with the tyre as I was a stiff as a board.



That night we indulged in a sumptious meal prepared by Hilde and her staff, packed and prepped to take our leave of this oasis of luxury in the desert….the mission awaits.
 
Next up….

Civilization and the Slog

[2 Stroke Dan]

Very well written Dave, thanks man.

[Beserker]

Very well written Dave, thanks man.

Well ridden..thanks 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Classic stuff !!

... hell I'd love to do a trip like this...

[Rbacknz]

That was amazing. Very well written and ridden.

[Hondsiff Honda]

Nice one Dave looks like an awsome trip 

[Ama ride ride]

Well written. Lekker rides. From all the Angelo reports I (both 4X4 and bikes) your experience of the doodsakker seems the easiest.

Does this pic show how high the tide comes in or is it just sand sliding down?

[MX Junkie]

Hi,.............. my name is Andre............and I am an ADDICT! 

Kewl stuff.........The XR looks happiest in the Desert.

[Diesel & Dust]

Epic stuff

[2 Stroke Dan]

Hi Ama, we entered the doodsakker? just after the turn of high tide, so the water still come up even higher, so much so that even a bike won't get through. This is the one thing about this stretch, dead easy but timing is important, much more so for 4x4's than bikes. Remove the hype around this stretch and it is like riding along any easy beach. We sprayed the bikes with Q20 before entering the Langewand[doodsakker] to offer the machines some degree of saltwater protection. Was'nt really needed on the Yammie, such enduring quality!

[JMOL]

Manjefiek!! 

Very well written Dave, thanks man.

+ 1 000

[letsgofishing]

Great stuff Beserker - stunning riding!

[Frohan Visser]

Hi...ha....!!!!!

Julle het die "doodsakker" na 'n gewone "Macassar breakfast ride" laat lyk!!!

Daai "canyons" is "amazing"!!

Moenie laat ons wag op jou nie!

[Beserker]

Julle het die "doodsakker" na 'n gewone "Macassar breakfast ride" laat lyk!!!

From a technical perspective, the consensus was that it is no more, no less than playing at Macasser or Atlantis...what most of us do over weekends in any case.

The remoteness however comes into play, keep in mind you have to cater for fuel, food, water etc for three to four days, and your bike has to be 100% mechanically sound...it will be a long walk.

Like Danie says, remove the hype, and do not succumb to mind games , the actual ride is very enjoyable.

[Ama ride ride]

Hi Ama, we entered the doodsakker? just after the turn of high tide, so the water still come up even higher, so much so that even a bike won't get through. This is the one thing about this stretch, dead easy but timing is important, much more so for 4x4's than bikes. Remove the hype around this stretch and it is like riding along any easy beach. We sprayed the bikes with Q20 before entering the Langewand[doodsakker] to offer the machines some degree of saltwater protection. Was'nt really needed on the Yammie, such enduring quality!

Dankie 2SD.

Ek wys eindelik na die bank op die regterkant. Mens kan sien sand het afgeskuif. Vandaar my vraag of die water verantwoordelik is daarvoor.

[Beserker]

Ek wys eindelik na die bank op die regterkant. Mens kan sien sand het afgeskuif. Vandaar my vraag of die water verantwoordelik is daarvoor.

Ja...die water slaan vas daarteen met hooggety, en ons was die oggend net na springgety daardeur.

Op baie plekke kan jy die opdrifsel waar die water teen die duin uitgespoel het, sien...selfs 'n meter plus hoer as die voet van die duin.

Wat die water/duin ook veroorsaak is dit verhoog die watertafel (dit is asof die duin 'n soiliede toon het onder die strand, selfs al lyk die plat gedeelte soos soliede strand, is dit eintlik sand wat dryf in water, 'n tipe "slurry", jy voel dit duidelik as jy daardeur ry, die enjin kry so diep brul soos hy trek wannneer hy 'n bietjie insink.

Edit...Ek sien wat jy bedoel, die sand op die foto breek redelik hoog af...nee die water gaan nie so hoog nie...op die foto, omtrent horisontaal met my kop