Hippo Grotto & The Sandbar

After a great New Year at Wildtracks (see pics at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/hydrocynus) we decided that we needed a bit of time to 'relax and unwind' and a trip downriver in Lucky Strike was just the thing. So after sending 'the boys' home we packed up a coolbox and fishing rods and headed way down to Hippo Grotto via 3 Stump Alley - both sites of previous good fortune with the tigers.

There wasn't too much on offer 'til we hit the bottom end of 3 Stump, where Pete hooked into something big. Whatever it was, it definitely was NOT keen to get into the boat and a good, hot 20 minute fight later, including some manoeuvres around the pack of ornery hippos on the sandbar the fish was finally in the boat - not the biggest ever - it finally weighed in at 10lb, but hooked on the tip of the snout, making it very difficult to turn and giving the fish a bit of an edge in the fight. A good fish, a good fight and a successful release.

Next stop Hippo Grotto, where we were treated to an awesome sighting of a herd of 20 elephants making their way across the river. Very cool indeed! By this stage the day was getting on so we decided to head back via the sandbar near the camp for sundowners, now that most of the Mungwe Point hooligans seemed to have run out of petrol and gone home.


What a way to end the day, watching the sun go down standing on a sandbar in the middle of the Zambezi - it's that kind of thing that makes you glad to live in Africa... and there are definitely going to be some more sandbar parties

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/hydrocynus/Wildtracks2007HippoGrottoAndTheSandBar