Far from the madding crowd
Driving up by car once you turn left onto the Kariba road you are now back, more or less, in the old Africa.
Be carefull, because at any moment you are more than likely going to come across a herd of elephant. Remember that they are wild animals and although they are now more or less used to traffic, don't do anything stupid, take your time and marvel at these magnificent beasts, never forgetting to keep the car in reverse,in case one of the old bulls decide to get "ornery".
Please read on.
Contents at a Glance
My Recollections
A monument to ingenuity

At the time it was built it was the biggest man made lake in the world and was a real test of man to build it in such an isolated and forbidding terrain and the taming of the ferocious Zambezi river.
Notwithstanding the fact that within the context of the times it was largely uninhabitable, due to the Tsetse fly carried by Buffalo mainly and causing Trypanosomiasis ( Sleeping Sickness )which was deadly to man, but the Government of the time had more or less got on top of this with spraying programs.
Initially it was to provide hydro electric power for what was then known as Southern and Northern Rhodesia,now known as Zimbabwe and Zambia.Furthermore it was an extremely difficult decision to make at the time regarding humane causes.The Batonka people(unusual in that they are the only tribe in the world that I know of who only have two toes and webbed feet) would have to be re-located as the rising waters would engulf them.
Logically they resented this and could not understand that it was in the countries best interests. It's so sad and the rights and wrongs of this can be debated endlessly.
Furthermore an operation had to be put into practice by the game rangers to save the animals being caught up in the rising waters. A massive undertaking code-named "Operation Noah".
Here it is.
Operation Noah
They knew that the rising waters would trap and kill much wildlife and this is the film footage of their valiant attempts to do this. It is no mean feat in the wild especially with game as large as Elephants.
A tribute to caring people and a great country.
The Tourist Attraction
Growing slowly
As the years went by Kariba gradually started to become more and more of a holiday resort, primarily driven by people who were interested in game and fishing.Then of course there were the big game hunters lured by the thrill of the game.
Consequently, entrepreneurs started to build hotels and game lodges and these grew in number as Kariba became increasingly more popular. Sadly this beautiful little central african country has had a checkered political history.
During the liberation war years and the imposition of International sanctions, it became increasingly more difficult to travel Internationally. As a result Lake Kariba became ever more visited especially on short breaks for public holidays.
During these times people generally stayed in hotels or camping sites and it was a great way to make friends and meet people. Eventually a casino was built at one of the hotels. However most people went there for the opportunity to do some fishing, bask in the joy of having wild animals on your doorstep.
In latter years the concept changed and it became increasingly more popular to go on a houseboat, either hired or your own.
A typical houseboat
For hire

This would be if you wanted to go with a whole gang of your friends. Best suited to reunions and birthday parties and is real good fun for the younger crowd.
Houseboats.
Idyllic living
For me and my family this became an idyllic way to get away from the stress and trauma of everyday living and recharge low batteries.Normally we went with a couple of close friends or family and it took a bit of planning between everyone.
What happened was that you took your own food, drinks, fishing rods etc. and you tried to work out who would take what. Then of course getting your timing right as everyone lived in different parts of the country. For us it was about a four hour drive, notwithstanding that we could get held up by elephants or buffalo or maybe just a lovely bird that someone had spotted and we had to stop for a better look. So timing your arrival for 8am. meant a 4am. start.
Once there of course there was immediate talk of who saw what and some incredibly tall stories you had to put up with to. Then loading everything onto the houseboat although they are staffed and away you go.
Once out of the harbour and heading to wherever you wanted your first stop to be, remembering that Kariba is like a small sea. It's more or less 220kilometers long and 40kilometers wide.
Cup of tea in hand and the soft wind cooling you down as it gets very hot there, you await your breakfast.
On the water
A small sea

Typical Days on a Houseboat.
Paradise
Having had your breakfast which might comprise of, sausage, bacon, tomatoe, mushroom, liver, kidneys, baked beans and your choice of egg. Grand hey!, remember we are on holiday.Generally speaking on the first leg of your journey, you do not want to go to far as everyone is tired, especially the children.So you will draw up to some bank where you want to stay the night and generally not too far away from one of the lodges or hotels. Looking for some stout tree to rope the boat to, you (rather the staff)must be vigilant against Buffalo or crocodiles or hippopotamus (hippo). You are in the wild here.
Nearly always you would have towed three or four small speedboats behind you. So you pile into them and off to the hotel for a swim. Some of the hotels do not allow this but generally speaking they allow it at lunchtime and enjoy the extra income from passing trade so to speak. Then back to the houseboat so the kids can have a kip while the adults prepare the fishing gear.
At about 4pm. everyone will pair off so to speak and take the speedboats and do a spot of fishing. There is so much you can catch depending where you are but in general you will try for bream for a small snack before supper or Tigerfish which are one of the thrills to catch and fight like crazy.
Amongst all this, the animals are beginning to come to the waters edge to drink and hippo's are popping up all around you and I haven't even mentioned yet all the birdlife. So if the fish are not biting you don't get bored, you might even read that book you have been waiting to get into.
Get back to the boat before sunset and keep an eye out on the weather and the distance you have travelled from the boat because if the wind builds up or a storm is brewing you have no idea of how rough the lake becomes.
Once back and hopefully you have caught some fish, have a shower and with drink in hand sit back and enjoy the truly incredibly spectacular Kariba sunset.
Next comes supper, whatever you took with you, could be a roast of pork, lamb, beef, I can't tell you what to eat or what you like. Then it's bedtime, I always just dossed down on the deck somewhere with a mosquito net over me. I felt free.
In the morning up at the crack of dawn, tea flask in hand and off for some more fishing. All the game coming to life, hippo's popping up, birds singing, what a life. Then back to the boat and move off to the next spot whilst enjoying a leisurely breakfast and then the same old routine.
A Tiger Fish
Caught by my son

A predator at Kariba and marvellous fun to try and catch. If one becomes bored with fishing for bream, where you have just to put a worm on your hook, drop it over the side of the boat and wait for a bite. For Tigers you have to pitch and cast trying to lure them. One can either use an artificial spinner or small fish ( kapenta ) as bait.
If you get a bite that is when the fun begins, as they are terrific fighters and very strong fish. They will jump out of the water trying to release themselves amongst everything else and one has to try and outsmart them. This particular fish almost pulled my son ( aged 9 ) into the water and eventually went under the boat on the other side, but in the end he managed to make the catch. Of course he was ecstatic and he insisted we have it mounted for him. It weighed in at 5 Kgs. but they can go up to ten and more. Still a grand catch for anyone.
Sadly, because the ownership of the kapenta fishing boats have changed hands. The tigerfish is becoming more rare and harder and harder to find. They are an extremely boney fish and not that edible, so in the old days when caught by the kapenta nets they would be tossed back overhead. Now however this does not happen and they are sold to a starving populace.

Hippo

Sunset

At Peace
Postscript
I guess everybodies just different hey. But this is what I used to love to do for a short break.Sadly Zimbabwe has really gone down over the past few years with a million per cent inflation and food in scarce supply. There is hardly any petrol or diesel to get anywhere amongst many other ills.
However the people battle on and at this time Kariba is a lost paradise. However nothing lasts forever and it is my wish that very shortly things will improve and once again tourists from all over the world may visit this splendid gem.

Waterbuck on the Banks

Elephant at Kariba

Having a Swim
Birdwatching

Fish Eagle at Kariba

When you are bored search for birds.
Kariba
Lost Paradise
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byWould love to go on a houseboat
skiesgreen says:
You betcha, I have always dreamed of it and your description fits the image in my mind. What a magnificent story.
Posted November 25, 2009
Frankster says:
Oh yes. I'd love it. After being on a boat in Alaska's Prince William Sound, I found I really do love boat trips.
Posted July 15, 2009
Sojourn says:
Sounds so spectacular! I'd love to go. What an incredible way to get away from it all.
Posted June 07, 2009
aj2008 says:
A houseboat, with good friends for company sounds like the most fabtastic holiday to me.
Posted April 25, 2009
GingerAlly says:
I'd love to go on a houseboat, i've never been on one before, and I think it would be FAR from boring!
Posted November 18, 2008
papawu says:
I have been on a houseboat before and would love to be on one in "The Motherland" as my African friends call it. My African friends are from Nigeria, The Ivory Coast, Liberia and Ethiopia, respectively. I call Asia my Motherland, but I have often fantasized about visiting Africa and may one day get there.
Posted November 11, 2008
No ways man;boring
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Did You Have Fun Reading This.
Please leave a comment thanks.
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- jeffwend jeffwend Dec 5, 2009 @ 5:30 pm
- What a beautiful country. I hope that one day they can go back to the agricultural bread basket they used to be.
5* and blessings
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- OhMe OhMe Nov 29, 2009 @ 7:39 am
- Lake Kariba sure looks gorgeous. Super photos and information. Blessed by a Squid Angel.
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- skiesgreen skiesgreen Nov 25, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
- Absolutely. Its a great story and I sympathise with you over the loss of your land and other things. Do you still live there? 5* fave and lens rolled. Thanks for the blessing on Classic cars and I have changed the location to cars/trucks. That was an oversight on my part
Norma
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- eclecticeducation eclecticeducation Nov 23, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
- I thoroughly enjoyed reading and seeing pictures of your country. I'm sorry to hear that the country and it's people are suffering. Great lens! Thanks for blessing my nature lens. I so appreciate it.
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- Joan4 Joan4 Nov 9, 2009 @ 7:21 am
- Wonderful fabulous pictures! Thank you for the elephant photos for my You Can Ride an Elephant lens. This lens is featured there! Blessing this beautiful lens!
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- Jewelsofawe Jewelsofawe Nov 4, 2009 @ 12:58 pm
- I did not know you were from Zimbabwe. (did I spell that right?) These pictures are great! I love that one of the ocean stretching out forever like the ocean does and I love the sunset one with the silhouette
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- GrowWear GrowWear Nov 3, 2009 @ 9:33 am
- Sounds like paradise to me! We used to have a pontoon boat, nice flat floor on it, and we took advantage of the river every chance we got. Great lens!
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- SnowAngel77 SnowAngel77 Oct 23, 2009 @ 9:56 am
- Would love to head off tomorrow!! It looks magnificent. Never thought of going on a houseboat holiday before but this may change!!!
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- AndyPo AndyPo Oct 22, 2009 @ 8:29 am
- Excellent lens and a wonderful destination. I hope to go back to Zimbabwe some time soon.
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- MarisaAngelis MarisaAngelis Oct 19, 2009 @ 2:58 am
- Excellent! 5Stars
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- Captain Pete Captain Pete Sep 16, 2009 @ 10:41 am
- It certainly is a Paradise. I lived there for 10 years and still have a business there and am feeling the need to go and do a houseboat trip in the very near future. Have not been on one for he last 6 years in spite of owning two!
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- Cptindy Cptindy Sep 12, 2009 @ 10:36 am
- Nice work my friend! You have come a long way in your lifetime and I believe the blessings show! Keep up the Great Work!
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- sharpturn sharpturn Aug 21, 2009 @ 5:48 am
- What a beautiful lens.
Reading this makes me wanna pack my bags and go off traveling. That is real life....with nature!!
5 Stars!
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- Frankster Frankster Jul 15, 2009 @ 7:29 pm
- Great lens. I especially liked the photos of elephants and the fish eagle. Thanks for sharing this wonderful place. Bear hugs, Frankster
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- Rewards4life Rewards4life Jun 9, 2009 @ 8:08 am
- This is a very nice lens. Your photos are very beautiful. Great job!
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- Sojourn Sojourn Jun 7, 2009 @ 11:45 am
- Kevin, someday you seriously need to piece all of your stories together into a book. For those of us who will never travel as much as you have or lived in the environments in which you have, it makes for fascinating reading. Truly a pleasure. :)
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- mulberry mulberry Jun 7, 2009 @ 11:04 am
- Thanks for sharing this. It such a different environment than most of us are accustomed to...really enjoyed the story and the photos!
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- annetteghallowell annetteghallowell May 30, 2009 @ 3:38 pm
- This indeed looks like a paradise I would love to find. Thank you for introducing it to us!
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- Heather426 Heather426 May 30, 2009 @ 10:10 am
- beautiful pictures! nice lens...Africa is on my list.
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- Lamarena Lamarena May 13, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
- Beautiful lens, I really enjoyed reading your stories about Kariba lake... Your memories from the trip on the houseboat sounds so breathtaking to me.! I wish I could hear those incredible stories you used to tell on the boat of who saw what :) and then you wake up in the morning "when all the game coming to life, hippo's popping up, birds singing, what a life" - sounds like Heaven to me :)
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- May 13, 2009 @ 9:33 am
- Absolutely Beautiful - Great Lens!
5*****Stars
Best wishes
Marisa Angelis
Artist Designer Writer Poet Philanthropist Humanitarian Promoter
Four Nominations including "Australian of the Year 2003" Short List
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- aj2008 aj2008 Apr 25, 2009 @ 2:43 am
- Spook, not only do I love the pics but I love the way you write. Your style is so personal and from the heart. Blessings to you for a wonserful lens.
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- thesolowriter thesolowriter Feb 26, 2009 @ 7:12 pm
- Fantastic lens! Great pics. The condition of the country makes me sad as well. Thank you for sharing your delightful memories. 5*!!
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- sittonbull sittonbull Feb 24, 2009 @ 10:12 am
- Spook... I love this lens and I love Africa! I'm trying to imagine your frustration and sadness at the political mess in your home country! Please go to my facebook homepage and look at the pics from our trip to Capetown and Simbambili in Jan 08. Going to do a lens on it when I get time! All the best... 5 bright stars and a favorite.
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- Tipi Tipi Feb 16, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
- Far away from the maddening crowds, yes! I love this lens and would love to to Africa traveling! - Oh, to have the money to do that! :) - Thanks for the belated, Spook. Have a Great Day!
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Lensmaster Spook has been a member since April 10 2008, has rated 1,261 lenses, favorited 1,258, and has created 59 lenses from scratch. Kevin Moor donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "Manners Maketh Man". See all my lenses
by Spook

I'm Kevin alias Spook. I was born and brought up in Zimbabwe and was one of the farmers who lost his land in the infamous land grab.
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