Kloofing...

As usual nobody could really tell and know what was about to happen. Luiza and I were waiting at the abseiling office at 7am for everybody to appear.

Our uber macho guide, a red bearded kind of bushman, greeted us warmly, but with doubts if two nice ladies could handle the whole day trek. When the rest of the team appeared (3 Irish people, 1 American) we jumped into an old VW van and drove for a good while. After breakfast and a very short training session we set off. Our destination was called 'Kamikaze Canyon'. After a while of walking along the road we crossed a bridge over a tiny shallow river flowing gently into the ocean. Yes it was the beginning and the end of our canyon, so we entered the national park.

The route was not easy to find without a guide. Walking through bushes, between rocks, crossing the river many times, which got deeper and unregulated, so we had to jump from stone to stone, holding grasses or sometimes just get wet. The altitude was growing so the canyon was more and more rocky. It would be dangerous to meet the perpetually bad tempered baboons or touch some poisonous plants – but we knew which ones, or just falling down the rocks.

After an hour of sweaty, fast, but careful trekking we came to the first pools. There was a cute waterfall and a rock just next to it... our first challenge was to jump 10m from the top or from a ledge which was 7m. Nobody was obliged to jump, but that was why we were there. We all started with 10m. Getting the last instructions on technique, and trying to overcome fear, we jumped one by one.

You can jump well only when you don't fear and when you really want it. You must find somewhere in your mind the feeling of trust in the space and to yourself to jump, because as you stand up there it always looks impossibly high. It doesn't matter if the jump is 3 or 83 meters.

It's important to consider jumping before you begin, not when you are standing on the edge, because it makes it even more difficult. When you are on the edge you just jump without thinking. So did I with one exception only... the first time, I stood there a little bit too long, concentrating on technical issues, my mind didn't have fear, but my body got soft and shaky, so my mind started to consider...this was a mistake! To rescue the situation I decided not to think at all and just to jump. I jumped, but being used to bungee jumping and diving, I went with my head down and wide-open arms. The rest of the group hid their mute screaming mouths with both hands and eyes wide open as I entered the water with the best style straight body dive (after I realized my mistake in milliseconds of being airborne I thought I have no choice, but to make the best out of it ;-))

It was a good dive into red, mineral rich, cool mountain pool, with no pain, no hurt...just joy – I was the first person in the history of this place to do it and I got respect of our guides. What I did just after were three 7-meter jumps in the correct way, but every time making others' hearts beating faster. Everything afterwards became more relaxed. We went higher up the canyon and were delighted by more scenic views. There were a few more waterfalls, pools and pleasant strong sun. The guys continued jumping from 14 – 24 meters but Luiza and I were satisfied with our 10m. It was a perfect day, we felt it was so natural to be there, so close to nature...just walking, climbing rocks, jumping into water, swimming, getting massaged by waterfalls chilling out on the rocks between sun, waterfall and rainbows. We felt so free getting burned by sun, then deciding which rock to jump down, swimming there, free climbing, jumping...Then we abseiled down one wall with a beautiful water cave finish, but it was a piece of cake after Table Mountain experience....

Sorry for no pics, but we might get them one day from our companions...