Expedition: #BeyondLockdown Timeline: Day 9 Distance: 3 491km Province: Northwest Region: #GrootMarico Destination: #RiverStill & #MaricoEye . . "There is no other place I know that is so heavy with atmosphere, so strangely and darkly impregnated with that stuff of life that bears the authentic stamp of South-Africa" . — Herman Charles Bosman . . . And Breathe... The dust-devil scrub land of the #NorthWest flickered into view after a near-1000km drive via the #FreeState flat lands, fuelled by mediocre Wimpy coffee and the decidedly retro lang-arm tunes of #OFM (as an Oom, this is sort of my vibes these days, so I'm not complaining). . . I'm a huge fan of Herman Charles Bosman, which means #GrootMarico has been on my radar since I first read 'Mafeking Road' and 'Cask of Jerepigo' many a moon ago. This quirky little dorp is enveloped by the Marico Biosphere Reserve, including the Molopo and Marico river systems, and characterized by dolomite outcrops and an expansive deciduous montane bush veldt ecosystem. . . One of our key adventures here was a sublime #freedive into the #MaricoEye sink hole, a crystal clear spring approximately 18 deep and secreted away on a farm where a 68kg boerboel by the name of Bwana is in charge of access control. Once you manage to slip past this Shcwarzenneger canine, what awaits is one of the most astounding aqua experiences you can have anywhere in southern Africa. . . The spring is approximately 80m across and covered in giant green lilypads. And when you dip your head below the water surface, a wonder-world of blue and green hues will seduce you into the glorious, cool embrace. Schools of tilapia flock languidly within the glittering refraction of the midday sun's rays as you fin into a surreal mindspace amidst the gentle sway of entwined lily stalks. . . None of this would have been possible without the support of @isuzusa and their kickass vehicles or @Dunloptyres_SA 🙏 . . #IsuzuSa #WithYouForTheLongRun #DunlopTyresSA #TakeTheRoad #frontrunnerza #BornToRoam #SpotAfrica #GetLostStayFound #PolarSA #ListenToYourBody #BaleiaWines #BeyondExpeditions #NorthwestProvince #noordwes #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at Groot Marico, RiverStill guest farm) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDzXghPJ07N/?igshid=1ubfssas2vqai
