Another day in the life of - Deiric Welsh (Tourguide, Singer and song writer)

When life trough's  you a lemon make lemonade they say. Well we cannot all do what we want but sure we can share some of the moments with people that have the opportunity to do just that.

This is one of the moments that Deiric has to get up for in the mornings. He has the opportunity to sing at gigs in pubs and venues all along the coast, but he chooses the life of a tour guide on St Lucia Estuary aboard Fanna's (also known as the spirit of St. Lucia) a shallow draft vessel that is very economical to run and fun to entertain groups and functions on.



Lazy Buffalo is not the only  wild life along the banks but surely one to mention. They are on of the five most dangerous animals to hunt in Africa and in an area long forgotten when a one shot kill was only achievable from less than fifty paces, this was a trophy that did separate the men from the boys.



Nitrous powered rifles and scope sights has increased this safe distance a little more and one only needs to be a good shot with a hefty bank account to achieve this now days. Thanks to comercial hunting we can today apretiate the profits in the forms of Game Farms or Game Reserves. A trophy Bull demands a large open space and that alone is expensive. Before eco Tourist where a viable alternative the sports hunter paid many years for the up keep of these magnificent animals.

Corcodilus Noliticus. or better known as the Nile Crocodile has adapted to salt water conditions by secreting the access salt through a gland at the bottom of their tongs. They still need fresh water and the low lying wetlands provide them just that. They migrate between the sweet water of the wetlands and the marine estuary as they feel fit.

Main food source is fish, but will take anything that comes to close to the banks or dare to swim into their hunting territory. The banks are used by breeding females but invading alien plants tend to interfere with the breeding temperature of the nests.

Africa Fish Eagle is monogamous and breeding pairs need a larger hunting area. Tour Guides used to feed them in the past, but this upset the natural nesting  arrangement and the authority stepped in with some hefty fines.  It always made for nice pictures when they sweep in to get the fish, but now days these type of action shots are rare and only the lucky few will get it on camera. Others will live with the memory of being able to see it as it happens.

Giant King Fisher

Goliath Heron.

 

Another sunset over The Wetlands Park
St Lucia Estuary - iSimangaliso Wetlands Park

 

To Join Deiric on a boat cruise

Call Petrus Viviers
081 342 7371
petrus@forafrica.co.za