Sundays River and Alexandria Dune fields (Colchester)
The source of the 250 kilometres long Sundays River is in the
Sneeuberge (the highest mountain range in the former Cape
Province) near Nieu-Bethesda. The river then flows in a general
South/South-easterly direction, passing the town Graaff-Reinet in
the Karoo before winding its way through the Zuurberg Mountains
and then past Kirkwood and Addo in the fertile Sundays River
Valley. It empties into the Indian Ocean at Algoa Bay after flowing
through the village of Colchester, 40 km east of the city of
Gqeberha.
It is said to be the fastest flowing river in the country. The Inqua
Khoi people, who historically were the wealthiest group in
Southern Africa, originally named this river !Khukaǁgamma (the
waters with the spirit of abundance) because the rivers banks are
always green and grassy despite the arid terrain that it runs
through.
Alexandria State Forest, known as Langebos to the locals, which
is a narrow stretch of pristine indigenous forest bordering the
Alexandria dune field. These dunes are the largest (covering
approximately 15 800 hectares) and least degraded coastal dune
field in the southern hemisphere. The Woody Cape Nature
Reserve, which stretches from the Sundays River mouth to the
Bushmans River mouth and includes the dune field and the
indigenous forest, has been incorporated into the Addo Elephant
National Park.
In 2004 The South African Department of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism suggested that the area be recognized as a Unesco
World Heritage Site, and it currently sits on a Unesco waiting list
for evaluation.
Some dunes are covered with vegetation while others are bare.
Amongst these massive mounds are many pockets of bushes that
are home to small animals such as the Dune Gerbil which is
endemic to South Africa, Bush Pig, Kudu, Cape Ververt Monkeys
and African Thick-knee which can be spotted darting around.
(About the area, under sea kayaking)
