Heavy Rain in Namibia

[Neil Molendyk]

Sossusvlei with beaches? Visited there in 2013 and we lured mice, LBJs and even little lizards and beetles out of the scrubby brush with an empty yogurt container full of water.

 

[flatwater bill]

Kevin...........Happy to see Kariba is filling...........hope the CIA doesn't drain it again.....................FWB

 

[Scott CWO]

And yup pissed down soon after...

View attachment 388079

Looks like a good afternoon or evening to have a couple tasty G&Ts and count the blessings!

 

[Andrew Short]

This is a exciting!

 

[NamStay]

 

[krish]

Good news.
Krish

 

[Dee S]

A before and after picture. The dirt picture is from my trip, early October, 2019, near Rehoboth.

Same location, probably within a couple of hundred yards of where I took the picture above. Taken yesterday, 3/4/21

 

[CJW]

@Dee S That's unbelievable!!!

 

[Opposite Pole]

You wouldn’t think this sand could support such growth no matter the amount of rain it received.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Well, thank God. So the crakes will winter well in the Limpopo River valley. I have a young spaniel to train next year, and crake is the perfect subject for that. And oddly enough, they winter in south-east Africa.

Are the crakes good to eat? my experience of rails and other swamp hens (NZ Pukeko e.g.) is to cook them with an old boot - you know the rest of the story.

 

[Rule 303]

It is good to see several countries getting decent rain, all of them need it.

 

[NamStay]

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Amazing video, beautiful country, thanks

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Good to see....we are lucky here as even if we have what we would consider bad rains it's still a lot...and this year been good...basically had rain nearly every day....our manager got excited when it didn't rain for 3 days just now....thunder rumbling around as I type this..

Spike does that rain you ree getting in Zambia mostly end up below Kariba, or a good portion above?

 

[Zambezi]

Spike does that rain you ree getting in Zambia mostly end up below Kariba, or a good portion above?

There are basically two watershed/basins in Zambia. The Zambezi/Kafue basin which drains most of the country except the northern portion.

The three main points of water entry to the Zambezi from Zambia are:

Zambezi river that obviously flows into Kariba along with water from the Chobe.

The other points are from the Kafue and Luangwa systems. The Kafue joins the Zambezi below Kariba, a few km's east of Chirundu and the Luangwa near Luangwa town.

I would guess that it is about a 50/50 split with regards to how much enters above/below Kariba as both main entry points are from rivers that carry large volumes of water. But when one adds the Chobe flow to the Zambezi (although that water is not strictly from Zambia) the percentage favours the Zambezi/Chobe .

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

There are basically two watershed/basins in Zambia. The Zambezi/Kafue basin which drains most of the country except the northern portion.

The three main points of water entry to the Zambezi from Zambia are:

Zambezi river that obviously flows into Kariba along with water from the Chobe.

The other points are from the Kafue and Luangwa systems. The Kafue joins the Zambezi below Kariba, a few km's east of Chirundu and the Luangwa near Luangwa town.

I would guess that it is about a 50/50 split with regards to how much enters above/below Kariba as both main entry points are from rivers that carry large volumes of water. But when one adds the Chobe flow to the Zambezi (although that water is not strictly from Zambia) the percentage favours the Zambezi/Chobe .

Thanks Zambezi. The other significant contributer to Kariba is the Sanyati. What we are noticing is that the ITCZ is coming further down, currently sitting over southern Zambia and Kariba, and as a consequence maybe less rainfall over northern Zambia and eastern Angola. So maybe less flow down the Zambezi and more locally. The question is, will Kariba still get the benefit, or more to Cahora Bassa?

 

[shark_za]

Limpopo is going to be tough hunting again this year. Leaves stay on for longer and the grass is higher, was really hard hunting last season and looks to be the same again.

 

[Vashper]

Are the crakes good to eat? my experience of rails and other swamp hens (NZ Pukeko e.g.) is to cook them with an old boot - you know the rest of the story.

 

[Zambezi]

The warm moist air that is drawn down by the ITCZ will lessen as we are nearing the end of the wet season and therefore rainfall will reduce resulting in less inflow to the Zambezi. this will affect both Kariba and Cohora Bassa. Zambia central and western province experiences very little to no rain from about April to September so flow is greatly reduced.

 

[Vashper]

This, in my opinion, is 2012 or 2013, then there was a lot of crake. And in 2014, they did not return from wintering in East Africa: ( , I think-because of the drought, and so far they have not recovered in number. Crake refers to the "swamp trifle" and it is usually prepared together with snipe, etc., that comes across. But it has a less pungent taste of game, like waders. And it's not as fat as a quail, and about twice as big. Usually they are prepared simply: you remove the skin with feathers (or if someone is meticulous - pluck), rub with salt and black pepper and smear with mayonnaise. And on the grate over the coals. You can sprinkle it with white wine. Another option is to marinate in something sour, but do not get hot with acid - who does what, from sour milk and wine to tomatoes with sour apples. Then fry lightly on both sides in a frying pan in butter or with slices of bacon, cover with a lid and put out.

I haven't eaten any old boots, as far as I know, although I can't be sure - there are different restaurants...

Sorry, I didn't remove the logos of our club, is this a big violation? It's not commercial.