The Boat Safari

Breakfast with the baboons.

Believe it or not seeing the baboons and warthogs around the camp and listening to the singing of the hippos all night long wasn't even officially part of our safari adventures.  Needless to say I was awake at 5 am (in true form from my 10 year old going to Disney World self) as I was too excited to keep sleeping.  Had a little breakfast and enjoyed a nice leisurely cup of coffee and then it was finally time for the boat safari at 7:45 a.m. 

Swallow buidling its nest in our boat. -- Okay, I'll stop teasing.   Onto unique African wildlife. 

Our first elephant sighting of the day.

Fish eagle.

Look carefully at the log - sunbathing crocodile.

more crocodiles

hippos

More hippos.  Easily saw over 100 hippos in small family groups like these.

Hippos enjoy laying in shallow water and rest their heads on the rumps family members.

water buck - has an oily taste, so crocs aren't a fan

baboon

more wart hogs

impala

I might just be a bit giddy at this point.

Upper left - local village fishing poachers using their free mosquito nets as fishing nets.  Currently, fishing from a boat is illegal in this part of the Shire, so the poachers were attempting to hide somewhat near the reeds.  Local villagers can fish from the banks legally.

Boats formerly used by poachers.  Not exactly sure what happened to these boats, but crocodiles do hunt humans.  Large crocodiles will knock over small boats.  Poaching is dangerous on a variety of levels.

Lots of elephants.

From the boat, most of the pictures I have look similar to this.

Tomorrow I'll post about the evening game drive.  Lots of amazing pictures and a couple videos of the wildlife, especially the elephants.

But I'll leave you with one last preview.