Wild Adventures: The bush antics continue and reunited with an old friend........

Yesterday afternoon was certainly an afternoon that we will always remember, and one that will remain in our minds for some time.

The rain started again at around 3pm , as it has every day since we arrived and the pattern certainly seems to mark the onset of the short rainy season that has come a little earlier this year (normally November - lasting until December)

The original plan was to cross the Talek River just near Mara Intrepids and take a drive up to find Malaika, but given the crossing was already in a bad state the afternoon rains put a stop on being able to cross. So instead we decided to go and look for the Rekero Pride who had been seen in an area called 'maternity', not too far from Rekero camp itself. To get to this area you have to cross the Olare Orok River (which leads into the Talek) and although we had to be wary of rising waters we felt this crossing was more feasible. This crossing has also been in a bit of a mess in the last couple of weeks, with big crevasses on the entry/return exit point and although many rocks had been laid to try and even out the terrain the entry it was still in a bad state. Although it seemed a bit of a fruitless exercise, together with Aatish and Aashit we took it upon ourselves to throw a few more rocks in before we crossed. By now the rains had ceased but the conditions still very slippery.

Crossing was fine, although the waters were quite high and for those who know this crossing the ledge on the right on crossing toward the 'Maternity' area now seemed to be far steeper. This is one crossing where you need to get your position just right and not one to mess with!

Not too far after the crossing point we came across the members of the Rekero Pride, around 50 meters off a track and in medium grass where they were lying flat out in two separate groups. It was hard to see how many were there given there horizontal and partially hidden state, we could see at least 7/8 of the lions with one sub adult male on his own.

Aatish and Aashit had official off-road passes and so decided to move a little closer off one of the tracks to see who was there so we could add to my 'lion log' that we have been continuing to compile. Andy and I sat back while they drove a little closer, watching the lions sleeping from a distance and hoping they would rise so we could at least get a few shots. However, not 2 minutes after carefully driving through the grass we suddenly heard a 'bonk' and then saw that the guys vehicle was stationary and all of a sudden positioned at an angle that meant only one thing, they had unknowingly driven into a large hole. At this point the phone rang and we knew we would be coming to the rescue and happy to do so as this is just part and parcel of life in the bush.

As we approached we could see how the hole which had practically swallowed the front two wheels was completely concealed by the grass and there would have been no way the guys would have been able to have seen this.

We knew the only way out of this was for us to tow them out, of course in normal circumstances this is no problem at all and something you get used to doing in the bush. However, there was one slight complication, we were less than 20-50 ft from the lions!! One sub adult male rested just 20 feet from the vehicle and at least another 7 a little further away, around 50 feet in-front. Had this been earlier in the day we would have just sat it out and waited for the lions to move, but as it was by now around 4:30pm we knew that we did not have the luxury of time before darkness (and more rain) fell. Checking the area with binos we felt happy that the other members of the 12 strong pride must have been elsewhere, although we still remained wary as to where, as the grass height could still easily conceal a sleeping lion.

So, the plan (which we carefully debated) was for Andy and Aatish to attach the rope whilst Aashit and I watched over the lions. Fortunately Aatish was able to get the rope out of the side door out of sight of the lions and much of what we needed to do could be done from the protection of the car. At this point the sub adult male nearest woke so of course it was back in the car at this point. He was pretty disinterested to be honest and just looked at us as if to say 'keep the noise down please I am trying to sleep'. He then moved away from us and to the rest of the group further up. So again Andy and Aatish continued to attach the ropes needed staying on the side of the car away from the lions. At this point as things were almost ready for the tow out when Aashit suddenly shouts 'Get in the car, get in the car!". I have never seen Andy and Aatish move so fast as a lioness who had been totally hidden by the grass had suddenly appeared from 'nowhere' and started stalking (fortunately from the opposite side of the car) and was only 15 feet or so away. So again the process had to stop as we waited for her to move away. Her expression was more of 'Oh you saw me, you have now spoilt all my fun' and of she also went to join the other lions, who were still flat out sleeping.

Initially the tow out did not work as we had been forced to connect the ropes to one side of Aatish's and Aashits car, so it was back out of the vehicle and to instead jack up the front wheels with the hi-lift jack and to try and attach a rope to the other side. Fortunately the lions had become completely bored with our antics, although two of us kept a close watch as this was not somewhere where we wanted to take any risks. Jacking the two front wheels had worked and 'Beauty' eased her way out of the hole. The sigh of relief was exhaled by us all and was probably heard all over the Mara!. Had this not worked we had already decided we would have to abandon the car as it would have been two dangerous to have done plan B and to start winching. Fortunately we did not have to worry about this. It had been a somewhat nail biting 45 minutes in which we had to carefully and safely get out of this situation, but with a bit of team work and doing everything 'pole pole' (slowly slowly) everything was just fine!

There was still at least 90 minutes of daylight left so we left the pride to it (we never did get any shots!) and crossed back over the river. In this time we had news that a male lion had been seen about half way between Mara Intrepids and Talek town. Andy and I had spent most of the morning looking for our favourite Male lion, Notch. On this trip, as with every other trip to the Mara were pretty desperate to find the old chap. We had been told it was an older lion and the guides who had seen him were confident it was Notch. Hell yes, we HAD to go and find out!!!!

As we drove another 30 minutes Andy and I were pretty silent, the anticipation of whether it was him or not took over the mood in our car! Crazy I know!

We came toward the area where he had been seen and soon saw a few hundred feet away a male lion, lying out in the open and near a lioness from the Olkiombo Pride. There was no question at all as we approached that it was the big guy himself. Seeing Notch always seems to evoke emotions with us both (after all we have known and followed him in the Mara for 6 years now so make no apologies for feeling attached to him) and this occasion was no exception and we were pretty damn happy to see our 'old friend'!

For an lion now easily approaching 13 years he looked much better than I had expected, He had broken his lower left canine a while back and had already lost a fair few of his incisors but for a lion of his age his teeth still looked in pretty good shape. The only noticeable change since seeing him in March was that he was starting to get quite widespread mange now on his stomach, although it did not appear to irritated or sore now covered much of his stomach now and was a bit of a concern, but expected really for a lion of his age. He looked well fed, which is nothing unusual here for the old 'mzee' and it was good to see him looking healthy and still obviously a hit with the ladies! He sat there with the usual majesty you expect from a male lion and in the hour we spent with him he rested a little and also sat up giving us a few opportunities for some nice shots. It was a bit of a shame the clouds were so heavy and the light not too great, but quite frankly we didn't really care about that! He eventually stood up and moved nearer to the lioness (and as he has been in the last couple of years with a little initial stiffness and limp that soon evens out once he gets moving)

It was now virtually dark and so we had to leave him. We of course hoped we would see him again on this trip but incase said a little goodbye, but of course hoping we will see him again when we hopefully return back to the Mara early next year. The old man certainly has more life left in him yet, he just needs to watch for any new coalitions coming into the area. He may be a bit of a legend but no less vulnerable then any other male of this age if caught on his own.......

DIY Repairs at Smelly Crossing!