Last Saturday we visited the Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve in Durban North.
This has been on my list of "things to do" for a long time.
By chance a few weeks ago we found out where they are, and how to get there...
It is open every third Satruday of the month from 8am - 1pm.
This is the beach sign.
And these are the notice-boards at the entrance area.
We had someone guiding us - I'm so sorry I didn't note his name...
He was knowledgeable and helpful.
He brought along a handful of leaves which he scattered in three different locations.
The little red mangrove crabs ventured out, snatched a leaf and scuttled back to their burrows.
I didn't know there were three kinds of mangrove trees.
Here are the three in close proximity - white, black and red with their three types of root systems.
It's a whole different world in the mangrove forest!
Fiddler Crabs with one big front pincer.
Do you see the mudskipper almost centre near the water? A red crab there too...
Red and fiddler crabs - lots and lots of them...
We also saw some whelks that had climbed a tree.
Back again from the beach...
And a circular walk along the older boardwalk.
We saw some monkeys...
These little creatures come out and forage in a star shape, returning to their burrow after each foray.
I think cracked ground is so interesting...
These are the seeds of a black mangrove. When they drop off they lodge upright in the mud and grow roots before the next tide comes in.
I'm glad we made the effort and time to go there. It was a few hours very well spent!
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