Info on Vidal camping

[Ziggy]

I will be in Vidal from 7-10 September. I have never been there before (believe it or not!)

I have read all the posts on Vidal but I need a few questions to be answered by those who have been there - and camped:

• does every site have a plug point. Are the plug points the normal type or caravan type
• which is the best camp site to take - if I had the choice, which I may have because I will be there during the week. Need to have shade and be close to ablutions for night time peepee for the ladies)
• is the water drinkable
• can I get firewood/charcoal there
• Can one walk in the area (one lady is a birdwatcher)
• How big is the monkey problem - and what precautions to take - other than making sure everything is secure. I read that they sometimes rip tents - is this really so?
• is there cell phone reception (one lady needs to receive and send a number of emails)

I will only be lure fishing - any ideas on what lures will be good. I hope that the shad will be around of course
I read that the fishing spots that are in easy walking distance are:

• obviously the beach in front of the camp
• the reef on the right hand side (Tommo and Refs posted a map)
• about 2 km south near the light house there are ledges
• about 1 km north there is a spot called Vegetation
• early morning good for shad and kingies on lure from the beach
• wave garrick on lure from the beach area

Any information would be welcome - thanks

[hrogers]

Here is some information i got some time ago - 
    Cape Vidal falls within the St Lucia Marine  Reserve and is situated north-east of St Lucia within the Isimangaliso Wetland  Park World Heritage Site.This pretty bay is supported by a variety of  accommodation set back in the dunes.There are 18 five-bedded and 11  eight-bedded fully equipped log cabins. These have two and three bedrooms, a  bathroom with shower, a fully equipped kitchenette and a dinette/lounge. For  fishing parties, five multi-bed cabins (sleeping 8 - 20) may be hired on the  shore of Lake Bhangazi. Cape Vidal also has 50 campsites in the dune forest near  the beach.
Bhangazi Bush Lodge, 10 km from the hutted camp,  sleeps eight guests in four self-contained, fully equipped units.
Cape Vidal bay has a designated launch site for  skiboats and deep-sea fishing and spear fishing are popular sports. It is sheltered  and superb for snorkelling at a low tide. Cape Vidal is near the site of the  Dorothea shipwreck, a wooded barque which was lost in heavy weather on 31  January 1898. She was said to be carrying gold from the Transvaal. The  whereabouts of the Dorothea is unknown however snorkellers may come across a  chain in the bay which is said to have come from the wreck.
Cape Vidal has the best of both worlds with access  to the eastern shores of Lake St Lucia where there is a variety of game  including reedbuck, other antelope, hippos, crocodiles and buffalo, spectacular  water, forest and grassland birds and the wonderful Indian Ocean shore line  with its startling array of marine animals.
The marine habitat is the route used by humpback  whales on their northerly migration to Mozambique to calve. Other "big  game" include migratory marlin, sailfish and dolphins. In December the  loggerheads and leatherback turtles come onto the beach to lay eggs. Schools  based at St Lucia can make arrangements through the Crocodile Centre to visit  Cape Vidal for the day or small groups can stay at Cape Vidal.
There are private business in St Lucia which cater  for school group guidance. Malaria precautions are advised.
Renowned for its sport fishing and snorkelling,  this scenic coastal camp is situated on the north of the Eastern Shores area of  the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. There is a relatively safe area for swimming,  wildlife, especially birds, is abundant and self-guided trails enable visitors  to see some of the surrounding wetlands and Lake Bhangazi.
 
CAPE VIDAL RESORTOn the same day one could see hippos,  crocodiles, buffalo, elephants, whales on their northerly migration to calve in  the warm waters off the Mocambique coast, loggerhead and leatherback turtles in  summer as they come onto the beaches to lay their eggs, dolphins, and a variety  of water, forest or grassland birds.   
The sheltered bay has a designated launch site for  ski boats with excellent offshore angling, spear fishing, and snorkeling. The  wreck of the Dorethea, close to Cape Vidal, is reputed to have contained the  Kruger millions when it sank. The camp features 18 five-bed log cabins, 11  eight-bed log cabins with three and two bedrooms respectively, fully equipped  kitchens, bathrooms, and lounge/dining rooms with barbecue facilities.
  In addition the camp features one eight-bed, two 12-bed, one 14-bed and one  20-bed group accommodation cabins with dormitory rooms, a lounge/ dining room,  kitchen, bathroom and barbecue facilities. There are also camping facilities.  Bhangazi Bush Lodge, 10 km from the hutted camp, sleeps eight guests in four  self-contained, fully equipped units.
 
  Cape Vidal is a magnificent coastal resort set in a sheltered coastal bay in  the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, with shallow pools and rock ledges for  snorkeling, unspoiled beaches for walking and self-guided trails around the  fascinating wetlands, in the rich coastal forest and on the shores of Lake  Bhangazi. Cape Vidal has the best of both worlds with access to the eastern  shores of Lake St Lucia where there is a variety of game including reedbuck,  other antelope, hippos, crocodiles and buffalo, spectacular water, forest and  grassland birds and the wonderful Indian Ocean shore line with its startling  array of marine animals.
 
Prices Out of Season: R115  per person per night, minimum charge  of 4 adults per night. Sites can sleep up to 6 people. Children under  12, R60 per child per night
Prices in Season:  R120 per person per night, minimum  charge of 4 adults per night. Sites can sleep up to 6 people. Children  under 12, R70 per child per night
 
Cabins  –    5  sleeper, R550 per person per night, minimum  charge 4 people
1.        8 sleeper, R450 per person per night, minimum charge 4 people
14  sleeper R365 per person per night, minimum  charge 4 people
20 sleeper,  R265 per person per night, minimum  charge 4 people
 
Entrance to Cape Vidal, once  off payment on arrival:
Adult R35
Child R25
Vehicle R45
 
http://www.extremenaturetours.co.za/Cape_Vidal/Cape_Vidal_Camping.htm
 
 
Kind Regards
  Leigh Snyders
  Reservationist
  Extreme Nature Tours & Travel
  082 257 5612
  www.extremenaturetours.co.za


 

[Ziggy]

Thanks

[Ziggy]

Neaps when I am there - damn!

[Werries]

Hi Ziggie , see below the answers to you Q's:

I will be in Vidal from 7-10 September. I have never been there before (believe it or not!)

I have read all the posts on Vidal but I need a few questions to be answered by those who have been there - and camped:

• does every site have a plug point. Are the plug points the normal type or caravan type
• which is the best camp site to take - if I had the choice, which I may have because I will be there during the week. Need to have shade and be close to ablutions for night time peepee for the ladies)
• is the water drinkable
• can I get firewood/charcoal there
• Can one walk in the area (one lady is a birdwatcher)
• How big is the monkey problem - and what precautions to take - other than making sure everything is secure. I read that they sometimes rip tents - is this really so?
• is there cell phone reception (one lady needs to receive and send a number of emails)

I will only be lure fishing - any ideas on what lures will be good. I hope that the shad will be around of course
I read that the fishing spots that are in easy walking distance are:

• obviously the beach in front of the camp
• the reef on the right hand side (Tommo and Refs posted a map)
• about 2 km south near the light house there are ledges
• about 1 km north there is a spot called Vegetation
• early morning good for shad and kingies on lure from the beach
• wave garrick on lure from the beach area

Any information would be welcome - thanks

1- You will have access to electricity from every campsite. Some sites share a common point so take a extension lead off about 20m and you'll be fine.
You don't need a Blue caravan plug . It's normal 3 point plugs
2- see attached map lay-out. Most campsites have sufficient shade except nrs 1,2,49 and 50. Best sites IMO is 32,33,34,35,43,44,45,46 and 47 of which 32 ,43 and 35 are the largest stands. The sites all the way down the incoming road on the left hand side are generally smaller.
3- Do not drink the water out of the taps. It is pumped from Lake Bangazi and is unsuitable for human consumption. Buy your water from the Banana Box in St Lucia( or the SPAR, but they are more expensive)
4- Firewood and Charcoal is normally available from the little shop across the road from the campsite entrance but they are not always stocked up. I normally take 1 bag charcoal and 2 bags of wood from home or buy it in town just to be safe on the 1st couple days
5- Walking is fine in the area during the day for birding. Everybody walks around and it is very safe. At night don't stray too far away from the campsites in the dark. Leopard have been spotted numerous times around the camp and off course the Bushpig and honeybadgers wander into the camp every night.
6- Huge! They will tear open mosquito nets if they can see or smell something inside the tent. So keep all foodstuffs out of sight and zip up the solid windows as well when you leave the campsite and put foodstuff away in crates if you can. I use a caribiner to lock the 2 zip handles together and never have a problem, cause they know how to open a zipper
7- There is cell reception, however in the camp not so great. MTN has better reception than Vodacom

On the lure fishing front I'll let some other guys elaborate a bit but I spoke to someone yesterday that were there over the weekend Kayak fishing and he said the sea is alive! Lots and lots of shad right in front of the campsite and south to the launching area, he even saw a couple Garrick come out on lures and livies.
The other spots you mentioned are all good at times if you are prepared to walk a bit.
 

[Ziggy]

great information - thanks


wonderful idea  - caribiners! I usually use a small cable tie

[REEFMAN]

I will be in Vidal from 7-10 September. I have never been there before (believe it or not!)

I have read all the posts on Vidal but I need a few questions to be answered by those who have been there - and camped:

• does every site have a plug point. Are the plug points the normal type or caravan type Most sites have plugpoints, but not all. Normal 3 point plugs. Take extension cords with...
  
• which is the best camp site to take - if I had the choice, which I may have because I will be there during the week. Need to have shade and be close to ablutions for night time peepee for the ladies)The ones right down the bottom are best... closest to the beach.
  
• is the water drinkable Sometimes, but I wouldn't bet on it. With the drought, I doubt the water is of any decent quality. Take your own. Last time we were there, the water was a dark brown sludge. No kidding.
  
• can I get firewood/charcoal there Shop there sells firewood, charcoal. St Lucia is just round the corner for anything you need or have forgotten.
  
• Can one walk in the area (one lady is a birdwatcher) No problem in the resort itself. Remember you are in a Game reserve, so outside the resort it's not wise. It's an awesome Game reserve! Lot's of Rhino! Watch out for them on the way in!
  
• How big is the monkey problem - and what precautions to take - other than making sure everything is secure. I read that they sometimes rip tents - is this really so? Yes. Even break the steel netting in caravan hatches. Keep nothing in the tents, store all food in lockable trommels or boots.
  
• is there cell phone reception (one lady needs to receive and send a number of emails) Think MTN has small signal. Just have to walk around and search for it.
  

I will only be lure fishing - any ideas on what lures will be good.
All the normal KZN lures... Onde Onda, GT Ice creams, Iron candy, bullet spoons, Toby spoon, plugs, bucktail jigs (olive/white).
I hope that the shad will be around of course
I read that the fishing spots that are in easy walking distance are:

• obviously the beach in front of the camp
• the reef on the right hand side (Tommo and Refs posted a map)
• about 2 km south near the light house there are ledges
• about 1 km north there is a spot called Vegetation 4-6kms... !
  
• early morning good for shad and kingies on lure from the beach
• wave garrick on lure from the beach area

You must fish sunrise and sundown into the dark. Imperative. Sunup is normally a graveyard because of the good water clarity at Vidal.
Any information would be welcome - thanks

  You're gonna love Vidal!!

PS: The ablutions can become quite messy. Take some slops with to shower in.

[REEFMAN]

Snap Werries! 

[Ziggy]

Awesome info Reefs - Thanks

[Fishaholic]

Not sure if you are aware of the gate times, for arrival and visiting St.Lucia.


Cape Vidal Gate Times :  Summer (1 October to 31 March) 5am - 7pm
Winter (1 April to 30 September) 6am - 6pm

[Ziggy]

I am aware of the gate times .  I am coming to Vidal via Mkuze game park and ndumo.  Camping all the wzy

[Plugger]

The monkeys are unbelievable,turn your back for half a second and some thing will be gone. We always take a catty and some marbles . They know exactly what it is and it's the only way to keep them at bay, otherwise they just hang around waiting their chance.without the catty they have absolutely no fear of you at all.
Steenie is the man to talk to about lure fishing at Vidal, he's got that place wired!
If you Google Cape Vidal camp layout there's a nice picture of the site layout. I think it's 36 , 37 that are closest to the beach path. Ablutions are excellent .

[glynnkent]

We normally stay in 37 or 42 when we are there.


There is a walkway over the hill onto the beach right next to 37 which is ideal for those 4:30 beach checks to see what the wind is doing.


With regard to your "twitcher" friend, the bird life is truly awesome. We often take drives out into the nature reserve to see the rhin0s etc so would definitely bring a pair of binos along. One year we spotted around 50 different bird species on the drive in!!!


As plugger indicated above, we also employ the catty tactic to deal with the monkey problem but more as a scare tactic without aiming directly at them. Most of them are Samango Monkeys; which are a threatened species.


Friends of mine where there this weekend on the skis and they got some decent fish so hopefully you'll be in luck.


If you are into mussels, we also usually take a walk about 2km South outside of the reserve to get. Have had some great dorado and mussel braais in that campsite in the past.


Have a good one!

[Cam Mundy]

go to banana box for a katty and a bag of arles for the monkeys

[MIKE PIKE]

Paint ball pistol works as well ..   but those monkeys are street wise , they scatter ,hide even if you point a broomstick at them ..

[Bassa]

these mongoose rats are a pest also ,they cause major havoc at the campsite

[Bassa]

The vidal toilets are excellent and up to standard ....nice flush system too

[Bassa]

plug point output at the campsite....yes ...like the other guys have said ...its good to take a long extention cord along

[Bassa]

few of the camp have a tap ....I nornmally carry along a short hose pipe with the ftting to just wash down couple a camping utensils,hose down my rods etc ....wash my sandy feet before jumping into the tent....

[Rory mundy]

The vidal toilets are excellent and up to standard ....nice flush system too

interesting thing to take a photo off