Sure Travel Journey Vol 3.3 Winter 2017 | Page 7

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anderlust
ESIKHALENI ,
THE WILD COAST
There’s a legend amongst the Bomvana
people of the Wild Coast that tells how
esiKhaleni – the rock formation also
known as Hole in the Wall – was once a
mighty cliff, trapping the Mpako River that
now flows directly out to sea through its
stone arches.
The cliff separated the land-dwelling
humans from the sea people, who looked
like humans but had hands and feet like
flippers. The older villagers feared these
creatures, but a young girl from the village
fell in love with one of them, and he
persuaded her to come live with him in
the ocean.
Her father found out and forbade the
girl to see her lover, but late one night
she slipped away to meet him at the
lagoon under the full moon. As the girl
approached the lagoon she saw hundreds
of figures gathering along the cliff and
could hear them singing. Then she heard
a thundering sound as an enormous fish
rammed through the cliff. A surge of
water swept through the lagoon, bringing
hundreds of sea people with it, singing
and chanting as they rode the crest of the
wave. In front was her lover, who rode all
the way to her feet, then held his hand
out and took her with him as the wave
retreated back through the hole in the cliff.
The villagers never saw the girl again, but
it’s said that at night when the tide is high
and the moon is full you can still hear the
sea people above the sound of the waves,
streaming through the Hole in the Wall.
GO HERE WITH SURE:
From waterfalls that plunge into
the ocean to incredible hiking trails,
there’s far more magic to be had along
the Wild Coast. Best of all, winter is
the perfect time to visit. Contact your
Sure Travel consultant to plan your
trip or visit www.suretravel.co.za / call
0861 47 48 49.
© TROCH/SHUTTERSTOCK