GRAAFF-REINET — A group from the Karoo recently completed the Fish River Canyon hike in Namibia.
One of the twelve intrepid hikers was Yvonne Drummond, a well-known member of the Graaff-Reinet community. At the age of 66, Yvonne’s spirit proved to be an inspiration to the whole group.
The hike started from Ai-Ais Resort, and the 90km trek took five days, with four nights camping on the river banks.
On the first day, Yvonne and the rest of the group descended a sheer cliff face to reach the bottom of the Canyon. Yvonne had slipped and cut her leg open within an hour of day one and had passed out from a combination of seeing her blood and the toughness of the drop into the Canyon.
After recovering, with the help of the elder members, Yvonne continued the hike and finished in true Karoo grit. The other members of the group were very impressed with the fighter spirit she showed to push through, despite the fall and many bulging blisters.
The heat throughout the middle portions of the day was frequently severe, and many of the hikers ended up having to take cover under trees at stops for shade.
Walking between 10km and 23km a day through soft river sand and boulders proved that the hike should not be taken lightly, and a constant supply of water was essential.
The temperatures at night dropped to about five degrees but camp fires kept the team in good spirits.
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