This final sequence takes us to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, a visit to a family living compound in a rural village, the primary school, some heavy bargaining in town, a short, but bouncy, elephant safari and a farewell from our friend Mthokozisi.

This trip was only 17 days, but it opened up a whole new world for us.

Our thanks to Overseas Adventure Travel (Boston), their outstanding staff and guides and to the people of Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe who granted us the privilege of visiting their magnificent lands.

Toby Pett writes:

http://www.capeannbrewing.com/menu/ :

Steak Bomb – 11 american cheese, peppers, onions, and linguica no mushrooms, no salami…NOT a Bomb…

I tend to agree.

Just because someone calls it a steak bomb is it a steak bomb?

Like if I served a tuna sub and called it a Steak Bomb does that make it a Steak Bomb?

Hmmmmm.

Magnolia Events This Weekend! Don’t Miss These!

The Annual Magnolia Art Show will be held this weekend! This very popular annual event showcases paintings, sculptures, mixed media & photographs from Cape Ann’s fine artists. All displayed works are also for sale, and a portion of all proceeds will benefit your Magnolia’s Library & Community Center. Please join us at 1 Lexington Ave on Friday from 7-9pm (includes an artist’s reception with champagne punch & light refreshments, or on Saturday (10-7) or Sunday (10-4). Support your community & local artists, and have a great time!

Also on Saturday is the Magnolia Historical Society’s Cookout and open house. Enjoy free BBQ fare from 11-2 and a tour of their building at 46 Magnolia Ave!

Save the Date! The annual Magnolia 5K Road Race will be held Saturday August 24. An adult & a Children’s race, pancake breakfast and family activities will be held at the Magnolia Library & Community Center and along Lexington Ave. This is event you will NOT want to miss!

www.magnolialibrary.org

Today we finished up our time in Kafue National Park with an early morning exploration of the Kafue River.  We then flew back to Livingstone airport and took a minibus to Hwange National Park, Zibabwe’s largest, by way of Victoria Falls. (More later).

Among the highlights at Huange was being surrounded by a herd of elephants who stuck their trunks and tusks inside our vehicle, tried to devour our two-way radio antenna and who were generally rambunctious. In hindsight, great fun.

This episode shows our departure from Santawani Camp in the Okavango Delta of Botswana, our flight in a 5 passenger puddle jumper to Kasane where we boarded a bus to the Zambezi River where we crossed over in a small boat to Zambia

We then boarded another bus which took us to the Livingstone Airport where another light plane was waiting to fly us to Kafue National Park and our tented camp that would be our home for the next three days.

After extricating ourselves from a mud hole during a game drive, we had the extraordinary experience of seeing four leopards in one place. A young male had killed a crown crane only to be confronted by a senior male. The youngster calmly dropped his prey which was quickly snatched up by the older cat who retired to the brush for a private dinner.

Hi Joey,

Thursday night’s Cigar and Rum sail on the Schooner Thomas E. Lannon has been postponed out of respect for our fearless leader and his family. Joey’s father-in-law passed away. We extend him and his family our deepest sympathy.

We will reschedule the sail in August and will surely keep you posted.

Sincerely,

Kay and Tom Ellis,
Bob Ryan
Paul Giacalone

Matthew Green Photo

Get Our Kids off the Land and Back on the Water!

The 2013 Gloucester Schooner Festival — with a record breaking 20 boats sailing this year — celebrates and honors our maritime history. At the same time, the Festival works to ensure the future of that heritage by supporting youth programs that put kids on Cape Ann waters. In 2012, the Committee provided two grants of $1,500 each to the GHS Sailing Program and The Gloucester Museum School/Project Adventure to support their on-the-water programs. Leading up to this year’s 2013 Festival, the Committee is raising funds, beyond the costs of producing the Gloucester Schooner Festival weekend, to continue such support and is seeking applications from interested organizations and groups.(We are still accepting contributions and sponsorships from businesses and individuals to make this happen.)

To apply for 2013 funds, organizations or groups are asked to complete an application and submit it by August 1, 2013 to the Gloucester Schooner Committee, c/o Maritime Gloucester, 23 Harbor Loop, Gloucester, MA 01930. A copy of the application can be found at www.gloucesterschoonerfestival.net

Typically we went on two game drives a day, one starting about 6:30 AM and the other in the afternoon until dusk. We never knew what to expect.

On this day we saw ostriches, impalas, a hyena, some of the 400+ species of birds, wildebeests consorting with zebras (wildebeests have poor eyesight and rely on other species to warn them of danger) and LIONS!

We tracked and found a pride of four lions. After a few minutes a young male who was not part of the group wandered by. The four observed him closely, but the newcomer appeared not to notice them and walked off into the bush.