National Water Week by Tracy Brookshaw, Bontebok National Park

After a restless nights sleep, I woke with butterflies. Today, being the beginning of National Water Week, and my first attempt at organizing school visits, 50 children over 5 days.

I set off to Bontebok Primary School, having previously arranged to pick up the children from Grade 6. Arriving at the school I find a class of 20 to 30 children sitting outside, panic sets in, what am I going to do with all these kids! Luckily they weren’t waiting for me!

With the 10 children and the teacher buckled in, we were on our way. Entering the Park, we were greeted by a small herd of zebra. The delight on their little faces, the smile of one girl catching my eye.

If at that moment, I’d had to turn the bakkie round and take them all back to the school, I would have been happy with that smile, it made my day.

We split the group into two teams and asked them to come up with a team name, the girls choosing ‘The Mermaids’ and the boys choosing ‘The Rangers’.

Each team started the day with a water experiment, making a water solar still. Then the Rangers took the boys into the river in a dinghy, whilst I took the girls on the Aloe Hill Trail, after 40 minutes we then swapped teams.

After a spot of lunch, we investigated the inhabitants of the river, finding beetles, worms and snails to name but a few.

With the teachers permission we extended the planned programme, giving the children opportunity to swim in the Breede River. To watch them, laughing and giggling, playing in the river, made my heart swell and I am not ashamed to say brought tears of joy to my eyes.

With the help of the Rangers the children had thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and although I am completely exhausted I cannot wait for tomorrow.

National Water Week by Tracy Brookshaw, Bontebok National Park