10 things I absolutely love about Rhodes by Nick Hlozek
To the fly fisherman, Rhodes has always held a mysterious, mythical even legendary allure, the kind of place that gets spoken of in hushed tones around the fireplace in, if you’ll excuse the blasphemy, Dullstroom, and similarly ‘soft’ destinations. I believe that there are only two types of South African fly fisher people (to use the politically correct term!): those who have fished the hallowed waters around Rhodes and those who want to. It is generally considered a kind of Mecca for those who pursue trout with wisps of feather and fluff, and although I have only been visiting since 2007, I try to make the pilgrimage twice a year.
If you’re reading this, it’s going to be assumed that you know how wonderfully special a place the wee little hamlet of Rhodes is. If you don’t, best you keep reading, for I have pulled together a few of my favorite things about this magical part of the world, that I wish to share with you now, in no particular order, except for the jumbled one that exists in my equally jumbled head.
- No one knows where the darn place is! Whenever someone asks me “What are you doing this holiday?” and I answer that I am going fly fishing in Rhodes, I always and without fail, respond to the blank look I get with: “No, not the University in Grahamstown… It’s a place in the Eastern Cape, on the border with Lesotho”. A few years ago, Getaway magazine voted Rhodes one of South Africa’s Top 20 Secret Places… and they are not far off the truth there! Whether it’s the distance required to get there, or the fact that there are no tarred roads for miles around, Rhodes retains much of her charm and appeal due to the fact that it is not overrun with thousands of tourists looking “to get away from it all”. While I’m sure the tourism in Rhodes could do with a bit of a boost from time-to-time, it has to be understood that the same hordes bringing their hard cash from the Big Smoke would eventually turn this entrancing village into just another commercial sell-out, with real estate offices, pancake palaces and souvenir stalls popping up all over town. I guess there exists a fine balance, but one needs only look at a place like Clarens in the Free State to illustrate my point.
- The Purple Mountain I may well be stating the obvious here, but one thing that Rhodes is not short of is mountains. You may, on the odd occasion, battle to find fuel for your 4x4, or a patch of clear sky on a rainy Rhodes afternoon, but them mountains, well the darned things are absolutely everywhere! If I had to rank my choice of holiday destinations, the list would look something like this: In third place, the Beach (sun, sand, salt and wind… I battle to see the attraction). In second place, the Bush (the all-round, go-to, never-fail holiday destination). And in first place, by a long shot, Mountains. Without going into too much detail about second and third place, I’d like to explain my affinity for the peaks and pinnacles of the Southern Drakensberg, and it’s quite simple: I love mountains, because in between them can be found the geographical formations commonly referred to as “valleys”, and through these valleys, flow silver ribbons of water commonly referred to as “rivers”, and in these watery wonders live those scaly lil’ buggers, the fly fisherman’s favorite friend: fish. They’re hard to get to, in their mountain kingdom, they can be more difficult than a mother-in-law at times, yet they provide hours of pure pleasure when stalking them in their natural habitat, fly rod in hand.
- The Solitude. Perhaps I am turning into a grumpy old man before my time, but there is something to be said for heading off into the mountains with a few close allies, and spending the day flicking your fly rod upstream, in the knowledge that you are far removed from the city, and all the detriment she brings with her; deadlines, traffic, smog, computers, phone calls, clients, politics, television… the list goes on. Up in those mountains I love so much, it’s just you and the river. Add a couple of mates and a flask of whisky, and you may well have found heaven on earth.
- Paying your Dues. I didn’t fully understand what this meant when I first heard the phrase uttered by Tony Kietzman in the bar one evening, in reference to an unbelievably fantastic days fishing we’d had, but over the years I have come to apprehend exactly what he means. Rhodes is an unbelievable place, idyllic and charming, an absolute paradise for fly fisher people, but all that comes at a price. Do not come to Rhodes expecting every day to be a perfect one. Do not come expecting to set new personal bests with regards your catch return. Do not come expecting the rivers to run gin-clear for you… because in return for delivering occasional paradise, Rhodes is also able to dish up her fair share of hell; broken fly rods, broken bones, blank fishing days, weeks of solid rain, rivers that run chocolate… the list goes on. But that is what Tony meant, in his traditionally Zen manner, that much like everything in life, there is a price to pay in order to appreciate the beauty and wonder that is Rhodes and her surrounds.
- No cellphone reception. This one may sound very similar to point number three above, the one about solitude, but I felt that it deserved a special place all its own. It is not entirely accurate to say that Rhodes does not have any cellphone reception at all, but I have battled enough times with weak signal to justify turning my phone off entirely, only using it for the occasional courtesy call to loved ones. In an age where one is expected to be contactable at any time of day or night, it is a blessing to come to a place where that rule simply does not apply.
- Naude’s Nek. Aaah, good old Naude’s… although I have found many different versions of the exact altitude of the summit, this mountain pass is the highest in South Africa navigable by normal traffic, although a 4x4 cannot be recommended more strongly. The very first time I ever came to Rhodes, to settle once-and-for-all whether the lore surrounding this place was indeed fact or fabricated fiction, we came in via Naude’s Nek… during a particularly wet summer. Needless to say, it was a highlight of the trip, even though this stretch of road took almost six hours on the day, due to thick mud and poor visibility, which when combined with sheer drops on the side of the road, make for fairly slow going. We eventually arrived in town well after dark. I have since done the pass a number of times again, even though the inhabitants of Rhodes think it madness… it has become somewhat of a tradition, something to be repeated every few years, for memory’s sake.
The National Monuments Council plaque at Mooidraai on the Naudesnek Pass by Sharland Urquhart. Surprising that it hasn’t been stolen and sold for scrap – yet! More recently, the entire wall collapsed – bronze theft related?
- The names of the farms around Rhodes. I once had a chat to a local farmer who said that he actually farmed grass… and that it was just a stroke of luck that his sheep ate that grass. While the life of a farmer around Rhodes is certainly no picnic, the area always seems so lush and fertile, and I challenge you to find happier or healthier-looking animals anywhere on your travels around this country. That all aside, my very favorite thing about the farms in the area, are their names. Can there be anything more emotive than some of them: Lovedale, Francisdale, Mt. Mourne, Knockwarren, Newstead, Brucedell, Bothwell… talk about stirring up emotions of days gone by.
- Oom Duif and the fine folk at the Walkerbouts. This is basically the bit where I kiss a bit of arse and tell you how marvelous Uncle Dave (Sky)Walker, his fine establishment and all his various minions are, so here goes: There is more than one place to enjoy a “refreshing beverage” in Rhodes… but none more interesting than the Walkerbouts, and certainly no others I would prefer to be thrown out of. According to folklore, and indeed the very latest Astrological research, the Centre of the Universe is to be found there too, and many a fine evening has been spent over a bottle of red, whether it be talking tactics or telling whoppers. From the interesting memorabilia to be found scattered all over the place, to the pizzas and other delicacies on offer (prairie oysters spring to mind) the Walkerbouts has become an integral part of my stays in Rhodes. So there!
A fine pot of oysters on the stove at the beginning of the cooking process.
- The look on a newbies face, when they first arrive in Rhodes. I’m sure I wore exactly the same expression the very first time I had the privilege of descending into the Rhodes valley, but I have also been fortunate enough to witness that same expression of pure wonderment on the faces of others who have been invited to this sacred and revered place. Rhodes is simply too special a place to keep secret, and should be shared (albeit in a controlled, restrained manner…!) with others.
- The Fish. Did I mention the fish? Oncorhynchus mykiss, Salmo trutta, Labeobarbus aeneus… whatever your reason for coming to Rhodes, whether it be for biking, high altitude cross-country, flowers or bird-watching, at some point in time you are going to be confronted with a conversation that revolves exclusively around fish, and the best way to catch them. But fly fisher people are friendly folk, so do not be alarmed or taken aback. Even if you happen to know nothing about the finer points of a drag-free drift, or the virtues of dry fly fishing only, rest assured that at some point in the conversation, both of you will agree on one thing: that Rhodes is a special, special place.
Or alternatively, a Steak Tartar feast by prior arrangement @ Walkerbouts Inn – Rhodes