Environment
For us understanding the environment and respecting it are an integral part of running the lodge. From the very beginning we aimed to have a minimal, or better still, a positive impact on our surroundings. The construction of the lodge is an excellent example of this in action. The area we chose to build the lodge on was scrub bush... but instead of clearing the whole area to build, we carefully marked out and cleared only the areas where buildings would be. The result, we have a lodge embedded in verdant natural bush. Indigenous plants, bushes and trees thrive around us.
This approach meant that many of the smaller animals and birds stayed on the site throughout the building period. Once construction was completed even more animals, birds, insects and reptiles moved in. The lodge provided a haven of well protected natural habitat, and the population is booming.
But this isn't just good news for the plants and animals, it’s good for us too. Our guests often marvel at the abundance of living things around the lodge, and it’s easy to spend a whole day just watching their activities. After a morning rain shower clouds of butterflies gather around a puddle, as the air warms sunbirds dart from flower to flower in search of nectar, late afternoon swallows swoop over the pool to drink and early evening rare elephant shrew dart across the paths... even the bar has its own resident wildlife... a gecko who comes out at night to be fed drops of honey by the barman.
Some of the birds seen around the lodge:
- Common Bullbull
- Black backed puffback
- Bronze Manneken
- Broad billed roller
- Scarlet chested sunbird
- Collared sunbird
- Green wood hoopoe
- Palm golden weaver
- Bee eater
- Crowned hornbill
- Crested terns
- Masked booby
- Western reef egret
Being keen divers we are also very concerned about the sea life. Together with One Ocean we strive to encourage responsible dive practices. We also work hard to help the local community use this resource in a sustainable way.
While living here we have learnt that life on the coast moves with the seasons, the winds, tide and currents.
The daily cycle governs peoples activities: As the tide begins to drop the fishing boats are launched and the currents help carry them out to sea, at low tide women and children scour the rock pools for shellfish and octopus, and then as the tide rises the boats return and the village gathers to inspect and divide the catch.
The longer cycles of the lunar month and the seasons have their own character too, sitting on the terrace watching for flying fish and observing the changing moods of the sea and sky can be a deeply rewarding experience.