Weather
April is possibly the most anticipated month of the year and this past month has truly lived up to its reputation as the best month for a visit to the area. What makes April so great is that it sits perfectly between shifting seasons - roughly translated, this means no winter chill and no summer storms, but rather a balance of perfect weather and idyllic sea conditions and on top of this the month starts with lots and lots of chocolate and very excited children... The local monkey troop thoroughly enjoyed our Easter egg hunt, but thankfully, being a considerate bunch, they left a few eggs for our kiddies.

The camaraderie between guests seems to be related to the number of guests in camp, so the camp being busy is a rewarding time to visit as the family holiday home feeling it at its strongest. April was just that and the guests engaged like old varsity mates, but thankfully not until the wee hours of the morning. A highlight of the Easter holiday was the boys vs girls beach soccer tournament which had been planned to last an hour, but continued into the dark with the entire camp involved (albeit with some more involved with the cooler box than the soccer...).

Wildlife and Marine Life
Another memorable event this month was a bat survey conducted in and around camp. The first two nights didn't produce much, but when we brought the mist nets into camp and over the pool the game changed completely. The most noticeable difference was the 1500% improvement in the capture rate. The added value of involving our guests and offering them the opportunity to experience the capture operation while seated for dinner was a real win. Our two budding research assistants Shane (4) and Dominique (7) were a great help and even managed to learn a few of the scientific names of the bats in the area. The pressure is on now as Shane and Dom found both species of turtle on a drive during their January visit, this time they had the bat survey and so when they come back in December we will have to pull a 'rabbit' out of the hat!

Turtle season is long over now, or so we thought. Two days ago however, whilst out on an early morning fishing trip, Vince found a trio of baby leatherbacks paddling down the beach. Elated with the find he hurried back to camp to spread the word. The turtle guides believed that a second hatch may be imminent and continued to monitor the nest for signs of more hatchlings - but it wasn't to be.

Fishing
April is considered to be the month of the kingfishes and though things started a little slow, the fishing is now really good! Reports from local fishermen are positive and good catches of all sorts of species are a daily occurrence. If there is ever a time to fish this coastline it is now. Don't worry too much about the technical stuff and fancy lures and equipment - just get a line in.

Rocktail Beach Camp is a conservation entity and promotes catch and release - even of the tasty species!

Camp News
95% PLATINUM STATUS: This is the rating the camp was rewarded after a recent eco-audit. The Green Leaf Programme, endorsed by Dr Ian Player, awarded Rocktail Beach Camp this status due to its commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism and operational practices. Green travellers can come here with total peace of mind!
 
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