The Surf Blog Spot

Next time you are surfing in Africa and get cut off, you better check twice and make sure it is not one of the surfing hippos catching waves in Africa’s Loango National Park.

A Loango surfing hippo

Loango National Park is located on the west coast of Gabon.  Africa is hoping Loango National Park will become the next ecotourism capital.  This unspoiled location is part jungle, having the most intact expanses of rain forests left in Africa, part swamp and it sports 60 miles of Atlantic Coastline with plenty of waves for everyone.  It has one of the greatest concentrations of undisturbed wildlife anywhere in Africa.  Whales stop over to mate; giant sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs; elephants saunter along the beach and the most remarkable attraction are the hippos playing in the surf!

The African surfing hippo

Catching a wave is a new sport to the African River Horse (aka hippo) as they are not particularly fond of sea water.  But with many being displaced by human development or when young bulls are “voted out of the herd” they will hang ten if it is the closest water source.  So, be forewarned, if you are planning a surfing safari to Gabon’s Loango National Park you might find yourself sharing your wave with a SEEKOEI (pronounced SEA COW) as they are called in the Afrikaans language.

 By the way, if you are big fan of the CBS reality show, “Survivor,” be sure to tune in for this year’s Season 17 as it all takes place in Gabon, Africa!!!  The season is appropriately named “Survivor: Gabon – Earth’s Last Eden.”  Plus, Season 17 will be the first year Survivor filmed in HD!  Imagine the bug bites and the surrounding landscape in High-Definition.  Hopefully the cast or crew do not steal any of the local’s waves.  The video below could be a lost local.

SURFING…not just for humans anymore!!!