KZN Matriculants complete epic Wild Coast hike
Six KZN Matrics celebrated the end of their exams by doing the rigorous 120km hike
along the Wild Coast from Port St John’s to Port Edward.
We are all feeling the Matric results energy as many matriculants and their families are left giddy over their results.
It was anything but an easy final year for the matric classes of 2023, but each of the matriculants who have passed can now breathe a sigh of relief for all the hard work they put in. It was all worth the effort.
Six matric boys from our beloved province who have impressed us even more with their vigour set off on a 120km hike after their final exams.
Konstantino Giokos, Michael Farrell, Mitchell Hamilton, and Sam Hodes completed their Matric at Treverton College, whilst Dylan Jarrett finished his Matric at Waterfall College, and Warren Rossouw at Scottburgh High.
Below you will see Konstantino “Kozzi Giokos (left) and Sam Hodes (right).
The boys embarked on their hike after Mitchell Hamilton (18) came up with the idea. This was after he went to the Wild Coast on holiday.
“I wanted to do something really epic and different straight after Matric and upon returning to boarding school I planned it with Sam, Konstantino, and Michael. It was truly a life-changing experience.”
Sam Hodes (18) says “The hike was incredible, such an adventure! The route was very technical and took many hours to plan with us having to study the tides in-depth. The river crossings were tricky owing to the currents, the tides as well as the sharks. We floated our backpacks in waterproof bags while we swam across.” (Supplied)
The first leg of their hike began on the 24th of November 2023 after they grabbed a taxi at Port St John’s.
They then proceeded with their expedition which consisted of crossing high mountain passes, hiking along untouched pristine beaches, and having to cross five shark-infested rivers before arriving at Port Edward a week later.
The boys experienced many adventures such as meeting villagers along the way and being invited into their homes to spend the night. This happened on more than one occasion.
Dylan Jarrett said: "We got lost many times but the local people we met along the way were amazing and were always ready to assist us. We took along a satellite navigation device, which assisted in helping us keep in contact with our families who were very concerned as there was little cell phone service along the route."
The satellite phone was meant for emergencies. If anything, we can say that the boys' ability to undertake such a majestic (and adventurous) hike speaks volumes of their upbringing and education.
For more from East Coast Radio
Farrel added: "The hike was an extraordinary adventure that really challenged me as a person both physically and mentally. I really didn't realise how remote we were going to be until day 2 where we met a guy who had never tasted biltong nor spoke any English which was a challenge to communicate with, to help show us which way we had to go. The hike took hours to plan, around studying for finals, but was well worth it."
Konstantino Giokos (19) said that going to school at Treverton College really prepared them for the trip, as the school arranges lots of hiking, kayaking, and other adventure outings. Giokos, during his Matric year, completed the Grand Traverse Drakensberg hike, a rigorous 250km hike along the Drakensberg Escarpment, in South Africa.
“The views and being without any signal and contact with the outside world made the experience both incredible and humbling,” says Warren Rossouw (18).
In a world where smartphones are a necessity, we were happy to hear that cutting off from the outside world was welcomed by these youngsters. A great starting point for them as they welcomed in their Matric results with some notches under their belts.
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
- Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet, channel 836.
- Switch to the audio bouquet on your Openview decoder and browse to channel 606
- Listen to us on Amazon Alexa.
Image Supplied