Umkomazi River

De uMkhomazi River be a river insyd KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Course E dey rise insyd sam of de highest eastwards-facing slopes of de Drakensberg mountains, near de mighty Thabana Ntlenyana. De river dey flow southeastwards towards de Indian Ocean, wich e dey enter thru a navigable estuary at Umkomaas (eMkhomazi), about 50 km southwest of Durban. Ein main tributaries be de Loteni, Nzinga, Mkomazane, Elands den de Xobho River. Towns on de uMkhomazi drainage basin dey include Bulwer, Impendle, Ixopo, Craigieburn den Boston. Presently de only dam insyd ein catchment area be de Ixopo Dam, buh oda dams be planned. De uMkhomazi be part of de Mvoti to Umzimkulu Water Management Area. Ecology De Mkhomazi State Forest den de Mkhomazi Wilderness Area be protected areas insyd de upper course of de Umkomazi River. De scaly yellowfish (Labeobarbus natalensis) be a fish found insyd de uMkhomazi River System as well as insyd de Umgeni, Umzimkulu, Tukhela den de Umfolozi. E be a common endemic species insyd KwaZulu-Natal Province wey e dey live insyd different habitats between de Drakensberg foothills den de coastal lowlands. History De first recorded trip down de river be insyd 1951 wen Ian Player den Fred Schmidt paddle down from Josephine's bridge to de sea at Umkomaas village wer de river dey flow into de Indian Ocean. Player be at de time famous for he win de first Dusi Canoe marathon earlier dat year wey later he cam be famous insyd wildlife conservation, especially for he save de white rhino from extinction. Dem take seven days to plete de 113 km distance wey dem be supported by friendly inhabitants of de valley wen dem run out of supplies. Various oda trips be undertaken culminating insyd trips insyd 1965 den 1966 dem aime specifically at de feasibility of holding a race, wich necessitate scouting de river den roads along de banks for two accessible overnight campsites. Charles Mason be instrumental insyd dat undertaking, succeeding insyd de scouting of de river den de access roads den in persuading de powers-that-be to sanction de new race on de South African canoeing calendar. He go on to win de first race plus Tank Rogers, narrowly beating Paul Chalupsky den Jimmy Potgieter. References External links Mkhomazi State Forest, KwaZulu Natal Water Services Planning Reference Framework - Water Resource Perspectives