Camping at Medolino in Port Alfred
Medolino Caravan campsite was a trip down memory lane after we visited 15 years ago, and that is where we camped in September 2023.
It is one of those family run caravan parks that has an atmosphere that reflects the fact that you can call the owner in the middle of the night with an emergency and you get help.
Some campers prefer more business-oriented camping grounds, but Medolino is a camp ground with a distinct family culture.
It offers campsites of different sizes and is popular with RV and long-term campers.
How to get to Medolino
Our second week at Medolino was quite busy.
Monday I took the Suzuki in because it was pulling right quite aggressively.
Johnny at Medolino suggested I use the Tyremart branch.
I rarely recommend businesses because service are not the same every day, but if you have tyre problems and can get Sibusiso at Tyremart Port Alfred to troubleshoot, go for it! He has been doing wheel alignment and tyre trouble-shooting for 30 years, and he knows his stuff.
After two unsuccessful wheel alignment attempts in East London while we camped at Yellow Sands, Sibusiso immediately identified that the back wheels of the all-wheel drive were pushing the vehicle to the right. With a hand full of tools he disappeared into the pit and when he resurfaced, the car was driving with only a slight right pull.
Wednesday the wind was such that we could get a nearly 5km walk in.
Thursday 14 September were spent at Nature View Farmstall where we visited the river and experienced the views.
Then on to the Fish River Mouth Lighthouse which was an experience I would suggest you do. The road to the lighthouse is a real two-track farm road but can be travelled with a car as long as you don’t drive at rally speeds.
On Friday I went back to Tyremart and they found that it was a front tyre that still created a slight pull on the steering wheel. They swapped the front wheels and we’ll see how things go from here.
Saturday morning 16 September and we had a 06:30 commotion.
It appeared someone climbed over the fence and was walking inside the camp when one of the campers’ dogs noticed and gave chase.
The suspect fled back over the fence and we were left with some indignant campers and an agitated dog who just wanted to get out and go look for the bad guy.
Most campers were unaware of the event.
We were not surprised because when we arrive at a camping ground we usually observe security preparations first to help us decide where to camp.
At Medolino there is old razor fencing and large overhanging branches while the camping ground borders on a bushy area and paintball field.
It would be naïve not to expect negative events at a camp situated right in a town.
We try to camp away from fences when we camp at campsites without active electric fencing, professional security guards and armed response.
Medolino does have their own security guard and they took special steps after the incident.
The next night the security guard patrolled with a dog and they did find a trouble maker lying behind one of the caravans. The customary chase ensued but the guy got away.
We did not have any more trouble after that.
It’s worth noting that Medolino has little lighting in the camp at night, so there are many dark spots between the campsites.
Lighting is mainly at the gate and ablution blocks.
I preferred accompanying the Wifey when she had to walk to the ablution blocks in the early morning hours, something we luckily don’t need to do often.
Movement-activated solar lights in strategic places will do much in solving the problem. Maybe that will come in time.
UPDATE: We heard that a suspect was caught the night after we left. It seems to be a local gang that has now been eliminated and we heard of no more incidents.
Owners Johnny and Susan of Medolino
Medolino is an owner-run camp ground.
These are the campgrounds with soul, because the campsite is usually the owner’s main source of income.
Johnny and Susan are in their third year as owners of Medolino. They are still working to make the resort into what they want it to be, a family resort with a culture of relaxation, friendliness and good neighbourliness.
Medolino welcomes long-term campers and dogs.
The owners really try to make it a camping destination of choice for campers and we were impressed by their sincerity to make it a place where campers would like to camp.
The caravan park has 35 campsites with 10 amp power, a gas water heating system and rainwater backup tanks.
While we were there, and before the big rains came, they had trucks bring in fresh water when the municipal supply was disrupted.
Rain in Port Alfred
The week of the 20th brought rain to Port Alfred and the whole Eastern Cape, but the Western Cape suffered the most.
Port Alfred did not get that much, around 160mm for the week to Wednesday, but the wind was extremely strong and the sea very rough.
We were well protected between the large trees and shrub hedges, so we did not have the challenges we had when we camped on the beach front earlier in the year.
It was so wet that the toads left the pools and sought refuge under the tent canvas.
We visited Kenton-on-Sea but by the time we arrived, it was raining and we did not feel like sitting down at any of the two venues we found because it was all quite exposed.
The Wifey got excited about the river mouth and sea view and took a video in the strong wind.
Kenton-on-Sea must be a great place to visit when the sun shines.
Mig n Miki Coffee and Bikes
This, to me, is a typical example of small business entrepreneurship in South Africa.
Mig n Miki is a bakery, a coffee bar and a bicycle repair and rental shop!
We bought sour-dough Ciabatta from them as well as Croissants that bragged with its butter content. All the baked goods were exceptionally fresh and tasty. Only the Ciabatta are not baked on the premises but you must be early or there are none left.
I like humour so I enjoyed Mig n Miki’s coffee menu with names like Chuck Norris Double Espresso, Danny de Vito Short Americana and Prince Harry Red Cappuccino.
Mig n Miki is in Van Riebeeck Street, Port Alfred.
In addition to meeting Pieter and Doffy of Nature View which we wrote about here, we were fortunate to meet a number of other interesting people.
I wish I could tell everybody’s story, but I can’t, so here are three of them.
Solo, Senior, Female camper in an RV
When you travel from camping resort to camping resort, you can’t help but meet interesting people.
One such person we met at Medolino is the delightful Judy Barnes, a creative writing coach and freelance writer who travels the country solo in her Iveco RV.
I spent a few hours debating, arguing and discussing a wide range of topics with Judy.
The silver hair may trick you into thinking she may be old, but her sense of humor and her reaction to people making a fuss about a woman in her grey years travelling alone in an RV, make you think again.
If you come across Judy somewhere in a caravan park, say ‘Hi’, it may just enrich your camping experience.
Judy still maintains her website, Judy Bees where she writes about her experiences, promote her book “Deep Talk – Death does not exist” and where you can access information about her One-on-One Creative Writing course.
Peter and Vicky Stephens
At about the same time we arrived at Medolino, Peter and Vicky Stephens parked their RV on the opposite site.
The first thing one notices when you encounter them, is that they wear sarongs. Those are kikois, a Kenyan wrap-around garment that is part of the Swahili culture.
One often see kikois on TV in videos about the Maasai in Kenya.
Vicky is originally from Kenya, so she grew up with the Kikoi.
One meets interesting people when you camp!
They sold their house and now tour the country in their RV and they were kind enough to share their story and some photos with us.
When I asked Vicky to tell their story the reply was: “I can’t think that there’s anything much interesting about us”.
Before you believe that, read this:
Peter and Vicky met in Kenya, he did hair, she did make-up.
They worked on Out of Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford and White Mischief with Charles Dance and John Hurt.
“A lot of good films were made in Kenya in the 80’s” they tell us.
“Both of us wanted to travel. It was already in Peter’s blood, having a dancer as a mother and an elephant trainer father. My father, too was a traveler and an early Kenya Settler having been born in 1904” says Vicky.
They bought a converted Dutch ambulance in Nairobi and off thy went, travelling through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Moçambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, to Cape Town.
It wasn’t long before they bought a Landrover and returned to Kenya, via Namibia, Caprivi strip, Botswana and Victoria Falls.
Vicky recalls: “We have driven the whole way around Australia. Starting in Perth and heading north to Darwin. Over the water (by aeroplane) to Timor and Indonesia. It took us a year to complete Australia. Down to Ayers Rock and Alice Springs. Back up and across and down the east coast. Cooktown, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, and we spent time in New Zealand.
We crossed the Nullabor desert which was a huge trek. Australia was wonderful.”
Then they bought an American trailer during the first Gulf War and drove that from England, through France, Spain, Portugal and they lived in the Algarve for many years on a citrus farm they bought. This is where they had both their daughters.
Peter and Vicky returned to Cape Town in 1998.
In 2000 the family went to America and traveled for a year through the southern United States, Florida, Georgia, Savanah and the Gulf of Mexico in a motorhome.
“So much fun, such memories. Children are grown and so we sold up and have hit the road again.
Adventure makes us happy.” says Vicky.
They believe in an old truth Vicky’s father once expressed: “Less is more”.
These days they are much calmer and relaxed, which is why Peter sometimes complain that he is bored and wish he could practice his hobby of wood working while they camp.
The piano gave a problem
Update: I left out the fact that one does not always know the knowledge that is available among campers.
Wifey’s piano gave a problem when one of her piano’s keys died and didn’t make a sound. (Sound is important for a piano).
I enquired from owner Johnny where we could have it repaired and was quickly referred to Marcel who camped opposite the office.
Marcel lives in Centurion but he works at a service provider at a nearby airfield as a technician.
He took the piano with him the next day and returned with the key making the sound it should. It turned out that the piano was quite dusty inside which affected the electronic connections.
Camping comes with dust and we now know to have the piano serviced with shorter intervals.
One does not know what valuable knowledge is available around you when camping.
On to Big Fish Caravan Park
Just before we left for Big Fish, the Suzuki’s fan started making threatening noises, so we travelled to Jeffreys Bay without aircon or fan.
Such is life on the road.
Visit the Medolino photo gallery
Medolino Caravan Park offers:
Safety: Fairly safe. Security Guard. In town.
Wi-Fi: Yes at the office.
Private ablutions: No
Standard of ablutions: Old buildings but clean and well-maintained. Cleaned during the day. Shower curtains but little trouble with water spillage if the curtains are used correctly and depending on how aggressively you shower. Curtains are thin plastic curtains, so you may experience a cold curtain against your body when you least expect it. Adequate toilet paper was provided.
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Plugs in bathrooms: Hair dryer plugs for women.
Laundry: Yes. Laundry service and pay-and-wash washing machines and tumble dryers.
Condition of access roads: Town streets with the usual potholes.
Nr of stands: 35
Paved stands: No.
Unpaved stands: Yes.
Shade: Yes, most stands. Coral trees. We had to clean the Scout’s roof and the tent because we were there when the trees dropped their bright red flowers and non-sticky sap.
Shop on-site: No. Wood and ice available at the office.
Nearest town: Port Alfred
Pet Friendly: Yes.
Load shedding: Yes.
Hot and cold swimming pools: Cold water pool was being built when we were there.
Pensioners rates: Yes
Long-term camping rates: Yes.
Location:
23 Stewart Road,
West Bank,
Port Alfred.
Contact
Tel: 046 624 1651
Email via website
Website