OUR FLORAL KINGDOM PULLS THEM IN

Anna Pogglioni (remember him of the Fistful of Dollars fame?) and Maud Cross toured the hinterland and coastal zone in search of flowers - from Nieuwoudtville down to St Helena Bay - and find them they did: katsterte, reënblommetjies and a myriad other varieties as far as their eyes could feast.

Today they're headed for the annual Hopefield Fynbos Show - into its 19th year if I am not mistaken - but before they set out, a West Coast breakfast of fruity filled pancakes, haddock and poached eggs and all the preserves that this great area offers: korrelkonfyt, buchu marmalade and makataan. Don't know what these are? Well, you're just going to have to come and find out for yourself!

I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN

That's what my dearly beloved said when we moved here 14 years ago. Instead I got strandveld in all its glory, particularly pretty at this time of the year when the spring flowers are out. But look at this! I have a slightly different variety of the garden gnome: a southern right whale that came visiting this afternoon at 14:26 whose sudden blows and snorts had me hurtling over the furniture to get a good look.

I love it when city slickers ask me, "So what do you do with yourself here all day?" Folks, this is why I moved ot the West Coast - to gorge myself on gargantuan creatures of the sea, to revel in their exquisite size and to marvel at the adroitness in a bay not know for its depth. I wonder whether that groan, those growls are perhaps the pleasure it gets as it scratches its great underbelly along the seabed. Methinks so.

You may not be here to share it with me; you can certainly do so by enjoying this pic I took from the deck.

NEW WAVE

I’ve heard of it, of course, but that which rock ‘n rolled on our coastline was of a different variety.
Around 6am on Thursday 21/08/08 a freak wave of some 10 metres swept in, thought to have been the result of seismic activity around the mouth of the Orange River. In the form of a roller rather than a crashing wave, it brought with it debris jettisoned by bulk carriers etc. lying out in the roadstead. There hasn’t been damage per se; in other words, no injury/loss of life but there’s a hell of a lot of plastic rubble to be cleared away and the MCM offices adjacent to the big sheds where they vlek the snoek were completely swamped and two factories had their operations temporarily halted by the flooding.
I got a call from one of the MCM inspectors extending his apologies for not being able to attend a meeting of the Trust that morning, but they were trying to cope with the clean-up operations.
What is interesting is this: the St Helena Bay Water Quality Trust (of which I am manager) was tasked by the High Court w-a-y back in 2001 to look at a contingency plan in the event of an accident in the bay and which we addressed this year. I set up a meeting with Anton Tallie, born in this area 50-plus years back and owner of a very big boat building and repair operation in St Helena Bay. I felt his opinion would be of worth – and it certainly turned out to be prophetic. My notes pertaining to that meeting make for interesting reading and I quote, “Du Toit, Jager and Byrnes met Anton Tallie on 24/06/08 to discuss the above. Tallie is of the firm opinion that the biggest threat to the bay will be through natural causes (i.e. freak wave/s, high seas). He has lived on this coastline for 50-plus years and said that in his experience weather patterns are cyclical. He explained who is responsible for which aspect - e.g. in the event of fire and a chemical spill is reported to SFF in Saldanha - and added that that he did not feel it was necessary for the Trust to involve itself in this aspect, as most of the larger operations had their own plans and equipment in place should an accident occur. Tallie also said that fishing boats carry up to 25 tons of catch, which does not pose any threat to the bay itself.
So there you go, friends. I am well, the area is OK albeit slightly battered and, yes, the South African coastline is just as vulnerable to tsunamis as others but, hey, if it happens to me I ain’t going to know about it, eh?

WHAT GOES ROUND COMES ROUND

Karma is the belief that good and evil deeds beget their own reward. And my reaction to the Hanette’s comment that she and Theunis can’t stop talking about the warmth and feeling that they experienced at my establishment is a reflection of the guests themselves. You see, what I put into my little establishment is directly attributable to what I get out of it. I feed and thrive on enthusiasm for this exceptional locale and all accolades are placed squarely at the feet of my guests.

Hanette’s remarks are humbling, “Just a short note to say, thank you very much for your hospitality and making us feel at home. Thanks for the warm welcome it was really appreciated.” She wrote in an email that, “Theunis and I can’t stop talking about the warmth feeling you and your place have. We really enjoyed our weekend and will remember you and the lovely place you have there." Methinks I was the one to gain having hosting the stay of such appreciative folk.

TRULY A WOMAN'S DAY

OK, so Augustine’s birthday was one day later, Sunday the 10th of August if you insist on being picky, but that doesn’t make her any less of a great woman – so thinks David, her friend since school days and now partner. I also think she’s a lovely person, fun loving and yet with a responsible side to her nature that shows when she discusses anything of import. This pic shows an easy-going attitude and being Her Day she has every reason to laugh!
They spent the night here chilling out – not literally, that is, because the winter days in Britannia Bay are quite balmy, although the evenings can be cold – and didn’t even venture out to dine. I think the excitement of the Beijing Olympics caught their attention on the Box and they settled in to watch our manne pitting their skills against the world’s best.
Today it’s back to the city and their lovely, large families who have no doubt set up something traditional by way of birthday kos. Here’s wishing you an awesome birthday, Augustine, and thanks for spending it in my corner of heaven.

A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT

Scrolling down you’ll see the blog that I wrote of the event that was about to change Mark and Simona Bament’s lives. Well, Tiago was born at 15:35 on Thursday 31 July 2008, weighing in at 2,930 kg and an overall length of 56 cm. As befits all new parents, they are justly proud of their first-born child and tell me that he’s the bestest/brightest/brainiest boytjie in the world. I know you join me in wishing that happy little family a wonderful life getting to know each other.