Peter Giddy is a Tour Guide for the Eastern Cape. Contact me at peter.giddy@gmail.com to arrange a guided tour of Addo; Wildlife Reserves or other activities in the Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town or the Western Cape.
A media Tour is organised by the Tourism Offices of the visitors and South Africa.
It gives journalists an opportunity to see and experience a small part of the province and the kind of activities that they could expect to do.
This tour group would visit St Francis Bay, Port St Francis and Cape St Francis. From here they would move to Addo; Wildlife Centre, Addo Elephant park, Hitgehiem and Kududu, Crisscross paddling. Adrenalin Addo (Ziplines and other activities); Sundays River Cruise and sand boarding.
Finally a stay at the Beach Hotel, Raggy Charters visit to St Croix and ending with a Route 67 tour of the city.
Wednesday 25th January 2017. Meet German Media Group at the airport; Cobblestone for lunch and then drive to St Francis Bay; Dune Ridge Country House. St Francis is a village and Holiday area east of Port Elizabeth. Nearby villages include; Jeffreys Bay; Port St Francis and Cape St Francis.
We immediately visit the St Francis Links where we meet up with Geoff the CEO; Christo and Tinus are Golfing Pro's.
Geoff has a passion for Golfing; this estate and South Africa. He came here 25 years ago and has played a huge role in the development and success of the St Francis Links. He has two professional Golfers in Tinus and Christo.
Later this evening we meet at the Dunes resort where we have supper. The group try this new brand of Gin which appears to be a hit. I have joined Nicky for an Alcoholic Free month until 24th Feb when she has her 40th Birthday.
Thursday morning. After breakfast we start on a Hike -- The Chokka trail with Esti Stewart. The first section of this hike is over a multitude of Dunes. Up and down and through both Coastal Fynbos as well as Port Jackson Willow -- An Acacia brought into SA from Australia to help stabilize dunes but which is now an exotic weed. There have been fires in the area. This helps to promote the growth of new Port Jackson. Some of the valleys in the dunes give the impression of being a Jurassic Park with the black burnt out trees and the new greenery and the white sand of the dunes. Gives the place a strange appearance.
The sign reads as follows:
The history of people along the coast can be pieced together from evidence as varied as fossil footprints, stone tools and buildings. From Middens (Rubbish heaps) we can learn what people ate by examining old shells, the ashes of their fires and the bones of seals, sea birds, fish, buck and other animals. Shards of pottery and ornaments such as ostrich shell beads give a glimpse into their ancient lives. Some coastal artefacts date back to over one million years.
Step back a thousand years through the sands of time and join this group of hunter gatherers and herders meeting.
A fisherman tries his luck with a baited fish bone hook and stone sinker on a plant fibre line.
Our Coast our Future.
South Africa's coast has fed its people for over a hundred thousand years. Many communities still earn their livelihood from the sea. Now there are more people than the coast can support and our marine heritage is under threat. Our national policy aims to provide sustainable coastal development in South Africa so that we can preserve our diverse coast - past, present and future.
It is illegal to damage or remove anything from a midden without a permit from the South African Heritage Resources agency.
Bored stone adds weight to a digging stick.
A Khoekhoe woman with a sheepskin cloak.
A San man with bow and arrows.
Fish Traps -- Men spear and catch the fish trapped behind a stone wall as the tide falls. Ancient fish traps (visvyers) are still seen at Soetwater, Struisbaai, Arniston and Stilbaai.
While the pot boils -- A san woman points out whales and seals frolicking in the bay and reminisces about the jubilant feasting when a whale was stranded on the beach. As she leans back on the beached whale vertebra her ostrich shell water containers rattle together.
Muscles, abalone and alikreukel, prised from the rocks will be cooked in the coals and the shells discarded on the refuse pile - a future midden. Buck, tortoises, snakes, molerats and dassies as well as fruits and bulbs may be added to the meal. Herbs are collected for flavouring and medicinal uses.
The sea through the ages.
Although early stone age hand axes, cleavers and flakes (as old as 1.5 million years) have been found along the South African coast, there is no evidence that those who used them ate shell fish.
Oldest Shell Middens in the world. Middle stone age shell middens are found near Stillbay, Humansdorp and Saldanha. They provide evidence that modern looking people of our species, homo sapiens, were eating shell fish as longs ago as 120 000 years.
First Fisheries.
The earliest evidence for fishing in South Africa came from Blombos Cave in Stillbay and dates to about 80 000 years ago. Fishing and shell fish collecting intensified during the later stone age (22 000 - 350 years ago) and has continued to increase to the present.
Khoisan -- Hunter Gatherers and herders.
About 2000 years ago San hunter gatherers, whose ancestors had lived in southern Africa for tens of thousands of years, were joined by Khoekhoe herders who used clay pots and mat huts. The word Khoisan includes both the San and the Khoekhoe whose clans had names such as Namaqua and Outeniqua. The early colonists called the Khoisan "hotentots, Bushmen and Strandlopers". These terms are no longer in use. The arrival of Europeans ended the traditional lifestyle of the Khoisan but many of their descendants still make a living from the sea.
Did you know? The coast has not always been where it is today. During the last ice age the sea was about 130 meters lower and the coast was about 100km further off shore. As the ice melted - between 10 0000 and 12 000 years ago - the sea level rose. Most coastal shell middens date back to the last 5000 years because many earlier middens have been washed away or are under water.
Nelson Bay cave at Plettenbergbay, Cape st Blaize cave at Keurboomstrand are interesting sites open to the public.
First beads and fishers.
The worlds first jewellery of delicately bored tick shell beads, 75 000 years old, was found at Blombos cave, Stillbay. The cave also provided the earliest evidence for fishing in South Africa about 80 000 years ago.
Elands bay cave is decorated with paintings. The cave midden reveals how the diet of cave dwellers changed from land animals from 150 000 years ago to marine animals and shell fish about 11 000 years ago when the sea level rose to within reach of the cave.
Esti shows us an ancient Khoi or San Midden which is thought to be about 2000 years old. The San were more hunter gatherers while the Khoi were known to be pastoralist. When the Dutch arrived in the Cape in 1652 the Khoi had large herds of Nguni cattle. This midden may be that of San People as it has the remains of shells and bones as well as pieces of cutting stone and pottery. Esti points out the theory that sand moves across the dunes, the sea and back to the dunes over a 30 year period. This is shown in a skeleton of human remains that was discovered in the area which had, 30 years ago, been researched by a resident professor but not discovered at the time of his research. Khoi are thought to have migrated from Botswana and arrived in the Cape long before the Zulu or the European settlers. Khoi were called Hottentots as a result of the Clicks in their language. They are currently known as Nama people.
 |
| Esti Stewart is out leader on the Chokka Trail for the next two days. |
Finally we meet up with Eric, Esti's husband who is working on the trail and clearing of bush with his man Jason. We continue onto the beach where we begin our easterly walk into the wind and sun. Fortunately it is not too hot but the sun is pretty merciless.
As we reach the beach we stop for a break and something to eat. Photo time as the German Media people take huge numbers of Pics. They also make notes of things that Esti explains as we go along.
We walk along the beach and coast line for the final stretch of the day. There is an east wind blowing towards us so the heat is masked to some extent. I am concerned about the group getting too much sun but they seem okay. As we walk we pass by a Blow Hole which is said to be the second largest on the SA Coastline. This measurement is the diameter of the blowhole and not the extent of the spout. The blowholes of Port St Johns and the Whale trail are narrow and provide some spectacular spouts.
We see the unknown Grave Site which may belong to a Griqua person. It appears that the Grave is attended by someone as we see evidence of incense being burned and clearing of the site.
The Griqua were a result of mainly female Khoi and male Europeans who established themselves as a separate group during the time of Colonisation of the Cape. Griqua people are mainly Afrikaans speaking. They were trained in military matters by the Dutch and became skilled armed fighters. Klaas Afrikaner was a Griqua who rebelled against the Dutch Colonisation and led resistance groups to fight for independence. He was captured and sent to Robben Island in 1764.
During early 1800's, Griqua leaders such as Adam Kok and Andries Waterboer, led the Griqua people to the north of the Cape Colony where they established Griqualand West near to Kimberly. Discovery of diamonds led to the use of land being paid for by mining companies. In 1861, a second group of Griquas, led by a successive Adam Kok 3 trekked across the Drakensberg settling in the Kokstad area and established Griqualand East.
Currently the Griqua people are represented in Oudtshoorn at the Khoisan Conference.
Before we reach the SANCCOB Penguin reserve we find a sign for the wreck in this area called the Osprey 1867. Esti and a group of Tourism Interested people have put a number of Frame Signs on the trail as an interest for people to take pics. This reflects Cape St Francis as the Nautical Capital of SA.
A great marketing tool but that was not well received in all officialdom.
Kerry gives us an excellent tour of the SANCCOB rescue centre with a number of facts and details that made her seem very knowledgeable. However I later established that she only started a few days ago at this facility.
Chanel feeds the birds calling out their names and recording the number of fish eaten by each Penguin.
We are all pretty much frazzelled by the time we have finished the SANCCOB tour so we miss out on the final hour of walking to the Cape St Francis Resort. We just have time for a shower and have to be ready for a Boma Braai Supper by 7pm. I am very tired and eat minimal before excusing myself and getting into bed early.
Friday 27th
Breakfast is at 8am. It has rained in the night and some people are worried about rain today. But we set off from the beachside house that the tour group was allocated and are walking by about 10am. We walk to Shark Point past some really beautiful view points as Coastal Fynbos. Then across the bay of Port St Francis to the harbour. Here we have a Calamari Tasting experience. We watch a Chokka Boat off loading frozen fish. Then Eric and Greg give us a talk with a host of fishing related stories and information including the actual Chokka Squid and explaining the parts of the fish and the preparation that is required for eating.
From here we visit the Nature Reserve headquarters of the old Harbour where the NSRI used to launch. Here Maggie provides an insight to the conservation and care that is put into the Kromme and Cape St Francis areas.
Then we are treated to a Cruise, led by Sean, on the St Francis Canals and a lunch at a canal side restaurant. Supper this evening is at the St Francis Resort where Eric, Anita (CEO) and Shaun join us for an amazing supper of Ribs, Steak, Prawns, Muscles, Calamari and vegetables platters.
Saturday 28th. Following the heat of our first day on this tour, today is cold, wet and windy. Eric and Esti are organisers of the St Francis Parkrun. This takes place at the Links. None of the group are interested so we miss that. After breakfast on this cold windy morning we leave for Addo. Shortly after leaving the weather begins to clear.
Our first stop is Addo Wildlife Centre. This is run by Jannie. He has a variety of animals that are in captivity due to their circumstances. Either injured animals brought in or captive animals that are now unwanted. Animals born into captivity may not be released into the wild. Injured animals will be rehabilitated if possible. But if it is not possible to heal them then they remain in the reserve.
There is accommodation and a restaurant available an this is a short distance from Addo Elephant Park. Our guide in the facility is Igna who I have known for some time in Addo.
The Hitgeheim guide, Steve, takes us for an open vehicle game drive where we see the two male lions sleeping at Zuurkop, then a large herd of Elephant cross the road all around us. We stop for a break and snack at Jacks. Back to the lions who have not moved and then up to Carols where we see Buffalo and Zebra. Plus a couple of young Jackal cross the road. Plenty of Kudu and Hartebees.
Finally we go to Heitgeheim and Kududu where the group are staying for the night.
Pieter takes me back to PE as I have a long standing booking the following day. Meanwhile Pieter will be taking them to Crisscross; Adrenalin Addo and Sundays River Cruises on Sunday.
Sunday 29th.
City and Kragga Kamma tour with Linda and Chris Backwith. Start at the Russell Road Cemetery where Chris completes the story of James Dalton. We move over to the Donkin Reserve, Fort and the Drill Hall where Terry Pattison takes us for a personal Tour.
From there we go to Kragga Kamma where we see a good variety of animals. Tea and then over to Sacramento for lunch. After lunch we do the Wild Side and end up with an ice cream and flake at Mc Donalds. A great day with a stunning couple.
The following day Monday 30th -- I am back with the German Media tour group.
Monday 30th.
German Media Group. Beach hotel; Raggy Charter; Something Good; Beach Hotel; Route 67; Bridge St Brewery.
The day starts off at the Beach Hotel for breakfast and then we drive through to the Yacht Club where we register for the Raggy Charters Cruise. Lloyd Edwards introduces himself and we board his boat. Two Suzuki 150 outboard motors take us out of the port. Lloyd gives a safety and information briefing and then we begin our ride out to the Islands of Brenton and Ct Croix. We pass a number of Cargo Ships which are in the bay waiting for a berth or for the next section of their journey. Some of these huge ships are being refuelled at sea which is considerably less expensive than having to dock.
We reach Brenton Island and stop briefly. Then on towards St Croix where we encounter huge numbers of Dolphin. Lloyd explains that you see approximately one dolphin above water for every two underneath and estimates that there are about 200 in the school. They are all around the boat but difficult to photograph. We have just 20 minutes to view the dolphins before we must move on. On the West side of the island it is calm and easier to dock. Lloyd brings his wife here once a year as she is a marine biologist and spends two weeks doing research. The old Guano collection hut is where they stay during this period of research.
On the west side of the island we see the penguins; the dolphins follow us for a while before we leave to head back to the port. We take the route past Coega Harbour and along the Bluewaterbay beaches. We end up following along the North End Pier hugging the coast line. By now the wind and surf have picked up and the swells are large but in the lea of the harbour and land we are quite sheltered.
Lloyd provides the media group with interesting stories of how he came to be in the business and his wife's connections. From here we go to Something Good for lunch. Then a quick township drive past before driving to the city centre where we do some of the R67 historical tour. We walk from the town hall up to the Donkin Memorial. A young man (Vuyo) gives the group a good insight into Abakweta life. We climb the Lighthouse from where we are able to get some good views and perspectives of PE. Fortunately we meet Tony at the Fort and he provides additional information.
We end the day at Bridge Street Brewery for some beer tasting and a dinner.
The last day is at a slower pace as they pack up and transfer to the airport for their trip home.
No comments:
Post a Comment