Things to do in Port Elizabeth; August 2017. Guided trails. VAN STADENS FLOWER RESERVE; HIKING TRAIL; KING PROTEA AND POINTS OF INTEREST

Things to do in Port Elizabeth. 
Peter Giddy Guided tours.  Peter loves to take his guests walking on short trails around the PE Area.  The Van Stadens Flower Reserve is a wonderful place to visit even after the recent fires there is so much to see.
Other walks include -- The Lady's Slipper; The Cape Recife Reserve; The Grysbok trail behind the University; The well known Sacramento Trail and many others.

Shore Excursions 
Cruise Liners docking in Port Elizabeth
For interesting activities and Safaris -- Contact Peter -- peter.giddy@gmail.com

Airport and Hotel / Safari Transfers -- Contact Peter -- peter.giddy@gmail.com


HIKING IN THE VAN STADENS FLOWER RESERVE
KING PROTEA AND THEIR SURVIVAL

 Options for hiking -- The Fynbos Ramble; The Dam Trail and the River Trail

King Protea are in bloom. This is a part of the reserve which was saved from the Fire.

Today was about a Two Hour easy walking trail in the reserve.

Wednesday 16th August 2017
This morning the Wednesday hiking group was reduced to just 6 walkers.  The chilly wind and recent fires must have discouraged many of the regulars.
Robin has had a back operation and so is off from Hiking for a while.

The Van Stadens Flower reserve entrance is to be found almost opposite Woodridge Schools about half an hour drive from Port Elizabeth off the N2
We met at 8.30 and started off with a short Dam Trail.  Dave was the hike leader and he had a map showing us where to go.  On the trail we saw a number of King Protea in flower.

We started off with a short Dam Trail

At the Parking area is a clear signpost to the River Walk.
Once we had completed that loop we walked across the Bridge that crosses the N2 and then turned right onto the River Pathway.  This contours the Van Stadens river below. 
The last time we walk this hike there were bushes and Protea all along and we had, at times, to walk to the side of the path to avoid getting our feet wet. Today was the opposite. We could see that the fires of June and July must have created intense heat.  The Termite Hills were powdery and little green vegetation was to be seen. It gave us a completely new perspective of the area.

We first cross the bridge over the N2 motorway.

 We take a right hand turn to the trail that overlooks the Van Stadens river.

Again we see King Protea in flower
We saw a small troop of Baboons.  I later learned that they are under distress and they are struggling to find sufficient to eat and the cover that they are used to is no long there. Rocks were crumbling and black. The various markers and points on the trail to which we are used, are no longer the same without the familiar vegetation.

 On the trail with us this morning -- Val; Paul (returning from a Portugese Camino walk and a Fish River Canyon adventure); Grant; Ralph and Dave our leader today.

 George Urton   1911 -  1956;  Founder of this reserve.

 The starkness of the trail is magnified as we walk.

 We saw this leafy plant growing from the base of a number of the burnt bushes. We later learned from Goodman that this is Senecio -- Meanwhile  I have submitted an enquiry to Ispot.

 Looking across to the van Staden Bridge with hardly a green leaf to be seen.

At the Picnic area the bench is burnt.  While Paul and Val are in a serious discussion.

The Picnic / Snack break area looks barren, the bench is burnt and the tree may not survive.  From here we decided that we were not going to do the Forest walk as we had heard that it is no longer user friendly with trees and branches across the pathway;

Back at the parking area.  The men begin Braai Preparations.  Val and I spend some time chatting to Goodman who explained to us that now, after the fire, we can expect to see an number of new species as he has experienced in his 28 years of working in the reserve.  He shows us this burnt out King Protea and how the plant is beginning to sprout new shoots from the Underground Bole or stem.

Burnt out King Protea with the shoots beginning to show. I read the following on a website called Wildscreen Arkive:
Most flowers are produced on young plants up to five years old, with some plants occasionally flowering up to 15 years of age. As the king protea lives in nutrient-deficient soils, only a small proportion of the flowers produce nutrient-rich seeds.  These seeds are stored on the plant in fire proof cones, with seeds released, usually after a fire, when the cone dries out.  The seeds of the king protea are dispersed by wind, and germinate after the first heavy autumn rains. The seeds are often consumed, and killed, by birds and mammals.  After fires much of the above ground vegetation is burnt; however the king protea plant persists in an underground bole, from which it will sprout into several stems.
Around urban areas, the natural fires, upon which the king protea is dependant for reproduction, are suppressed, reducing the species’ ability to reproduce.  This is compounded by the introduction of non-native plant species, resulting in increased competition for natural resources. 

Underground Bole -- This refers to the Stem or Trunk of the plant that is underground.

I then had some bad and then good luck.  My landrover key would not turn in the lock.  I have been experiencing some trouble recently both with the turning of the key and the starting of the engine.  But each time I had resolved the issue within minutes.  But today, with me being way out of town, nothing worked.  So I called the insurance company to arrange a tow truck.  Then, after over 30 minutes of struggling, Dave came out and made the ridiculous suggestion that I should move the wheels.  Well, while I sat in the car, he pushed and shoved at the wheels and, miraculously the key turned and the engine fired.

I was able to drive home.. I went straight to the locksmith (Houdini) and they serviced the locking mechanism and then left my car with Robbie, the Auto Electrician to repair the non starting of the vehicle. 

By the end of the day I had, apart from a few hours of hiking, spent the entire day running around with car trouble and doing Dole Admin.

Goodman the ranger shows us these plants beginning to shoot after the fires.