LOUTERWATER, PLETT AND PRINCE ALBERT PASS DECEMBER 2012

WE STAY AT DIE KRAALTJIE WHEN WE VISIT LOUTERWATER
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BARBARA IS UP AND ABOUT. READY FOR THE WORK TO BE DONE AT LOUTERWATER.


DECEMBER 2012
PRINCE ALBERT PASS
LOUTERWATER MISSION






Saturday Morning I collect Adrienne and Svenje. We have a magnificent run. The wind is blowing from the East. This must have put some people off as the group was small. But Erna comes for the run despite her misgivings and enjoys it as well as the swim.
Tim HC has been injured and runs with us to the Kings Beach Parking. It is good to have him with us. Sjani is also with us

Svenje and I do the Admiralty route and Swim after the run. What a privilidge it is to be able to do something like this in the mornings.

Barbara and I drop Ally off at Sarah and we drive to Plett. Ena had a fall and cracked her hip. She has been in Hospital this week. We visit her there. The care is excellent but Ena is looking very frail and struggles to talk for long periods. From Plett we take the Turn off to Wittedrif. And then up the Prince Alfred Pass. This is something we have never done before. It is a magnificent drive. Not a good road and we are pleased to have a car Qashqai -- with a high clearance and big tyres. We ride slowly enjoying the views and taking pictures.
It is a Misty afternoon, the mountains all around us look quite majestic and spectacular with forests of indidenous plants and fynbos. We pass the Trout farm and then head up the Pass. Many of the bends have names such as Bains Cliff, Prisoners Grave and Kerf Hoek.

A MISTY PRINCE ALBERT PASS ON SATURDAY 1ST DECEMBER.

 

AFTER LEAVING PLETT WE DROVE THROUGH THE PRINCE ALBERT PASS TO
REACH JOUBERTINA WHERE THE REST OF OUR CELL GROUP WAS STAYING FOR THE NIGHT.

THIS WAS A GOOD SECTION OF THE ROAD. MOSTLY THE DIRT ROAD HAD TO BE DRIVEN VERY CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY AS THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD WAS NOT GOOD. THE ROAD IS NARROW AND YOU HAVE TO LEAVE PLACE FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THERE WAS NOT MANY CARS ON THE ROAD BUT I COULD NOT TAKE A CHANCE

THERE ARE MANY OF THESE BEAUTIFUL WATERFALLS TO SEE ON THIS SECTION OF THE PASS.

We reach a point where we recon that we have about 5 kays to go to the Langkloof road and come across a bus that has falled off the edge of the road. there are many places which are very dangerous especially the corners. the Bus driver has apparently taken this road in error and could not turn around to correct his mistake so continued down a road which is totally not suitable for big vehicles. There are two huge tow trucks that have been here for hours trying to move the bus.

LOOKING DOWN TO THE RIVER BELOW WHERE THERE IS A TROUT FARM AND ACCOMMODATION.

THIS LITTLE BRIDGE IS CALLED CONVICTS GRAVE

SAYS IT ALL

THERE IS A SHORT CUTTING BETWEEN THE ROCKS ON THIS CORNER

LOVE SOUTH AFRICAN SPELLING OF GROOT (RGOOT?)

It is raining and we decide to watch this process. It goes on for ages. Shifting, Pulling, and winching the bus. All the passenges were ferried away earlier in the day. Finally after spending around 3 hours at this place the tow trucks begin to be able to move the bus without it slipping back down the cliff. And we start to move forward. But at the next bend in the road there is another half hour of work to be done to try to negotiate the bend.

TIEKIELIEF DRAAI; NOT SURE WHY?

TWO MASSICE TOW TRUCKS ATTEMPT TO MOVE THIS HUGE PASSENGER BUS OUT OF THE ROCKS AND AROUND THE CORNER BACK UP TO THE MAIN R62 TAR ROAD. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AROUND 2AM. PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR WOUNDS AND HAVE ALL BEEN TAKEN TO SAFETY. THEIR BAGS WERE STILL IN THE HOLD OF THE BUS. THE DRIVER APPARENTLY LOST HIS WAY IN THE NIGHT USING A GPS.
THIS ROAD WAS DESIGNED BY THOMAS BAIN AND IS NOT AT ALL SUITABLE FOR BUSSES. ONE OF THE TOW TRUCKS HAD TO REVERSE ALL THE WAY DOWN. ONCE THE BUS HAD BEEN LOADED THE FRONT TOW TRUCK HAD TO REVERSE ALL THE WAY BACK UP AGAIN.

THIS IS WHERE THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE

FIRST ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE BUS FAILED.

BOTH TOW TRUCKS HAD TO PUSH AND SHOVE THE BUS BACK ON TO THE ROAD AT EACH TURN AS THEY PULLED THE BUS UP THE HILL


So Barbara and I decide to head back to Plett. It is about a 90 minute drive of 60km. Once back on the tar road we drive back towards PE. Stop at Storms river for a coffee. By now it is after 7 and dark. At the Kareedouw turn off we head to the Langkloof road and at 9pm we finally arrive at Joubertina where we meet up with Cronje and Claudine van Zyl and the Zeelies. They have waited for us and the braai is just ready for supper. What a relief to be at Die Kraaltjie. We sit chatting for about an hour. The two tow trucks that had been in the pass come rumbling past. The second one has the bus in tow

Thanks to our group who had waited for us to have supper. I doubt that we would have been in a mood to cook supper after a long day like today. As it was the braai was just ready and a real wecome meal.

CHURCH HALL IN LOUTERWATER

GIFTS FROM THE PE COMMUNITY

MORE GIFTS OF CLOTHING; KITCHEN UNTENSILS; TOYS; AND CHILDRENS PACKS\

THE CHURCH LECTURN

BARBARA; JACQUI AND CLAUDINE PREPARE COLD DRINKS FOR THE CHILDREN PARTY

Sunday morning we are up and about early. We leave for Louterwater where we meet up with Richard Cacwebe's wife Jackie. We off load the bags of clothing and gifts from the PE community both to the church and to the Ministers home. It is important that clothing and other gifts reach the people who most need it and who will be able to distribute to other families.

JACKIE CACWEBE AND TEEGAN GET THE CD PLAYER WORKING

JOSHUA AND JASON PLAY BALL WITH CHILDREN

TEEGAN; CLAUDINE; JACKIE; JACQUI AND BARBARA

HANNES AND CRONJE AND DION

CHILDREN LINE UP FOR THEIR PARTY PACKS



Claudine, Barbara and Jacqui sit with a few of the ladies from the church membership. Talking about their own hurts and issue.
Solomon is a leader, Sidwell we met last time is also there. Solomon rings the church bell to summons the children from their games to the church hall. Claudine and Hannes talk to the children reminding them that God Loves them and that they can rely on our Lord Jesus for strength.

We then line the children up and each receives a small gift of sweets and toys. Soon after this Barbara and I leave for home.