BAVIAANSKLOOF TRAIL RUN
18 SEPTEMBER 2010
Gerald, Pat & Ronel Scheepers
Chris Gedye
Mike Webb
Andre
Shane Norris
Peter Marriot
Siegfried
Michelle & Listia
Marie & Hugh
Tony and Sandra Boardman
Roger and Cathy Trader
Evie and Darrell Raubenheimer
Scott Rollo
Fanz Struwig
Results: http://www.baviaansrun.za.net/looking-back/results.html
After completing the Addo Trail Run, Andrew Barton persuaded Gerald and Family to enter the Baviaanskloof Trail Run. And then Gerald told me about it and I too submitted my entry. Adrienne also entered but in the end was not able to run due to both Injury and Travel. Andrew also had to pull out due to injury. Entering this event is a whole procedure on its own. First you have to complete and entry form plus pay an entry deposit even though the race is already full. Only 100 entrants are allowed to participate. Then you go onto a waiting list and as people pull out you are moved up the list. This is how I came to be accepted into the event. Evie Raubenheimer is amazing the way she keeps us informed of activity surrounding this event. Once entered you can expect an email at least once a week giving updates on what to expect.
It turned out to be the Sheepers' and I who left from PE at around 14.15 on Friday afternoon. Pat had done the bookings for our accommodation. We drove non-stop to the Langkloof Road 100kays and then the whole Langkloof road to the T junction where we turned right to Uniondale. The Uniondale (Spook) poort was closed. We bypassed Uniondale and shortly thereafter came to the turnoff to Baviaanskloof.
One has to be aware of the turnoff as it would be easy to drive straight past it. As we approached the mountains we became fearful of the huge cliffs all around us. We wondered on which side we would be running. But both sides looked equally scarey. The Rock Formations are quite stunning in this valley. One can see how the rocks and mountains have been formed over millions of years. The forces of nature must have been so powerful to force the rock to curl and whorl in this way.
We had now driven 285kays. From here it was a further 115kays to the farm. A dirt road seems very long. Most of this section was quite good quality road surface but one can never trust a dirt road completely and so I drove a little slower than Gerald would have liked. We enjoyed the spectacular cliff sides and rock formations. There are a number of farmers and ranchers along this route. There are also Game Farms where all kinds of adventure activity is offered. Unfortunately we drove the last half hour in the dark and had to ask directions from a local farmer.
As we arrived we saw a braai in progress and were happy to meet up with Tony and Roger. They took us to the main house where Piet Kruger took our R220pp and then climbed into his bakkie. We followed him a short way further into the kloof before he stopped at the old School where we would bunk down for the night. I had left my backpack with my Pasta Pack at home so Pat kindly shared her meal with me. I had grabbed a few potatoes on my way out and we microwaved these to add a little bulk to the meal. Nobody went hungry. We were all pretty exhausted and there was no argument about switching off the lights.
We were in a School Hall type of room. There were four single beds and as far as I can make out everyone slept well. It was pitch dark with no external light nor any noise so we had a really sound night's sleep.
Saturday morning we were woken by an alarm at 05.00am. We had done most of the backpack preparations the previous evening. After a wash and some instant porridge we were ready to leave. From here it was around 10kays to the start of the run at Geelhoutbos camp site. We drove slowly to the gate to the reserve where the Ranger took down our vehicle details. And then we had a fairly careful drive to the turn off to the camp site. But just as we were approaching the turnoff we rounded a bend and almost fell into a huge donga in the road.
We crossed a weir which was flowing fairly strongly. There were big bakkies and 4X4's which could drive through easily but I was very cautious as I could not see how deep or how strongly the river was flowing. We got through without problems and reached to turn off. This last 3kays of road was really bad and we had to drive very slowly.
Fortunately we were still early and in no rush. I think that some of the big vehicles behind us may have been a little agitated or impatient but I was not going to rush. Finally we came to the camp site just as it was becoming light. We were shown to the parking area. We unpacked our camel packs and walked back to the registration area. Here we met with Darryl who checked to see that we had Cups and then registered with Evie.
As we were registering we saw and greeted a number of people who we recognised. This kind of extreme event attracts a certain group of people. It was good to see Achilles being so well represented. Then numbers are limited to just 100 participants for Baviaanskloof. The last time I ran with Siegfried was on the Wild Coast. I remember one cold and rainy day when we were heading towards the Kei River. Siegfried produced a flask of hot soup which he shared with us. It was exactly what we needed on that day.
Each entrant was handed a bag with magazines, a whistle, a space blanket, a zooty Baviaans T-shirt a travel mug and a smart orange cap. The T-shirt given to us has images of the Buffalo, the Rhino and the Baboon on the back. The run is called “Run with legends” and it is these three ledgends who we will run with today. Baviaanskloof Honorary Conservators including Scott Rollo greeted us at the start and assisted throughout the day.
Darrell gave us a pre-race briefing and described the route. He took about a minute to describe what was going to be one of the toughest days of my life. He told us that a herd of buffalo had been spotted close to the camp. 07.00am.We started off running back along the road we had just driven. It was a loop which would pass the start area around 7kays later. We all had camel packs and enjoyed this section of the run. We could run at an easy pace and enjoy the early morning. It was not long before I was sweating as there was no breeze at all in this valley. As we passed the start area we began the climb.
I did not even attempt to jog up any of the hills but walking was tough enough. The ascent was very steep along an uneven jeep track where only a hardened 4X4 vehicle could attempt to drive. Up and Up we went. Perspiring heavily. The views here are awesome but the only way that the runner can really appreciate where we are is to stop and look around. In fact the best views are when you stop, turn around and look where you have come from. In this way you are able to see the vastness of the mountains and valleys.
The flora was amazing. On the top of these mountains the colours included reds, pinks, orange, purple, white and blue. There were pin cushion protea, everlastings, amazing cactus which I have never seen before and we even saw a lone Cycad at one point. We saw no animals except a few beetles and lizards. I saw a Rock Kestrel below me as it circled looking for prey. The amazing thing of being up on mountain tops like this is that you are able to look down on a bird like the Kestrel I saw. The spekboom thickets plus the thorn bushes provided interesting bundu bashing at times.
Pat and Gerald fell a little behind. Ronel had had a cold over the past number of weeks and she told me that she had not been able to run for around 6weeks. She coughed for most of the days run. I could see that Pat and Gerald would have a tough time making it to the watering station at the top of one of the mountains. As I climbed the mountain I was in wonder at the variety of Cactus and scrub. The mountain was so incredibly colourful that even though we were exhausted we still had time to appreciate where we were.
I had worn long shorts with pockets. I put a fruit bar and an energy bar in my pockets and would try to eat as much and as often as possible to maintain energy levels. Today my camel pack held a bladder with three liters of water, a long sleeve runners top, a cup, vaseline, toilet paper, a whistle, and some eats. The weather was particularly kind to us. Throughout the run we had cool overcast sky with occasional drizzle and from time to time there was a cool breeze. Ideal running conditions.
At one time I waited for the group to catch us. Marie and Hugh passed me, Michelle and Listia passed. But while waiting it was completely still. There was no breeze. I stood still and did not have the crunch of my shoes on the footpath. Listening to the silence I was overawed by my surrounding. The Baviaanskloof is a World Heritage Site and the section where we were running is not open to the general public so we are quite privileged to be allowed access to the area. I stood for a while listening to the sound of the cicadas and the occasional buzz of a fly. And then saw Ronel and Gerald as they made their way up the mountain. That would be the last time that I saw Gerald as he in turn waited for Pat.
We had to be at the checkpoint before 4.30hours. It did not seem likely that we would make it. We met up with Michelle and Listia. Michelle was not feeling her best and Istina pressed on to try to make the checkpoint. A man came loping past us. It appears that he had a breakdown in his Landrover and had arrived at the start 90minutes late. He had decided to skip the first 7kay loop and caught up with us.
Up and up we climbed. I was cramping on the back of my thighs. As we rounded a bend I saw the checkpoint and urger Ronel to run to try to make the 4.30hour cut off. As it turned out we made the checkpoint with just 2 minutes to spare. I had some banana and potato and filled my bladder. Today I would probably drink a total of 4 liters of water. Nothing was too much trouble for them and it was with difficulty that we pressed on into the wilderness.
From the checkpoint the route turns away from the Jeep Track and winds down some really difficult footpaths. I know that there are a whole group of runners who are able to run on terrain like this but I cannot include myself as one of them. Especially when being so totally exhausted as I was at this stage. I was so tired that I battled to keep up with Ronel's fast walking pace. She would break into a jog and I just could not bring myself to match her pace. High up here we would occasionally startle a Franklin as they noisily rushed away from us.
For around 90minutes we followed this trail in complete silence. Both of us focused on trying to get through this event. We had become tired of the day. 6 hours had passed. Our feet and legs were exhausted. Later on we both said how we had stubbed toes through the running shoes. I began to cramp in my feet whenever we were on a downhill. Each time we would round a bend we would see the coloured flags or the pathway stretching forever in front of us and would one more time become dismayed. The mountains stretch ahead for ever. Each time the runner rounds a bend there is more pathways with no end in sight. The lack of people or signs makes the run seem eternal.
The pathway seemed never ending. Ronel had a GPS on her wrist but this did not appear to tie in with the distances that Darrell had described. When we were at the checkpoint which Darrell had explained was at 27kays her GPS read 22kay. I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that we do a loop at the start? At one time we came down a hill and saw a flag but could no see the next flag. The track ended and we walked to where we thought we would be able to see the next flag. There was no path and no flags to indicate which way to go. We reluctantly backtracked and after some searching found an alternative pathway which led to the next marker flag. Right now I was glad that I was not on my own. I would not have enjoyed wandering around looking for a pathway without some kind of backup. As it was, the stillness of the mountain tops was eerie at times.
Shortly after this the Two Sweepers; David and Peter caught up with us. They had been with Pat & Gerald up to the Checkpoint where they had left them. They had reached the checkpoint around 30 minutes after us. I think that one of the highlights for Pat and Gerald was the 4X4 drive back down the mountain. They spoke about how well the Tata held the road despite the uneven track. They were able once more to enjoy the spectacular views of the mountains that they had just climbed. Although they would not complete the whole distance, they certainly had had a really good day including this trip back.
Meanwhile Ronel, David Robertson, Peter Hattingh and I continued our journey down to the finish. David told us that there was a chance that we could make the 7hour cut off. We had thought this to be an impossibility as we had worked out that we had around an hour to go but David said that we could still make the last section in a half hour. I think that he Lied. Probably he was trying to get us to move faster than our snails pace.
I should have realised that David's motive was to hurry us along when Peter did not say a word. So Ronel and I tried picking up the pace. But as we started the steep descent there was no ways that I had the strength to move any faster than I was already walking. It was only as we reached some kind of flat area that I put on a bit of a jog. But here we had these really steep cliffs and kranses on our left and one small slip could have landed you in Never Never land. So I walked again. Finally we saw the cars and activity of the end below us.
But is was still quite a little distance to the finish where Pat was waiting. We jogged in to a tumultus welcome. I think that people cheered us as they were happy that the Prize Giving could now begin. We arrived at the finish around 30 minutes after the cut off time. We may have missed out on the Medal but the most important thing to us was to have completed the whole trail. Darrell and Evie handed us our cold drink: Frankies old style Cinnamon Flavoured Coke. It was delicious. They also gave us a gift that I had worried would only be awarded to people finishing within the 7 hours; the Spekboom Plant that had been promised to all finishers. Andre asked me if this was my first time to which I responded: “This was my last time”.
I was so tired that I flopped down on Franz Struwig's family blanket. I must have been really smelly as Franz jumped up and offered me his camp chair which I thankfully used. Darryl started the thank you's and then handed the winning man and lady their awards. Hylton Dunn had done this event in a time of 3.30. I commented; “This was an embarrassment as we still had an hour to reach the checkpoint when he was already finished the event”. SanMari Woith was first lady home for the second time. Both of them received a Spekboom Crown as well as the Bronze Rhino which they are entitled to keep for a year. Their take away prize was an imprint of a leopards paw. Interestingly a leopard had been seen on the trail that we ran only a few weeks prior to our event.
Evie announced that us runners today would have a 24 hour window of opportunity to enter the 2011 event. Ronel: “That is one window that I will not be opening”!
After the awards we packed up and drove, slowly, again to Gerald's annoyance, to the School where we showered and loaded the car for the drive home. The 115kays to the tar road seemed to take for ever. We were not able to average a speed of much more than 40 - 50kph so this took us 2 hours. We passed Mike Webb. Mike has a BMW with “run flat” tyres. He has cut a tyre coming into the Baviaanskloof and would now have to drive all the way through to Willowmore to buy a new tyre as the car does not have a spare in the boot. I thought that we should be doing something to assist Mike but I had no idea what we could have done. Mike was now on his way to Willowmore where he would be cycling the Karoo to Coast on a mountain bike the next day.
We stopped at Uniondale to fill up with petrol. It was a surprise when Heidi Jansen greeted me from the car standing next to ours. They, like many others we saw today, were there for the MTB event; Karoo to Coast the following day. Christina Collet would also be cycling on Sunday. We stopped at a shop for something to eat and drink and then pressed on.
We left Uniondale at 18.00 and with around 270kays to drive I said that we would be home in three hours. I had a terrible experience earlier this year when, on the Langkloof Road, where a car had scraped the drivers side of my car as he drove in the opposite direction. (Hit & Run). My side mirror smashed though the window and we had to drive home in the rain with no window. This unpleasant experience made me weary of the road and I would slow down every time a vehicle approached us. Night driving is never pleasant but when it started to rain (and mist) it became even tougher. Pedestrians on the side of the road did not make things easier.
Finally we reached the N2 but at the same time we hit heavy mist. We had to crawl along every time the mist settled in. And with vehicles coming in the opposite direction seeming to have no regard for the conditions we had a really tough drive home that evening. But in the end we arrived safely and in the three hours. I dropped Gerald and made my way home where I had a cup of tea and promptly fell asleep.
This had been a good experience but I don't think that I will ever go back again.
The gift given to all finishers:
Spekboom
Portulacaria afra
The Spekboom is 10 times more effective per hectare at Carbon Fixing than any other plant on the planet. Spekboom is heavily browsed by game and stock and the leaves are edible, with a slightly acid taste. It is valuable as fodder during times of drought. The plant given to us is ready for planting. Just dig a fist sized hole and plant the whole package. (the spekboom came in a wrapping of damp Hessian).
Showing posts with label BAVIAANS KLOOF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BAVIAANS KLOOF. Show all posts
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, August 15, 2005
BAVIAANS KLOOF BERG PLAAS AUGUST 2005
BAVIAANS KLOOF. BERG PLAAS. 13 AND 14 AUGUST 2005
The week before this weekend had been a really busy one for us. Barbara and Cathy had driven to Cape Town on Wednesday as Cathy was trying to set up a branch of Stefan’s Photo and Video business in London. Cathy had contracted a cold, which she had passed on to Barbara. Barbara had missed her flight back to PE on the Thursday and when she finally got back on Friday was not feeling at all good. Meanwhile I had had people from our Head Office staying in PE for the whole week. Fortunately we have some good friends who helped me cope with Ally’s afternoons. Our friend, Tim, was in Botswana for a work assignment where he was trying to assist the owners of a dying bakery to survive. Another running friend of ours, Andy Bolton, was in Egypt and on the Red Sea for a scuba diving trip. His daughter, Caroline is an instructor in Port Elizabeth and was part of the expedition.
This is weekend had been planned by Niel and Vanessa (Wiebke and Silke) for some time. Herman, Tracey, Leah and Kim were also part of our group. So were Charles and Ian. Ingrid felt that she would be better at home alone for the weekend. We also met Vanessa’s sister, Chanelle, Ian and friends Bruce and Jenna. The weekend started with Herman and Tracey collecting us in an Isuzu double cab with canopy at just after 08.00am on the Saturday morning. We traveled in convoy to Humansdorp where we took the Hankey turnoff. But about 10kays into this road we encountered an accident where a big truck had gone off the road. And there were three big breakdown vans trying to pull the truck back onto the road. We heard that it could take as long as two hours to remove the obstacle and so turned around and went back to the Gamtoos River where we took the road to Loerie. From there we headed on to Hankey and Patensie. In Hankey we stopped off for a short break, coffee and sweets. And then we drove on to the kloof.
One of the interesting features of this part of the drive is driving through what must have been a riverbed many millions of years ago. The road cuts through a mountain of river stone that is about ten meters high. The Groot Rivier is on the left of the road and when we came to the dirt section we crossed the river a number of times. When we found a weir where the river was flowing over the road I asked Herman to allow Kim to sit on the bonnet while he drove through the water and I filmed this action sequence. We did this with Ally and Kim a few more times during the trip. Great fun for the children and me. We came to the Kondomo campsite, which is the entrance to the Baviaans Reserve. Here we met up with Scott Rollo who is a friend of Neil and a Volunteer Ranger for the reserve.
At this point the drive becomes quite tough, as the road requires a vehicle with a high clearance. Herman handled the driving with a degree of care and at no time were we, as passengers, worried. The road (or track) of the first pass consists of mostly rocks, very little grading of the road has been done. This section of the road has a number of hazardous twists and turns with a narrow road and sheer cliffs falling off to the right. As we drove we stopped a few times to admire the magnificent views of mountains and valleys that Baviaans is famous for. Soon we reached the top of the pass and the turn off to Bergplaas. Bergplaas consists of a single long hut with an indoor fireplace. In this (fireplace) room there are two double bunks, adjacent to this is the Kitchen, which has a sink, the next room is the bathroom where the bath and toilet are set up on a kind of throne. The next two rooms have two double bunks each. Barbara and I chose the room next to the bathroom. It could be said that we were the only people to have an “en-suite”.
We unpacked the three vehicles and soon turned the empty bungalow into a home with provisions sufficient for 50 people for two weeks. Seems like we may just have brought a little too much but as one of the children put it: “food is precious because there are no shops around.” Once we had unpacked, Tracey and Herman were quick to bring out a big bag of wood and the outside fire was soon blazing. Tracey had brought rolls and Boerewors to feed us all. Herman showed us a special trick where the Boerewors is wrapped in newspaper and made into a king of Christmas Cracker and put into the fire. The outside of the newspaper burns but inside the 'wors is cooked to perfection and this was quite a hit with the hungry group. Barbara had not been feeling well as she had caught a cold from Cathy on their way to Cape Town earlier on in the week. But when Niel suggested a drive down to the river, I decided to walk and Barbara agreed to walk with me. Tracey, Chanelle and Vanessa also wanted the exercise and so Niel went ahead and we walked what we expected to be about five Kays. Barbara and I stopped to look at the game as well as a number of other natural features of the fynbos while the Tracey group went on ahead. It is my opinion that walking is the best time to have “quality time” with anyone. There are few distractions from conversation, one does not have to look the other “in the eye”, and exhaustion is the common denominator.
The road that Niel had taken was the road that leads to Doodsklip and Rooihoek. I know this road from having to drive it on previous occasions. It was not just five Kays but more like ten Kays to Doodsklip where the man and children had a swim. As Barbara & I walked we saw a number of the Red Haartebeest that are common in the area. We also noticed what seemed to be wires stretching across valleys. We later on learned that this was a kind of Cable Car that had been used by farmers to transport produce, livestock and even farm labourers across the valley. Mmmm? Not too sure that I would have trusted it. After descending for over three or four kays the Tracey group decided to turn back for the camp. Barbara & I pressed on and after we reached the bottom of the kloof were lucky enough to see a pair of Klipspringer in the valley. Not long after this we heard the sound of Niel's vehicle and were happy to accept a (bumpy) ride back to the camp. We had walked for nearly two hours and about 6 kays. Margie Saunders had said that Brian, who had recently been into the Kloof, had said how bad the roads were. I did not find the roads to be worse than previous experience. But the Baviaans Kloof roads are very bad. Although we did not need the 4 X 4 facility of the vehicles, the high clearance was essential for these roads. We arrived back at the camp just as the Tracey Group were walking up to the hut. They must have had a tough walk as they had the uphill part that Barbara & I had avoided.
Charles and Ian had reached camp by this time. They had left a little later as Ian had a rugby match which his team drew five all. Charles joined us in our en-suite bedroom, taking the top bunks. Scott was also there and he had brought two trestle tables. These were really a great help with all the catering that had to be done. Beers were opened, Frisbees were brought out, Charles introduced a bit of “Survivor”, fires were lit and dusk turned to dark fairly rapidly. Niel had brought dough to make Rooster Koek. This is delicious when freshly baked on the fire.
Scott is a really experienced person in the outdoors and when he called the children to bring blankets for a bit of stargazing I decided to join this group. The adults meanwhile did the braai-ing thing. Scott proceeded to give an incredibly detailed and interesting talk on the stars and related matters. I was really impressed by the extent of his knowledge but even more taken by the amount of information that the children had as they were able to answer a number of questions to which I personally did not know the answers.
Some of the information included the make up of stars, planets, solar system, universe and our own Milky Way Galaxy. Then he spoke about satellites (we saw one), shooting stars, moons, comets and a variety of names of the various stellar objects. Something that I had never thought about previously was that Satellites are only seen soon after sunset or soon before sunrise as this is the time when the sun continues to reflect off them. The way to remember the names of the planets in order of their position relative to the sun is: Mnr. Van As; my jas sal u nie pas. This is Afrikaans and so the nine planets are: Mercury, Venus, Aard (Earth), Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune & Pluto. He says that a tenth planet called Sedna has recently been discovered.
After the Star Chatter I attempted to cook a few chops but was totally unsuccessful as I realised later when Ally nearly choked on a piece of meat that I gave her. I am not sure if I was too tired or the fire was not really hot enough but I had totally undercooked the chops. We had been snacking the whole day, Herman and Tracey had all kinds of goodies for after dinner so I was reassured that no one would go to bed hungry. It had been a long day as we had been up early, had driven for three to four hours, walked for two hours and were all exhausted. So after a bit of fireside chat, a glass of red wine and some story telling, we seemed to fade into sleep rather than actually go to bed.
The indoor fire room occupants made themselves a double bed (from the bunk bed mattresses) that would have made “grandma’s feather bed” look small by comparison. On this double bed slept: Niel, Vanessa, Wiebke, Silke, Herman, Tracey, Leah and Kim. Sounds like it must have been fun. On our side of the bathroom we were unlucky enough to have been locked out of the bathroom by the last user. So any lady wanting the bathroom in the night would have had to taken a walk outside, into the fireside room, interrupted their fun, through the kitchen and into the bathroom. As you may be able to gather we were a very “together” group of people this weekend.
The night was to be long for Barbara who seemed to deteriorate in health during the night. But we were all up reasonably early, as tends to happen when camping. I was stiff in my rear end and thighs from the previous days walk, probably also from cramped & bumpy drive. The back seat of a double cab is not quite as comfy as a normal car would be. Shortly after coffee and rusks we decided to do the two-hour walk, which had been, recommended to Niel. It was a walk over the fields and down the gorge to a waterfall. Just after we had started out Barbara realised that she had taken on too much and that she would turn back. We walked on past the Boom, past which no vehicle could pass and up the pathways that I estimate was a road made by the resident farmers over one hundred years ago.
Ally had a fall and grazed her legs so when I saw the cliff face that we would have to descend I was quite happy to turn back with Vanessa, Jenna, Silke and Ally. There was a cool breeze blowing from the West and a distinct chill in the air. We passed Scott on our way back and I gave him my daypack in case he should need any eats for the walk to the bottom of the gorge.
We had a leisurely walk back to the hut and during this time I was able to chat to both Jenna and to Vanessa. As I have said, Walking is a good time to learn more about others. I learned that Wiebke was born in Germany and that her name means “Young Woman” and that Silke means “Blind Faith”. Both beautiful names! Jenna has recently joined Dimension Data after a stint with Quest Personnel and a variety of jobs in London and Cape Town, Vanessa is looking forward to opening the Naartjie clothing retail outlet at Walmer Park shopping center and Chantelle is an architect taking on all kinds of interesting projects such as hospitals, private homes and even the exclusive millionaires homes. We got back to the hut and were soon brewing coffee while we were able to see others on their way back along the mountain path. It seems that while we were the first to turn back, others had also decided that the descent was going to be too tough and only the really dedicated would reach the waterfall.
Once Niel had got back to the hut he got the Breakfast going. This was to be a feast of sausage, bacon, eggs, mushroom, tomato, onion and rolls. Simply delicious and very filling! Barbara, meanwhile, had wrapped herself up and was trying to overcome the cold symptoms. After breakfast there was a lot of lazing around. The Survivor game was restarted by Charles. This morning we were able to spot a few Zebra grazing on a field across from the hut. I took a few of the children for a walk around the old stone Kraal behind the hut and around the small dam. There Ally and Silke discovered some small spiders nests.
After coffee the general consensus seemed to be that we would start our drive home. We packed the vehicles and took a slow drive down the pass to the farm called Kudu Kaya. This farm is on the Ys River and has camping facilities. It is a citrus farm and is also the farm where we did the Kloofing expedition earlier this year. Chanelle said that she too has done the Kloofing thing many years ago. Herman pointed out how the Orange trees have a Lemon tree stump and then the Orange tree is grafted into the Lemon tree. This is done because the Lemon tree has stronger and deeper roots. Later on I spoke to my friend Keith Finnemore who farms Organic fruit in the Addo area. He explained that all South African citrus trees are grafted. This is to assist the tree to combat soil diseases and insects. It is also to produce the best possible looking fruit.
Keith has a farm with about 10 000 trees which is small for the Addo area but is about three times the number of trees that he estimates are to be found on the Kudu Kaya farm. The yield of oranges is measured in tons per hectare and he estimates about 500 trees per hectare yielding 50 to 60 tons. Herman & I had tried to estimate how many bags of oranges would a large tree yield. Keith explained that there are a variety of bag sizes and that the different oranges such as Valencia, Navel and Clementines (Naartjies) have different yields.
We had seen piles of oranges dumped on a field. Keith explained to me that only first, second and third grade oranges are sold. The 1st and 2nd grade oranges are exported and the 3rd grade oranges are for the local market. 4th grade oranges, that are not sold to the juice companies, are often dumped for fodder or used for compost. These would be oranges that have marked skins. The fruit quality may be perfect but consumers buy with their eyes and so the fruit is unacceptable. Keith did the thing that all farmers do and that is to moan about the strength of the Rand. A stronger Rand means lower profits for farmers and he says that half the farms in Addo are up for sale.
At the Kudu Kaya we also saw the aqua-duct that the farmer uses to irrigate the trees. The children found this quite a good place to wet their feet. But the water temperature measures up to the name of the river. Keith described the irrigation system used by this farmer is that water is fed to the dam via this aqua-duct and then pumped up to a higher dam in the night when Eskom rates are about a third of daytime rates. The trees are then irrigated during the day, which is the best time for irrigation, using gravity.
From here we drove back to Patensie and took the 7kay detour to the Kouga (Paul Sauer) dam. This was my first visit to the dam. The construction of a dam such as this one is something to admire. Of concern to me was how empty the dam seems to be. There was a clear distinction between the present level and the maximum capacity. Perhaps expected September rains would make a difference. Here I used the last part of my video battery and we were soon on our way home. Herman drove our vehicle and I was quite happy to have a little snooze in the back seat. We were home by about 17.30 and soon unpacking and sorting things out.
The next morning I was up for my normal Monday morning MPRG run. Andy was back from his trip and told us some interesting facts about his trip. For example: Cairo is a city of over 22 Million people but the city has no traffic lights. He had been exploring the pyramids in temperatures of 37 Degrees and diving in water that most people find comfortable to bath in at 32 degrees C. Tim was back from Botswana but still enjoying his sleep. I struggled to get up and then to stay with the running group, as I was still very stiff from the trip & the walks.
Thanks again to Niel and Vanessa who put the whole trip together. Also thanks to all the rest of the group. It was a great get away.
Peter Giddy
15 August 2005.
The week before this weekend had been a really busy one for us. Barbara and Cathy had driven to Cape Town on Wednesday as Cathy was trying to set up a branch of Stefan’s Photo and Video business in London. Cathy had contracted a cold, which she had passed on to Barbara. Barbara had missed her flight back to PE on the Thursday and when she finally got back on Friday was not feeling at all good. Meanwhile I had had people from our Head Office staying in PE for the whole week. Fortunately we have some good friends who helped me cope with Ally’s afternoons. Our friend, Tim, was in Botswana for a work assignment where he was trying to assist the owners of a dying bakery to survive. Another running friend of ours, Andy Bolton, was in Egypt and on the Red Sea for a scuba diving trip. His daughter, Caroline is an instructor in Port Elizabeth and was part of the expedition.
This is weekend had been planned by Niel and Vanessa (Wiebke and Silke) for some time. Herman, Tracey, Leah and Kim were also part of our group. So were Charles and Ian. Ingrid felt that she would be better at home alone for the weekend. We also met Vanessa’s sister, Chanelle, Ian and friends Bruce and Jenna. The weekend started with Herman and Tracey collecting us in an Isuzu double cab with canopy at just after 08.00am on the Saturday morning. We traveled in convoy to Humansdorp where we took the Hankey turnoff. But about 10kays into this road we encountered an accident where a big truck had gone off the road. And there were three big breakdown vans trying to pull the truck back onto the road. We heard that it could take as long as two hours to remove the obstacle and so turned around and went back to the Gamtoos River where we took the road to Loerie. From there we headed on to Hankey and Patensie. In Hankey we stopped off for a short break, coffee and sweets. And then we drove on to the kloof.
One of the interesting features of this part of the drive is driving through what must have been a riverbed many millions of years ago. The road cuts through a mountain of river stone that is about ten meters high. The Groot Rivier is on the left of the road and when we came to the dirt section we crossed the river a number of times. When we found a weir where the river was flowing over the road I asked Herman to allow Kim to sit on the bonnet while he drove through the water and I filmed this action sequence. We did this with Ally and Kim a few more times during the trip. Great fun for the children and me. We came to the Kondomo campsite, which is the entrance to the Baviaans Reserve. Here we met up with Scott Rollo who is a friend of Neil and a Volunteer Ranger for the reserve.
At this point the drive becomes quite tough, as the road requires a vehicle with a high clearance. Herman handled the driving with a degree of care and at no time were we, as passengers, worried. The road (or track) of the first pass consists of mostly rocks, very little grading of the road has been done. This section of the road has a number of hazardous twists and turns with a narrow road and sheer cliffs falling off to the right. As we drove we stopped a few times to admire the magnificent views of mountains and valleys that Baviaans is famous for. Soon we reached the top of the pass and the turn off to Bergplaas. Bergplaas consists of a single long hut with an indoor fireplace. In this (fireplace) room there are two double bunks, adjacent to this is the Kitchen, which has a sink, the next room is the bathroom where the bath and toilet are set up on a kind of throne. The next two rooms have two double bunks each. Barbara and I chose the room next to the bathroom. It could be said that we were the only people to have an “en-suite”.
We unpacked the three vehicles and soon turned the empty bungalow into a home with provisions sufficient for 50 people for two weeks. Seems like we may just have brought a little too much but as one of the children put it: “food is precious because there are no shops around.” Once we had unpacked, Tracey and Herman were quick to bring out a big bag of wood and the outside fire was soon blazing. Tracey had brought rolls and Boerewors to feed us all. Herman showed us a special trick where the Boerewors is wrapped in newspaper and made into a king of Christmas Cracker and put into the fire. The outside of the newspaper burns but inside the 'wors is cooked to perfection and this was quite a hit with the hungry group. Barbara had not been feeling well as she had caught a cold from Cathy on their way to Cape Town earlier on in the week. But when Niel suggested a drive down to the river, I decided to walk and Barbara agreed to walk with me. Tracey, Chanelle and Vanessa also wanted the exercise and so Niel went ahead and we walked what we expected to be about five Kays. Barbara and I stopped to look at the game as well as a number of other natural features of the fynbos while the Tracey group went on ahead. It is my opinion that walking is the best time to have “quality time” with anyone. There are few distractions from conversation, one does not have to look the other “in the eye”, and exhaustion is the common denominator.
The road that Niel had taken was the road that leads to Doodsklip and Rooihoek. I know this road from having to drive it on previous occasions. It was not just five Kays but more like ten Kays to Doodsklip where the man and children had a swim. As Barbara & I walked we saw a number of the Red Haartebeest that are common in the area. We also noticed what seemed to be wires stretching across valleys. We later on learned that this was a kind of Cable Car that had been used by farmers to transport produce, livestock and even farm labourers across the valley. Mmmm? Not too sure that I would have trusted it. After descending for over three or four kays the Tracey group decided to turn back for the camp. Barbara & I pressed on and after we reached the bottom of the kloof were lucky enough to see a pair of Klipspringer in the valley. Not long after this we heard the sound of Niel's vehicle and were happy to accept a (bumpy) ride back to the camp. We had walked for nearly two hours and about 6 kays. Margie Saunders had said that Brian, who had recently been into the Kloof, had said how bad the roads were. I did not find the roads to be worse than previous experience. But the Baviaans Kloof roads are very bad. Although we did not need the 4 X 4 facility of the vehicles, the high clearance was essential for these roads. We arrived back at the camp just as the Tracey Group were walking up to the hut. They must have had a tough walk as they had the uphill part that Barbara & I had avoided.
Charles and Ian had reached camp by this time. They had left a little later as Ian had a rugby match which his team drew five all. Charles joined us in our en-suite bedroom, taking the top bunks. Scott was also there and he had brought two trestle tables. These were really a great help with all the catering that had to be done. Beers were opened, Frisbees were brought out, Charles introduced a bit of “Survivor”, fires were lit and dusk turned to dark fairly rapidly. Niel had brought dough to make Rooster Koek. This is delicious when freshly baked on the fire.
Scott is a really experienced person in the outdoors and when he called the children to bring blankets for a bit of stargazing I decided to join this group. The adults meanwhile did the braai-ing thing. Scott proceeded to give an incredibly detailed and interesting talk on the stars and related matters. I was really impressed by the extent of his knowledge but even more taken by the amount of information that the children had as they were able to answer a number of questions to which I personally did not know the answers.
Some of the information included the make up of stars, planets, solar system, universe and our own Milky Way Galaxy. Then he spoke about satellites (we saw one), shooting stars, moons, comets and a variety of names of the various stellar objects. Something that I had never thought about previously was that Satellites are only seen soon after sunset or soon before sunrise as this is the time when the sun continues to reflect off them. The way to remember the names of the planets in order of their position relative to the sun is: Mnr. Van As; my jas sal u nie pas. This is Afrikaans and so the nine planets are: Mercury, Venus, Aard (Earth), Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune & Pluto. He says that a tenth planet called Sedna has recently been discovered.
After the Star Chatter I attempted to cook a few chops but was totally unsuccessful as I realised later when Ally nearly choked on a piece of meat that I gave her. I am not sure if I was too tired or the fire was not really hot enough but I had totally undercooked the chops. We had been snacking the whole day, Herman and Tracey had all kinds of goodies for after dinner so I was reassured that no one would go to bed hungry. It had been a long day as we had been up early, had driven for three to four hours, walked for two hours and were all exhausted. So after a bit of fireside chat, a glass of red wine and some story telling, we seemed to fade into sleep rather than actually go to bed.
The indoor fire room occupants made themselves a double bed (from the bunk bed mattresses) that would have made “grandma’s feather bed” look small by comparison. On this double bed slept: Niel, Vanessa, Wiebke, Silke, Herman, Tracey, Leah and Kim. Sounds like it must have been fun. On our side of the bathroom we were unlucky enough to have been locked out of the bathroom by the last user. So any lady wanting the bathroom in the night would have had to taken a walk outside, into the fireside room, interrupted their fun, through the kitchen and into the bathroom. As you may be able to gather we were a very “together” group of people this weekend.
The night was to be long for Barbara who seemed to deteriorate in health during the night. But we were all up reasonably early, as tends to happen when camping. I was stiff in my rear end and thighs from the previous days walk, probably also from cramped & bumpy drive. The back seat of a double cab is not quite as comfy as a normal car would be. Shortly after coffee and rusks we decided to do the two-hour walk, which had been, recommended to Niel. It was a walk over the fields and down the gorge to a waterfall. Just after we had started out Barbara realised that she had taken on too much and that she would turn back. We walked on past the Boom, past which no vehicle could pass and up the pathways that I estimate was a road made by the resident farmers over one hundred years ago.
Ally had a fall and grazed her legs so when I saw the cliff face that we would have to descend I was quite happy to turn back with Vanessa, Jenna, Silke and Ally. There was a cool breeze blowing from the West and a distinct chill in the air. We passed Scott on our way back and I gave him my daypack in case he should need any eats for the walk to the bottom of the gorge.
We had a leisurely walk back to the hut and during this time I was able to chat to both Jenna and to Vanessa. As I have said, Walking is a good time to learn more about others. I learned that Wiebke was born in Germany and that her name means “Young Woman” and that Silke means “Blind Faith”. Both beautiful names! Jenna has recently joined Dimension Data after a stint with Quest Personnel and a variety of jobs in London and Cape Town, Vanessa is looking forward to opening the Naartjie clothing retail outlet at Walmer Park shopping center and Chantelle is an architect taking on all kinds of interesting projects such as hospitals, private homes and even the exclusive millionaires homes. We got back to the hut and were soon brewing coffee while we were able to see others on their way back along the mountain path. It seems that while we were the first to turn back, others had also decided that the descent was going to be too tough and only the really dedicated would reach the waterfall.
Once Niel had got back to the hut he got the Breakfast going. This was to be a feast of sausage, bacon, eggs, mushroom, tomato, onion and rolls. Simply delicious and very filling! Barbara, meanwhile, had wrapped herself up and was trying to overcome the cold symptoms. After breakfast there was a lot of lazing around. The Survivor game was restarted by Charles. This morning we were able to spot a few Zebra grazing on a field across from the hut. I took a few of the children for a walk around the old stone Kraal behind the hut and around the small dam. There Ally and Silke discovered some small spiders nests.
After coffee the general consensus seemed to be that we would start our drive home. We packed the vehicles and took a slow drive down the pass to the farm called Kudu Kaya. This farm is on the Ys River and has camping facilities. It is a citrus farm and is also the farm where we did the Kloofing expedition earlier this year. Chanelle said that she too has done the Kloofing thing many years ago. Herman pointed out how the Orange trees have a Lemon tree stump and then the Orange tree is grafted into the Lemon tree. This is done because the Lemon tree has stronger and deeper roots. Later on I spoke to my friend Keith Finnemore who farms Organic fruit in the Addo area. He explained that all South African citrus trees are grafted. This is to assist the tree to combat soil diseases and insects. It is also to produce the best possible looking fruit.
Keith has a farm with about 10 000 trees which is small for the Addo area but is about three times the number of trees that he estimates are to be found on the Kudu Kaya farm. The yield of oranges is measured in tons per hectare and he estimates about 500 trees per hectare yielding 50 to 60 tons. Herman & I had tried to estimate how many bags of oranges would a large tree yield. Keith explained that there are a variety of bag sizes and that the different oranges such as Valencia, Navel and Clementines (Naartjies) have different yields.
We had seen piles of oranges dumped on a field. Keith explained to me that only first, second and third grade oranges are sold. The 1st and 2nd grade oranges are exported and the 3rd grade oranges are for the local market. 4th grade oranges, that are not sold to the juice companies, are often dumped for fodder or used for compost. These would be oranges that have marked skins. The fruit quality may be perfect but consumers buy with their eyes and so the fruit is unacceptable. Keith did the thing that all farmers do and that is to moan about the strength of the Rand. A stronger Rand means lower profits for farmers and he says that half the farms in Addo are up for sale.
At the Kudu Kaya we also saw the aqua-duct that the farmer uses to irrigate the trees. The children found this quite a good place to wet their feet. But the water temperature measures up to the name of the river. Keith described the irrigation system used by this farmer is that water is fed to the dam via this aqua-duct and then pumped up to a higher dam in the night when Eskom rates are about a third of daytime rates. The trees are then irrigated during the day, which is the best time for irrigation, using gravity.
From here we drove back to Patensie and took the 7kay detour to the Kouga (Paul Sauer) dam. This was my first visit to the dam. The construction of a dam such as this one is something to admire. Of concern to me was how empty the dam seems to be. There was a clear distinction between the present level and the maximum capacity. Perhaps expected September rains would make a difference. Here I used the last part of my video battery and we were soon on our way home. Herman drove our vehicle and I was quite happy to have a little snooze in the back seat. We were home by about 17.30 and soon unpacking and sorting things out.
The next morning I was up for my normal Monday morning MPRG run. Andy was back from his trip and told us some interesting facts about his trip. For example: Cairo is a city of over 22 Million people but the city has no traffic lights. He had been exploring the pyramids in temperatures of 37 Degrees and diving in water that most people find comfortable to bath in at 32 degrees C. Tim was back from Botswana but still enjoying his sleep. I struggled to get up and then to stay with the running group, as I was still very stiff from the trip & the walks.
Thanks again to Niel and Vanessa who put the whole trip together. Also thanks to all the rest of the group. It was a great get away.
Peter Giddy
15 August 2005.
Sunday, February 29, 2004
BAVIAANS KLOOF FEBRUARY 2004.
BAVIAANS KLOOF
TRIP OF 27. 28. & 29 FEBRUARY 2004.
This trip was set up by Trevor & Anita Jennings. They are experienced Baviaans and adventure explorers. Trevor called me about this trip during January this year and I had a reasonable memory of the drive through the Baviaans Kloof from the trip that we did two years ago on our way to the Orange River adventure. I said Yes, Include us!
Two weeks before the trip we gathered at Trevor and Anita’s house for a pre-Baviaans briefing and supper. It was only here that I realized who would be with us on the trip. A great group of people, mainly connected to the church. There was Lou, Barbara and their two daughters (Shanene, son in law Brain and family), Derrick and Linda, Rob and Trish & family, Hannes, Jacqui and family; John, Carol and family; Jacqui, Tindall and family; Rory and Joanne; Maxine, and ourselves. It was going to be a terrific group of diverse people with the common ground of being Christians. I began to really look forward to the trip.
At this briefing, Trevor warned us of some of the problems that we might encounter: Baboons, Monkeys and Buffalo. In addition we talked about meal and other logistical arrangements. It was a good time to chat and get to know the group.
On the Friday 27th, I took a few days leave so that I would not be rushed. Alli had a party at the Supertube with one of her friends, Megan Oddy so we agreed that we would leave after this important function. The 27th is also Barbara’s birthday and she had a lunch planned with the girls. So while Barbara and Alli were out partying, I got stuck into packing and getting the grocery shopping ready.
We eventually picked Alli up at 14.30 and left town by about 15.00H.
The Road to the Baviaans Kloof from PE goes through Loerie, Hankey and Patensie. Shortly after Patensie (about 100kays from PE) the road becomes a dirt road. The first ten or so kays is acceptable but becomes rough as you enter the wilderness reserve. Alli did what she does best. Slept in the back. This allows Barbara & I to have a bit of a chat and take in the scenery instead of entertaining our beloved child.
One of the most amazing sights of the Kloof is the fact that this is a River bed from millions of years ago and you see the round stones of the ancient river embedded in the cliff face way above you as you drive past. Entering the Kloof is also a treat as you are able to see the cliff formation that was created by upheavals and eruptions of millions of years ago. Then there is also the river flowing just below. All of this makes for a very interesting drive.
After a short while the road becomes increasingly rough and you seem to be on a road made exclusively for four-wheel drive vehicles. The road begins to ascend up and up a narrow, winding track with little more space than one expects to find on a flat jeep track. There is certainly little place for two vehicles to pass each other and the road comprises rock and donga’s.
From the entrance to the Kloof there is about a 20 kay drive to the Rooi Hoek camping area where we were to meet the others. This section of road is incredibly scenic and needs to be taken slowly to be able to enjoy the splendour and majestic beauty of the reserve. Together with the enjoyment of the views and the terrible track that is wrongly called a road, the drive takes about 1and a half to 2 hours. Don’t miss the Red Hartebees that gather in herds on the first crest; also the beautiful stone walls so carefully built by the pioneer farmers of the region.
This is a dangerous road and should not be undertaken lightly nor is it advisable to start off late as it would be treacherous to drive in the dark. One should be prepared for a very slow drive to avoid damage to the vehicle or tyres as repairs would be very difficult and there is no cell phone reception except for the short area where the Red Hartebees herds are seen.
We took about three hours from PE to Rooi Hoek … a distance of about 150kays.
At Rooi Hoek we met with the group and found a site for the tent. We are reasonably experienced at setting up camp and were soon settled in with our stretchers, tables, cookers and eats. Being wary of the monkeys we packed all edibles away and went for a walk to the beach. However I left the tent for a few moments to try to see a pair of Fish Eagles that Barbara had spotted and in those few minutes the monkeys were in the tent, they opened the milk carton and stole some of Alli’s sweets. After this incident we were wiser and repacked all our provisions and even clothes in the combi. The beach is a stretch of river sand that puts the most white clean sand of the ocean beach to shame. The water was warm and refreshing and the children (and adults ) were soon wallowing in the water.
Some of the campers had inflatable mattresses and used the vehicle batteries to pump these up. The problem with this is that the car should be left running while this is being done otherwise this exercise tends to run the battery flat. Fortunately I had Jumper leads and we were able to start the vehicles.
Barbara went back to the tent to fetch something and shouted at us that there were again troops of monkeys and baboons in the tents. They were busy stealing anything that had a smell or that was soft such as the toiletries, toothpaste and tissues.
We had now learned that nothing is safe from these marauders and felt lucky to get away lightly with little of real consequence being stolen. I think that Trish was quite disgusted when she learned that a baboon had been chewing at her toothbrush!
The beach and swimming was delightful and it was only the call of hunger that lured us back to the camp. Hannes set up the fireplace and we soon had a roaring fire and drinks all round. The evening was perfect. We were a group of 18 adults and 14 children chatting and playing in the light of a fire in the wilderness. Is there more to life than this?
The coals settled and out came the meat and potatoes. And for some more organized people; there were salads and other delights.
I think that we were all pretty tired and the thought of a mattress and a tent was too inviting to be missed. The night was quite eventful as a dead tree situated not more that ten meters from our tent split in the middle of the trunk in the night. This prompted the monkeys in the tree next to our tent to leap onto the tent and the whole commotion woke me for a few milliseconds before I fell fast asleep again.
I was awake pretty early the next morning to the sound of the Zeelie boys chatting and shooting their catapults at the monkeys in the trees. I went down to the river and had myself a bath with the special (biodegradable) soap that can be used in rivers. When I got back Barbara was up and we soon had the hot water going and had ourselves hot chocolate and rusks for breakfast.
I had registered for a course on the new testament and we spent some of the morning doing our homework and readings. It is a very interesting course to do. The rest of the day was spent in the water, on the “rapids” with tubes, lazing on the beach & sleeping in the tents (which in our case became too hot as the trees did not shade us from the midday sun). Some of the group went on game drives and walks into the Kloof. Later that afternoon Lou took us for a short walk up to the ridge where there is a magnificent view of the valley below and we were able to see some Kudu and Baboons next to the river. We started the fire a bit earlier than the previous evening and soon a number of the group began to gather around the fire. It amazed me the amount of equipment that was taken into the Kloof; tables and chairs, fine wines and ice cold drinks together with an array of meat and eats made for a gourmet dinner around the fire again created by Hannes.
Happily, Derrick and Linda had come through that afternoon. Derrick had fallen ill the previous day and had not been up to the drive. It was so great to be there that evening. Listening to the fireside conversation and the screams of delight from the children as they told each other stories and played in the darkness by torchlight. The weekend was coming to an end as we began to discuss leaving times for the next day. It seemed that Anita wanted to get home it time for evening dinner and there were various opinions of other times that would be suitable. One of the great things of this weekend was that there were very few rules. It soon became evident that there were a number of very tired bodies; the sun and exercise had taken its toll. So it was off to bed and a far more peaceful nights rest.
The next morning started the same way for me with a bath in the river, coffee and rusks and a bit of study. But the rain began to fall and Barbara & I decided to leave early. It did not take us long to pack up and we were on our way home just before 09.00am. We said our goodbyes to some who looked like they too would leave fairly early and others who looked settled for the day. I personally was quite happy to leave early as I had marking and other preparation work to do for the week ahead.
We later heard that those who stayed on for a bit longer had some stories to tell. Like when Lou took the men for a long (three hour) walk into the bundu. These chaps were lucky enough to come across a herd of Eland within about 20 meters of when they were hiking. We also heard the story Rob who met up with a Fiat Multiplia high up in the kloof. It seems that there were 5 Italian tourists in the vehicle and that they had hit the sump plug out and lost all their oil. Fortunately a Landrover driver had been able to assist them out and pulled them out of the really treacherous section of the road and then back to Patensie.
We drove exceptionally slowly and took every rock and turn in the road very carefully and with great respect. The toughness of this road was again brought home to us as we lurched over and straddled across the rocks and ditches of the track. The slow drive is made worthwhile by the beauty of the views and valleys of the Kloof and the wonderful camping experience that we enjoyed at Rooi Hoek.
As we left the Kloof we passed a number of 4 X 4 vehicles, fortunately none where the road was really too narrow to accommodate two vehicles side by side. We made a stop in Patensie for breakfast. There is a delightful shop called Tollbos that is run by two local ladies. I had a Kudu pie while the others had more conventional meals of bacon and egg sandwiches. As we were leaving John and Carol arrived. I think also for a meal. The road along Patensie is tar but a real farm side road as the red soil of the fields gives the road additional colour. The citrus orchards are often lined with Poplar tress, bougainvillea and rose bushes. There is clearly a degree of pride in the area for the quality of the farmlands.
We were home by 13.00, unpacked and gave the combi a good wash. I was then able to do the homework that is essential for the week ahead.
Thanks to Trevor and Anita for setting this weekend up. I will recommend that anyone who receives an invitation to join the Jenning’s on one of their adventure trips to say yes immediately just in case your place is taken up while you procrastinate.
Peter, Barbara and Alli Giddy
29 February 2004.
TRIP OF 27. 28. & 29 FEBRUARY 2004.
This trip was set up by Trevor & Anita Jennings. They are experienced Baviaans and adventure explorers. Trevor called me about this trip during January this year and I had a reasonable memory of the drive through the Baviaans Kloof from the trip that we did two years ago on our way to the Orange River adventure. I said Yes, Include us!
Two weeks before the trip we gathered at Trevor and Anita’s house for a pre-Baviaans briefing and supper. It was only here that I realized who would be with us on the trip. A great group of people, mainly connected to the church. There was Lou, Barbara and their two daughters (Shanene, son in law Brain and family), Derrick and Linda, Rob and Trish & family, Hannes, Jacqui and family; John, Carol and family; Jacqui, Tindall and family; Rory and Joanne; Maxine, and ourselves. It was going to be a terrific group of diverse people with the common ground of being Christians. I began to really look forward to the trip.
At this briefing, Trevor warned us of some of the problems that we might encounter: Baboons, Monkeys and Buffalo. In addition we talked about meal and other logistical arrangements. It was a good time to chat and get to know the group.
On the Friday 27th, I took a few days leave so that I would not be rushed. Alli had a party at the Supertube with one of her friends, Megan Oddy so we agreed that we would leave after this important function. The 27th is also Barbara’s birthday and she had a lunch planned with the girls. So while Barbara and Alli were out partying, I got stuck into packing and getting the grocery shopping ready.
We eventually picked Alli up at 14.30 and left town by about 15.00H.
The Road to the Baviaans Kloof from PE goes through Loerie, Hankey and Patensie. Shortly after Patensie (about 100kays from PE) the road becomes a dirt road. The first ten or so kays is acceptable but becomes rough as you enter the wilderness reserve. Alli did what she does best. Slept in the back. This allows Barbara & I to have a bit of a chat and take in the scenery instead of entertaining our beloved child.
One of the most amazing sights of the Kloof is the fact that this is a River bed from millions of years ago and you see the round stones of the ancient river embedded in the cliff face way above you as you drive past. Entering the Kloof is also a treat as you are able to see the cliff formation that was created by upheavals and eruptions of millions of years ago. Then there is also the river flowing just below. All of this makes for a very interesting drive.
After a short while the road becomes increasingly rough and you seem to be on a road made exclusively for four-wheel drive vehicles. The road begins to ascend up and up a narrow, winding track with little more space than one expects to find on a flat jeep track. There is certainly little place for two vehicles to pass each other and the road comprises rock and donga’s.
From the entrance to the Kloof there is about a 20 kay drive to the Rooi Hoek camping area where we were to meet the others. This section of road is incredibly scenic and needs to be taken slowly to be able to enjoy the splendour and majestic beauty of the reserve. Together with the enjoyment of the views and the terrible track that is wrongly called a road, the drive takes about 1and a half to 2 hours. Don’t miss the Red Hartebees that gather in herds on the first crest; also the beautiful stone walls so carefully built by the pioneer farmers of the region.
This is a dangerous road and should not be undertaken lightly nor is it advisable to start off late as it would be treacherous to drive in the dark. One should be prepared for a very slow drive to avoid damage to the vehicle or tyres as repairs would be very difficult and there is no cell phone reception except for the short area where the Red Hartebees herds are seen.
We took about three hours from PE to Rooi Hoek … a distance of about 150kays.
At Rooi Hoek we met with the group and found a site for the tent. We are reasonably experienced at setting up camp and were soon settled in with our stretchers, tables, cookers and eats. Being wary of the monkeys we packed all edibles away and went for a walk to the beach. However I left the tent for a few moments to try to see a pair of Fish Eagles that Barbara had spotted and in those few minutes the monkeys were in the tent, they opened the milk carton and stole some of Alli’s sweets. After this incident we were wiser and repacked all our provisions and even clothes in the combi. The beach is a stretch of river sand that puts the most white clean sand of the ocean beach to shame. The water was warm and refreshing and the children (and adults ) were soon wallowing in the water.
Some of the campers had inflatable mattresses and used the vehicle batteries to pump these up. The problem with this is that the car should be left running while this is being done otherwise this exercise tends to run the battery flat. Fortunately I had Jumper leads and we were able to start the vehicles.
Barbara went back to the tent to fetch something and shouted at us that there were again troops of monkeys and baboons in the tents. They were busy stealing anything that had a smell or that was soft such as the toiletries, toothpaste and tissues.
We had now learned that nothing is safe from these marauders and felt lucky to get away lightly with little of real consequence being stolen. I think that Trish was quite disgusted when she learned that a baboon had been chewing at her toothbrush!
The beach and swimming was delightful and it was only the call of hunger that lured us back to the camp. Hannes set up the fireplace and we soon had a roaring fire and drinks all round. The evening was perfect. We were a group of 18 adults and 14 children chatting and playing in the light of a fire in the wilderness. Is there more to life than this?
The coals settled and out came the meat and potatoes. And for some more organized people; there were salads and other delights.
I think that we were all pretty tired and the thought of a mattress and a tent was too inviting to be missed. The night was quite eventful as a dead tree situated not more that ten meters from our tent split in the middle of the trunk in the night. This prompted the monkeys in the tree next to our tent to leap onto the tent and the whole commotion woke me for a few milliseconds before I fell fast asleep again.
I was awake pretty early the next morning to the sound of the Zeelie boys chatting and shooting their catapults at the monkeys in the trees. I went down to the river and had myself a bath with the special (biodegradable) soap that can be used in rivers. When I got back Barbara was up and we soon had the hot water going and had ourselves hot chocolate and rusks for breakfast.
I had registered for a course on the new testament and we spent some of the morning doing our homework and readings. It is a very interesting course to do. The rest of the day was spent in the water, on the “rapids” with tubes, lazing on the beach & sleeping in the tents (which in our case became too hot as the trees did not shade us from the midday sun). Some of the group went on game drives and walks into the Kloof. Later that afternoon Lou took us for a short walk up to the ridge where there is a magnificent view of the valley below and we were able to see some Kudu and Baboons next to the river. We started the fire a bit earlier than the previous evening and soon a number of the group began to gather around the fire. It amazed me the amount of equipment that was taken into the Kloof; tables and chairs, fine wines and ice cold drinks together with an array of meat and eats made for a gourmet dinner around the fire again created by Hannes.
Happily, Derrick and Linda had come through that afternoon. Derrick had fallen ill the previous day and had not been up to the drive. It was so great to be there that evening. Listening to the fireside conversation and the screams of delight from the children as they told each other stories and played in the darkness by torchlight. The weekend was coming to an end as we began to discuss leaving times for the next day. It seemed that Anita wanted to get home it time for evening dinner and there were various opinions of other times that would be suitable. One of the great things of this weekend was that there were very few rules. It soon became evident that there were a number of very tired bodies; the sun and exercise had taken its toll. So it was off to bed and a far more peaceful nights rest.
The next morning started the same way for me with a bath in the river, coffee and rusks and a bit of study. But the rain began to fall and Barbara & I decided to leave early. It did not take us long to pack up and we were on our way home just before 09.00am. We said our goodbyes to some who looked like they too would leave fairly early and others who looked settled for the day. I personally was quite happy to leave early as I had marking and other preparation work to do for the week ahead.
We later heard that those who stayed on for a bit longer had some stories to tell. Like when Lou took the men for a long (three hour) walk into the bundu. These chaps were lucky enough to come across a herd of Eland within about 20 meters of when they were hiking. We also heard the story Rob who met up with a Fiat Multiplia high up in the kloof. It seems that there were 5 Italian tourists in the vehicle and that they had hit the sump plug out and lost all their oil. Fortunately a Landrover driver had been able to assist them out and pulled them out of the really treacherous section of the road and then back to Patensie.
We drove exceptionally slowly and took every rock and turn in the road very carefully and with great respect. The toughness of this road was again brought home to us as we lurched over and straddled across the rocks and ditches of the track. The slow drive is made worthwhile by the beauty of the views and valleys of the Kloof and the wonderful camping experience that we enjoyed at Rooi Hoek.
As we left the Kloof we passed a number of 4 X 4 vehicles, fortunately none where the road was really too narrow to accommodate two vehicles side by side. We made a stop in Patensie for breakfast. There is a delightful shop called Tollbos that is run by two local ladies. I had a Kudu pie while the others had more conventional meals of bacon and egg sandwiches. As we were leaving John and Carol arrived. I think also for a meal. The road along Patensie is tar but a real farm side road as the red soil of the fields gives the road additional colour. The citrus orchards are often lined with Poplar tress, bougainvillea and rose bushes. There is clearly a degree of pride in the area for the quality of the farmlands.
We were home by 13.00, unpacked and gave the combi a good wash. I was then able to do the homework that is essential for the week ahead.
Thanks to Trevor and Anita for setting this weekend up. I will recommend that anyone who receives an invitation to join the Jenning’s on one of their adventure trips to say yes immediately just in case your place is taken up while you procrastinate.
Peter, Barbara and Alli Giddy
29 February 2004.
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