SATURDAY MORNING 17TH DECEMBER 2O11
Saturday morning:
This morning I collect Andre and John and we run the Cape Recife trail run. It starts at Pine Lodge where we register. We have opted for the 20kay. Ronel and Pat run the 10kay. At the start we see; Jonti, Almarie & Robyn; Georgie and friend from Dryland a few weeks ago, Hennie, Dalen and Ursula; including children and grandparents, Sharon Wilson; Rob Howlet and Peter DC on MTB's; Nina and Christine; Jane and Dallas who are part of the organising team. Jane has voluteered as the sweeper, Peter Pohlman and Rob Payne; Michael Moff Botha; Eckard;
MICHAEL MOFF BOTHA LOVES DOING THESE EVENTS
NINA AND CHRISTINE IN THE UPE RESERVE
We leave at 7am and head towards the Marine Drive. Turn left to the University Gate and then up to behind the University buildings where we turn right into the reserve. I have lived in PE for over 35 years and now am running in this reserve for the second time. The previous time we were on MTB's with Brian Saunders about a month ago. I am my normal slow self. John charges off with Almarie and Robyn and ends up running with Dalen. Andre stays with me but then realises that I am too slow and presses on.
I am running with Michael Botha (Moff), Nina and Christine. We kind of pass each other a number of times. The breeze is easterly and we "cook" for the first couple of kays in the reserve. It is only when we turn back towards the University gate that we start to cool down a bit. I have my cap on to protect my head and face and I have a water pack. Those who do not have sufficient water will suffer today.
ANDRE HAS A DRINK AT THE TOP OF THE DUNE. ON THESE TRAIL RUNS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO TAKE WATER AS WE TEND TO HEAT UP VERY QUICKLY AND IT IS NOT EASY TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT WATER AT THE REFRESHMENT STATIONS.
ANDRE; SEAN AND SHEENA AFTER WE LEAVE THE UNIVERSITY GATES. THEY REMIND US THAT THEY HAD RUN WITH US AT THE SUNSHINE COAST TRAIL RUN.
Twice the group around us take a wrong turn. We are soon back on track and make our way to the gates. I am surprised to see Andre there. He also took a wrong turn with another group of chaps but unlike us did not discover his mistake and so ended up doing an extra 2 or 3 kays. Sean and Sheena are just behind us as we make our way through the reserve. From the Gate Andre and I run together to the end. We cross the Marine Drive again and run back for a short while before turning East into the bushes. The first part of this section is reasonably easy. We run past the Water Reclamation Plant and then we start the only hill of the route.
It is an endless sand dune. Fortunately there are pathway poles to assist the walker. Each time we think that we have reached the top of the dune there is another dune to climb. Finally we reach some kind of structure where Andre stops for a drink. Just over this dune we discover the old lookout fort. This is a World War Two observation post built around 1940. There are five of these lookout points in PE: the one at Schoenmakers Kop; This one near to Cape Recife Lighthouse; The Fort Frederick overlooking the Harbour and the Bluewaterbay fort. One other? Andre tells me that they are all in sight of the next one and designed so that in the event of danger the watchman could signal the next watchman and so on.
From this vantage point we can see down to the tar road that Ron and I have cycled on many occasions. It ends at a parking area from where you could walk to Noordhoek. We spend a short while talking about the view and pinpointing where we are. Then we descend and run along the contour for a while before making our way down to the tar road. We end up at the parking area (Craig from UTI has arranged this watering station). We receive a good welcome and then after we have drunk our full of water and washed down we head down to the beach where we run the final 3 or 4 kays. Initially there is soft sand and I am reminded of the Surfers Marathon.
We try to find the firmest footing possible but seem to end up doing a lot of walking. Finally we find the Recife Lighthouse and go all the way around it as close to the shoreline as possible. I considered taking a short cut but Andre put me straight. We are running with Nina and Christine. We reach the last of the watering stations. This is manned by Angeline and Daniella; Two stunning looking young ladies who are standing in the hot sun and who have had to lug the table and water across a long stretch of beach specially for the runners. I hope that they all appreciated the effort put in by Angeline and Daniella!
WALKING DOWN FROM THE LOOKOUT FORT
LOOKOUT FORT AT THE TOP OF THE FINAL DUNE
ANDRE NINA AND CHRISTINE WITH ONLY 2 KAYS TO GO
ANDRE WITH LIGHTHOUSE IN BACKGROUND
CRAIG AND CHILDREN WAIT FOR SHARON WILSON. SHARON DID A TRIATHLON YESTERDAY AS WELL.
ANGELINE AND DANIELLA MAKE A PICTURE AT THE FINAL WATER STATION. THEY HAD TO LUG THE TABLE AND WATER ACROSS FROM THE PARKING LOT TO THIS POSITION ON THE BEACH. THANKS GIRLS.
Andre and I press on and run walk our way to the finish. As we turn left up to the finish we meet up with Craig and Children Wilson. Sharon is a little behind us. Earlier on, before I met up with Andre, I had considered waiting for Sharon to be able to run with Jane Barnardo who was the Sweeper. It will be a long time before I can say that I have kept up with Jane.
At the Pine Lodge Finish area I have a swim to try to cool off. Andre gets our time at 2;41. John and Dalen finished in 2;13 and I imagine that Robyn and Almarie would have been around the same time. Trish Daniels and son win position prizes. Dalen and I win Lucky dips. It seems that I am often lucky when it comes to these prizes. Certainly I will never win a position prize so this is a good second best. I take home a good looking cap and share the T shirt with Andre. He is a real friend wating for me when I am really so much slower than the group that he could run with.
Andre buys us a Borrie roll and we make our way home. It is a really hot morning and the family is at the pool relaxing. I think that we are all a little tired but set up a MTB ride for the morning.
ROBYN LOOKING REFRESHED AFTER THE RUN AND SWIM
JOHN TAKES IT EASY NEXT TO THE POOL
CAPE RECIFE LIGHTHOUSE
HISTORY OF THE CAPE RECIFE LIGHTHOUSE:
The spine on the Eastern Cape's Indian Ocean floor bed is stacked with rocks for vertebrae that form the east coast bay backbone. This 'Thunderbolt Reef' rising out of the dark waters of the south entrance to Algoa Bay is set in the Nature Reserve of Cape Recife, approximately 7 miles from Port Elizabeth.
At this location in 1902 sailors and rescuers lost their lives to a hurricane wrecking countless moored and sea-faring vessels. Reflecting the cutting nature of the reef that separates the tides offshore a single lane onshore cuts through the biting breezes that lead up to the Cape Recife Lighthouse. This black tarred linear road separates the white wind swept sands of the desolate beach and is met at perpendicular angles by a 24 meter high octagonal shaped tower striped in broad black and white bands. The adjoining rectangular maritime building painted stark white to match the sea froth with a black roof to match the protruding rocks, accompanies the monochromatic sea-side scene in a corresponding geometric and colour theme.
As if washed with a coat of blue from the same artist's brush the ocean seamlessly becomes the sky and highlights the contrasting Zebra inspired nautical architecture. Out of the blue, a red light flashes fixed to a red coated light dome encircled by a look-out balcony enrailed in a red gloss. The composition of the landscape appears to have been choreographed by a team of designers wishing to inspire beach house interiors from exterior beach side boldness.
The chic coast collection of lights and stripes is functional in its intention and graphic in its representation. Installed with irony on April Fool's Day in 1851 this warning system is now equipped with a fog signal, radio beacon, a red light (28º) and a flashing white light (332º) that shines every 30 seconds at a focal plane height of 28 meters above the high water mark. Technology has taken the light range from an original distance of 12 nautical miles to a current sighting range of 29 nautical miles with a light power of 4 000 000 Candelas keeping sunken ships in the history books.
PETER AND ANDRE PASS THE LIGHTHOUSE
Cape Recife is situated at the southern entrance to Algoa Bay and warns mariners about the dangers which abound in the dark waters. A large spine of rocks known as the Thunderbolt Reef has put paid to numerous ships over the last hundred years. Situated in a nature reserve about 7 miles from Port Elizabeth, Cape Recife witnessed the great gale of 1902, when a hurricane force south easter wrecked countless ships and boats moored in Algoa Bay. This hurricane killed more than 60 people, including six rescuers.
The "HMNS Zeepard", which was carrying the explorer, Theunissen was wrecked. As a result of this incident Theunissen made his historical well documented overland trip to Cape Town. Ironically the lighthouse was commissioned on April Fools day in 1851. The initial range of the light was 12 miles, however with the development of technology it is now 29 sea miles.
The building is a 24 metre octagonal masonry tower which is built on a rock foundation known as D urban. It is painted with black and white bands equipped with a radio beacon, fog signal, a fixed red light along with a flashing white light every 30 seconds. The establishment of this light came just in time as it saved many lives. The cost of this light in its day was £17 537.10.2 Sterling.
