Well there is no sight of the mysterious iceberg that was sighted last week at 6pm on Monday, 35 nautical miles south east of St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape by the crew of the fishing vessel Ntini.
The air force on routine patrol were asked to keep a lookout for the bobbing block, but it was nowhere to be found. Read excerpts below:
“According to the crew of the Ntini, the iceberg is about 25 metres in length and 20 metres in height and was spotted south east of St Francis Bay, 35 nautical miles off shore,” he said. It was first seen at 6pm on Monday. “But, we must take into consideration, that they flew in unfavourable weather conditions where there were high waves,” he said.
“It’s very unlikely because of the warm Agulhas current off the east coast,” he said.
“The history of iceberg climatology in this area also shows that there has never been anything like this in the past,” he said.
Hunter said the ‘South African Sailing Direction’, a book published by the Hydrographic Office under the South African Navy, mentions that there were a few iceberg sightings in the 1850s near Cape Town.
He said there was also a report from a ship in 2002 off the Cape west coast of a piece of ice, about a metre-high above the water.
“We refer to this as a ‘growler’ because it is very small. Bearing in mind the cold Cape Town water, this was, to an extent, acceptable,” he said.
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A small group of hiking pioneers is setting off to make history today in the Garden Route. They’re hiking from the ancient Knysna elephant forest to the Addo Elephant Park - a 400 km trek across 7 different mountain groupings and four national parks - with the objective of establishing an eco-tourism corridor that will show off the splendors of South Africa’s indigenous coastal forests and help raise funds for elephant conservation in the Western and Eastern Cape.
It’s called the “Eden to Addo Mega-Hike”, and there are various ways you can support it, first of all by visiting the hikers’ homepage:
Eden to Addo Corridor InitiativeMega-Hike Map
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South Africa’s iconic hero of freedom and democracy, Nelson Mandela, turns 88 today. Happy birthday, Madiba! He has been showered with tributes and praise from well-wishers across the globe, and is said to be expecting a restful day in his Qunu home, which will likely be the scene of a joyful party this afternoon.
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Nelson Mandela
Where in the world is Qunu?
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Deaths from ritual circumcision in the Eastern Cape have been in the news recently. Township blogger Nozuko P gives an overview of the practice.
Boys’ Initiation - a Xhosa Tradition
The reason I’m writing about this is because everybody is reading about Xhosa initiations which go wrong. In the month of June, that is what’s in the news. In my culture, June is the begining of the year - not January like in Christianity. That’s why most people who follow Xhosa culture don’t celebrate the 1st of January as the begining of the year - for us it starts in June with the full moon.
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Pulling up to this hostel - situated barely 5 steps from the warm Indian Ocean - you might start singing the Eighties’ tune “loveshack, baby, loveshack, loveshack…”
Sugarshack Backpackers has a cozy feel and friendly staff. Owned by the same guy who owns Coffee Shack Backpackers in Coffee Bay and Away With The Fairies in Hogsback, it is a hostel with great possibilities.
Book your stay at the Sugarshack.
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Hidey Ho’ fellow travelers! It’s time to revisit an amazing hostel, or rather a backpacker’s village. Spread over 8 hectares of wild coastal forest hillside - with your choice of either the Indian Ocean or the Cintsa Lagoon to splash around in - Buccaneers Backpackers’ outstanding reputation reaches most backpackers before they even leave Cape Town or Joburg.
Book your stay at Buccaneers.
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It takes a big person to be a slackpacker - to have your hiking cake and eat it, too, and not feel a jot of guilt. For slackpacking is the art of hiking without your gear, which someone else is schlepping to where you plan to stop for lunch or to sleep that night. It’s a brilliant concept, and I’m already a convert.
A bit of research turns up the top five slackpacking trails in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces:
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Grahamstown’s National Arts Festival hits full stride this week - it’s South Africa’s biggest theatre, dance and music extravaganza, which literally takes over the otherwise sleepy little village, and offers endless chances for arts lovers to see what the arts in South Africa are all about.
Gotta get to Grahamstown, in other words! Here’s how:
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According to a news report on national broadcaster SAfm yesterday, eight young men in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province have died from botched circumcisions in the past two weeks.
The winter month of June represents a kind of “circumcision season” among the Xhosa, who predominate in the Eastern Cape, and who use circumcision to mark a teenage boy’s journey into manhood. The most famous Xhosa circumcisee, of course, is Nelson Mandela (see his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, chapter four).
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Tickets for South Africa’s marquee arts, theater and music festival, the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, are now on sale.
The Grahamstown Festival, as the event is known, takes place from 29 June - 8 July this year, and promises to turn the sleepy little hamlet that is its namesake into the usual bustling mini-metropolis of jazz, dancing, theatre and busking.
SA Blog promises more festival coverage in time to come, but meanwhile explore it - and book - with these links: National Arts Festival | Computicket | Grahamstown.co.za
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