by Elza | Sep 14, 2016 | Uncategorized
This Saturday (17 September 2016) is International Coastal Clean-up Day, an action that was initiated and started by Ocean Conservancy 30 years ago (South African has been officially involved in this international project for 20 years) and Stilbaai will also get into action to contribute to cleaning its beautiful beaches.
in 1986 the single effort of a woman walking along a beach in Texas resulted in the initiation of International Coastal Clean-up Day. This project has since grown into the world’s biggest volunteer effort for ocean health and annually, on the third Saturday in September, more than 700 000 volunteers in 127 countries spend two hours of their time removing litter from beaches.
Living at the coast, we are all too aware of just how bad ocean pollution is and the figures look really bad. According to Two Oceans Aquarium in the Cape, the estimated amount of plastic trash floating on the surface of the ocean is 270 000 tonnes while the global plastic production doubles every decade! They also say that 90{c77536a3c8b7388df25a320e52eabfd15c4727735b5f43d291dcbeb9bd4d4a99} of sea birds have ingested plastic while 700 marine species are threatened by ocean plastics. Another source states that there are 46 000 individual pieces of plastic litter for every square mile of ocean.
On the southern coast of Africa, the beaches at Stilbaai and Jongensfontein, that include various Blue Flag Beaches, are known for being particularly clean, but the trash from inland as well as rubbish being spewed out by the ocean, unfortunately do still end up on our beaches. Plastic bottles and pieces of other plastic products are a common sight on the beaches. Luckily many residents are in the habit of picking up rubbish during their regular beach walks while the Hessequa Municipality is also playing an important role in keeping the beaches clean, especially during the summer holidays.
This Saturday, those interested in the Beach Cleanup at Stilbaai, can meet at 8:00 at the Community Hall where they will be issues with plastic bags and told where to clean up – www.mystilbaai.co.za will be there!
September is Arbor Month (see the previous article about Arbor Month in Stilbaai), but also the month where the focus is on cleaning up and recycling. This week (12 – 18 Sept) is Clean-up and Recycle Week SA while Recycling Day SA is on Friday, 16 Sept 2016. Find more information about this on www.cleanup-sa.co.za
(Compiled by www.mystilbaai.co.za)
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by Elza | Sep 9, 2016 | Uncategorized
If you can not travel to Namaqualand or the Tankwa Karoo or the West Coast or anywhere where there are currently lots of flowers to be seen and you have to stay at home in Stilbaai, you can experience the flowers right here! There are flowers everywhere and it seems that especially the Pauline Bohnen Nature Reserve hike is quite popular as a variety of flowers are now blooming there. Please remember that you can not pick flowers or remove any plants from the reserve.
In town, it is quite a sight to see the gardens and various ‘open’ areas that do look like Namaqualand!
We found a photo that was taken at the corner of Duiker and Perlemoen Avenue of the abundance of flowers. The photographer mentioned the trees that were recently donated to the Hessequa Municipality. About 3 000 trees were donated (yes, September is Arbor Month) and these trees will be planted in designated parks and open areas. The area in the photo is one of the open areas earmarked to receive some of these indigenous trees.
The photographer/writer said: “The water points are up, now for the planting. A few years from now we can get rid of the invasive minnetoka trees and enjoy an indigenous park!”
The Suid-Kaap Forum newspaper published an article about the donation of the trees. Read it HERE. “The municipality’s goal is to plant 100 000 indigenous and/or fruit trees of which they have 6 042 registered planted trees in the region. “It’s a large number, but it’s possible with the assistance of the community. Every tree brings us closer to protecting and conserving indigenous vegetation in the Hessequa region for future generations. The municipality therefore encourages citizens living in and around Hessequa to help them.” – Suid-Kaap Form
(Photo by @coastal_paleoscape via Instagram)
The open area at Perlemoen and Duiker Avenue in Stilbaai earmarked to receive indigenous trees (Photo by @coastal_paleoscape via Instagram)
by Elza | Aug 16, 2016 | Uncategorized
The 16th annual Vintners Surf Classic, presented by Reef SA, took place on Friday (12 Aug) at the sandy beach section in Jongensfontein and it was once again a great event.
Almost 70 invited vintners, marketers and surfers involved in the wine making industry, enjoyed a perfect day with their families at the beach. This event has been taking place in either Stilbaai or Jongensfontein for more than a decade now and those attending, enjoy sharing the surf as well as some chatter about their industry. This is quite a unique South African surf event.
The Hessequa area was represented by Baleia Wines’ winemaker, Abraham de Klerk. Their vineyards are in the Vermaaklikheid area while the cellars and winery are just outside Riversdale next to the N2.
RESULTS – JUNIORS
1. Christo le Riche (Le Riche Estate)
2. Chris Boustred (Remhoogte)
3. Jan Jan Solms (De Kleine Wijn)
4. Sarah Havard (Jean Daneel Wines)
SENIORS
1. Gunter Schultz (Tamboerskloof)
2. Pieter Walser (Blank Bottle Winery)
3. JT van der Westhuizen (Klein Roosboom)
4. Brad Gold (Oak Valley)
BALLIES
1. Bevan Johnson (Newton Johnson Vineyards)
2. Anthony de Jager (Fairview)
3. Rudi Schultz (Thelema Mountain Vineyards)
4. Miles Mossop (Miles Mossop Wines)
See you all again next year!
(For more news and photos, visit www.vintners.co.za)End
by Elza | Aug 8, 2016 | Uncategorized
The Stilbaai Angling Club hosted the 25th Galjoen Derby this past weekend and it received praises as yet another extremely well organised and successful event. The weather played along and despite overcast conditions and some light drizzle, a total of 193 galjoen (black bream) were caught of which 192 were safely released again. Between the 68 teams (just over 400 anglers), approximately 600 fish of all species were caught and only two were kept!
The winning galjoen measured 53.6cm while the biggest musselcracker weighed 7.8kg!
Well done to Team Kinky Goblins who won the competition followed by Team Anysberg Biltong.
The Stilbaai Angling Club is known for ‘catch and release’ and they hope to inspire other organisations and anglers to do the same (catching and safe releasing of fish) to protect the fish stock for the future.
Tight Lines Magazine’s Chris Nolan attended the event for the first time this year and commented afterwards on Facebook: “Ongetwyfeld die beste kushengeltoernooi in die land.” (Without a doubt the best coastal angling tournament in the country.)
Visit Stilbaai Hengelklub on Facebook for more news and great photos of the Galjoen Derby. Photos and articles are also available on www.suidkaapforum.com. Keep an eye on www.stilbaaigaljoenderby.co.za for more news and photos as well as information about the 2017 event.
See you again next year!
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by Elza | Aug 3, 2016 | Uncategorized
PROMOTIONAL ARTICLE
A long time ago, people used to wash their clothes and throw it over the bushes to dry out in the sun. It looked just like pieces of cloth (‘lappies’ in Afrikaans) and that is how ‘Lappiesbaai’ in the east of Stilbaai got its name. Lappiesbaai is also Stilbaai’s main beach – a Blue Flag Beach – with the Goukou River on one side and stretching for kilometres in the direction of Preekstoel and beyond on the other. It is here where one will find the Lappiesbaai Restaurant, a wooden building with lots of atmosphere and huge windows overlooking the green lawns and the ocean.
Lappiesbaai Restaurant is synonymous with Stilbaai summer holidays, families enjoying sunny days on the beach, fun and laughter. The restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere where clients can choose from a wide variety of dishes that include breakfast, lunch, light meals and dinner. They are open seven days a week right through the year. Lappiesbaai Restaurant is a popular venue for functions and celebrations while they also do catering.
The restaurant is offering great specials regularly.
Phone them on (028) 754 2748 / visit their Facebook page (Lappiesbaai Restaurant) for regular news and updates and @LappiesbaaiR on Twitter.
