by Elza | Nov 7, 2017 | Uncategorized
Stilbaai is a haven for artists and one will find a variety of artists here, in Jongensfontein and in Melkhoutfontein.
Art includes paintings in a variety of mediums (water colour, acrylics, oil), drawings, painted shells and rocks, bronze sculptures, pottery, mosaic, photography, glass slumping, leather and ceramics.
There are also ‘Art Retreats’ where artists – and even the not-so-arty – can learn how-to-art while there are classes for children and for adults.
One will also find quite unique artists in Stilbaai – like Hannalie Taute who works with rubber (particularly inner tubes) and embroidery. She says: “By using traditional embroidery techniques (mainly satin stitch) unto an unconventional canvas (rubber) I aim to make the familiar unfamiliar.”
Then one day Hannalie knocks on the door of another artists,
Louise ‘Leather’ Gerryts, who helped her to cut the rubber with her ‘clicker press’, a hydraulic machine that weighs one and half tonne and presses with 18 tonne power! In the past, Hannalie had to measure and cut the ‘tubes’ herself and with these two ladies putting their heads – and skills – together, her life was made much easier… and it all happened in Stilbaai…
Have a look at how they worked together
HERE.
Keep an eye on
www.mystilbaai.co.za to see which artists will be exhibiting where in Stilbaai this December.
Visit
www.mystilbaai.co.za for a list of local artists / classes / retreats / galleries
Visit Stilbaai Tourism for more information about the
Art Routes in Stilbaai / Jongensfontein / Melkhoutfontein where you can visit the artistsEnd
Louise Gerryts (left) whose leather stop is on Stilbaai Tourism’s Art Route helping Hannalie Taute (right) cutting the rubber for her art work
by Elza | Oct 17, 2017 | Uncategorized
About a year ago, 33 members of the Cape Bird Club visited Stilbaai for a three day camp and their bird watching adventure started at Botterkloof Resort situated about 5 kilometres outside Stilbaai next to the R305 that leads to the N2. They chose the self-catering option at this resort with its ponds and large trees and saw a Greater Honeyguide as well as an Olive Woodpecker, weavers and bishops, a host of wagtails, a Common Moorhen and even a Malachite Kingfisher as well as a Knysna Woodpecker before their camp started in all earnest.
In their report posted on their website www.capebirdclub.org.za the group describes where their convoy of nine vehicles drove and which birds they spotted. On the first day, their list included Brimstone, Cape, White throated and Yellow canaries, Brown-hooded, Giant and Pied Kingfishers, an African Spoonbill, Large-billed and Red-capped Larks, Olive Bush Shrike, Streaky-headed Seedeater, a Bar-throated Apalis and a Booted Eagle as well as an African Fish Eagle amongst many. They were however disappointed that the Black Cuckoo that was spotted just a week earlier, failed to appear.
It was quite windy when they got to the coast and they had no luck in seeing a Shy Albatross. They did manage to see a White-Chinned Petrel, oystercatchers, cormorants, terns and gulls and a Grey Plover and on their way back to their camp, they spotted a lone whimbrel and a common sandpiper.
On the second day they were off early again and in search for the Clapper Lark and they made several attempts to connect with it. At least a Denham’s Bustard show itself – they are apparently often seen too far from the road to notice all the markings – and it was ticked off. The group was really desperate for the sighting of the Clapper Lark and tried again to connect with it. In the meantime they saw a Zitting Cisticola as well as a Cape Robin Chat, Karoo Scrub Robins, Karoo Prinia, a Jacal Buzzard and Cape Bulbuls. They were surprised about the minimum amount of Larks and pipits on the ground, but saw an African Pipit. A Southern Black Korhaan was heard, but not seen…
At a bridge over the Gouritz River, they saw Saw-wings and swallows, some Horus swift, Pied Starlings and a Pied Kingfisher. They went back to the coast in their search for the Shy Albatros, but had no luck again, despite the presence of a trawler and had to settle for an Osprey that flew in and out of the waves. Looking at their list, they were pleased to have seen 146 birds in total.
Some members headed back the next day while others took on one of the shorter coastal hiking trails before visiting the museum at the Palinggat Homestead and watching the tame freshwater eels being fed. This group was lucky enough to have heard the call and then saw the elusive Knysna Warbler near the start of the trail that leads down to the river mouth.
Read about their bird watching experience on www.capebirdclub.org.za
Knysna Woodpecker
The Knysna woodpecker is endemic to South Africa, being found in woodlands and thickets along the southern coastline. It mainly forages in trees, searching dead branches for invertebrates and gleaning ants from branch and leaves. Both sexes excavate the nest, which is usually a hole in the underside of a branch, often reused over multiple breeding seasons. Here it lays 2-4 eggs, which are incubated for roughly 21-13 days (estimated). The chicks are fed by both parents, and stay in the nest for an estimated 25-27 days. (www.biodiversityexplorer.org)
Where to do birding in Stilbaai
Almost anywhere! There is also a bird hide just off the gravel road on the way to the Skulpiesbaai parking area; visit places like Botterkloof Resort (have a look at the list of birds spotted here) and Palinggat Homestead (Stilbaai Tourism and Information Centre where the freshwater eels are being fed daily).
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The Knysna Woodpecker (Photo Per Holmen – www.pers-birding-pages.com)
by Elza | Sep 28, 2017 | Uncategorized
Dit was ‘n behoorlike fees! Daar was omtrent iets vir almal by Stilbaai se ‘Hessequa Heritage Festival’ wat op Saterdag, 23 September, aangebied is.
Die avontuurlustiges – die fiks en onfikses, hardlopers en stappers, oud en jonk – kon aan die 5km Pret Trail Run deelneem of die meer uitdagende 16km Trail Run, wat in Jongensfontein begin het en kuslangs by Skulpiesbaai by die korter roete aangesluit het en by Stilbaai se Toerismeburo geëindig het, doen. By die eindpunt was heerlike kos en ander interessante stalletjies met die feestelikhede by die eindpunt wat ook die eerste Brood- en beskuitmark ingesluit het. Feesgangers het rustig gekuier met lekker boeremusiek, wat deur plaaslike kunstenaars verskaf is, in die agtergrond.
Die 16km Trail Run is deur deur die Riversdale-hardloper, Leon Adams gewen terwyl Francis Matthee die eerste dame by die einde was. Die jong hardloper, Dewald le Grange, het die 5km Pret Trail Run gewen terwyl Michelle Kleingunther die eerste dame by die einde was. Daar was so 203 deelnemers waarvan 81 die 16km-roete begin het terwyl 122 entoesiaste die korter afstand aangedurf het.
Volledige uitslae is beskikbaar op die geleentheid se webtuiste: mystilbaai.co.za/hessequa-heritage-festival/ waar skakels na die Facebook-bladsy (Hessequa Heritage Festival) se fotogalerye ook gevind kan word.
Die kompetisie om die bobaas Beskuitbakker/-bakster aan te wys, was omtrent straf en nadat die vier beoordelaars die 24 inskrywings geproe het, was dit Poppie Joubert wat met die wenprys, geborg deur Eureka Mills, weggestap het.
Die organiseerders wil graag die hoofborg, Harcourts Stilbaai, vir hul ondersteuning en hulp bedank asook almal wat die dag se verrigtinge ondersteun het.
Daar word beplan dat dié fees wéér tydens Erfenisnaweek, oftewel Braainaweek, in Stilbaai aangebied sal word. Die 2018-datum, die formaat (wat beslis weer Trail Runs sal insluit) en al die nodige inligting, sal op die Hessequa Heritage Festival se webtuiste aangekondig word.
(Lees gerus ook Suid-Kaap Forum se artikel met foto’s en video’s HIER)
Einde
by Elza | Sep 1, 2017 | Uncategorized
Guess what will be happening in Stilbaai during the last long weekend before the summer holidays? There will be a little festival in town! The Hessequa Heritage Festival will take place on Saturday, 23 September 2017, and will consist of a 5km and 16km trail run ending at the Stilbaai Tourism Bureau where everyone can enjoy the ‘Brood- en Beskuitfees’.
Experience the most scenic coastal trail run!
The day will kick off with the Hessequa Heritage Trail Run. Runners – and walkers – can choose between the 16km coastal route that will start in Jongensfontein and finish in Stilbaai or the shorter 5km route that will start at Skulpiesbaai and finish at the same place at Stilbaai Tourism. Imagine running along the coast with views over the wide, blue ocean and passing stunning rock formations in colours ranging from white to orange and black; seeing various birds including the endangered Black Oystercatcher; passing ancient fish traps that date back hundreds of years; following the trails in the Skulpiesbaai Nature Reserve where age-old milkwood trees will remind you of scenes from a movie; passing the shell middens at the harbour where the Wafra ‘tok’ (fishing boat) is also displayed with information about its sad story.
You will also see some of the oldest houses in Stilbaai and will run next to the Goukou River with its beautiful scenery the final section, that also forms part of an existing hiking trail, take you to the finish at Stilbaai Tourism that is also a historical landmak in town. You might even be in time to see the tame freshwater eels being fed! Take a walk through the museum to learn about Stilbaai’s history and the archeaeology in the Blombos Museum of Archaeology where displays of Early, Middle and Later Stone Age artefacts originating from the region, can be viewed.
The entry fee for the 16km Trail Run is R120 and R50 for the 5km event. Entries can be done online and at the Stilbaai Tourism Bureau on Friday (22 Sept) from 15:00 and on Saturday morning between 7:00 and 8:00. There will also be entry forms available at the Tourism Bureau, Harcourts Stilbaai, Stilbaai Kelders and Crystal Stream.
On race day, there will be shuttles for the 5km and 16km participants that will depart from the Stilbaai Tourism Bureau to the starting points. The 5km trail will start at the parking area at Skulpiesbaai beach (at the fish traps) while the 16km will start at the tidal pool in Jongensfontein. Both races will start at 9:00.
There will be one water point on the 16km and all participants are requested to take their own water and supplements with.
Relax at the ‘Brood- en Beskuitfees’ – The ‘Brood- en Beskuitfees’ fits in perfectly with Heritage Day – or National Braai Day – (Sunday, September 24th) and promises to have something for everyone. There will be stalls with a variety of bread and rusks with the ‘local’ flour producer from Swellendam, Eureka Mills, also attending the festivities. Food, drinks and music as well as the smell of ‘braaivleis’ on the green lawns under the huge milkwood trees will be the perfect setting for a a relaxing day.
Limited space for stalls are still available. Contact Johannie Vermeulen at Tel: 083 333 1810 to book your space.
The Hessequa Heritage Festival is proudly sponsored by Harcourts Stilbaai. Their offices are at the Fynbos Centre or visit their website at stilbaai.harcourts.co.za and talk to them about property (buying, selling, letting or renting).
All the information about the Hessequa Heritage Trail Run(s) and ‘Brood- en Beskuitfees’ is available on www.mystilbaai.co.za – go to Hessequa Heritage Festival. ‘Like’ us on Facebook (Hessequa Heritage Festival) and follow on Twitter (@HessequaFees)
Contact Elza Thiart-Botes at Tel: 082 458 8517 / Adolf Botes Tel: 082 337 6286 if you require more information.
Come and experience the beauty of Stilbaai – scenic trails, historical places, breathtaking views and some of the most favorite places to visit.
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by Elza | Aug 26, 2017 | Uncategorized
Recently, while angling at Blombos, local Stilbaai angler, Graeme Forrer and his angling friends came upon an African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) that had fallen into an ecological trap and was too weak to continue. Forrer, together with Vlooi Botha, Bernard Forrer and Cleo Rowe took it home, nursed it, bathed and fed it and walked penguin ‘Winston Churchill’ until they could safely deliver him to SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds).
Graeme Forrer – @yo_fishy on Instagram – tells how astounding it was to watch Ozzy, the King Charles Cavalier with his loving nature, as he expressed his concern and even managed to lick the penguin clean without having his tongue pierced! Said Graeme: “Penguins are certainly not pets and should always be handed to professional care as soon as possible,” – which they did. Marna Smit, Sanccob bird rehabilitator, said to the Cape Argus that although the organisation do not advise keeping a wild animal, the penguin was ina better state when it arrived there than when the anglers took it in.
“When you find a bird you must bring it in immediately. If it doesn’t run away from you or try to get back into the ocean, that means there is a problem and the bird needs help. In this case the bird was dehydrated, weak and could barely walk.” – Cape Argus. The penguin was taken to the vet and is currently in recovery.
Graeme Forrer, a catch and release angler who recently also competed in the 25th Stilbaai Galjoen Derby where his team scored bronze medals from 71 participating teams (432 anglers), dedicated his Instagram post about the ‘once in a lifetime experience’ to “the good souls who love fishing and make a positive impact on our beaches and the surrounding environment.”
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