Our first snow experience

Internationally people don't really associate South Africa with snow and is often surprised when they hear that some areas do get snow in winter.  Large sections of the Drakensberg as well as parts of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and eastern Free State often get snow with the bigger cold fronts that hit the country during winter.  When a particular severe one hits most of the southern mountains in the country are covered in snow as was the case on the weekend of 16 July.  My family…

5 Comments

White (wijdmond) Rhino

Popular theory is that the White Rhino got its name from the fact that the English misunderstood what the Dutch meant when they referred to it as the Wijdmond Renoster.  Wijd is Dutch for wide which referred to the rhino's wide mouth.  The white rhino or square-lipped rhinoceros is a grazer and eats grass, preferring the shortest grains, hence the wide mouth comes in very handy.  Kinda like a living lawnmower.

2 Comments

White lion

Don't you want to just cuddle up to this big furry mane and fall asleep with him?  White Lions is quite a rare sight and the only Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape where you can see them in the wild is Pumba Game Reserve (which I hope I'll have the opportunity to visit some time soon).  The second option to see them is the Seaview Game and Lion Park just outside Port Elizabeth where the park has a breeding…

3 Comments

Kidz Adventures – Exploring PE’s history

During the school holidays its always a bit of a challenge to keep bored children busy.  Most parents end up taking them to the movies, for ice cream at Micky D's, playing putt putt and games or one of the party places with jungle gyms and trampolines.  Me? Well, I try to spend at least a day with the Kidz exploring Port Elizabeth or surrounding area for them to get to know the city better.  During the past holiday we headed out to discover some…

2 Comments

Black Sparrowhawk

Life and the universe tend to sneak you a very pleasant and unexpected surprise every now and then and I clearly got one of those pulling into my driveway the other day.  As I turned off thew road I spotted something on the lawn under one of the two big palm trees in my front yard.  There right in front of me was a bird of prey sitting on top of one of the palm trees' resident pigeons feeding away with…

6 Comments

Kaap Recife vuurtoring

Die Kaap Recife vuurtoring is op 1 April 1851 in gebruik geneem en staan net buite Port Elizabeth op die westelike punt van Algoabaai.  Kaap Recife is die draaipunt in Algoabaai in en word verskriklik gevaarlikste geag as gevolg van Thunderbolt-rif wat oor die eeue al verskeie bote en skepe geëis het.  Die rif self is vernoem na die HMS Thunderbolt wat in 1847 daar op die rotse geloop het.  The vuurtoring is 24 meter hoog en die lig is 4 000 000…

Comments Off on Kaap Recife vuurtoring

Kaap Recife Natuurreservaat

Die Kaap Recife Natuurreservaat in Port Elizabeth beslaan omtrent 370 hektaar om die westelike punt van Algoabaai.  Die reservaat is idiaal vir voëlkyk beide aan die kus en om die waterherwinningspoele.  Die beste manier om die reservaat te verken is om op die 9km lange Roseate Tern wandelroete gaan.  Die roete begin by SAMREC (South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre), 'n pikkewyn reddingssentrum, voor dit by die waterherwinningspoele verby gaan.  Die roete lei dan deur plantbedekte sandduine en verby 'n uitkykpos…

Comments Off on Kaap Recife Natuurreservaat

Tsitsikamma Inheemse woud

Driehonderd jaar gelede het die inheemse woude van die Suidkaap al die pad van omtrent Mosselbaai tot by Humansdorp in die ooste gestrek.  Gedurende die laat 18de en die 19de eeu is groot dele van die woude afgekap om die aanvraag van hout vir die bou van skepe, die spoorweë, geboue en meubels te bevredig.  Dit gepaart met die groot vuur van 1869 en moderne ontwikkeling het daartoe gelei dat daar vandag net 'n klein persentasie van die oorspronklike woud oor is met die grootste…

Comments Off on Tsitsikamma Inheemse woud