Duiwenhoks

Turtle rescue hotline

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Tracy Whitehead, Turtle Rescue Network Co-ordinator, has contacted the Duiwenhoks Conservancy. Tracy is looking for conservation minded people in our area, who spend time on our beaches to keep an eye open for any turtle strandings.
 
If there is a stranding, they have 24hr support on an emergency number whereby we will be guided through what’s necessary step by step. They will organise transport and send the turtle/s either to Port Elizabeth hospital or to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. The person who finds the turtle will not have to do anything except call it in and then do the necessaries to get it to safety.
 
The RESCUE HOTLINE number is 0833001663.
 
Tracy is planning a roadtrip to our area for 2 March 2023 (more later) but in the meantime, *please* share this information with local residents or visiting guests.
 
More about Two Oceans Aquarium turtle rescue:
Over many years, baby turtles wash up along our coast during ‘hatchling season’ which spans from February until about July. They try and rescue as many of these hatchlings as possible in order to get them bigger and stronger and then they’re released months later.
 
Tiny hatchlings are born in the very northern region of KZN and are swept down the East coast in the warm Agulhus current. When they get to around St Francis Bay, it is usually the onset of onshore winds and storms and these little guys get blown out of the warm current into the freezing coastal waters. Too small to swim away they become weak, hypothermic and dehydrated and will eventually die. Many get washed ashore and die on the beach. If they’re lucky enough to be rescued, they have an almost 90% success rate.
 
Through 60 years of research, only 1 in 1000 hatchling survives to adulthood. Put this together with pollution at sea, ghost fishing gear for entanglement, by-catch from over fishing and many other issues, the odds for survival are getting worse. For every hatching or adult we can rescue, we increase these odds exponentially.
 
In 2022 so far, they’ve rescued 155 baby hatchlings between Plett and Cape Town!
 
Let’s help?

This is Geri – she was rescued last July … She came in with this old wound of a missing flipper. She was slow to recover but when she did she was styling. She is one of their rescue success stories.
Geri has been successfully released. She was satellite tagged and for months happily went about her business of just being a turtle.

 

Vermaaklikheid sports program

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The holiday youth sports program was a great success! Many thanks to all contributors ❤ 
 
Allister Miggels led the program and says that the children learned new skills. ‘Some couldn’t kick a ball, some couldn’t play in teams and to some it felt strange to be on a sport field but never the less before Friday the 7th of January 2022 those children who couldn’t kick a ball knew how to kick a ball and to those who it felt strange to be on a sport field enjoyed themselves so much that they couldn’t get enough of playing a ball’.
 
We would like to thank the Western Cape government’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport for funding the program. None of this would have been possible without the attention of our local librarian, Anneline Kistoor, who nominated the Duiwenhoks Conservancy to the program, via the Hessequa Municipality librarian service, and on to the Western Cape Library Service which supported our application.  Many thanks to each of you for your support. 
 
Children were provided with a small lunch every day, and there was a combination of outdoor and indoor activities. 
 

Vermaaklikheid children need sports

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Abe Pretorius grew up in Vermaaklikheid. As a youngster, there was no dedicated place for children to kick a ball around, so they played in the street or someone’s yard.  They dreamed of a grassy field where they could play their favourite sport: football, rugby, netball or cricket.

Abe has helped make this dream a reality. He volunteers his time to support the current generation of children with healthy outdoor play. He also keeps the field maintained, by using his weed-eater and the occasional loan of a lawnmower from a kind resident.

We know how important it is for children to be able to have a safe place to develop physical skills but the benefits of outside play extend beyond exercise. Sport helps children make new friends, have fun, learn to be a team member, learn about play fair and improve their self-esteem.

With the help of GivenGain, and the Duiwenhoks Conservancy, Abe hopes to purchase a lawnmower, and employ a grounds person to do the necessary weekly maintenance.

Please contribute to the maintenance of the sports field for the children of Vermaaklikheid. Every donation helps. It’s simple to donate, click here now.  

Also please share this appeal in your network and help our kids to play.  

The Vermaaklikheid Sports Field Initiative

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Phase Three: Providing for and ensuring the ongoing maintenance and management of the playing field and equipment

Purpose and Intention

The Vermaaklikheid community faces challenges that confront most rural communities in the Southern Cape: poverty, inadequate school facilities and limited employment opportunities.

To compound these problems Vermaaklikheid is isolated and many children do not complete their schooling. In addition a lack of any facilities for our under 18 year-old residents contributes to alcohol and drug abuse and the petty crime to support these habits.

There are approximately 90 children under the age of 18.

Progress to Date

The Vermaaklikheid Winkel Project is a non-profit association formed by a number of residents within Vermaaklikheid. The founders’ intention is for the Vermaaklikheid Winkel Project to serve as an association that facilitates the social development of the local community of Vermaaklikheid.  One of the first projects the concerned residents undertook was The Vermaaklikheid Sports Field Initiative.  To date, phases one and two have been completed.

Phase one: Community Engagement and an Assessment – Completed

In 2018, a number of concerned residents attempted to address some of these problems by initiating a consultative process that culminated in a survey of the community to assess the current situation. The survey focussed its inquiry around an achievable goal: the establishment of a multi-use playing field and providing sports equipment for the children of the village. The survey was returned with unanimous support for the facility from 35 households.

Phase two: Providing a useable playing field and basic equipment – Completed

  1. Secured the land needed for the field.
  2. Cleared the land of highly invasive and resilient reed and other weeds.
  3. Raised funds from local land owners (approximately R60 000) and installed an irrigation system and access to a water supply.
  4. Supported the establishment of indigenous grass.
  5. Provided half-sized football goals for children and youth. Rugby pole extensions are to be added shortly in response to the community’s needs.
  6. Provided a weed-eater to cut the grass

We now have a GivenGain fund-raiser for phase 3 of the Vermaaklikheid sports field.

Now we want to buy a lawnmower and employ a grounds person to ensure that the sports field grounds are maintained. We’re aiming for R24 200, which should cover a year’s maintenance, plus the purchase of a lawnmower.

If you can, please contribute to this initiative? Link is below. https://www.givengain.com/cause/53768/campaigns/23058/

GivenGain provides a secure, online donation and fundraising platform to charities, donors and fundraisers. All funds raised go directly to this initiative.

 

Duiwenhoks Conservancy AGM 2021

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Duiwenhoks Conservancy AGM 2021

We completed our first digital Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 24 March 21.

Many thanks to all who attended it and gave us feedback, especially during the committee election section. We really appreciate your interest. 

If you are interested in the recording, it can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfMPCgnWwnA

Our AGM agenda included:

  1. Chairman’s Report + finances 
  2. Review of 2020 initiatives
  3. Hessequa Municipality property valuation 2021
  4. Wild fire: Vermaaklikheid fire fund & February 2021 fire
  5. Alien clearing: Uitvlug case study
  6. Duiwenhoks Estuary Report by Dr Lara van Niekerk & Dr Stephen Lamberth
  7. Election of Committee for 2021/2

We will share more soon! 

Protect the Duiwenhoks river this holiday season

John Thorne Uncategorized , , 0 Comment

The Duiwenhoks Estuary and its surrounds are one of the last remaining pristine estuaries in the country and the Duiwenhoks Conservancy has been established to preserve its unique character.

Biologists have long maintained that the most important role of the estuarine environment for fish is the provision of nursery grounds for juveniles. Estuaries provide a typically calm, sheltered environment where the higher temperatures and rich food supply allow rapid growth and protection for marine fish fry.

Below are a few guidelines to show how you can help to maintain the uniqueness of the area and ensure safety. We ask you to please bear these in mind during your stay.

The Duiwenhoks is not a skiing river.

Boats need to watch out for Swimmers and Canoes.

Slow Down when passing a Jetty!!

Please drive responsibly at all times with due consideration for the peaceful nature of the river, for houses, jettys, small craft and other users of the river.

Please observe the ‘Slow Zone’ or ‘No Wake Zone’ close to the Village.

When fishing:
Please make sure you have a license to fish or collect bait in the river
Spearfishing in the tidal areas is not permitted
Please stick to the size and bag limits for fish and bait
Cast nets/throw nets for fishing may not be used from sunset to sunrise.

Boats:

Remember that when approaching an oncoming boat you must pass with the oncoming boat on your port (left) side, i.e. when traveling on the river keep right.

When overtaking another boat on the river please do so on their port side.

Please ensure, especially when passing a smaller or stationary boat on the river that your wake does not cause a danger to the other boat.

Remember – to avoid a collision a motor boat must give right of way to all other craft and a rowing boat or canoe gives way to a sailing boat.

When approaching jettys please be aware of swimmers and slow down if necessary. Many people practice long distance swimming in the river and they are difficult to spot from a fast moving boat.

Please keep at least 5 meters from the river bank when in motion in order to preserve the banks (there may also be children in the reeds!!)

When approaching the river bank please do so slowly.

No objects or people may be towed on the Duiwenhoks River (eg. no skiing or tubing).

When out at sea please remember you may not approach closer than 300 m to a whale.

Waste Management Road Show

John Thorne Uncategorized , , , , 0 Comment

Eden district municipality together with the seven (7) local municipalities are planning to host a waste management road show throughout the district as part of the draft waste minimisation strategy.

The aim of the road show is to create awareness throughout the district of waste management, minimisation and how each household can manage its own waste.

More details in the document attached here:BUSINESS PLAN WASTE MANAGEMENT ROADSHOW- 07 MARCH 2012[1]

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION WORKSHOPS FOR EDEN DISTRICT COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

John Thorne Uncategorized , , 0 Comment

Rhodes University (Enviro-Fish Africa) have been appointed by Eden District Municipality to develop a Municipal Coastal Management Programme (CMP) in accordance with requirements (Chapter 6, Part 3, Sections 48 and 49) of the Integrated Coastal Management Act (Act 24 of 2008). Two series of workshops will be held to provide stakeholders with the opportunity to contribute to the programme.

Series 1
These workshops will be used to inform stakeholders about the intended process, the proposed content of the CMP, obtain information from stakeholders and to provide an opportunity to raise and discuss issues that need to be addressed. Information from these workshops will be used to develop the CMP. The venues and times are as follows:

April 10th – George Banquet Hall (18h00)
April 11th – Mossel Bay Town Hall (18h00)
April 12th – Stilbaai Municipal Hall (18h00)
April 13th – Witsand Community Hall (18h00)
April 16th – Knysna Town Hall (18h00)
April 17th – Piesang Valley Community Hall (18h00)

Series 2
These workshops will be used to present the Draft CMP to stakeholders and provide the opportunity for comment. The Draft CMP will be made available for review prior to these workshops. The venues and times are as follows:

June 25th – Piesang Valley Community Hall (18h00)
June 26th – Knysna Town Hall (18h00)
June 27th – George Banquet Hall (18h00)
June 28th – Mossel Bay Town Hall (18h00)
June 29th – Stilbaai Municipal Hall (18h00)
July 2nd – Witsand Community Hall (18h00)

Anyone who wishes to be a part of this process may register their details with Dr Aidan Wood (tagfish@telkomsa.net; 0828694939) or alternatively provide their details at the first series of workshops.

Vermaaklikheid and Duiwenhoks Accomodation

John Thorne Uncategorized , , 0 Comment

The options include:

1) River Magic www.vermaaklikheid.co.za or tel (021) 701 3735.

2) Oshoek oshoekriverfarm or tel 083 419 4467

3) Koensrust www.koensrust.co.za or tel 083-290 1501

4) Paddahoek – contact John Stanbridge – jstanbridge@telkomsa.net

5) Accommodation at Restaurant – Farm Vermaaklikheid Portion 499/123, PO Box 21 Vermaaklikheid, 6671 Tel: 028-713-2255

6) Paddasang Farm – paddasangriverfarm

The Boating Bylaws for the Duiwenhoks River have been passed.

Boat registration for the Duiwenhoks is not required yet as the slipways are not registered.

The Duiwenhoks Estuary and its surrounds are one of the last remaining pristine estuaries in the country and the Duiwenhoks Conservancy has been established to preserve its unique character.

Biologists have long maintained that the most important role of the estuarine environment for fish is the provision of nursery grounds for juveniles. Estuaries provide a typically calm, sheltered environment where the higher temperatures and rich food supply allow rapid growth and protection for marine fish fry.

Below are a few guidelines to show how you can help to maintain the uniqueness of the area and ensure safety. We ask you to please bear these in mind during your stay.

The Duiwenhoks is not a skiing river.

Boats need to watch out for Swimmers and Canoes.

Slow Down when passing a Jetty!!

Please drive responsibly at all times with due consideration for the peaceful nature of the river, for houses, jettys, small craft and other users of the river.

Please observe the ‘Slow Zone’ or ‘No Wake Zone’ close to the Village.

When fishing:

Please make sure you have a license to fish or collect bait in the river
Spearfishing in the tidal areas is not permitted
Please stick to the size and bag limits for fish and bait
Cast nets/throw nets for fishing may not be used from sunset to sunrise.

Boats:

Remember that when approaching an oncoming boat you must pass with the oncoming boat on your port (left) side, i.e. when traveling on the river keep right.

When overtaking another boat on the river please do so on their port side.

Please ensure, especially when passing a smaller or stationary boat on the river that your wake does not cause a danger to the other boat.

Remember – to avoid a collision a motor boat must give right of way to all other craft and a rowing boat or canoe gives way to a sailing boat.

When approaching jettys please be aware of swimmers and slow down if necessary. Many people practice long distance swimming in the river and they are difficult to spot from a fast moving boat.

Please keep at least 5 meters from the river bank when in motion in order to preserve the banks (there may also be children in the reeds!!)

When approaching the river bank please do so slowly.

No objects or people may be towed on the Duiwenhoks River (eg. no skiing or tubing).

When out at sea please remember you may not approach closer than 300 m to a whale.