a safe journey
At least some of the people reading this – the lucky ones! – will be taking a break after another year of hard work. Many would have undertaken long trips to go on holiday, with the coast as a favourite destination. This should be a time that one takes special care, by driving carefully, observing safety rules at the beach and on boats and generally showing consideration for others.
But also spare a thought for our environment and for the creatures in it. The article by Ian Thomas (page 8) of the dangers that humans and their dogs pose to the White-fronted Plover is a real eye-opener, and holiday-makers can help by watching out for the tiny tracks in the sand. Other beach-nesting birds, such as the Black Oystercatcher, face the same threats, so rather keep the dogs on a leash and all vehicles off the beach – walking to that angling spot will be good for you!
For those people who prefer to be sitting in the shade with a good read, this issue will take you from the Limpopo in the far north through the Karoo and over mountain passes to a haunted house and an old whaling station. We trust you will enjoy the journey, and wish you a healthy and prosperous 2008!
cover couple
Breese and Kathryn Johnson from Knoxville, Tennessee wanted to become involved in Africa. They chose South Africa, and bought a farm with an historic “haunted house” on the Klein River Lagoon between Hermanus and Stanford. They saved the ghost house, and are actively involved in local community projects – page 30
Photo: Annalize Mouton
contents
2: At the office
Letters from readers and other important matters
4: New Aloe in the fynbos
Maarten Groos tells of a new species that has just been described by Ernst van Jaarsveld, and provisionally named after artist Eric Judd
6: The face of South Africa
Picture gallery: John Costello of Port St Johns caught a humpback whale in action while it was courting a female
8: Life on a busy beach
Tiny tracks in the sand reveal the presence of a breeding White-fronted Plover to Ian Thomas, who recounts the various strategies the bird employs to lure predators away from its nest
12: The four passes of the Outeniqua
By Jane Mulder
For early travellers the mountains between George and Oudtshoorn were a formidable barrier
18: Coral-trees add a dash of colour
Charles and Julia Botha look at the genus Erythrina in their series on Gardening for Wildlife
24: The Diary of Iris Vaughan
The family gets a shift on to Pearston in our third excerpt from this diary
30: A new life for a ‘haunted’ house
Annalize Mouton delves into the past of the old mansion at Wortelgat which has now been restored as a tourism and conference venue
34: The magic of Mapungubwe
Charles & Julia Botha visit this National Park at the Limpopo, once the site of an ancient kingdom
40: The slaughter of the whales
By Alan Clegg
The gory history of the old whaling station at Stony Point, Betty’s Bay. The site is now home to one of only three land-based breeding colonies of African Penguins
45: A literary refuge in the Hantam Karoo
By Judy Bryant
Die Boekehuis in Calvinia honours writers past, and offers current scribes a place to work
50: When it rains rocks
Dr Duncan Miller visits some of the sites in Southern Africa where meteorites have struck. One's chance of being killed by a meateorite is about the same as of dying in a plane crash!
56: Birds that flock together
Nico Myburgh looks at the highly efficient system of Sociable Weavers. Read full text
60: Fish for a festive table
We cook, eat and share some more recipes from our Country Table
64: Tail piece
A sparrow at the office – by Brent Naudé-Moseley
