2010 Flowering Season

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Pieter

It is that time of year again.

On this page I will give you frequent updates about the flowers in the Langebaan area. I will add the latest information at the top of the page.

West Coast Flowers

Flowers

17 August 2010

Seems like last week’s heat damaged the flowers on Oliphantskop. There are still flowers at Oliphantskop, but not as much as there used to be.

At the moment there are lots of flowers on the road between Langebaan and Saldanha.

Drive all the way into Saldanha until you reach Main Road (at FNB and BP) and turn right towards Vredenburg. Continue with the road till you get the air strip on your right, then turn right again towards Saldanha Steel to make your way back to Langebaan. This road also has a beautiful display of flowers on both sides of the road.

10 August 2010

This weekend I went to Montagu. On my way back today i spotted large patches of white flowers at Hopefield as you drive through town.

At the T-Junction at Langebaanweg is also large pacthces of mixed flowers.

When you turn left at the Langebaanweg T-junction (from Hopefield to Langebaan) there is a large patch of orange flowers on the left.

At the R27 corssing at the Engen garage there are also large patches of mixed flowers on the side of the road.

There are plenty of Arum lilies next to the roads to Darling, Hopefield, Riebeck Kasteel.

Oliphantskop in Langebaan is still painted in white and is a must see at the moment.

Wildflowers at Oliphantskop in Langebaan

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Flowers at SAS Saldanha

Posted on August 28, 2010 by Pieter

geel kwassie

Another good spot to view wildflowers on the West Coast is SAS Saldanha. Although the hiking trail is on the grounds of the Military Academy, members of the public are allowed in if there are no activity on the shooting range. A red flag at the gate will indicate to you if there are activity on the shooting range. You can also see some historic buildings on the terrain. Click here to download the trail map and click here to download the information on the back of the map. You can contact the environmental manager, Edwin, on 082-3200-549 for more information.

We visited the reserve on 15 Aug 2010 and saw some beautiful flowers there.

There are 4 hiking and mountain biking trails which range from 4km to 14km. The roads are rather flat, thus it is an easy walk.Here are some of the photographs taken on the day.

Vygies

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Is The IDZ a Reality Yet?

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Pieter

Sonselle

Ambitious expectations of development in the Saldanha Bay area go back to the 1960’s and 1970’s when the export harbour was planned and built, followed subsequently by the establishment of Saldanha Steel amidst hopes of a thriving iron and steel industrial cluster associated with the port. At that stage Iscor controlled the iron and steel production chain and was able to manipulate the viability of steel operations countrywide. However, the comparatively recent unbundling of Iscor’s interests has now changed that picture entirely with clear implications for local steel production and for Saldanha Bay.

In the Apartheid era industrial decentralisation by way of the Regional Industrial Development Programme (RIDP) lay close to the heart of national economic development policy in South Africa – evidence for example the Atlantis debâcle in which millions of Rands of taxpayers’ money was spent chasing an unviable ideal. After transformation the new government adopted a regional development approach based on 11 potential Strategic Continue reading →

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Flower Viewing Tips

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Pieter
Wildflowers

Flowering Tips

Here are some tips for viewing flowers on the West Coast

  • The best time to view flowers are from 11h00 to 15h00
  • Always have your back to the sun. The flowers follow the sun. If the sun is in your eyes just look around. Sometimes you do not see any flowers but when you look around there are plenty of flowers.
  • The wildflowers are best when it is a sunny day. Many flowers won’t open on cloudy days.
  • Get out of your car and walk around (where permitted). You will see a much wider variety of flowers.
  • When you walk around, do not step on the flowers.
  • Windless days are best for photographing flowers.
  • Relax and take a picnic basket with you.
  • Get a flower guide, it is much more fun to identify the flowers so that you know which ones you are looking at.
  • Do not pick wild flowers, there is a R1,000 fine for picking wild flowers.

You can call the following numbers to find out how the flowers are:

  • West Coast National Park – 022-772-2799
  • Darling Information Centre – 022-492-3361
  • Hopefield Tourism – 022-723-1720
  • Nieuwoudtville Information Centre – 027-218-1336
  • Clanwilliam Information Centre – 027-482-2024
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Wildflower Shows

Posted on July 26, 2010 by Pieter

Flower Shows

Flower Shows

Make sure you do not miss these wildflower shows coming up this flowering season:

1-31 Aug – Wild Flower Photography exhibition at Long Acres Wine Estate. Contact 022-772-2245 to enter or further information.

26-29 Augustus Hopefield Fynbos Skou – Ervaar die platteland met sy mooiste baadjie aan. Blomtoere met ‘n trekker en wa, sien spesies van Renosterveld, Sandveld, Rietveld en Vleiland. Daar is ‘n pretpark en plaaswerf vir die kinders.  Kontak Johan op 082-769-8825 vir meer besonderhede.

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Cape Columbine Flowers

Posted on July 24, 2010 by Beach Camp

Froetang

The reports on this page were submitted by Sonja from The Beach Camp at Cape Columbine Nature Reserve (Tietiesbaai).

22 July 2010 - Here are some of the unusual flowers currently out in Cape Columbine, please can you mention that some of them are only 3mm such as the steek Groenbasbossie; yet others are green, like the groen Agretjie and these photos have been done with macro-photography. The Paternoster froetang is extremely rare and like the lime-stone ridge – they grown in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve, and I have also found some in Trekkoskraal. Word of mouth has it that they are

also in Groot Paternoster private nature reserve. They don’t last for very long though and are on their way out.

Paternoster Froetang

Paternoster Froetang

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Olieboor Oppad Uit

Posted on May 31, 2010 by Pieter

Ek vermoed die olieboor is oppad uit. Na meer as ‘n jaar in die hawe dink ek hy is weer oppad. Ek het gister ‘n baggerboot opgemerk by de oilieboor, maar gesien die ankerkabels is nog aan. Vanoggend is daar toe sommer drie baggerbote.

Ek dink dit gaan snaaks lyk om nie meer in hierdie ou groot rooi ding vas te kyk nie.

Olieboor in Saldanha Hawe

Olieboor in Saldanha Hawe

Sowat ‘n uur later en my vermoede is bevestig. Daar vêr op die horison gaan die Olieboor die diepsee in. Continue reading →

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Langebaan Marine now Bigger and Better

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Pieter

Jet Ski at Langebaan Marine

Langebaan Marine

Langebaan Marine has moved to a shop in the Laguna Mall in Langebaan.

They now have much more space and more products.

Langebaan Marine is  selling yacht and boat spares and accessories, safety equipment and navigational equipment. They now also sell Jet Ski’s.

They will soon stock Evinrude Boat engines and fishing kayaks.

Langebaan Marine

Langebaan Marine's new shop

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Dihanti Sports & Hardware joined Jacks Paint

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Pieter
Langebaan Hardware store

Dihanti

Dihanti Sport & Hardware opened for trade in the early 80’s and was the 1st hardware store in Langebaan, over the years it evolved into more of a general dealer selling hardware, fishing gear, Reef wet suits, sporting goods & clothing. The current owner, Sean Dugmore, has now joined the Jack’s Paint & Hardware group, a franchise operation based in Gauteng who now have 14 stores in the Western Cape.

Part of the store still trades as Dihanti Sports and continues to offer fishing gear, boating accessories, diving & wetsuits as well as camping & cycling spares.

The main focus of the store will now be DIY hardware and accessories. By joining Jack’s Paint & Hardware Sean is now able to offer a greater range of DIY products such as the range of Panache paints, Flash Harry waterproofing, pre-mixed cement and many others at competitive prices. Jack’s Paint & Hardware Langebaan aims to provide a knowledgeable friendly service to all you DIYers in Langebaan by being open 7 days a week and being in stock of the necessary products that you require when you require them.

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Implications of the proposed Moutonshoek Valley tungsten mine

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Pieter

Elandsbaai

Verlorenvlei

The implication of the applications to prospect for and mine tungsten in the Moutonshoek Valley

Also read about new prospecting right application, click here

Bongani Mineral’s recently withdrawn application for mining rights and newly submitted application for prospecting rights in the Moutonshoek Valley are about low grade tungsten ore and short term profits.

For the people who live in the district the true issue is about the threat to their way of life, food security, provision of water, air quality and the potential for massive environmental degradation throughout the Verloren Valley from Piketberg to the Atlantic Ocean.

The rains which fall on the Piketberg feed the Krom Antonies River which has sustained farming in the fertile Moutonshoek Valley for 300 years.

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