The West Wind Issue 13

contents 14

PHOTO feature Sharon Welman

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Nevermind Restaurant, Cape St Francis Review

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Clearing bush in urban plots and open spaces Richard Cowling 61

fresh laundry To The Rescue

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Sport for Youth Soccer Academy 78

R20 Million Worth Of Cocaine

Washes Up At Supertubes, Jeffrey’s Bay

EDITORS COMMENT We would like to welcome all visitors and guests to St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis and hope your stay is an enjoyable one this year. It has been a rough ride ever since that lurgy emerged out of Wuhan, but as a nation, we have prevailed.

SO, LE T ’S U SE TH I S TI ME T O B E FR I E N DLY AN D K IN D A N D E N J OY T HIS LIT TLE S LI C E O F 08

P A R ADI S E THAT W E HAV E HERE. A quick look at a few St Francis Facebook groups have so much anger on the feeds, with everyone

complaining about something, but we don’t want to do that. We don’t want to play that game of anger, intolerance and virtue signalling.

H OPE FULLY, T HE W E ATH E R S TAYS G O O D A N D S U N N Y, W E CA N S P E N D LO A DS OF T IM E OUTDOORS , WHE R E TH AT O MI C R O N TH I N G DOE S N ’ T LU R K .

We can then all enjoy a braai with some extra salads for Christmas.

Maybe a few glasses of eggnog, or vodka orange, or strip poker, or whatever your Christmas tradition might be.

The West Wind Magazine and staff would like to wish all locals and visitors a merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. See you in Twenty Two.

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A L L PH OT OS © G UMBY

Photo feature SH AR O N W E L M A N

Sharon Welman is a photographer and an artist who has lived in St Francis Bay for the past three years.

She was a resident here in the ‘90s when she owned a pottery shop in the Village producing crockery and dinnerware for sale.

Life intervened, and she moved to PE and Johannesburg for a few years in-between.

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S HE HAS BEEN A S K E D NUM EROUS T IM E S TO RES TART T HE S HOP PLUS C L A SS ES ETC. Still, sadly that door is closed - power cuts, equipment, and the physical aspect of working with clay

are no longer an option for her.

“I A M VE RY HA P P Y TO BE BA CK IN TH I S BE A UT IF U L AREA, AND I AM CO N CE N TR AT IN G ON MY FI R S T LO VE , W H I C H IS PHOTO G R A P HY,” SAI D S H A R O N .

“I WA LK M O ST MO RN I N G S WIT H FR I E N DS , AN D MY I MA G E S A R E FR O M CA PT U R IN G MO M E N TS IN N ATUR E DU R IN G TH E S E S PE C IA L TI ME S .

I sell prints on stretched canvas, acrylic and paper.

I also do Newborn and Maternity shoots, families, weddings etc.

I am drawn to anything creative, so I never limit myself to just taking photos.

I paint portraits, animals, murals, rocks, furniture and signage.”

Other examples of her work can be viewed on her various Facebook pages: Sharon Welman Artistry Sharon Welman Photography Peekaboo Newborn Photography cell: 083 467 0913 email: sharonw.art@gmail.com 15

Squid/Chokka Boats lying in the lee.

St Francis, home to surfing at Bruces, and Squid fishing.

Inquisitive Otters on the Two Harbours Walk.

Nature Reserve walks always offer something new to see.

Spiderweb with Jewels

Anonymous Cairn builder leaving behind their works of art.

Dreamy watercolour dawn.

Whale spouts and wave crashing, a beautiful combination.

Adult Snowy Egret floating through a watercolour.

Massive waves near the blowhole on the Wildside.

Beautiful waves near Seal Point.

Heron posing like a phoenix.

Shark point resident sunning himself after some rough seas.

Cape St Francis on a stormy day.

Cormorant showing off its beautiful plumage while drying its wings.

Nevermind Restaurant, Cape St Francis REVI E W BY C R A IG JA R V IS Nevermind Restaurant sits under the revamped Seal Point lighthouse. It is a refreshing and exciting (relatively) new restaurant in Cape St Francis.

Nevermind runs under the expert eyes of Chef Wesley Randles (formerly of The Shortmarket Club, The Commissary and Aegir Project, and is a delight to 44

behold. It is a spectacular venue with a large outside deck with views across the wild side, the lighthouse, and waves around the corner for surfers to enjoy.

Unfortunately, the menu had been printed fairly lightly. This, combined with soft lighting and my poor eyesight, meant that I had to have my wife read out the menu to me.

W E H A D TH E WO O D RO A S TE D L E M O N PO TATO BR E A D F O R A S H A RE D STA R T E R , A N D I T WA S DE LI CI OUS .

It was a race between my wife, my daughter, and I who could snag the most

of it, with utter decorum and without looking too desperate.

IT WAS THE LI GHT L E M ON Z I NG T HAT M ADE I T S O M O R E I S H. There was a rowdy table next to us. A young crew of mostly girls and their watchful dad.

T HE Y W ERE D E L IGHTED BY E A C H S ERV I NG THEY

RE CE I VE D AN D WE R E EN TH US I A S T IC A L LY TUCK I N G I N. Sharing dishes and sloshing around copious amounts of wine, which made for a great vibe.

My 9-year-old daughter ordered the kiddies burger and chips. She said it was ‘very nice,’ ate every scrap on her plate and promptly fell asleep at the table with her head in her arms. She was clearly well satisfied.

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M Y WI FE HAD THE 1 9 0 G M I GO’ S C HO IC E S TEAK, AND S HE CLAI M ED I T AS O N E O F THE BES T S T E A KS S HE HAD E AT E N I N A LONG T IM E . S UPER TENDER WIT H A LOV ELY C HIMI CHURRI F L AV OUR. I was indecisive and eventually succumbed to the lure of the Harissa Glazed

Lamb Riblets. I rarely choose lamb in a restaurant, having found out that there are numerous ways to totally mess up a lamb dish.

Luckily Nevermind had yet to discover how to do this, and it was pretty incredible.

SU BTLE A N D EX Q UI S I TE A N D TE N DE R, TH E MEA L A N D T HE FLAVOURS G R E W ON ME A S I WE N T FUR TH E R I NT O T HE MEA L, A N D WIT H

T HE TABBOULEH A D E L ICI OUS DI S H ON T HE S I DE. I was reluctant to share my meal, but eventually, I offered my wife a taste of what she was missing out on.

A LT H OUGH S HE L O V ED HER M EAL, S HE DEFI NI TELY HA D A S LI GHT P A N G OF FOOD E N V Y W HEN S HE

DI S CO VE RED T HE FLAVOURS I WA S EMBRA CI N G .

The portions were plentiful.

We still had some unfinished food at the end of the evening but were totally satiated.

N O DE S S E R T S, WE CO ULDN ’T D O IT, A LTH OUG H I T O YE D W I TH TH E ID E A O F A

P E A NUT BUT TER I CE C R E A M S ANDW I CH T HAT S OUNDED D E C ADENT. T HE W I NE LI S T WAS E X T E NS I V E, AND WE F OUND ONE OF O U R FAV OURI TES IN A B OT TLE OF N E WT ON JOHNS ON S A U VI GNON BLANC.

I might have had a double whiskey and soda or two, as well. My daughter chose a sensible Sprite.

Nevermind Restaurant has a great selection of superb wines and has an R80 corkage fee should you bring your own wine.

We were delighted with the service, and with a 15% tip, the bill came to R1,000.

WE WENT TO N E VE RM I N D TO CE LE BR AT E

S O M ETHI NG, AND I C A N ’ T REM EM BER WHAT I T WAS .

WE E NDED UP C E L E B RATI NG AN A M A ZI NG NI GHT O U T AND A RATHER S P E C IAL M EAL. The West Wind staff always arrive unannounced at Restaurants, and we don’t accept free meals or discounts. That way, we can keep it real.

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keep

Clearing bush in urban plots and open spaces RI CH A R D C O WL IN G

W H AT DO E S IT M E A N F O R B IODI V ERS I TY ?

There has in recent months been some lively debate on the pros and cons of clearing plots of indigenous thicket vegetation to reduce the risk of wildfires in the Greater St Francis region.

While this practice may seem to be brutal for nature, this is not the case. In fact, clearing plots – and other open spaces with the urban footprint - of Blue Kunibush

(taaibos), Bastard Spikethorn and other pioneer thicket species - in addition to assisting with fire-proofing our villages, is essential for maintaining biodiversity.

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BE A R I N MIN D T HAT I AM R E FE R R IN G TO TH E CLE A R IN G OF H E DG E -L IK E TH I CK E T, A S I N TH E PH O T O BE LO W, A ND N O T TO TA LL S H R U B S A N D LOW T R E E S

O F K ERS HOUT, WHITE M I LKW OOD A N D B ALD K O E B OOBERRY, WHICH POS E A L E SS ER FI RE RI S K T HA N HEDGE T HIC KET.

A thicket hedge comprising an impenetrable tangle of Bastard Spikethorn, Dune Koko Tree and Baboon Grape. This vegetation will burn intensely under the right conditions, such as occurred in the fire of Feb 2016.

LO N G A G O, B E F O R E TH E A DVE NT O F H OLI DAY H O M E S, TH E CO A S TA L DUN E S OF T HE K O UG A W E R E RE G ULA RLY S WE P T

BY FI RE S .

Some of these fires were exceptionally intense, consuming all vegetation in their path; others were mild, burning only the highly flammable fynbos and hedge thicket, missing the taller stands of Kershout and White Milkwood.

Many of these fires were started by lightning but many others were lit by humans – hunter-gatherers burning veld to attract game or make edible bulbs more apparent; or Khoe-khoe and Dutch herders, using fire to produce more nutritious pasture for their livestock.

More recently, since the late 1950s, predominantly urban creatures began colonising the dune coast, seeking sun, surf and an apparently

boundless booty of fish.

They, along with many learned scientists, believed that veld fires were an unnatural phenomenon, best suppressed like the mini skirt or television.

T HU S, BEGAN A N E R A OF FI RE S U P P RES S I ON, L A ST ING UP UNTI L T HE PRES ENT DAY. WHAT HAV E BEEN T HE CONS EQUENCES O F T HI S FOR DUNE V E G E TATI ON AND B IO D I V ERS I TY. P R E T T Y BAD, I ’ M A F R A I D. LET M E E X P L AI N. In the absence of fire, the more open ecosystems (fynbos and grassland) are invaded by thicket shrubs, initially hedge-forming species.

C R E ATI NG A DENS E C A N OPY, THE IN VA D I NG THI CKET S HA D ES OUT THE 55

SP E CI E S THAT RE Q UI RE S U N N Y, OPE N CO N D IT IO N S .

Herein lies the problem.

All the rare and endemic plants of our coast, comprising a massive 92

A sample of the 92 rare and endemic dune fynbos & grassland plants in our region: Eastern Cape Flame 56

Eastern Dune Bladderpod species, are sun-lovers; they are out shaded by thicket.

MO RE OVE R , M A N Y A R E S TI M UL AT E D TO FLO W E R A N D G E R MI N ATE IN RE S PON S E T O F IR E ; TH E I R PE RS IS T E N C E I S I N TI MATE LY LIN K E D TO T HE OPE N CO N D IT IO N S CR E ATE D B Y T HE RE MO VA L O F VE G E TATI O N .

Greensepal Heath The same applied to the myriad of insects that feed on and pollinate these plants.

So, clearing bush from undeveloped land within our urban regions is helping to restore a balance between closed-canopy and open ecosystems, and thereby maintain distinctive biodiversity of our dunes.

There is still plenty of thicket about to provide habitat for thicket-loving species such as Burchell’s Coucal, Grey Mongoose and Bushbuck, to mention a few.

Want more information? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPZorMVCY_M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnPZmOHSY7E https://peerj.com/articles/7336/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/ pii/S0254629921002131?casa_token=lDoL18_ Ed94AAAAA:idBkYal1Lhi1_WU1HYXovmorrd6T0TVKRhBd2Az az2PzGFb3LKi3pQx8gmdhezW-F7pjZ7dtfg 57

fresh laundry To The Rescue

BY CR A I G J A R V IS Our family have had our fair share of laundry services over the years. Two young children, a bunch of puppies, some old dogs and a whole lot of subsequent urine will do that.

It has often resulted in grabbing absolutely every piece of sheet, duvet covers,

pillowcases and blankies and bundling them all off to the laundry.

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RE D W I N E SP IL L A G E Other situations that have resulted in laundry services have been extreme red wine spillage and house parties when everyone dresses up in the hosts’ clothes and jumps into the pool.

Most laundries offer good services and don’t break the bank. If you have the time and wherewithal to get

everything together and in a bag and drive off to the laundry, then it is always a job well done.

L IC E Y I TEM S Recently another drama entered our household, and both kids got a case of lice. It was the first time ever in our home (that we know of). So naturally, our immediate reaction was to

get everything off the beds and the couches and prepare to wash them reasonably thoroughly.

It was a lot of possibly licey stuff (44 items), but there was a Plan B. Jim Fletcher has recently opened up Fresh Laundry in St Francis Bay http://stfrancis.freshlaundry. co.za/ and his slogan is ‘Collect Clean Deliver’. With a tag like that, I didn’t think twice.

JIM AND THE F R E S H M OBI LE Jim arrived within 20 minutes of my call in his Freshmobile, and my laundry was off, to be deloused.

Then, it was time to get the fine metal combs and the oil and the lice shampoo and the rest of the party toys.

Jim came back in a couple of hours, with everything done. Collected, cleaned, and delivered.

Jim works with waterefficient equipment, using 63

minimal water for maximum cleaning. In these times of drought, it is good to know.

On top of that, if you utilise his services, you dont use your own water and help keep your household usage down.

We’d like to recommend Jim and Fresh Laundry.

They have an app, and you can just visit the website, download the app, and click when you need laundry services. http://stfrancis.freshlaundry. co.za/ Any queries give the man a call direct on 064 900 2662

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ST FR ANCIS PR OPERT Y O W NE RS ASSOCIATION 2 0 2 1 /2 0 2 2 A N N U A L M E M B E RS HI PS Association memberships were due for renewal on 1st October 2021. If you haven’t done so yet, please consider supporting us by becoming a member or renewing your membership. The new SFPO Office is located at 9 Philippa Place. Office hours 08h30 to 13h00 weekdays.

The annual subscription for a property owner/ resident is R500, or R330 for a pensioner.

The SFPO membership runs concurrently with its financial year – from 1st October to 30th September annually.

Payment Options: Visit the website and submit your payment online – https://stfrancis propertyowners.co.za/ membership/ 68

Or make an EFT payment direct to the bank account : Francis Bay Residents Association Standard Bank, Humansdorp Code: 050015 Account No: 082499276 Please use your Erf number and surname as reference.

If you wish to make a more significant donation to the fund, please do so, it will be very well received.

SPORT FOR YOUT H SOC C ER ACADEMY

This is a community upliftment project whereby we aim to create a safe Sporting environment for the youth of Sea Vista Township, St Francis Bay, South Africa.

Our main motivation for the project is to keep the kids off the streets, bring them together, and to teach them discipline and skills through sport.

We have been up and running for just under a year now, with the main focus at the moment being football.

We started with 10 kids and now have 50 kids in various 70

age groups.Our age groups range from U/13 to U/19 years of age.

At the moment I employ two coaches from the local

community. We train three times a week on the field opposite the petrol station on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3:30pm to 5:30pm

FE E L FRE E T O CO M E WAT C H A N Y TI M E !

We also play matches on weekends against other youth teams from Humansdorp and Jeffreys Bay. Despite our increase in numbers, we have a consistent group of kids that I have witnessed improve over the last year.

T HE Y ARE LEARNI NG T O B E M ORE R E S P ECTFUL A N D SHOW I NG D ISC I PLI NE ON, AND O F F T HE FI ELD. Through training twice a week, their soccer skills are also continuously improving. We are looking to build on these foundations and better the project.

M Y P R OJECT I S C U R RENTLY BEI NG F U N DED BY THE V IL L AGE S QUARE C O M MUNI TY CENTRE

A N D S UPE R SP A R SHOPP I N G C E N T R E .

TH E Y H AVE SU PPORTE D U S W I TH TRA I N IN G EQ UI PM E N T A S W E LL A S PR O V ID IN G A S A N DW I C H, A P I E CE OF F R U IT A N D WATE R T O EVE RY CH I L D A F T E R EVE RY TRA I N IN G SES S I ON .

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I feel with more funding we can improve this program, as well as incorporate different sports and other important life programs for these kids to make a change in this community.

E S T IMATES OF OUR R E Q UI REM ENTS F O R T HE S OCCER P R O GRAM FOR 2022:

1. Soccer Boots: 50 x R600: R30,000 2. Soccer Balls: 30 x R200: R6,000 3. Kit: R4,000 per team x 4: R16,000 4. Additional Coaches: R36,000 5. Start a Local Youth League: R20,000

6. Upgrade the field: R40,000 Total: R150,000 If you would like to donate, please find here the bank details: SFB Football Academy Standard Bank Acc No: 10146607811 Registered NPC (Non Profit Company)

I F YOU W O U L D L IK E TO H AVE A L O O K AT OUR S OCI A L M E D IA , H ERE A RE THE N A M E H A N DLE S :

Facebook: Sport for youth Soccer Program

Instagram: sfb_football_academy

mattdstyles@gmail.com 0729921097

Kind regards, Matt Davis

R20 Million Worth Of Cocaine

WA S H E S UP AT SU P E R T U B E S , JEFFREY ’ S BAY

By Craig Jarvis JBay Cops made a pretty big score on Wednesday 15 December. Two large waterproof duffel bags packed thick with white bricks washed ashore at Supertubes, JBay. It was small and onshore early, with few people around. Passers-by and dogwalkers alerted the police as to the find. The duffel bags were firmly tied to a 20l oil drum, the packets were waterproof, and it might have washed off a ship in the deep.

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Or, another theory was that the drum might have broken free from an anchor at a collection point beyond the backline and washed in overnight.

T HE OFFI CI AL R E L E AS E: 46 K IL O GAM S

“COCA I N E ES TI M ATE D T O B E W ORTH A BO U T R2 0 M WA S F O U N D ON TH E BE AC H AT J E FFRE Y S B AY ON W E DN ES D AY. H AW K S SP OK E S PE R S O N Lt Col Philani Nkwalase said the discovery of the consignment washed ashore was made by people walking their dogs on the beach.

“Upon examination, they

called the police about what seemed to be a drug consignment,” said Nkwalase.

The consignment weighed 46kg.”

O U R (S OM EW HAT N A ÏV E) C A L C ULATI ONS ARE T HAT THE FI GURE IS A C TUALLY QUI TE A C O NS ERVATI V E E S T IMATE, E S P E C I ALLY OF S T R E ET VALUE. 79

TH E G O DFAT HE R CO N N E CTI O N But to make things a little bit more terrifying, each brick had a pic of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo on it.

MIG UE L Á N G E L FÉ LI X G A LL A R D O, CO M MO N LY RE FE R R E D T O B Y HIS A LI A S E S E L JE F E D E JEFE S (“ TH E B O S S

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O F B OS S ES ” ) AND E L P ADRI NO ( “ THE G O D FATHER” ) , IS A CONV I CTED M E X ICAN DRUG LORD. He was one of the main dudes behind the Guadalajara Cartel in the ’70s. He was involved in murder and other such heinous crimes.

He’s an old man now but ran his racket from inside prison walls for 30 years or so.

TH E R E I S A L SO MU CH TA LK T HAT TH E R E MI GHT B E A FE W M O R E D U F F E L BA G S FLOAT IN G A R O UN D. SO IT MIG H T BE A WHIT E

C HR ISTM AS I N THE Q U IE T LI T TLE TOW N O F JB AY. Having said that, the local SAPS have been working working around the clock – often without sleep – to solve this one. The ones that aren’t retiring, that is.

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