EASTER 2025 EDITION by whaletalkmag

THE CAPE WHALE COAST

WHALE TALK MAGAZINE

Editor Leigh Bouwer

072 779 2454

Artwork Carolyn Groenewald Advertising whaletalk@whalemail.co.za www.whaletalkmagazine.co.za whaletalkads@gmail.com

Copy Editing Pieter Schoombee noag@hermanus.co.za

Regular Contributors Beth Hunt, Albert Peter, Leigh Bouwer, Percy Heywood, Sally Carter Wicus Leeuwner, Pieter Schoombee, Beulah Liebenberg, Michelle Williams & Anthony Pote.

• 18 000 magazines distributed throughout the Overstrand in this March - April 2025 edition of Whale Talk

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Whale Talk Magazine is a high quality, full colour, glossy bi-monthly magazine and is hugely popular with the local residents of and visitors to Hermanus. It is an exciting, captivating and unique local magazine filled with relevant lifestyle articles, showcasing the best of Hermanus and the Cape Whale Coast. THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!

COVER PHOTO: This beautiful photograph (www.freepik.com) is the perfect cover for our Easter edition of Whale Talk Magazine, where we are shining the spotlight on the plight of the African penguin, which is sadly on the verge of extinction

Editor’s Note

Hello and welcome to our latest edition of Whale Talk Magazine, our first for 2025, where we are celebrating late summer turning slowly into autumn, the first-term school holidays (28 March8 April), Easter (20 April), World Penguin Day (25 April) and, of course, everyday life on the Cape Whale Coast

As each new year dawns, we find ourselves full of hope that it will be a good and calm year, filled with positive and fabulous things for ourselves, those we care about, our country and the world at large. 2025 had other ideas entirely. It exploded out of the starting blocks like a rampaging bull, leaving chaos and destruction in its wake. Catastrophic wildfires coupled with hurricane force Santa Ana winds engulfed Southern California; earthquakes ripped through a multitude of countries including Tibet, Greece, Mexico, Indonesia and Japan; an arctic blast plunged into large swaths of Canada and the United States, causing record-breaking low temperatures; Brazil experienced devastating flooding and to top that all off, there has been an outbreak of Ebola in Uganda. What a crazy and terrifying start to the year – surely things can only go up from here!

Luckily for those of us who call the Cape Whale Coast home, we are far removed from most of the chaos. It is a wonderful time of year in our slice of paradise, as Autumn paints the countryside with her glorious palette of russet reds, fiery oranges and earthy ochres. The shops are all dandied up in their colourful Easter attire, bursting at the seams with a multitude of delectable eggs, and the stage is set to welcome holiday makers from near and far for the Easter holidays

Speaking of eggs, and on a much sadder note, there are fewer than 9900 breeding pairs of African penguins left on earth. The African penguin population has plummeted by an astounding 97% and they are on the verge of extinction. We are blessed to have two penguin colonies on our doorstep, one on Dyer Island near Gansbaai and the other being the Stony Point Penguin Colony in Betty’s Bay. 25 April is World Penguin Day and we thought that with the Dyer Island Conservation Trust and their African Penguin Sanctuary in Gansbaai and the Stony Point Penguin Colony both working so hard to protect and save these wonderfully charismatic and adorable feathered creatures, as well as creating awareness of their plight, it would be the perfect time to turn the spotlight on these tuxedo-clad birds. This edition of Whale Talk is dedicated to the plight of the African penguin. Please turn to pages 10 and 12 to find out more about how you can help these precious flightless birds.

There are a multitude of fabulous articles written by Hermanus locals nestled in these pages and we hope you all enjoy this edition of Whale Talk – we had such fun creating it. Happy Easter to you all! Until next time,

Leigh

MESSAGE FROM OUR MAYOR

PICKING UP A PENGUIN

VETS FOR PENGUINS

CHAOS & CURVE BALLS 4 6 8 10 12

written by Wicus Leeuwner

written by Shaylee Bouwer

written by Trudi Malan

written by Dr Annelie Rabie

written by Beth Hunt

written by Albert Peter

THE PLIGHT OF THE PENGUIN A LONG WALK TO YOUR LIFE’S SONG COCKTAILS,

Mayoral Message

Text by Executive Mayor, Dr Annelie Rabie

Photo by Albert Peter

EASTER MESSAGE FROM OUR MAYOR

DR ANNELIE RABIE

This being the first edition of Whale Talk in 2025, it feels as if the festive season is far behind us. It was a very good season all round and the four towns comprising Overstrand were packed with visitors. As I walked through the streets of the Hermanus CBD, people admired the beauty of the town, the serenity of the environment and the relaxed atmosphere

do not believe we are at pre-Covid levels yet, as our permanent employment figures do not support this It seems as if the Airbnb movement has become a key element of holidaying. A smart tourism strategy will come in quite handy in our area. A simple statistic to underscore the increase in holidaymakers, is that one Overstrand town saw 20 million more litres of water purified at one water treatment works than in December 2023.

At Overstrand Municipality, our community services and public safety departments were extremely busy, and I must express my appreciation for the sterling work they do. In appreciating them, I cannot but wonder why on earth people can be so disrespectful towards the environment when it comes to littering and dumping building rubble. I maintain that rubble cannot walk and yet, within hours of us cleaning up, it is unsightly again

Civil obedience and respect for by-laws seem to be in short supply. This could either be because residents do not take the trouble to read these by-laws on our website or they did not participate in the numerous public participation processes regularly held in Overstrand. Local Government is a highly regulated environment and it often feels as if we are

just monitoring the implementation of legislation, rather than being creative and innovative in the redesign of our primary business processes

Having said this, ownership of the future is in the hands of residents. Hence OM values the constructive contribution of many people, some regular citizens, others with multiple degrees, in designing the future of Overstrand

Several realities may cause discomfort, however. Energy and water availability is a key focus for the future. Other chronic challenges for local government are financial stress; demand for more visibility and accessibility of politicians and senior officials, aging infrastructure, in-migration of people and pressure on land for a variety of activities.

Linked to this is the increased use of AI to adjust and manage governing processes. A good example would be introducing a bin inventory management system and, likewise, digital traffic monitoring and reports in real time so that travellers do not get stuck in traffic congestion.

Smart living is becoming the norm due to, inter alia, the swallow movement. Personally, I would like to see more pressure

from residents to ensure universal access to facilities, buildings, the beach and pavements. Overstrand has an aging population requiring the adjustment of parking systems, supportive public transport and even a basic element such as less slippery floors in the retail environment.

And whilst we are getting into the swing of 2025, it will be remiss of me not to appreciate the role that the Hermanus Business Chamber played in lighting up Hermanus for the holiday period. René Hartslief and her team did a sterling job. This is also an indication that we do better together. Our Overstrand4all mantra means exactly that, recognition of the multitude of cultures, beliefs, traditions and lifestyles that make us the unique holiday destination we are.

Whilst the traditional season of Christmas and New Year is full of festivities, banter and family get-togethers, Easter, to me, is a time of reflection on one's spiritual and religious life. Whilst all the towns of the Overstrand are bursting at the seams, one is reminded of the grace and mercy of the Almighty

Have a great time in Hermanus, explore the rest of the Overstrand, appreciate our environmental beauty and please protect our infrastructure. Blessed Easter greetings.

Text by Beth Hunt

P Pengu n PiCKiNG UP A

Penguins are one of the best antidotes for despair that I know. They are living lessons in caring for the planet and its creatures, in all their beauty and vulnerability

Since that famous footprint for mankind in 1969, we now have a lunar landscape defined as an endangered heritage and cultural site. Today, our poor moon seems to be a sci-fi dumping site of debris floating around in outer space!

With all that's going on up there and down here, many threatened species on terra firma are at high risk on the extinction list. In October 2024, the African penguin's status was upgraded to critically endangered. Although penguins thrive in harsh, cold environments, with adaptability and resilience to survive in challenging conditions, they face many obstacles

These include climate change, commercial fishing, oil spills, and ship disturbance. However, the main threat increasing the vulnerability of the penguin is warming ocean temperatures and changing currents, which alters the availability of their food sources.

Could it be, especially looking through the ages at the moon's symbolism and poetic connotations, that our sense of romance is being threatened too, and making its way to the endangered list? Growing up in East London, childhood memories included happy excursions to the Aquarium where we would watch The March of the Penguins, and gaze at a pair of seals

basking in the sun, before cooling off with a plunge in their pool. The interior glass tanks of assorted marine life gave us endless fascination and pleasure. The city boasted a vibrant seafront with a seawater swimming pool. Further along the Orient Beach, the pier enticed us to head down to the lighthouse where, beyond a beach dotted with colourful umbrellas, we'd watch the Sunday Mail Ship majestically leaving the harbour, escorted by a loyal tug. Ah, what romance then! Once upon a time sounds like a fairytale, but when my husband and I arrived in Hermanus three decades ago, this coastal village where abundant shoals of fish thrived in a comparatively unpolluted ocean, was redolent of a sense of adventure. It was a quaint little hamlet lulled by a rhythm aligned with the heartbeat of Nature.

One sultry evening, Noel and I set out on a cliff path walk with Dotty, our dog.

Reaching the Old Harbour wall framed by the historic Bokkem stand – before being destroyed in a storm – we spotted a solitary penguin. Decked out in a tuxedo, the charismatic little guy waddled right up to say hi. Fortunately, Dotty showed little interest in the penguin's presence – even as

it latched onto us, determined to hang out with the crowd! So what do you do in a case like this? We opted for 911. Noel ran across to the Burgundy Restaurant and procured an empty wine box. I threw my woolly sweater over Percy's head –spontaneously christened at the moment –and in this makeshift cardboard chariot, we escorted him home with us

That night, in a fisherman's cottage B&B, Percy the Penguin enjoyed a full 'Arctic' tub of fresh H2O, and room service of shredded tuna in water. The following morning, with the little guy happily taking a swim in his aqua pool, we were told, on the advice of the local vet, whom we called, that for Percy's well-being (of course!) we should reunite him with his natural habitat The vet added that a marine biologist researching the Southern Right Whales had also become acquainted with the penguin at the Old Harbour. Speculation seemed that he may have swum off course in a recent storm

This story's happy ending was a return ride to the harbour, where we set our delightful little penguin refugee free to be reunited with the call of the sea!

Charles Bergman (author of ‘Every Penguin in the World’)

COCKTAILS, CHAOS & CURVE BALLS

written by Albert Peter

Sometimes you sip on cocktails, other times you gobble down the juice of the crazy fruit from the cuckoo tree. Upon reflection of the last month or so, it would be no surprise which beverage was served to us more regularly

This year has already thrown us a plethora of curveballs Beyoncé snagging the Grammy for best Country album was definitely one of many bombshells I did not have on my Bingo card

This is the season of Easter, a celebration of hope and new beginnings We would do well to hang on to this hope as we buckle up for what promises to be a bumpy ride Whether locally or beyond our borders, the earth-bound human has already seen more surprises than Sean Strickland in his fight against our homegrown Dricus du Plessis

Of course not all surprises are welcomed. In our fair nation we were slapped back into reality after enjoying ten months of blissful dreams about reliable electricity ESKOM truly has become the Voldemort to our Hogwarts as the announcement of a renewed loadshedding schedule left many of us clasping our magic wands – usually named Magneto and Duracell

All jokes aside, it is only fitting to pay our deepest respects to the South African servicemen who tragically lost their lives

during a peacekeeping mission in the Congo These fallen heroes deserve to be remembered with reverence Let us take a minute and honour our fallen countrymen with a raised glass, a silent prayer, or maybe even both Our brothers, we salute you

Across the pond our friends in red, white and blue are never shy about providing us with talking points I am not talking about Kanye West's lady parading the emperor's new clothes on the red carpet at the Grammys The news coming from that side of the world has certainly been more abundant than the aid, especially after Uncle Sam took issue with some of Oom Cyril's recent decisions Whether it was the diabolical inferno laying waste to the Californian countryside or the frost giants holding communities hostage on their east coast, it would appear as if Mother Nature has taken off her slipper and given the country a collective spanking

This proverbial spanking is also seen in the political theatre The newly elected Donald Trump apparently is more divisive than a pineapple in a pizzeria. While some alligator farmers and Wall Street executives see the jiving juggernaut as the best thing since

NASCAR, a large portion of the global community has likened him to a certain moustachioed fellow infamous in Nuremberg From renaming historic landmarks like the Gulf of Mexico to broadcasting his desire to annex Greenland and take over the Panama Canal, the new leader of the so-called free world has left the global community to giggle, groan and google: what's next?

Of course the opening few months of 2025 have not contained their shenanigans to the western hemisphere On the other side of the globe, communities were rattled and shaken into the New Year quite literally when an earthquake devastated the Tibetan landscape Not far from the destruction, the people of South Korea gave their president the proverbial boot and quite literally handcuffs after the latter attempted to implement martial law

It is hard to believe that the year is still young Thankfully we are now celebrating the season of hope With all the crazy things happening all around us, let us sit in silence and allow hope to establish a new home within our hearts Hope itself gives life, even when life sometimes seems hopeless

VETS FOR PENGUiNS

written by Shaylee Bouwer

“Mom, I want to be a vet…” Those seven ambitious words I uttered one afternoon as a young girl from the magical seaside town of Hermanus, changed my life forever – the day I started chasing my biggest dream.

student-driven, non-profit organization that chooses a different animal and animal charity (NGO) to fund, support and raise awareness for every year; dedicating time to making selfless efforts to help our creatures who can't protect themselves.

was elected as chairperson of RAG for 2025 and with this platform have married my two worlds by choosing to support Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT) based in Gansbaai, close to home and close to my heart However as grateful and fulfilled as I feel, my heart bleeds, because upon choosing our animal to protect, I've discovered the devastating fate of our beautiful African penguins – our flightless friends are in a dwindling fight against extinction et, DICT has ignited a flame of hope with the continuous conservation work done by the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary, launched by DICT in 2015. We strongly agree, the devastating degradation of our penguins must stop – from egg harvesting and food shortages to habitat loss and human disturbances

What does OP Village RAG do to support their chosen NGO? We utilise a variety of fun

and funky ways to raise money and awareness for the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, from selling the most sought-after OP Village RAG merchandise branded with the DICT logo and creatively incorporating the African penguin into the designs, to curating and hosting the highly anticipated events of OP Village We rebrand in collaboration with the partnered NGO of choice to raise awareness. Our social media presence presents an excellent platform to advertise our animal charity, our merchandise, our RAG greens, our events and all-round conservation education regarding the selected endangered animal.

Alarmed by the critical state of the African penguin, we are extremely passionate and driven to help our flightless friends fighting for survival Excited as we are to support Dyer Island Conservation Trust in 2025, we need YOUR help to ensure a future with African penguins in it

It's time to make a difference, be selfless and Reach out And Give to the penguins

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THE PLiGHT OF THE PENGUiN

written by Trudi Malan (African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary)

African penguins are facing extinction. They are now listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Saving the African penguin is not just about protecting an adorable, tuxedoed bird, it is about preserving the balance of a functioning ecosystem. This affects all of us

The Overstrand is home to two African penguin breeding colonies: on land at Stony Point in Betty's Bay and on Dyer Island near Gansbaai

In 2015, The Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT) opened the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary in Gansbaai, providing temporary rehabilitation for diseased, displaced, injured, oiled and abandoned marine birds.

Further proactive conservation measures are needed to prioritise habitat restoration and long-term support for successful breeding and reproduction

Artificial penguin nests have significantly improved breeding success by providing safe and sheltered nesting sites

Seabird rangers allow conservation authorities to monitor penguins closely, identify threats early and act swiftly. No-fishing zones are crucial to protect food – significant progress is being made

None of these efforts would be possible without funding Initiatives like the Onderstepoort Village Reach Out And Give Back (RAG) project, led by Hermanus local

and veterinary student Shaylee Bouwer and her RAG committee They play a crucial part in raising essential funds and increasing awareness about the urgent plight of African penguins

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Invest in a nest or support an unwell penguin (www.dict.org.za). Visit the APSS in Gansbaai to learn more.

Be mindful of the penguins when at a colony, keep your distance – a close-up selfie is not worth the stress and potential harm to these vulnerable birds Rescue: A penguin on the beach or rocks not close to a colony, is normally a penguin in trouble. Phone the Penguin Rescue line, 072 598 7117. They will provide guidance

A PLUMMETING POPULATION: Southern Africa (South Africa & Namibia)

Primary threats are food shortages, driven by commercial fishing, climate change and the always looming threat of oil spills Climate change forces penguins to forage

in increasingly unproductive waters, reducing their chances of survival Diseases such as avian influenza have further impacted the population

A HISTORY OF EXPLOITATION

For centuries, African penguins have faced relentless human exploitation Early seafarers reported seeing millions – likely viewing them as an inexhaustible resource ripe for exploitation. One navigator recorded in his diary: “The birds were as big as ducks, but they cannot fly because they have no feathers on their wings, so our crew killed as many as they chose.”

Their eggs were a common food for workers and sailors – and then they became a delicacy Between 1900 and 1930, a staggering 13 million penguin eggs were collected for sale. In 1969 authorities finally recognised the unsustainability of this industry and shut it down

Oil spills have been a major threat. Between 1936 and 2000, fourteen oil spills along the South African coastline resulted in over 1,000 penguins being oiled – every time These disasters had catastrophic effects on penguin populations but are just part of a much larger crisis.

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TOURISM IS ON THE UP

Cape Town's (and the local region's) tourism industry is soaring, with over 160,000 international arrivals recorded at Cape T International Airport this past December (the most in over 12 years). That's a 3% year-on-year increase and an impressive 24 months of continued growth in international passenger numbers

Arecord 3 million international two-way passengers were reached in 2024; representing a 10% increase on 2023. The Airports Company of South Africa's data, released by Cape Town Tourism and Wesgro, show several positive trends for 2024, peaking in the December period Air cargo also showed significant growth of 27% over the first 10 months of 2024.

Local domestic regional travel showed an impressive 22.5% jump, which accumulated to 10.4 million two-way passengers using the airport in 2024 –clearly showing that Cape Town was solidifying its reputation as a world-class destination, backed by better air access and global recognition

Furthermore, the next two years will see huge investment, construction and job creation at the new Cape Winelands Airport, situated only 9 km north of the N1 motorway and 12 km north-east of Durbanville It will be an incredible boost to

the number of new flights into and exiting the Cape Town region Previously known as Fisantekraal Airfield, the airport was constructed as an operational base for the South African Air Force and aims to become a commercial aviation hub Pending regulatory approvals, including the EIA expected by mid-2025, construction should begin later this year The project includes a 3.5 km runway, terminal building, retail outlets, an aircraft hangar and an adjacent hotel Completion is targeted for late 2027 or early 2028.

The airport's design will reflect a commitment to sustainability and innovation "We're aiming to create a 'smart and green' airport that will set new standards in the industry From renewable energy sources to water-wise landscaping, every aspect of the airport's development has been carefully considered to minimise its environmental impact," says Deon Cloete, MD of Cape Winelands Airport

Hermanus and the Overberg region had a stellar tourism year, with the festive season

welcoming thousands of tourists who kept our restaurants, wineries, activities companies, wedding venues, accommodation establishments and tour guides very busy

Easter is only around the corner and is another time for the world to go on holiday to our fabulous region which is blessed with many wonders of nature (especially as we are home to two UNESCO world heritage sites). One of these local wonders is the Penguin Colony at Stony Point, Betty's Bay. These cute and comical birds mainly live on 25 offshore islands along the South African coast and in 1982 they decided to come ashore to mainland Africa at Betty's Bay (in 1983 they arrived at Boulders Beach).

Tourists can see these wonderful flightless birds up close via the boardwalk through the colony It allows the public to observe the penguins going about their daily activities in their natural habitat, without disturbing or disrupting them

Happy Easter holidays exploring the wonderful Overberg region!

Tourism Feature

Text by Percy Heywood of Percy Tours www.percytours.com

Photo by Carol Rollings

Cycles

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InLovingMemoryof CLYDE MANSON A CREATOR OF COMMUNITIES

Clyde's name is very familiar to Whale Talk readers. His carefully researched, delightful and lighthearted stories of people he admired in our town, some known, others unknown, were brought together in his beautifully published book, Along the Cliff Path, with the people of Hermanus

Writing was only one of Clyde's many talents. He was an incredible sportsman –cricket and golf being his greatest loves He recorded nine centuries in cricket at club level and two holes-in-one – the first in 2013 at the Royal Joburg West and the second in 2017 as a “Grys Bokkie” at Hermanus Golf Club. An achievement few can match! He also loved music and dancing, and had the gift of making memorable celebratory moments at many a festive party, not only creating joy for his family, but for many friends, who unwittingly found themselves caught in his creative orbit! This was what set Clyde apart – his zest

for life and his pure heart, bringing vibrant energy to any occasion

The main love of his life was reserved for Anthea alone, a true romantic to the end When he danced with his somewhat shy and reserved Anth at the Freshette Ball in Vereeniging in 1968, he instinctively knew she was the one for him They say that opposites attract, and this certainly was the case – she was a serious young schoolteacher and Clyde realized that he needed to help her gain confidence and live more spontaneously With gentle teasing, an abundance of compliments and outrageous flirting, he won her over With good humour, and possibly a bit of trepidation, she put up with Clyde's passion for dress-up parties and all kinds of

nonsense over their 53 years of marriage, and his tremendous privilege was to witness the change in his wife – into the confident, warm, outgoing person that was known to us here in Hermanus

Clyde boasted that she was the most loved and admired person in the school where she taught – changing the lives of pupils lacking in confidence and with poor selfimages, into secure, mature and confident individuals She was clearly adored Together she and Clyde enjoyed ballroom dancing, and all outdoor activities And they hiked all over the then Transvaal with a group they formed and named “The Hardly Hikers.”

Clyde joined Anthea on a Geography Cycle tour with her high schoolers to France

and Austria in 1990. Undoubtedly he brought the comedy factor to the motley crew and joked that someone had to bring up the rear! Cycling was a sheer joy with his Annie girl and repeated again only for Clyde's 70th when he and Anth rode around a far tamer Leisure Isle in Knysna, a place they loved to visit right until the last week of Anthea's life Their last road trip was by far their most significant and daring escapade, but Anthea would have it no other way An 'iron will' some might say, or just a complete faith that we must live our lives to the fullest while we have them

Clyde was a loving father to Taryn and Jill, with his wise nature, gentleness and playfulness His quirky sense of humour provided his two daughters with many happy memories Once, he organised a group of girl dads to perform at a ballet concert The rehearsals were hilarious and the final performance on stage in tank tops and tutus brought the house down Years later, he hired a professional opera singer whom he made hide behind the curtain at a school soirée, while he took to the stage and mimed the words of a popular opera, with everyone believing it was his singing!

He insisted that his girls would have holidays three times a year, to different destinations every time As a family they visited many golf resorts across South Africa river rafted the Orange, explored every province from

the Cederberg to the Drakensberg and everywhere in-between His cherished dogs, Fraser and Sharky to name a few, and many cats over the years made a happy home for his little family in Sandton Clyde most loved to be in a garden with his animals, cooking a brekkie on the Cadac, enjoying the simplest things in life

Clyde's working career was in Direct Marketing – something he was clearly suited to, and which employed his bright mind in editorial pieces for numerous publications, and astute skill in sourcing exquisite promotional products for events such as the Rugby World Cup in 1995.

He enjoyed many business trips to places like Hong Kong and New York in these dynamic years, always bringing home novelty treasures for his girls Jill's favourite recollection of one of these trips was her father's description of cycling around Manhattan Island, absorbing the intense energy of a place that never sleeps, where you can queue for ice cream at 2 a.m. and in Hong Kong, devouring the best steak he had ever eaten He said they massage the cows for this restaurant, and play them lilting melodies under soft lighting to achieve such a happy state in the animal that indeed the flavor was unsurpassable!

Clyde's most memorable holiday as a boy was to the Marine Hotel in Hermanus It is

Inspirational People of our Village Text by

Sally Carter

amazing how often in life we come full circle When the Mansons settled here permanently in 2012, his evening years in the Fairest Cape allowed for many wondrous community moments… from golfing with the Grysbokke, playing bridge with fantastic chaps who became dear friends, monthly outings to the Hermanus Music Society where he played a role as a committee member for a few years, and the weekly gentle services at the Volmoed chapel, his and Anthea's most peaceful retreat space in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley These communities each provided space for Clyde to use his creative spirit to build into others, and receive from them, especially with a tough illness to battle through in the last years of his life

Clyde was a wonderful Christian man and his mantra in life was the Prayer of St Francis His happy disposition was the utmost gift with which he believed God had blessed him. We, his friends and family, witnessed how this drew people to him, allowing him to build an authentic sense of community wherever he lived

He had an enormous love for his six grandchildren, of whom he was immensely proud, and he will be remembered for his warm smile, the impish sparkle in his eyes, his ability to connect with people, but most of all for his adoration and support of his darling Anthea Joy

WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 35TH BIRTHDAY THIS APRIL THANK YOU TO ALL OUR CLIENTS FOR YOUR WONDERFUL SUPPORT

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Lifestyle Feature

Text by Wicus Leeuwner

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A LONG WALK TO YOUR A LONG WALK TO YOUR

Life’sSongLife’sSong

Last week, my youngest grandson started walking. Joy and a sense of achievement were visible all over his sweet little face. Like any doting grandpa, I have my dreams for him. I dream of him as my tiny walking partner while revisiting the special walks I had in my life.

Sylvia Hill Cave on the Namib coast has a mouth that opens right into the cold Atlantic Ocean and a deep channel This provides a safe breeding area for the endangered African penguins They breed on sandstone ledges above the highwater mark inside the 30-metre-deep cave. The sea guards them from marauding Black-backed Jackals and Brown Hyenas I walked there from the concession holder's camping site when the windy conditions stopped us for that day from going further through the Namib to Walvis Bay

The wind was blasting the sand against my legs As I descended one of the massive dunes of that area, I suddenly found myself in a completely windless hollow It had no sand covering – on the bare rock bed were eight circles of fair-sized quartz rocks Circles not bigger than a metre and a half were the foundations of the portable shelters of a Khoisan group many moons ago. They most probably were feasting on the shellfish and the abundant seals on the shoreline It felt as if I were intruding on their privacy and

that intruders like me should not invade their sacred windless site. It was high tide so I could only locate the cave by following the penguins in the sea Earlier counts put the number of penguins utilizing this cave at 240 – 300. If their food supply lasts, they might still be there when my grandchildren grow up

During winter in the Sutherland area, it is too cold for sheep to be shorn and for ewes to drop their lambs If enough rain had fallen in the adjacent Tankwa Karoo, we gathered our flocks and started a four-day trek by foot The Tankwa Karoo is at a much lower altitude and frost is a rare occurrence

Sleeping out in the veld when the sheep have settled down for the night, you have a silence almost as profound as that beyond air The stars descend until it seems one could stir them with a finger into whirlpools of light. Proceeding down the shale layers of the Roggeveld mountains and into the Karoo basin, is like descending into millions of years of geological history It changes your outlook on life forever

Later in his life, there are walks he has to do on his own. Julia Cameron of The Artist’s Way and Morning Papers fame suggests

that the simplest way to spiritual or creative renewal is by physical walking: “Creativity is a spiritual process, one in which we speak of inspiration When we talk about inspiration, we are talking about drawing breath. Walking makes our breath rhythmic and repetitive As our breath steadies and soars, so does our thought.”

Great spiritual traditions know this Muslims crossed the Sahara to get to Mecca, and Tibetans made circular pilgrimages around Kalais, the sacred mountain and birthplace of Shiva Jesus the Nazarene ventured into the desert for forty days and in present times we walk the different Caminos Walking with our soles is walking with our souls. It is a form of meditation

When we are too full of the clatter of our stress-filled lives, our spiritual energy returns to us through our feet Walking in nature allows us to explore the multisensory guidance from the physical world. You'll hear the land's song and by learning that you'll recognize your life song and understand what creates harmony and dissonance for you

I wish you, the reader, and Duhan, my grandson a creative walking life