Wildside TIMES #4

EDITORIAL

Summer is here, and the promise of a beautiful season is upon us. However, it seems like we have missed a year or two of this glorious village and the fantastic summer that brings so many people to town. Still, the pandemic is behind us. We can freely buy booze, fried chicken, open-toed shoes and ciggies again if we want, and surfers will not be harassed by the cops and have stun grenades lobbed at them this season. The Calamari Classic was a fantastic success. The Concours Sur Measure is ahead of us. Then we can all start preparing for Billy’s Beach and the rest of the festivities that come with the longer days and beautiful evenings we know and love so well. Thanks for supporting the magazine, and see you at the beach!

Best Surfing Wetsuit Review

Rip Curl E7 Flashbomb HeatSeeker 4/3 Zip Free Wetsuit -

This is Rip Curls most technically advanced cold-water wetsuit. This season, Rip Curl has combined their all new E7 Flash Lining through out the wetsuit and our unique Version 2 Flex Energy lining that generates even more heat when stretched. Along with added superior technical features, the Flashbomb Heat Seeker is Rip Curl warmest and stretchiest Flashbomb yet.

The HeatSeeker is also equipped with Flex Energy. Flex Energy is a revolutionary neoprene lining that generates heat when stretched. As you move through the water, the Flex Energy activates and heats the wetsuit while you move. If you stay active, you stay warm.

One33 Clove Rum

Any surfer worth his salt will have made a trip to Indonesia at some stage of his or her life. The Indonesian archipelago comprises some of the best waves for surfing n the world, and a pilgrimage is imperative for any surfer.

Part of any trip to Indo also means the strong smell of cloves wherever you go. The local cigarette, Gudang Garam, is a clove cigarette. The pleasant waft of cloves permeates everywhere as many people still smoke.

I was hesitant when Rodney told me about a new limited edition Clove Rum from one33. The marriage of strong liquor and the sweet smell of cloves seemed incongruent. Until I opened a bottle, smelled, and had a sip. Within seconds I was on a hired fishing boat in Indonesia, looking for secret waves, chatting in Bahasa with a captain sucking on a clove cigarette, and anxiously looking for submerged coral as we followed a hand-drawn map. It is an awesome sipping rum with such a beautiful flavour that you cannot do it a disservice by adding a sweet mix to it. Instead, have it on the rocks, sip it slowly, and follow the taste around your mouth. Strong, exotic and quite exquisite.

Editorial team

Wildside TIMES is Creative director: Mark Campbell/BasilWaits Creative Media Editor: Craig Jarvis

Trade Wind Café

The Trade Wind Café in Cape St Francis serves up wonderful food all day and is a port of call for all surfers in the area. Whether for a quick coffee before a surf, a bite to eat between surfs or a substantial meal after a few hours of surfing the point, Liesel Von Der Marwitz serves hungry surfers and their families and all the other locals and visitors all day. Their milkshakes are the best in the zone, with all the surf groms devouring them between sessions. At the same time, the tramazzini is the best way to replace lost energy that has been sapped away from you in the cold water and pounding barrels.

It has indoor and outdoor seating, wheelchair accessibility, and a comprehensive menu. Trade Wind is famous for its excellent service and friendly staff.

So popular is it that even 11 times world champion Kelly Slater pops in for a quick graze between sessions.

St Francis Window Cleaners .

If anyone needs their windows cleaned and doesn’t want to waste water, there is a new option in town. St Francis Window Cleaners, comprising the husband and wife team of Ant and Kim are offering a fast and efficient window cleaning service for both residential and commercial properties.

They’re quick and efficient and they come with their own water tanks. “Our water is pumped from our borehole through a reverse osmosis system, and then pumped into our tank on the trailer, said Ant when I asked him about his water. They’re also very quick and efficient, with very little water used or wasted. “The windows are also cleaned with telescopic water-fed poles, and this keeps the use of ladders to a minimum.”

The cost of a house is obviously dependent on the size of the property and the number of windows, but from all accounts, St Francis Window Cleaners seem very reasonable.

Lame Jokes Dept

•Why did the chicken go to the séance? To get to the other side.

• I just failed a fire safety course when they asked what steps I would take in case of an explosion... Apparently, “Really big ones” wasn’t an acceptable answer...

• My friend asked me if I wanted to hear a good Batman impression, so I replied, “Go for it!”

He shouted, “NO!! NOT THE KRYPTONITE!”

Slightly puzzled, I said, “That’s Superman.” “Thanks, man!” he laughed. “I’ve been practising it a lot.”

• There’s a new restaurant in town called Karma. There’s no menu, as you get what you deserve…

Loadshedding Days and Nights

Yep, it hasn’t been lekker with all the load-shedding, the sporadic changes, the appliance failures (we lost our dear coffee maker from a power surge) and trying to feed kids and do homework with magneto lamps situated around the house.

But there are some options. The Full Stop in Cape St Francis is always open during load-shedding, and they offer most of their menu during load-shedding hours for sit-down or takeaways. So pop in for a quick beer and a pizza and make those load-shedding hours in the evening much more manageable. Don’t forget 25% off your meals on a Tuesday.

If you want to continue working during load shedding during the day, your best bet is to head for The Links Clubhouse. There is free, solid WiFi, a great breakfast and lunch menu, and delicious coffees. Quite a few people simply refer to the Links as their office during load shedding, but there is always plenty of space. You’ll get loads of work between bumping into your friends and catching up.

If you’re not in a massive need to work, and you’re a bit lost during

loa-shedding, then there is the other alternative: a walk on our glorious Cape St Francis beach. It is 2,5km from the car park to the rocks at Ducks, so there and back is a decent length 5km walk, an excellent way to while away the time while Eskom messes around and tries to fix the unfixable.

Concours

THE FREEDOM FARM

We tracked down St Francis Bay’s Derek Cook, who backs the project. Through him, we discovered the remarkable story behind the construction. This is what he told us.

An organic farm with a couple of tunnels is being constructed on the land between the old tip and the R330. The structure you see while driving past is a chicken coop, so the Freedom Farm will grow and sell an assortment of products, including free-range eggs.

The site is still part of Thula Moya Private Nature Reserve and is 1,8 HA in extent. However, the construction of the R330 through to Cape St Francis cut the above piece off the original reserve.

The building is being done by Donovan Louw, who has acquired the land from myself and my business partner Paul Naude. For the moment, he has a ten-year lease until we are allowed to subdivide, and he will then take the transfer of the 1.8HA. Donovan is a born and bred Sea Vista local.

Initially, he self-funded, and then his application for funding to the Oyster Bay Windfarm was accepted. Since then, this has been his funding source. Initially, Donovan hoped to complete the build by September; however, going into the new financial year has temporarily slowed down the funding. His aim for completion is now around December 2022.

An idea he has, and he is waiting for feedback from Kouga Municipality, is to become the custodian of the adjacent wetland. A small portion is already on his farm. Still, he needs to control the balance to protect it from the encroaching informal settlement. Once secured, he will look to open it up to birding and school groups, the latter to educate on environmental items.

Another idea is to work a wheelchair-friendly garden facility onto the farm, where disabled people can spend a morning planting and tending to their own veggie patches.

As Donovan has said to me, this Freedom Farm is not only for himself but also for the Sea Vista community. So when driving past, give him a thumbs up – he deserves it.

Derek Cook.

Have you seen the construction going up alongside the R330 before the turn-off to the old tip? Have you wondered what is being built, who is doing the build and what the project is all about?

Then, of course, the other question that everyone is asking is, how did the person doing the building access that particular chunk of land?

#STORYSLAM IN ST FRANCIS BAY

#Storyslam has taken over the last Thursday of each month at the Brewery. After ten months, what started as a trickle of mildly interested patrons has turned into a “need to book” event. Aimed at raising money for Charity (a voluntary donation in place of a door fee), this little event has bought the community together in a fun and entertaining manner.

Introduced to St Francis Bay by photographer and life coach Sandy Coffey, this storytelling platform aims to entertain, inspire, and share personal stories. The structure is simple: The story needs to be 5 minutes long, it needs to be true, and it needs to have happened to the storyteller.

Each month there is a different theme, and five brave storytellers get up and share their stories. It’s half an hour of dedication to the art of storytelling. One can hear a pin drop in the room. “Stories are fundamental to our human nature”, she explains. “It has how we have been communicating and sharing since forever. It is how we learn and understand our lives because …stories are universal. It is through our words that we make sense of our world.”

The stories range from hilarious to poignant and tearful. There are no rules regarding content.

Sandy was motivated to bring this platform to St Francis after being asked to tell a story in Cape Town. She was at a storytelling event called “Southern Rights and Wrongs”, initiated by Alon Stern. She asked him if she could bring this to the village. He was super keen, gave his blessing to her, and the rest is history.

A few previous themes have been “A Step too far”, “When I look back”, “My Pivotal Moment”, and “Well, that was surprising”.

The stories range from hilarious to poignant and tearful. There are no rules regarding content. No one hears the story before it’s told, and Sandy absolves any responsibility!

“Some months, it has been difficult to find storytellers as telling a story in 5 minutes is tough. One has to be vulnerable and raw - but with some practice and a healthy dose of courage, everyone has a good story to share,” she says.

Sandy offers storytelling support to those who feel they have a story but are terrified. And those who have told a story are so happy they have.

“Although it was so daunting, to begin with, the audience was so warm and accepting,” says local Cape St Francis resident Toni Gennrich. She has the esteemed title of being the very first speaker at the very first storytelling event. David Combes, who had the audience belly laughing beyond control in that hilarious Scottish accent, loved it. “It was so exhilarating and engaging and was over far too quickly.” And Rain Murray, who had the audience spellbound with his very honest reflection of his life, said, “I love how my piece was held by everyone”. Indeed it was. He got a standing ovation.

“Everyone is terrified to talk, but Linky does offer a shot of tequila for all our storytellers… just for that extra shot of confidence!”

The next #Storyslam is on the 20th of October - the theme is “If only...”. So be prepared to be entertained, amused, bought to tears, or all three. Make sure you book. For more information, call Sandy Coffey on 0832657804

But with some practice and a healthy dose of courage, everyone has a good story to share.

NEXUS IS ON FIRE!

...AND WE DO MEAN THIS IN THE MOST FLATTERING OF TERMS.

In our first issue of Wildside TIMES covered the story of the fire that ran through and partially gutted the Nexus factory.

It was a devastating loss to the Paarmans and the people who had worked on the boats. Apart from the loss of the two boats, there was collateral damage to other boats and a swath of damaged tools and machinery that comprised a valuable boat building assembly line.

Apart from the two boats that had to be rebuilt, Nexus had an order book that needed to be fulfilled. So the team put their collective heads down once the factory had been repaired, worked like trojans, and continued on the way towards producing the exquisite boats that they are world-renowned for.

Since the fire, they have launched Blue Orchid, August 2021

Little Bird, October 2021

Stargazer, December 2021

Wahoo, May 2022

Nahla, August 2022

Catalyst, September 2022

The boats still due for launch this year are the two boats lost in the fire.

· Norhi, October 2022

· Phoenix, November 2022

So, big congratulations are due to Nexus and their teams for the incredible work that they continue to do. They continue to make St Francis a location that is now globally famous for producing and launching some of the finest boats in the world.

All photos © Andrea Paarman

SINCE THE 4TH ISSUE OF WLDSIDE TIMES WENT TO PRINT, NEXUS / BALANCE YACHTS WENT AND DELIVERED ANOTHER FINE VESSEL BY THE NAME OF NORHI.

St Francis Property Owners Subscriptions

2022/2023 Annual Membership

SFPO Association memberships are due for renewal on 1st October 2022.

If you haven’t done so, please consider supporting us by becoming a member or renewing your membership. The annual subscription for a property owner/resident is R550 or R350 for a pensioner.

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

Payment Options: Visit the www.stfrancispropertyowners.com website and submit your payment onlineOr 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 references. And now, you can even subscribe through Quicket - St Francis Property Owners Association Subscriptions. Your support is greatly appreciated.

To ensure that you receive your monthly accounts timeously, please ensure that the Municipality has your correct email address. Please request delivery by email to Mandy Jantjies in the St Francis Municipal office at mjantjies@kouga.gov.za.

FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT

The modern lives we live today come with all kinds of stress, the problem is that we get so used to living with in this stressed mode, that we don’t notice it until we take a break or go somewhere that we really relax and break our regular routine. The last few years have not made anything easier, with Covid changing everyone’s lives and all the crisis’ going on around the globe such as wars, inflation highs and millions of families (refugees) displaced.

Our greatest asset in life is our health, all the money in the world cannot buy a healthy mind and body, so it makes sense that we should be deliberate in making sure we stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

One way to do this is to understand the things we should focus on, and we can do this by asking ourselves 2 questions:

1. Does it matter?

2. Can I control it?

Unless the answer is yes on both counts, we can stop thinking about it. Because if it doesn’t matter, then who cares; and if you can’t control it, then why worry about it?

For me, the list of things I can stop thinking about includes:

1- Whether my children get into university or not (because I can’t control it).

2- Whether I could have saved R50 on groceries by going to a different store (because it doesn’t matter).

3- Whether the stock market is up or down right now (because I can’t control it).

4- That guy who cut me off in traffic (because it doesn’t matter).

As I drive home from work not thinking about any of those things, I am suddenly freed up to think about things that I can control and that do matter. For example:

1- How I treat my children, regardless of whether university is a good fit for them or not.

2- How I can get my shopping to align with my values.

3- How I behave when stock market fluctuations happen.

4- Learning to count to 10, taking a deep breath, and letting go when other drivers act selfishly.

To make things worse, at the same time we are trying to live within our means and invest for a comfortable retirement. Once we are in a position to invest, we are faced with the decision of when to enter the markets and how to do so. There are so many options and so many experts out there that for the man in the street these decisions can become paralysing, so many of us delay this decision and wait for some special sign or revelation.

The main secret to investing successfully is to get started. Hindsight is a perfect science but if we understand that long term in vesting is exactly that, then we will see that getting started is the single biggest step we can make. If we consider that we are investing for life then we can understand that a 40-year-olds investment time horizon could be 60 years and a 30-year-old, 70 years so the sooner we start the better.

Our FOCUS when investing should be the long term and not what happens over 1, 3 or even 5 years. If we focus on making sure we are investing, no matter how little we start with, and not what the markets are doing daily, weekly or annually, we have a high probability of success.

Just imagine what might happen if we quit worrying about things we have no control over and quit obsessing over things that don’t matter. Where else might we be able to invest that extra time, energy, and attention?

LET’S GOIN THE NEW TAIGO.

Tis for Taigo

The Taigo, Volkswagen’s compact SUV coupé, has joined the T SUV model range. The T SUV range consists of the T-Cross, T-Roc, Tiguan, Tiguan Allspace and Touareg. Taigo derives its name from a combination of ‘tiger’ and ‘Taiga’, which is a forest in the Northern Hemisphere. Taigo symbolises strength, outdoors and adventure. The SUV’s name starts with the letter ‘T’ and follows Volkswagen’s naming convention for its SUVs in South Africa.

T is for Three

The new Volkswagen Taigo impresses with its trendy crossover body style, raised seating position and pioneering connectivity. Numerous driver assistance systems guarantee comfort and a high level of safety for all passengers. With full LED headlights, a digital cockpit and the latest generation of infotainment systems, the Taigo sets high technology standards in its class. The Taigo will be offered with Volkswagen’s popular tilting and sliding panoramic sunroof.

Available in three trim levels – the Life, Style or R-Line models – the Taigo provides you with the liberation you’ve been searching for in a car. Both the exterior and interior represent where sport meets function and where tech meets taste. The Taigo has been designed with you in mind, with intuitive innovation that makes every aspect of your journey feel effortless. Let’s go – in the new Taigo.

T is for Technology

The Taigo’s interior surrounds you

in effortless innovation on any and every drive. The soft-touch dashboard accentuates the car’s comfortable and welcoming interior, combined with high quality technology, taking the car to the next level. The digital Infotainment system with a 6.5-inch radio display on the Life model and an 8-inch radio display on the Style and R-Line models, digital cockpit and Beats® sound system3 allow for a driving experience personified by your taste.

Wireless phone charging4 and a front middle armrest with USB charging ports ensure that you remain connected throughout your drive. The Taigo’s leather multifunctional steering wheel and keyless entry4 add to the overall practicality and accessibility of the car. Connectivity remains a priority in the Taigo by ensuring your phone is always in connection with your car using AppConnect and We Connect Go. Additional features such as Voice Control and Navigation System are optional with each model.

The Taigo’s ambient interior lighting allows for a sleek transition from day to night. With lighting features in the front door handles and decorative trim on the interior doors and front dash panel. Experience what happens when tech meets taste.

With IQ.DRIVE, trust that your Taigo’s got your back. This intuitive technology comes with features such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC can maintain a set distance from the vehicle in front

by automatically braking and starting up again when sitting in traffic, making it a driver’s best friend. ACC can also work in conjunction with Lane Assist to form Travel Assist, making your journey safer. With other features like Autonomous Emergency Braking, Front Assist, Side Assist and Fatigue Detection, driving safely is almost effortless. Park Assist is available for that final stage of the drive, by measuring whether a parking space is big enough and then steering you into it.

T is for Transmission

The Volkswagen Taigo is only be available with the 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG® engine across all three models. With a highly effective petrol engine and 7-speed DSG transmission, this car’s performance is built around a lifestyle-orientated driver. The Taigo’s Start-Stop with regenerative braking, a low-emission TSI engine, and Eco Function1 add to Volkswagen’s progression towards eco-friendly cars. The VW Taigo comes standard with a three-year/120 000 km warranty and a three-year/45 000 km service plan.

Seal Point, Cape St Francis, July 2022 – Aimee du Preez (East London) and Connor Slijpen (Cape Town) were the winners in the premier U18 Division of the Rip Curl GromSearch at Seal Point in Cape St Francis. The surf was excellent for the entire event, and despite some rainfall, the surfing performances were outstanding.

The Rip Curl GromSearch Seal Point was presented by Sea Harvest and supported by The Cape St Francis Resort. It was the second competition out of a 3-event series.

After a few years of absence, it was a welcome return to surfing events at Cape St Francis. The local surfers and surf club welcomed the best junior

surfers to the waves of Seal Point with open arms, and the tournament was well-received by all.

The very competitive U14 Boys saw the surfers enjoy pumping surf as Seal Point came alive for 20 minutes. The sets were pouring down the point as the surfers picked off the best waves. At the final horn, it was Cooper Smith who took the win from Josh Malherbe. Both surfers were on form and going wave for wave, but Smith clinched it, leaving Malherbe in second and local Seal Point surfer Rory Dace in third. David Moussouris, another local from St Francis Bay, was the fourth-placed surfer in the final.

Junior surfing is very much on the rise in South Africa. Next year will see a flurry

All photos by Louis Wulff

of activity in the junior ranks as surfers move into different categories and work towards achieving their goals and dreams. The Olympic Games are around the corner, and surfing and surfers in South Africa now have a path to achieve their pursuits.

With the Corona Open JBay back on at Supertubes, the SA Junior Surfing Championships, and the SA Longboard Championships taking place at Lower Point, Jeffrey’s Bay, the Kouga region is the most important zone for surfing in the country. In addition, the Rip Curl GromSearch hopes to return to Seal Point next year, solidifying this area as the hub of surfing in South Africa.

The prize-giving was fun. JBay surfing legend and Rip Curl athlete Matt McGillivray, currently ranked 14th on the

World Surf League Championship Tour, handed out the prizes as the rain came down. Thus, a fantastic event drew to a close.

The Cape St Francis Resort

The beautiful Cape St Francis Resort supported the Rip Curl GromSearch. Bordering the beach at Cape St Francis and just a few minutes from the contest venue, Cape St Francis Resort ticks all the boxes as a perfect beach holiday destination. The Resort has a unique setting. Several accommodation options include conventional hotel rooms and three- and four-bedroom cottages. There are also luxury beach villas, perfect for couples, surfers, families and anyone who loves a beach holiday. All are suitable for either a bed and breakfast choice or selfcatering options.

Adam Faclier

Rylan Jarvis

David Moussouris

Rory Dace

Jesse Moulang

for the latest products at our Rip Curl Flagship Store, 37 Da Gama Rd, Je reys Bay. Available at leading surf stores country wide.

IT’S TIME FOR WINE!

by Sam Venter

The search for wine that’s affordable but also decent is an opportunity to step out of regular wine comfort zones and try something new. With any luck, there’s the double bonus of an enjoyable wine AND a bargain. Zonnebloem is one of those old names of SA wine that still has name recognition among the older generation but has lost ground against the rise of newer, younger, sexier wineries and winemakers doing niche things and a better job of creating a brand.

There’s still value in heritage, experience and access to some of the country’s best vineyards, though, resulting in probably Zonnebloem’s best-kept secret – Zonnebloem Noir de Noir.

A blend of Pinotage, Cinsault and Petit Verdot, the wine bursts with juicy red fruit and lots of cherries, with vanilla and oak spice playing a supporting role, great served lightly chilled in summer.

Appealing to those who like a lighterbodied red wine with substance, you could call it a poor man’s Pinot Noir. Still, it’s seriously delicious, very food-friendly, and a bargain at around 60 bucks.

Hill & Dale’s philosophy is that “expensive wine needs to be good, but good wine doesn’t need to be expensive”, and it shows in their quality wines at pocket-friendly prices.

Hill & Dale Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz (R60) has a very respectable Platter’s 4* rating, and it’s an excellent choice as a

go-to everyday wine that could also hold its own in posher company.

None of the jamminess or soft sweetness often characteristic of this price point; there’s welcome depth and body, smooth tannins and a flavourful balance of ripe dark and red fruits, herbal notes, dark sour cherry and a touch of vanilla. Highly recommended.

Aan de Doorns has become another go-to budget option that over-delivers at around R60 for Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage or Shiraz. The Cab, to my mind, is the best of the bunch, with fruit in that delicate balance between fresh purity and intense ripeness, touched with typical Cab cigar box and spice and a bit of backbone.

Meanwhile, the Nederburg people have worked out that their monthly sales of Baronne equate to a bottle opened every 15 seconds of every day. It might be a decades-old brand, but still popular. Clearly, they’re managing to maintain standards while meeting the massive demand, considering that the 2020 vintage netted a top 10 place in the winemag.co.za Signature Red Blend Report this year.

A Cab-Shiraz blend, it’s really enjoyable, savoury and spicy, and a pleasant surprise to revisit an old favourite for those who have graduated to more upmarket pastures. Widely available at R65-R80.

Not necessarily “bargain”, but offering

great value from premium wineries, two wines come to mind.

Newton Johnson’s Full Stop Rock has a St Francis connection in being named for the famous rock where many a surfer, including Bevan Newton Johnson, who runs the marketing side of the family winery, has come a cropper. The wine is a Rhone-style blend of mostly Syrah with Grenache and Mourvèdre. It has that wild savouriness typical of these blends, concentrated black fruit, touches of liquorice, spice and pepper, with the Grenache adding floral notes. Rather delicious and good value at around R225.

Similarly, while Vilafonté’s Series C and Series M Bordeaux-style blends might be out of reach, they have an answer in the “everyday luxury” of Seriously Old Dirt (R265). Also Bordeaux-style, mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, it certainly is luxurious – rich, plush, beautifully complex with deep fruit and subtle spice, seriously good, seriously drinkable on release and certainly ageable.

Sam Venter has been writing about wine for the past 10 years and tasting and enjoying it for much longer. As a keen home cook and occasional pop-up restaurant creator, she loves finding and sharing wine and food matches that sing together. As an Eastern Caper, she enjoys fine wine and food as much as she loves finding a bargain.

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SEA HARVEST

JUNIOR SURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Lower

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9th October

Buffalo City Wins the Freedom Cup, eThekweni wins the Loud and Proud Award, while the Male and Female Surfer Of The Contest awards go to Nate Colby and Louise Lepront.

For the fifth straight morning in a row, Lower Point in JBay revealed perfect waves for the competitors in the 25th Sea Harvest SA Junior Champs presented by SMTH Shapes.

After a quick semi-finals round, it was straight into the finals, kicking off with the U12 Girls division. Leah Lepront, who has been dominant the whole year, finished her season with another win and the U12 Girls Title for 2022. Camilla Heuer finished in 2nd spot, with Jasmine Venter in 3rd and Mikayla Jeffries in 4th.

The U12 Boys is always a fierce tussle, and today’s final was no different. Ben Esterhyse’s first scoring ride was a solid 7.77, but Carl Wiersma also pushed hard and banked a 7.5. In reply, Ben hooked an absolute bomb and went vertical on his backhand for an excellent score of 9.33 and the win. Callum Loftus was 3rd, and Damien Roeloffze came 4th.

“The waves were so good, and I saw this set wave coming. Carl went on the first one, and I got the second one,” said Esterhyse. “I did a couple of turns, found this nice rhythm along the inside section, and did enough to get that 9.33. I was pleased with the result.”

In the U14 Girls, all eyes were on Loise Lepront, who wowed the crowd yesterday with her 10-point ride. She didn’t disappoint and put a 9.5 on the scoreboard, followed by a 6.77 for the U14 Girls title. Remi Fourie, who surfed excellently all week, was in 2nd, with Emily Jenkinson in 3rd and Sophia Jackson in 4th.

No one knew which way the U14 Boys final would go, with four talented and determined young surfers all determined to get their SA Champs title. But there can be only one, and Rory Dace made it absolutely clear from the outset that he was in it to win it. A heat total of 14.17 saw the Cape St Francis surfer win his title, with Loghan Tilsley, Josh Malherbe and Asbjorn Gwenin in the minor spots.

Gemma Hanafey from Buffalo City was in the lead for most of the U16 Girls final,

All photos © Mike Ruthnum

but as the time ticked away, the last set came through. With Gemma sitting out of priority, Maya Potgieter caught the first good one. After that, she jumped straight into first place, with Anastasia Venter doing the same and leapfrogging into 2nd spot, leaving Hanafey in 3rd. Gia Gilmer was a disappointed 4th, not finding any of the set waves during the final.

It was a perfect opportunity for the three goofy footers to work against the one natural footer in the boys’ U16 Final. But Nate Colby was quick out of the gates and showed everyone why he is one of the country’s top U16 surfers. Then the three goofy footers got waves, and high scores fell everywhere. Surprise Maphumulo and Joel Fowles were battling it while David Emslie was looking for the bombs. Colby just kept finding the perfect inside runners.

Surprise and Joel picked up set waves as the heat drew to a close. Surprise smashed it to the bricks, while Joel did the same with power and precision. The exchange went to Fowles, and he ended up the Boys U16 SA Champion 2022, with Surprise Maphumulo in 2nd. Nate came 3rd and David 4th.

“It is by far the highlight of my career,” said Fowles on the beach afterwards. “I have always wanted to be SA Champion, and now I have a title, so I am stoked.”

After a week of excellent surfing, Adriel Wolmarans finished her week with the U18 Girls Division win. She took the title from Aimee Du Preez, who was in 2nd. Demi Row, who had also been impressing all week, finished 3rd, and Maya Figl was 4th.

As the event drew to a close and the U18 Boys final paddled out, there was a minimal indication of who would be the new U18 Boys SA Champion. All four surfers had impressed the whole event, with Joshua Myburgh showing form in the earlier rounds. However, nothing much gets past Dan Emslie at the moment. He found his bombs at the end of the heat. He scored an 8.33 and an excellent 9.5 for a heat total of 17.83, the win and the title U18 Boys SA Champion 2022. Myburgh was second, James Ribbink in 3rd, and Connor Slijpen was 4th.

U12 Girls

1 Leah Lepront (UGU)

2 Camilla Heuer (BC)

3 Jasmine Venter (CW)

4 Mikayla Jeffris (ESA)

U12 Boys

1 Ben Esterhyse (CTS)

2 Carl Wiersma (NMB)

3 Callum Loftus (NMB)

4 Damien Roeloffze (CW)

U14 Girls

1. Louise Lepront (UGU)

2. Remi Fourie (CW)

3. Emily Jenkinson (CTS)

4 Sophia Jackson (Eden)

U14 Boys

1 Rory Dace (NMB)

2 Loghan Tilsley (CW)

3 Josh Malherbe (BC)

4 Asbjorn Gwenin (CTS)

U16 Girls

1 Maya Potgieter (ILM)

2 Anastasia venter (CW)

3 Gemma Hanafey (BC)

4 Gia Gilmer (ESA)

U16 Boys

1 Joel Fowles

2 Surprise Maphumulo

3 Nate Colby

4 David Emslie

U18 Girls

1 Adriel Wolmarans (BC)

2 Aimee Du Preez (BC)

3 Demi Rowe (ESA)

4 Maya Figl (CW)

U18 Boys

1 Daniel Emslie (BC)

2 Joshua Myburgh (CTS)

3 James Ribbink ( ESA)

4 Connor Slijpen (CTS)

Male Surfer Of The Contest: Nate Colby

Female Surfer Of The Contest: Leah Lepront

Freedom Cup: (Team Title)

1. Buffalo City

Town

Ethekweni - 38976

- 37888

- 34570

Mandela Bay Surfriders - 34349

- 27455

- 24277

South African Surf Tour Ratings

Lepront

Jasmin Venter

Maya Malherbe

Camilla Heuer

Ben Esterhyse

Marcello Zedde

Carl Wiersma

Callum Loftus

Louis Lepront

Emily Jenkinson

Taylor Emslie

Sophia Jackson

Cooper Smith

Rory Dace

Josh Malherbe

Matt Canning

Anastasia Venter

Sarah Scott

Zia Hendricks

Gemma hanafey

Luc Lepront

Nate Colby

Joel Fowles

Levi Epenetos

Lepront

Anastasia Venter

Adriel Wolmarans

Sara Scott

Slijpen

Venter

Fowles

Thompson

Dace made it absolutely clear from the outset that he was in it to win it.

CATCHING UP WITH JEFF CLAUSE

Jeff is a well-known character in our village and on the local and international golfing scene. ‘American by birth but South African by choice,’ he has been at the helm at St Francis Links for 15 years. There have been some good times, as well as some in the rough (just think COVID, load-shedding, drought).

Always up for a chat, we found Jeff at The Links, obviously, and bounced some of the hard questions his way.

Hello Jeff. I see you have been in the papers recently, and not for all the best reasons. What’s going on?

Hey Pards. Good to see ya. Well, I reckon there’s no estate or residential

community in this country or in this world that you’re going to please everybody all the time. Yet you have to have a more defined set of rules so that you have consistency. It may be as simple as a dog on a leash or putting our poop in a bag or as complicated as questioning how we have done things. In this case, it has been a relentless chase since covid with varying direction changes. It has finally gotten to a point where it’s about compliance, and it’s about the developer and how long the developer will be here. This particular person/small group of people have taken it to the CIPC, and it was tossed, or they couldn’t make a judgement. They then went to CSOS on another matter and couldn’t make a judgement. As far as we are concerned, we have done everything

from the estate that we possibly can. Sadly, to go to press and point the finger at the place you want to ensure is loved forever only damages the estate. You know, I got phone calls from everywhere. What’s going on? I can’t really talk about it, but the one thing I can tell you is that a couple of weeks back, I wrote a newsletter called ‘Noise.’ I walked into my prizegiving that night to a standing ovation for what it’s worth. It is just a small group of people trying to knock on things that don’t affect us. For example, how much money do I earn? I’ll tell you. Come to my office; I’ll let you know. It’s just disruptive.

It’s negative.

You know I don’t care what you are and

who you are. Negative people make a lot more noise than positive people. If you’re happy, you don’t usually comment. What this did, actually, is it really brought the majority of people on this estate to the good, and condensed it and solidified it. So here we are, 16 years down the road. Our finances are brilliant, our investments are solid, the building is at record levels, and the choices for lifestyle are all good. It’s a place to be, but right now, the dog’s got the bone and won’t let loose. The bone being gnawed on doesn’t have anything to do with the daily running of the estate.

The last PGA was a fantastic success. So what do we have in store?

It is a 3-year project, and ideally, what

The television coverage we got last year was brilliant for our community. Not just for St Francis Links, it was brilliant for the entire Eastern Cape.

I was hoping for would be continued growth. And coming out of COVID, we will see more spectators embracing this. It is still a South African tour event, as opposed to an international one. It will be the best of the Sunshine Tour, but I hope we can pull some players returning for the Nedbank the following week.

The television coverage we got last year was brilliant for our community. Not just for St Francis Links, it was brilliant for the entire Eastern Cape, which is what it’s all about. One of the primary partners in this event is the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism. So, that’s a significant benefit.

Ultimately I would have loved to have seen spectator seating areas and a village displaying the Eastern Cape. Still, it has been a tough run. It’s still a financial battle to gain sponsorship and grow the event. But it’s still the PGA.

There is a general vibe of positivity, and people firmly believe that the SRA has much to do with it. What are your feelings on this?

What they have accomplished has been great. We participated in upgrading the road with the SRA. The turning circle. as you come into town, which is a muchimproved welcome. The SRA in this day and age is precisely what is needed. It’s what we try to do with The Links and the community. Wherever we can, it becomes a public/private partnership. The whole idea of upgrading our roads, saving our beaches and looking at the future of that. When you go down and see a rock shore instead of a sandy shore, that’s devastating for me. I’m very disappointed that the SRA is being attacked. I don’t think there is any doubt that cameras have a positive effect. It’s working.

It’s kind of funny. I had some friends here from Knysna recently. As you know, a couple of years ago, that area was a pumping town, with the waterfront, good restaurants and all of that. I had people coming for the weekend, and they returned to one of the restaurant owners

St Francis Links has received recognition and drawn the people to it nationally and globally.

and said, ‘geez, you need to take a page out of St Francis’ book.’ So what we offer, even though we’re seasonal, whether it be a food experience, a drinking experience, or a hiking experience, is excellent and has much to do with the SRA stepping up.

What has been your biggest highlight in running this business?

The biggest challenge in my life was trying to put a place like this on the map. The Garden Route is established Gauteng is established. To get people to come a little further, you know. You need more than one restaurant on the corner to make it work.

In our particular case, I have seen the St Francis Bay Golf Club improve every year. In fact, I think it’s looking as good as it ever looked.

St Francis Links has received recognition and drawn the people to it nationally and globally. This is a credit to our team and the facility, which was my ultimate desire. Make this place known. And if it’s known, then we win three ways: We get investment, we get returning guests, and at the very least, we get ambassadors. People who leave here and talk about us.

We have also been rated in this county as a golf course with stringent criteria. We started out as the best new course in 2007, so we then entered the top ten in our first ranking and improved in every ranking. So we are now at number 4, and that brings people.

Number 4 in the country. The sky’s the limit, then.

Well… I think we’re in pretty thin air right now. Three, two, and one are very well known and have been around longer than we have. We’re talking about Fancourt Lakes, Leopard Creek sitting on the shores of the Crocodile River in the Kruger, and Pearl Valley, the other Nicklaus signature course. They have a bit more pedigree. Still, we attract the PGA Championship and the Vodacom Origins Of Golf. They know that we have proper facilities, a good team and a golf course that is the anchor tenant.

What is your current trading situation?

Interesting enough. We have had no internationals post-COVID. Well, very few. In the past, 60 to 70 % of our play would be internationals. So, we have seen tremendous growth in member play, and we have seen a good percentage of our play come from South African golfers.

Which is good.

This is brilliant, but we anticipate a little bit of a collision this year, even though we have space to spare. My industry predicts

a collision between the members and those who have now started playing more and the international guests who are returning and expect to have their space. So there’s not going to be too much space available.

It’s something that I am sure you can resolve.

Yes, it’s not a bad problem. Still, I think with regards to our community, and I refer back to the SRA, we can’t be caught with our pants down. I was really hoping that this would be the start of something. I think you would find that most of our community will continue contributing to and supporting

the SRA.

Some international pro surfers hang out here at The Links. Once upon a time, a video went viral of Australian pro surfer Julian Wilson getting a hole on one.

Yeah, that was funny. The funny thing was, typical 17th hole, everything rolls down toward that pin. It seemed to take forever for the ball to get to the hole and go in, and then they went bozo. I had to let them replace a bottle of whiskey afterwards because they took the most expensive bottle in the house, a bottle of Blue. It was great, though.

Kelly comes here often, and Steph Gilmore comes here. Ronny Blakey spent a lot of time here this year. He’s a good

lot. When there’s bad weather

surfing,

I like him

was Andy Irons and his boet in the early

It was Andy Irons and his boet in the early days, and there was Occy. It was always fun with those guys around.

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