Category: News

Mossel Bay man survives yacht wreck

At approximately 08h00 this morning, Tuesday the 6th of May, NSRI Oyster Bay volunteers were activated following reports of a yacht run aground in Oyster Bay.

Mark Mans, NSRI Oyster Bay station commander, said: “Our duty crew responded to find solo sailor, 62 year old Darren Hansen, from Mossel Bay, safe on the beach in the care of bystanders who had happened upon the man lying on sand dunes and attempting to reach a place where he could raise the alarm early this morning.

“During a storm in the night no one had noticed the yacht run aground which happened some half a kilometre away from the edge of the Oyster Bay housing line.

“Mr Hansen, sailing on his 8.2 meter yacht INGRID, from Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth, had run aground during the night after attempting to sail his yacht into the shelter of Oyster Bay to escape rough weather but a wave had capsized his boat (estimated to have happened at around 9 p.m. last night) and the boat was washed ashore and broke up on rocks approximately half a kilometre away from the edge of the housing line in Oyster Bay.

The remains of the 8.2 meter yacht INGRID62 which belonged to Darren Hansen, from Mossel Bay.

“Mr Hansen lost his prosthetic leg during the ordeal but he managed to get to shore and he had crawled towards houses to as far as sand dunes where he was found by early morning walkers lying on a sand dune exhausted, and they raised the alarm.

“It appears that Mr Hansen lost everything during the incident. Waves had ripped his clothes from his body and he was found with nothing except the shattered yacht and debris lying amongst rocks nearby.

FIREBALLS AND MOSQUITOES IN MOSSEL BAY

Fireballs and mosquitoes will be exciting additions to the 2014 Mossel Bay Sports Festival – but it is certainly not a cause for concern! They are both types of boats that will participate in the regatta to be held at the Mossel Bay Yacht and Boat Club as part of the Sports Festival in October this year.
The Club will host the national championships for both these types of boats as well as the Eastern Cape Regional Championships from 4 October 2014 to 6 October 2014. The competitions are expected to attract in the order of 140 boats.
The Mosquito is a high-performance 4,9 metre racing catamaran and some of its exciting features are the dagger boards that help with the upwind leg and a spinnaker for the downwind leg. The defending national champions in this class are Bradley and Saskia Stemmett from Cape Town and it is likely that they will defend their title in Mossel Bay. The local team of Pieter de Villiers and Daleen Naude finished fifth last year in the national championships and it is hoped that they will do well in this year’s championship.
The Fireballs are a long standing racing class in South Africa. This is a dingy, which has a spinnaker and is a very tricky boat to sail. The Mossel Bay Yacht and Boat Club will be hosting the Fireball World Championship in 2016.
The sailing championships have become a major feature of the Mossel Bay Sports Festival, especially as they attract national championship events because of the good sailing conditions in Mossel Bay. The South African Finn class national championships were held in Mossel Bay as part of the 2013 Festival.
The Sports Festival is held annually and co-ordinated by the Mossel Bay Municipality as a project to promote a healthy lifestyle and market the town.
Although the Municipality co-ordinates and markets the festival, individual sports clubs and institutions each organise their own events. The 2013 Sports Festival attracted more than 30 sporting codes. A street party with live music in Marsh Street as well as a fun walk, the Moss Walk, helps to ensure a festive atmosphere.•

SANLAM KANKERDAG SUKSESVOL!

 

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‘n Groot aantal spelers het op Donderdag 1 Mei 2014 (Werkersdag) opgedaag om die Sanlam Kankerdag te ondersteun. Hierdie verdienstelike kompetisie word jaarliks landwyd aangebied en sodoende word derduisende rande ge-in om in ‘n groot behoefte te voorsien. In die A-afdeling (voorgee 0-9) het Hendrik Kriek (voorgee 4) skitterende gholf gespeel en 40 stableford punte aangeteken. Gavin Reynolds en David Wandrag was onderskeidelik tweede en derde op 39 punte. In die B-afdeling het Kosie Otto op 36 punte verseker dat hy na die volgende rondte deurdring. Die C-afdeling (voorgee 19-30) is totaal deur Mike de Villiers (42 punte) oorheers. Gabriël Smith (38 punte) was tweede met Wessel Pieters (35 punte) derde. Die afdeling-wenners speel later vanjaar op George in die streek-finale en die wenners daar sal na Sun City gaan om die kampioene te bepaal.

Christo Langenhoven van Coastal Meats het op 7 Mei 2014 ‘n wonderlike geborgde dag aangebied wat die wenners met pakke vleis huiswaarts laat keer het. Johan en Danie van Langelaar wat die afgelope week die kompetisies oorheers het, het saam met André Middel en Jaco Erasmus die vierbal alliansie kompetisie op ‘n voortreflike 95 punte gewen. Naaswenners Heinrich Rehr, Ronald Frylinck, Riaan en Stephen Schenck het 90 punte aangeteken.

Saterdag 10 Mei 2014 se beterbal stableford kompetisie is in drie afdelings beslis. Die A-afdeling is deur die bestendige JJ Joubert en Karools Hauptfleisch op 41 punte gewen. Wiekus en Annette Pretorius (41 punte) is na die uittel tweede geplaas. Die B-afdeling is heeltemal oorheers deur Johan en Danie van Langelaar (46 punte) met Ferdi Jonck en Louwtjie Louw (43 punte) in die tweede plek. In die C-afdeling het twee strydrosse, Robert Strydom en Dons de Wet, op 43 punte geseëvier. Nog twee veterane, Danie le Roux en Wayne Mitchell, se 40 punte was genoeg om die tweede plek te verower.
Goeie nuus vir ons besoekers is dat u vanaf 1 Mei 2014 tot 31 Augustus 2014 op nie-kompetisie dae teen ‘n bekostigbare fooi van R250-00 per persoon ons mooi baan kan geniet. Bogenoemde fooi sluit ‘n gholfkarretjie in met dien verstande dat u speelmaat dit met u deel.

Vrydagaande is nog steeds ‘n lekker bymekaarkom aand vir ons lede en besoekers. Gelukkige trekkings is aan die orde van die dag en daar is beslis nie ‘n beter manier om die naweek mee af te skop as die heerlike saamkuier met vriende nie.•

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Call for expressions of interest: Travel Mossel Bay!

MOSSEL BAY, 13 May 2014: Mossel Bay Tourism’s annual 3-day celebration of travel and tourism – now called ‘Travel Mossel Bay!’ – will take place on the 17th, 18th and 19th of October this year, and the company has called for expressions of interest from people, businesses and organisations who want to share in its success.

Exhibitors at last year’s festival. ‘Travel Mossel Bay’ will take place from the 17th to the 19th of October this year.

“Travel and tourism are fundamental to our economy, and Travel Mossel Bay! is an excellent platform for sharing, learning, and marketing the town as a destination within its context in the Garden Route and Klein Karoo – so our invitation goes out to everyone in the region,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s Marcia Holm.
She said that the festival will take the same format as last year – a day of discussions, a day of exhibitions, and a day of travel and outings.

“We’re planning an exciting mini indaba for line staff in the tourism business for the first day of Travel Mossel Bay!: a networking event for waiters, junior managers, receptionists, and other front-line personnel who deal with guests all the time.

“The idea is to make each participant aware of the things that visitors can see and do in the region, and so prepare them for questions their guests might ask.
“It’s planned as a half-day event, with a motivational speaker, a presentation on Mossel Bay, a presentation on the region, a speed-marketing session (during which delegates will be asked to make two- or three-minute presentations about the products for which they work), and an informal boerie-braai for lunch.

“On Day 2, we plan to be back in the Maritime Museum of the Dias Museum Complex for a day of table-top exhibitions with additional lectures and presentations.
“And then on Day 3, we’re hoping to institute a new tradition of ‘Voorkamer Museums’ – when we’ll ask individuals, clubs, and businesses to open their voorkamers (front parlours) to the public in order to showcase their private collections of memorabilia, art, or natural phenomena like gemstones or plants.”
Ms. Holm said that discussions are under way to incorporate the Gardens of the Garden Route into the festival.

“We’re hoping that this will encourage satellite events at, say, the shopping malls or commercial nurseries, or in private gardens.
She said that Travel Mossel Bay! is envisaged as a festival for all.

“We want to encourage attractions like the golf courses to offer special festival rates – like Pinnacle Point did last year – and we’re actively looking for ways to include schoolchildren and the many volunteers, interns, and students who’ve become such an integral part of our tourism economy.”

If you’d like to take part as an exhibitor or speaker, if you’re intrigued by the idea of a Voorkamer Museum, or if you’d like to offer special tours or discounts during the festival period, please contact Marcia Holm (manager@visitmosselbay.co.za or 044 691 2202).

Details and a programme will be posted on www.bit.ly/TravMBY (the long link is www.visitmosselbay.co.za/festivals/travelmosselbay) as they become available.

• The Gremlin
www.thegremlin.co.za

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Buffalo Rally will return for the next three years

MOSSEL BAY: 30 APRIL 2014 – Mossel Bay Tourism has welcomed the news that the Buffalo Rally will return to the town for three more years. This after the council voted in favour of entering into a new contract with the organisers, Cape Town’s Nomads Motorcycle Club, at its regular monthly meeting, which took place last week.

“The Buff is becoming something of a tradition in Mossel Bay, and we’re very happy that it’s going to continue,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s Marcia Holm. “It always delivers a massive injection into the local economy, it always benefits local charities, and it always creates new ambassadors for Mossel Bay.

“It’s really a win-win for everybody.”

Nomads Motorcycle Club chairperson, Luderick Jacoby, said he was delighted to hear the news.

“It’s terrific. We’ve run the Buff in Mossel Bay nine times since 2005 (it went to Aliwal North in 2008), and we love the destination.”

He said that the institutional memory that comes from arranging the event in the same venue year after year makes the organisers’ jobs easier as time goes by. “We get to know the Municipality’s requirements, and they get to know what we need, and everything goes smoothly for everyone.”

Like Ms. Holm, Mr. Jacoby said that having the rally in Mossel Bay definitely influences riders to return to the town for future holidays.

“Riders tell us all the time that they love Mossel Bay, and many of them have posted about it on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BuffaloRally). The excitement is already building for 2015.”

Mossel Bay Round Table has by tradition manned and managed the beer tents in the rally grounds.

“We haven’t finalised our agreement with the Nomads yet, but we hope the arrangement will continue on the same footing as before since The Buff is our biggest fund-raising event of the year,” said Table chairperson Edward Weston.

“We put about 75% of the profits back into various community projects in Mossel Bay.

“Over the years, the Round Tables of Mossel Bay and Zeeuwsch Vlaanderen in the Netherlands were able to raise R 400,000 for the construction of new buildings for the Khanyisa Day Care Centre in kwaNonqaba – and much of our contribution came from the money we raised at The Buff.

“We opened the new facilities in February 2013, and we continue to support the centre via cash contributions.

“We also use some of the profits from The Buff to make a significant annual donation to the NSRI – partly because their members help us to staff the beer tents on a voluntary basis.”

Mr. Jacoby said that the Nomads are aware that some riders misbehaved this year, which caused irritation for some of the citizens of Mossel Bay.

“We will continue to work hard with the authorities and the riders to ensure that future events are worry-free for the people of Mossel Bay – because we really appreciate their hospitality.

The next three Buffalo Rallies will take place on 19 to 22 March 2015, 17 to 20 March, 2016, and 16 to 19 March 2017. More information from the Nomads Motorcycle Club: www.nomads.org.za. For more information about Mossel Bay, please go to www.visitmosselbay.co.za

 

ENTREPRENEURS KURSUS

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Die Mosselbaaise Besigheidskamer in samewerking met die AHI (Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut) het ‘n baie suksesvolle Entrepreneurskursus onder leiding van Dr Johan Louw aangebied.

Vir lede van die Besigheidskamer was die kursus gratis, terwyl nie-lede die kursus teen ‘n minimale bedrag kon bywoon.
Daar is veral gefokus op “Klein Sake-Ondernemings”, die belangrikheid van netwerk, en hoe om jou besigheid suksesvol te bedryf en te bemark. (Gesoute besigheidsmense sowel as nuwe, jong entrepreneurs het deel van die kursus uitgemaak).

Volgens alle aanduidings – ‘n uiters leersame kursus met die belofte van opvolg en volgehoue ondersteuning, deur die betrokke partye in die toekoms.

 

Mosselbaai kry trofee vir skoon oudit

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Raadsheer Jim van der Merwe, Burgemeesterkomiteelid vir Finansies, en mnr Herman Botha, Direkteur van Finansies, het verlede week die jaarlikse oorhandiging van trofeë en sertifikate deur die Ouditeur-Generaal aan Wes-Kaapse Munisipaliteite, wat skoon oudits vir die 2012/2013-boekjaar gekry het, in Kaapstad bygewoon. Op die foto verskyn, van links na regs, me Sharonne Adams, waarnemende uitvoerende sakehoof van die Ouditeur-Generaal se kantoor in Kaapstad, die nuwe Ouditeur-Generaal, mnr Kimi Makwetu, Raadsheer Van der Merwe, mnr Botha en me Tsakani Ratsela, die nuwe Adjunk-Ouditeur-Generaal. Dit was die tweede agtereenvolgende jaar dat die Mosselbaaise Munisipaliteit die prestasie behaal het om ‘n skoon oudit te kry.

Whale watch continues as Mossel Bay’s Mild Season approaches

Mossel Bay’s tourism industry is preparing for this year’s whale season by making accommodation and attractions more and more affordable.
“Mossel Bay’s Mild Season runs from the 1st of May to the 31st of August – which coincides nicely with the period when the southern right whales come to South African waters to mate and calve,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s Marcia Holm.
“During Mossel Bay’s Mild Season, many of our accommodation establishments will be offering discounts of up to 50% if you stay for three nights or more – and if you take advantage of these offers, you’ll also be entitled to discount vouchers of up to 50% on various attractions and activities.”

Ms. Holm said that Mossel Bay has empirical evidence to show that it’s a prime whale- and dolphin watching destination.
“The Mossel Bay Cetacean Project has been collecting hard data on the presence of whales and dolphins in the Bay since 2010.
“It was begun by Edith Mertz of the Mammal Research Institute of the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of Pretoria in 2010. Bridget James then worked on it from 2011 while she was preparing for her master’s degree – and she handed over to Monica Betts in April last year.”

The study area was extended to include Vleesbaai (the bay to the west of Cape St. Blaize) during Ms. James’ tenure, and more recently Ms. Betts introduced the use of underwater sound recording technology so that she can monitor the animals at night and during bad weather.
Ms. Betts, who holds an honours degree in Zoology from the University of Pretoria, spends up to five days a week watching for whales and dolphins from pre-determined points on land. When she sees them, she records their positions accurately using a surveyor’s theodolite.
“What we’ve noticed is that whales and dolphins tend to be more evenly distributed throughout Vleesbaai than they are in Mossel Bay, where they tend to avoid the areas where there’s regular shipping and boating activity,” said Ms. Betts.
“So while you’re likely to see whales or dolphins from almost any good vantage point in Vleesbaai, in Mossel Bay you’re most likely to see them east of Klein Brak River – in other words, some distance away from the harbour.”

But, she said, whales and dolphins are in fact present in both bays throughout the year.
“Although the southern right whales and the humpback whales are migratory, we do see Bryde’s whales and humpback- and bottlenose dolphins regularly both in summer and in winter.”

Ms. Holm said that the Mossel Bay Cetacean Project reflects the town’s desire to establish itself as a leading destination for scientific and academic research.
“The geography of the area, the unpolluted condition of our waters, and the unique archaeology of the area – which has placed the Southern Cape as the very birthplace of culture and advanced technology – all contribute to making Mossel Bay an outdoor laboratory like no other, and the Municipality and the local community are fully committed to the ever-growing number of scientists who’re choosing to study the life and history of our remarkable corner of the planet.”

Ms. Betts thanked the community of Mossel Bay for its contributions to her research.
“Many of our observation stations are situated on private land, and it’s not always convenient for people to allow us access – but they do anyway, and we’re grateful for that. We’ve also received contributions from companies like Sandpiper Cottages, which sponsored some of our project accommodation and transport over a period of three years.”

Mossel Bay Tourism board member, Louis Cook, urged local businesses to join Mossel Bay’s Mild Season.
“Please contact Marcia Holm on 044 691 2202 manager@visitmosselbay.co.za to discuss the campaign – because there’s still time to add your packages and special offers to the list.”
• Mosselbay Tourism

New Home Affairs Office for Mossel Bay Communities

Pretoria — Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor will on Thursday open a new Home Affairs office in Mossel Bay, Western Cape, to improve services by bringing facilities closer to the people.

The new office will help reduce travelling time for citizens requiring Home Affairs services, including senior citizens and people with disabilities.

As with service points across the country, the Mossel Bay office will empower individuals by providing them with IDs and other enabling documents.

Importantly, the office is opening ahead of the 7 May general election and will therefore assist voters in need of documents for this purpose. The priority is also to ensure voters have the necessary documents prior to the elections.

Home Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa says providing new offices and refurbishing existing ones is meant to help the department to meet the needs of citizens and staff members.
It is also part of government’s drive to improve quality of services, particularly for people in remote and rural parts of the country.
“This will in the long run ensure Home Affairs offices are within easy reach of communities, are less congested and run by officials who are motivated and more responsive to the needs of the people,” said Mamoepa.

In the 2012/13 financial year, 19 offices were refurbished as part of the programme to improve the frontline environment for the public and officials.

In total, 136 offices, 58 in rural and 78 in urban areas, were refurbished since the launch of the department’s Look and Feel project. There are 404 Home Affairs offices around the country.

Mamoepa said where there are no offices as yet, people in remote areas are serviced through 115 mobile offices.

• The Gremlin
www.thegremlin.co.za

Creation Excursion

Photo Little Lighthouse school

28 Children from Little Lighthouse Pre School visited the PetroSA nature reserve today, to enjoy the various local species in our creation. The children arrived early and excited for an adventure on the nature reserve with the Pinnacle Conservation students.

After an interactive video presentation on creation and how it was made, the children eagerly sped off to see all forms of creation on the reserve. The children got to see unique endemic plants on the Aloe valley hiking trial, where they learnt how animals benefit from eating certain plants to protect them from ticks. Then the group rushed off to feed the animals on the reserve and saw the herds moving on the open grasslands and marvelled at the animals. The children then had an opportunity to touch and see some of the amazing aquatic species that inhabit our wetlands. After seeing the fish and other aquatic water species they had a great lunch provided by PetroSA. After being super charged on sugar, the children had an opportunity to dance and sing a few songs with the Pinnacle interns. It was a great day that was enjoyed by all and it is hoped to expand these outreaches to more local schools in the future.

Contact: Aiden Dermot Beck