Tag Archives: Kommetjie

SA Travel Ban: a good news story of a German couple staying in Cape Town a week longer than planned!

 

German couple Wolfgang and Cornelial wanted some Cape sunshine, and booked a two week trip to Cape Town spontaneously.  Their travel agent booked them three destinations: Franschhoek, Sanbona, and the V& A Waterfront in Cape Town. They had visited Cape Town seven years ago.

The Travel Ban was instituted by most countries in Europe, the USA and UK on their last day, a Black Friday of 26 November.  They received notification late that evening that their Qatar flight to Frankfurt had been cancelled for the following day. Instead of being upset about it, they saw the positive side of it, in enjoying a further week in our beautiful Cape and country.  Continue reading →

Review: ‘Lessons from the Frogs I’ve kissed’ real and gripping, Cape Town author Krystal Kolnik finds her prince!

It was on Facebook that I saw an invitation from Krystal Kolnik that she was offering her book ‘Lessons from Frogs I’ve kissed’ for Review. Having written two books in the last two years and in the midst of my third ‘SwitchBitch’ book, plus the intriguing title, made me contact Krystal. I read the book on the rainy Election Day, and could not put it down until I had reached the last page, it was so gripping and real. Continue reading →

Lion’s Head firefighters Sweet Service and Celtic Cove Sour Service Awards!

Lions Head fire Whal CottageThe Sweet Service Award goes to the 130 Cape Town Fire Department firefighters and the Volunteer Wildfire Services, which were instrumental in combating the fire on Lion’s Head and Signal Hill on Tuesday, and from spreading to the houses of De Wet Road in Bantry Bay, despite an unusually strong South-Easter.  Fighting subsequent fires this week, fanned by the South Easter, in Kommetjie and other areas of Cape Town, is also commended.  Continue reading →

Whale of a pilot whale beaching on Cape Town’s Noordhoek beach!

Nineteen pilot whales beached on Noordhoek beach early yesterday morning, of which fourteen died.

iol reports that five of the beached whales were transported to Simonstown, and were released back into the ocean, but one re-beached there again. Five whales died naturally, while another nine were ‘humanely euthanised’

Local residents, the NSRI, and police helped to keep the whales alive by pouring buckets of water over them and by placing towels on them.  Attracting attention across Cape Town after media broadcasts and Tweets announced the beaching, Noordhoek beach was eventually closed.

Whale researchers have not been able to explain why whales beach. It is speculated that the lead whale may become ill or caught in shallow water, and followed by the remainder of the pod.  Research also shows that marine pollution, shipping noise, as well as navy sonar noise may disorient whales and lead to the beaching. Pilot whales have a higher likelihood of beaching than other types of whales, particularly in New Zealand and Australia. Four years ago 55 killer whales beached at Kommetjie.

POSTSCRIPT 26/3: In the Cape Times Letters page today, Nan Rice, CEO of the Dolphin Action & Protection Group, corrects the incorrect media reports about the type of whales that beached, being false killer whales, and not pilot whales.  She writes critically about bystanders that criticise the euthanising of the stranded whales, and argues that it is more humane to euthanise them.  Not one of the nineteen whales survived, the whales put out into the ocean rebeaching again and also dying.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @Whale Cottage