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Grootvadersbos Annual Getaway 1998

AGT 1998 Boosmansbos

A hectic September culminating in a wonderful Grootvadersbos / Boosmansbos AGT is now behind us. Fortunately, our prayers, not the farmers, were answered and, against all odds, the rain held off. Watching those clouds build and feeling the bite in that strong wind, I wondered how on earth we would manage to supply the promised spit braai. The Moodies were fantastic and many thanks go to them. The evening would not have been nearly as convivial without their Green Room and a sheltered spot out of the wind!

Our drive up to the overnight hut in the heart of the mountains was, to my relief, quite unspectacular from a driving point of view. I suspect that Pierre and Nigel had recently been there before us to make sure that I wouldn't need to put my driving skills to the test! The scenery was utterly awesome. Suikerkannetjie behaved beautifully and didn't lose a thing, though she was loaded to the last nook and cranny, with five passengers to boot, each with a lapful of goods. [Or goodies, in the case of Lyn, who clutched her cool bag all the way!] The car doors burst open with delight each time a photo stop was called for. Nick, out from UK, was impressed by the views and Vic, our local man of the moment, was a proficient tour guide in naming all the surrounding peaks as well all the species we saw along the way. Once again, I feel privileged to have experienced such natural beauty.

To Nigel, Pierre and their staff - words are insufficient. It was obvious that all had gone to a great deal of trouble to make our stay memorable - at negligible cost to the Project or Atlassers. Talking to Nigel afterwards I learned more about the financial restraints that this conservation area is under, and how they are being forced to become more self supporting if they are to maintain this spectacular piece of wilderness. This makes their contribution all the more meaningful.

It was really great for me to be able to put faces to Atlasser Codes. What super people you are! Hopefully, it won't be a whole year 'til we meet again. The Eastern Cape contingent that couldn't make it were missed. We will have to be better synchronized next time! Next Time is not so far away in planning terms, so let us have your suggestions soon!

Val Charlton

Boosmansbos Wilderness Area

Boosmansbos Wilderness Area lies in the Langeberg mountains, 23 km NW of Heidelberg, in the south-western Cape. The wilderness area, incorporated in Grootvaders-bosch Nature Reserve, is 14 200 ha in extent. "Boosmansbos" is derived from a hermit who lived in the forest in the early 19^th century. It was proclaimed a wilderness area in 1978, and is managed to maintain its natural systems and to safeguard its pristine environment. Hiking in a wilderness area differs from a National Hiking Way in the sense that no or very little man-made influence is present. Structures like huts, roads and paths are absent or minimal. Hikers are kept to a route, but may camp wherever they see fit. Hikers should thus be well equipped for difficulty terrain and adverse weather conditions, and must have a good map. Grootberg (1637 m) is the highest peak and several rivers originate in the WA. The soils are derived mainly from Table Mountain Sandstone. Isolated pockets of Bokkeveld Shale occur and it is on these that indigenous forest is found. An association of mountain fynbos and forest vegetation thus occurs, and there are several rare species, especially in the Erica Family. Mammals include: Grey Rhebuck, Klipspringer, Grysbok, Baboons, Leopard, mongoose and genet. The area is particularly rich in birdlife, with about 200 species recorded, including Black, Martial, Crowned and Booted Eagle, Redwinged and Redneck Francolin, Blackrumped Buttonquail, Striped Flufftail and Layard’s Titbabbler.

A party of 12 people per day is permitted to Boosmansbos WA. All refuse must be carried out. Fires are not permitted. Advance telephonic reservations are essential and should be made during weekday office hours at (02934) 22412. You are welcome to phone if more information is needed.

At the bottom of the Tradouw Pass turn left at the T- junction and follow the signs to Grootvadersbosch Conservation Area, also managed by Nature Conservation. I rate Grootvadersbosch 9 out of 10 as a place to visit. The rating includes the quality of facilities.

Nigel Wessels

The Epic of Grootvadersbos

This was perhaps one of the most adventurous hikes that I have ever done.

The story starts out on the morning of 25 September 1998. Val Charlton drives ‘The Red Peril’ (Protea Atlas 4X4), fully laden with atlassers’ overnight kit - plus a few atlassers, to the top of the mountain at Helderfontein where there are two huts. They atlas on the way up. The rest of Tony’s troops trudge up the mountain looking for the elusive Shiny Unispoon - Spatalla colorata, Medusa Unispoon - Spatalla nubicola, Splendid Pagoda - Mimetes splendidus and Leucadendron radiatum, all of which are found. Steve Richardson’s party arrives at the hut on schedule after walking through stunning mountain scenery. Some atlassers spend the night in the huts, but others choose to sleep in tents. The really brave (Di and Bill Turner) sleep out in the open to experience the crisp - to put it mildly - night air. Morning arrives and we set off for day two.

Three (joined up) parties all headed for the north side of Grootberg. On the way up we were amazed to see how many of the Red Sugarbush - Protea grandiceps plants had damaged leaves. It was suggested that this could have been the result of hail damage. A little further on Steve Richardson tipped us off and said that Leucadendron album should be in the area. Tony promptly said "There it is. All those grey bushes just over there. Common". Lyn McCallum quickly updated her yellow field notebook. The three parties soon split at the planned point and off we went. Tony, Ivan, Pierre, Louis, Wendy, Twakkies (the CNC ranger) and I headed up into the mountains and walked through the most amazing scenery. We soon came across the very obliging Spatalla nubicola in flower and the rare Leucadendron radiatum, which likes high-altitude, knife-edge ridges.

We still had a very long way to go by Tony’s admission and so we motored along a path (what luxury!) until we got to the north slopes of Horingberg where we left the path. Tony, Ivan and Twakkies did a quick summit of Horingberg, while the more conservative of us walked down a ridge where Leucadendron eucalyptifolium, Common Pagoda - Mimetes cucullatus, Protea grandiceps and Spatalla colorata were found. The Spatalla colorata was growing in a slightly strange habitat because it was growing at the top of a ridge in what was apparently not a particularly damp area. Tony and party soon came hurtling down from Horingberg and stopped our attempt to ‘pop up’ Kopberg. We then tackled the contouring of Kopberg and Kleinkopberg, which lie north of the town of Heidelberg. The bush was unpleasantly thick on these south slopes, which in places were quite steep, but we were rewarded with a forest of Common Shuttlecock Sugarbush - Protea aurea auera in the gloaming.

After a hard days walk the legs started to fade and the knees got painful. We eventually arrived rather late at our rendezvous point, or more accurately, quite close to it but on the other side of a dam wall. We decided to spend the night under a black wattle. Twakkies kept warm by lighting matches. Later on, two pine trees were knocked over to provide wood for our fire, which kept us all warm. The next day we walked out and were picked up. The Epic of Grootvadersbos had ended. Lessons were learnt and are remembered.

Nigel Forshaw

Atlassing at Grootvadersbos

Grootvadersbosch is in the Langeberg, which forms the southern border of the Little Karoo. Prime fynbos area. Many Protea and Restio species. Boosmanbos is an indigenous, closed-canopy forest where you can see the metallic red and green Narina Trogon. The pictures in the bird books don’t do it justice – you have to see it. The area has a constant year-round rainfall and it sometimes snows in winter so take the hiking tent when you go.

I spent four exhilarating days here weeks before last on my first outing as a green member of the Protea Atlassing Project. Dr Tony Rebelo, protea guru, runs the project for the National Botanical Institute with a small permanent staff and some 300 volunteers. In the navy it was drummed into one never to volunteer. Some don’t learn!!

The objective of the exercise is to establish which protea species occur where and in what numbers. Habitat, pollinators, flowering time, fire occurrences are some of the data collected. So when you read the following about Ladismith Sugarbush - Protea aristata in Tony’s Protea Field Guide you’ll understand the importance of this project: "Distribution: Klein Swartberg between Buffelspoort and Seweweekspoort. Habitat: Krantzes and sandstone slopes, 750 to 2000 m. Flower: October to February, mainly December…"

There is no standard profile for a Protea Atlassing Volunteer. We had a professional astronomer at one end of the scale and a retired pharmacist in his eighties at the other. What they do have in common is that most look and act 15 years younger than their official ages. Tells you something. Why not join up? I am also very actively involved with the Botanical Society. This makes for many, many hours of sheer pleasure in the veld and mountains in the company of wonderful people.

Tony needed volunteers for his "slope sloggers" team to "nip" along the crest of the Langeberg, and then down 800 metres in altitude to meet the pick-up at Duivenhoksriver Dam at 20h00. Tony has two rock climbers on his staff who help confirm that certain species "grow on the sides of sheer rock faces between 2000 and 4000 metres". The first warning bells rang when I learned that these manne were part of the team. The second bells rang at the 13h30 lunch break. We had done well so far - already covered just under a third of the distance. The crest of the Langeberg and the 800 metres still lay in other two thirds. Remember those sums at school? "If five men cover the first third of a hike in 5½ hours, at what time will they complete the hike, assuming they started at 08h00 and one member will badly twist his knee at the halfway mark?" Anyway, the answer was 22h45.

Fortunately, a quarter moon illuminated the big rocks. We got to the dam as the moon disappeared. The only friendly entity was an alien Acacia mearnsii - Black Wattle. These botanical types normally attack an alien like hunting dogs a live kudu. Not this time. This lovely tree kept the dew from our bodies and provided firewood aplenty.

Next morning we had to cross the river below the dam. As you probably know, dams are normally built in narrow gorges where the cliffs are steep and …!!

Louis Willemse

Conclusion (or wise in retro)

Even when a route is advertized as "a mad scramble", do not assume that volunteers appreciate the need for fitness and speed. Choose your volunteers with care. Once they have volunteered take charge – keep them ruthlessly to schedule – you will not be thanked by pointing out at half-time that you have only covered the easy-one-third of the way. Or that there is no shorter alternative.

Choose also your rendezvous place and person with care. That rendezvous (especially if circumstances allow only one such pick-up point) is the lifeline between the walkers and the contact group – make sure that it remains manned until unequivocal (ignore rumours and second-hand information) contact is made. Also, agree on day and night signals to be used for emergencies, locating and acknowledging one another. Cell phones are useful in many areas.

Always ensure that members of a long or difficult trip have torches, emergency provisions – including sucrose tablets, and that someone has a first aid kit. Emergency packs should include Morse code.

When all parties are tired and there has been an injury (in this case, a badly bruised and swollen knee) keep the party together. If you want to contact the rendezvous, choose two fit and able people capable of making good speed. Maintain contact with them (as with the rendezvous) if necessary, and arrange for route markers and messages en route. The hardest part is maintaining moral – especially when the rendezvous is seen to depart and does not return.

Quiz your local guide about the route. Determine that you both understand the entire route. There is little point in your guide having been everywhere in the area, except on the most dangerous part of the route (reached in the dark as the crescent moon sets).

We spent the night on the mountain less than five minutes walking from our rendezvous. It did not matter that it was not manned, the party was too tired to go on. The following morning at daybreak we easily scaled the steep slopes below the dam wall, climbed up the road on the other side and waited for several hours. We then walked out to the nearest road where we were picked up. Four hours later it rained for two days. At least two atlassers were sorry afterwards that they were not members of the party (versus 5 that were!). A great adventure – but only in retrospect: five hours of walking without being able to atlas (not enough moon) was hell!

Tony Rebelo

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