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Midweek Mania
One sets out on the midweek outings with a sense adventure. You never know what will turn up; excitement, routine, magnificent veld or old farmland. The team set off from Kirstenbosch on 20 July in pitch dark with rain pelting down and a forecast that spoke of showers and a southwest wind. By the time we had cruised up Sir Lowry’s Pass in the Mazda 4x4 there was enough light to see the snow on the Groenland Mountains and the rain had cleared. Tony treated us to coffee and muffins in Bredasdorp - there was a little unease that this might be part of a softening up process - but it was all kindness and generosity.
The main objective of the day was to atlas the farm of Mickey and June Dalton. It is a game farm and they are keen to make it a Reserve for Bashful Sugarbush - Protea pudens and Bredasdorp Sceptre - Paranomus abrotanifolius, which are under threat of extinction. The farm must contain one of the most important populations of these now rare species.
Wildebeeste chased each other, Springbok pronked and Eland took cover while we atlassed. Mickey put our minds at rest when he explained that Wildebeest were not as fierce as they looked. We ate our lunchtime sandwiches on their stoep and June kindly provided the most delicious soup. After lunch we waved goodbye with many thanks for their generous hospitality. Just how kind Mickey and June were we were yet to find out.
The afternoon took us gradually further away from the farm as we worked our way atlassing up the Elim Flats. The ground was wet, an inch or two under water everywhere. Vehicles could be seen in the distance, not by the usual dust cloud, but by the 3-meter high continuous wave they produced. About an hour from sunset someone pointed out a track going in the required direction. Tony commented that he thought that it was marked on the map as a stream but couldn’t be sure as the blue came out as black on the photocopy. The track had a middle mannetjie "so it must be a road" said the party. The Mazda more or less swam up it and I was dropped off onto water bordering on height class 2. After splashing along for a while I turned a corner to find the Mazda at a drunken angle. It was clear that the underlying ferricrete had given out and the left-hand side wheels were down to the axles. Our leader had lost all interest in geology, proteas, etc., his mind was totally focussed on rescue. The mud behind the back wheel wobbled like a jelly when prodded. Tony assembled the whole party to lift the bakkie and move the left back wheel to the firmer ground to the right. Heave as we might, there was no movement and the prospect of getting home, indeed - getting anywhere - receded to nil.
Fortunately, Nigel came to the rescue with his cell phone and Tony had the phone number of the Daltons. It took moments to phone them and they agreed to come and look for us. But would they find us? David and I walked back to the gravel road through knee-deep water and waited. We could see the Mazda about a kilometer away in the distance and we could also see the dark rain-clouds coming down on us from the south and the sun that had briefly warmed us disappeared. After an eternity we made out the slow approach of a 4x4 and sure enough if was the Daltons. We pointed out the track to the Mazda and Mickey made no attempt to drive up it, but seemed happy to wait. The reason for his slow approach and hesitancy soon became apparent, the most gigantic four-wheel drive tractor arrived. Mickey loaded wire rope of a thickness I had last seen at the mailship dock and a chain that must have come from a battleship’s anchor onto the tractor and he set off with the tractor driver chugging up the track. It was a picture to warm the heart. Whilst I had rated the rescue by another 4x4 as a highly risky possibility, the sight of that tractor and the assurance from June that Mickey was very experienced in these matters, meant home and my own bed that night.
We could see the tractor arrive alongside the Mazda, which was about as high as one of its wheels. All was silent across the veld for about 10 minutes while we chatted to June. Suddenly there was a grunt from the tractor and the Mazda literally leapt out of the mud with a loud, sucking groan. What a relief to see the two vehicles forging their way back down the track! We heard later from Ruth how the sparks flew as the chain tightened during the brief, big pull before the mud released the car. A heart-felt thank you to June and Mickey Dalton and their tractor driver for getting us out of a very sticky position.
Jimmy Dunn, Fish Hoek
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