Betwixt & Between
* Round up
* Silver River Pass - Good News!
* Tech Corner
* Swartberg Tour - Day 3
* Featured Pass
ROUND UP
It's been a relentless winter for the Capies with several frontal systems lashing the Cape week after week. The latest one has produced low level snow over large parts of South Africa and Table Mountain is white with snow. Damage to infrastructure has been piling up, with local government focusing on the more important routes. At the time of writing this newsletter reports are flooding in of widespread low-level snow from many areas around South Africa and Lesotho.
The Western Cape has been grappling with severe weather conditions recently, leading to widespread disruptions. Heavy rains and strong winds have caused flooding in several areas, impacting homes and infrastructure. Emergency services are on high alert, working tirelessly to assist those affected and mitigate further damage. Local authorities are urging residents to stay informed and heed safety warnings. As the region faces these challenges, community support remains crucial. Weather forecasts suggest more adverse conditions may be on the horizon, prompting ongoing vigilance.
SILVER RIVER PASS - GOOD NEWS!
That brings me to Montagu Pass and The Silver River Pass. The latter is finally receiving some attention with an on-site visit by a government official. Promises have been made that the landslide damage to the pass will take place at "some point in the future". This comes after lobbying by pressure groups from Wilderness, who use the road to commute to George. For the past year the authorities have turned a blind eye, stating simply that the pass will 'remain closed indefinitely'.
It's a small step forward getting a commitment of intent. I often wonder if government officials have any comprehension of the value of tourism. Both the Kaaimansgat and Silver River bridges are national monuments and form part of the Seven Passes Road, a perennial favourite amongst tourists and locals alike. We drove the route yesterday and found almost no traffic on the entire route.
The jury is still out on George's #1 tourist attraction - the Montagu Pass, which remains closed to all traffic, including motorcycles, cycles and walkers. Before Montagu Pass grabbed the #1 spot, it used to belong the Outeniqua Choo-Choo - a magnificent coastal rail trip that wowed visitors for many decades, until floods caused such severe damage to the track, that the government said it was no longer viable to keep the service running. That's a bit like Paris saying the Eiffel Tower costs too much to maintain.
One of the issues with the Montagu Pass is that three government agencies have to agree on the process of repairs. Municipal, Provincial and National Monuments Council. There is a lot of red tape involved, with the repair crews saying they don't have the skills to repair the pass to the standards demanded by the NMC. And so they all go round in circles.
TECH CORNER
Sand Tracks can range from R1000 to R15,000 depending on the quality
If you're going adventuring in your 4x4 at some point or the other, you're going to be faced with having to do a self recovery. More often than not, there is a thought process, which if followed, will more than likely get you out of a pickle.
Exercise EXTREME caution when recovering a vehicle. People die every year attempting to recover vehicles. And beyond this, severe bodily injury OR severe vehicle damage
Owning the bare essentials to get vehicles out of stuck situations can help untenable situations become safe and secure.
A basic vehicle recovery kit can help drivers explore confidently, no matter if traveling on the tarmac, driving on dirt, or slogging through snow. Basic recovery kits work for every type of vehicle: 4WD, AWD, and 2WD (both front- and rear-wheel drives).
A sturdy shovel, a kinetic recovery rope, a good set of gloves, metal or soft shackles, and a heavy-duty set of traction boards are all you need to create a basic kit. Purchase products from premium brands, and don’t skimp on safety. You’ll thank us later.
Buy a good quality soft shackle (not from Temu or China!)
In addition to what you buy, knowing how to use each item is equally as important.
Before you recover yourself or another vehicle, the first thing to understand is what legitimate recovery points are on a car.
Do you know the difference between a tie-down point and a proper recovery point? Check your owner’s manual to find carefully placed recovery points and never use tie-down points for recovery. Tie down points are used by auto carrier vehicles to secure a vehicle to a low bed.
One type of recovery point could be found behind a rear bumper — plain, simple, and out in the open. Others can be hidden behind a front bumper, under a small cover.
If this is the case, simply remove the cover with a flat head screwdriver and screw in the threaded eyelet (otherwise known as an OE-supplied recovery loop). The eyelet is normally found in a small packet next to the factory spare tyre or scissors jack in the trunk or under a seat. Generally these towing eyes have a counter clockwise thread (like a gas bottle). This is a safety feature and not an error.
Every basic recovery kit should have at least two shackles. Shackles are made from metal or flexible, braided synthetic rope. Both shackle types are used to connect recovery straps (or other recovery items) to vehicles. We recommend soft shackles. They are more expensive, but the safety factor they offer is worth every cent.
Source: Gear Junkie
This series will be continued in our next newsletter.
SWARTBERG TOUR - DAY 3
The third day of this tour is a free day, where guests can do as they please, but we always offer an event for those with the energy and enthusiasm for adventure. Last year's Swartberg Tour free day turned into an adventure of note where almost everyone that attended the 4x4 drive to Die Leer ended up getting stuck, as did the 4x4 tractor from the lodge. The route was even worse this year after all the rain, so Bruce, the manager at Bosch Luys Kloof, arranged a tour of the Gamkapoort Dam and wall, as the 4x4 routes had all been closed.
After a typical 5 star breakfast, we had 100% attendance from our group for the dam tour. Bruce guided us through some of the two spoor tracks in the veld, pointing out various items of flora and fauna, we would otherwise not even have noticed. they really go the extra mile at Bosch Luys Kloof.
Fox Ledeboer - a character of note and Dusi legend standing on the dry bottom of the dam
After about a 5 km drive, we arrived at the dam wall and met up with the legend himself, Fox Ledeboer. Fox is over 80 years old and fit as a fiddle. Amongst his many accomplishments is the completion of 15 Dusi Canoe Marathons. After introductions, Fox led the way down the dam wall, which involved a short drive, followed by a steep downhill walk to the dam wall, where Fox fired up the generator, so we we could have the benefit of lights inside the wall, as we all descended the 117 steps. The dam wall is about 30m high.
We were all thinking the same thing. "We have to climb back up there!"
With the dam being 100% and overflowing, we really had a fine show on our hands. Some of the structural details of the wall are interesting, as can be seen in the photos.
View towards the dam wall - 100% full / Photo: MPSA
The Gamkapoort Dam is fed by the Gamka and Dwyka rivers, which might position it in your mind geographically, but does nothing to describe or capture the beauty of this part of the country - a landscape that lies in the heart of the Swartberg, where you are completely away from it all, surrounded only by the gentle folds of mountains, and silence.
The views from the banks of the Gamkapoort Dam are pretty spectacular. It lies at the mouth of the Gamkapoort Canyon in a wilderness that promises tranquillty and Karoo skies. This area is mostly given over to conservation. The Gamkapoort Nature Reserve lies right on the dam, next door to the Towerkop Nature Reserve, the Groot Swartberg Nature Reserve and Die Hel Nature Reserve.
At the Gamkapoort Dam the cry of the Fish Eagle is commonplace. Its cry rents the silence that only being this remote can allow. Someone like the unofficial water bailiff (Fox Ledeboer) of the Gamkapoort Dam could describe to you in intimate detail what living alone out here is like. He has done it for 18 years. He understands just how critical water is to life in the middle of the desert, even if he does live on the side of a dam.
Old school engineering with a twist in the unusual double cascade 90 degree spillways / Photo: MPSA
The dam was built in 1969 and when full, covers an area of 620 hectares and has a capacity of 54,000 cu.m. (as a comparison the Katse Dam in Lesotho holds 2.32 million cu.m.)
Then came the walk back up the stairs and back to where the cars were parked. No need to worry about the gym that day. Oxygen was flowing and calories were burned!
We made it back to the lodge for a late lunch and the afternoon at leisure. The only spot in the entire valley with wifi is at reception at the lodge, which proved to be a popular spot as guests gathered to communicate with business partners, friends and loved ones.
Dinner was a gala affair after a thirsty happy hour in the pub, as the hard working and multi tasking staff ensured everyone was properly taken care of.
Next Episode: Bosluiskloof Pass, Seweweekspoort, Huisrivier Pass, Kruisrivier Valley,, Meiiringspoort, Prince Albert.
FEATURED PASS
De Waalskloof Pass was no doubt named after the first Dutch settler that farmed the valley at the foot of the pass. This little known pass is not difficult, but the surface is rutted, rocky and bumpy. It will take 30 minutes to cover the 5.5 km distance. It's of average length and runs along the east-west axis along a valley on the northern side of the Didima Range and the Winterberg.
* * D E W A A L S K L O O F P A S S * *
Trygve Roberts / Editor
‘He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.’ – Jim Elliot
