I am making the most of the South African Lifestyle and hope with my blog to share some of the adventures my husband and I are having in our retirement. We live at the Southern Tip of Africa in the small coastal town of Struisbaai. We enjoy travelling around South Africa and are bird and wildlife enthusiasts so are often in game reserves.
Alec and Cathy, live just up the drag from us in Napier, Western Cape. The only connection we have with them is that they also own a Gecko Off-Road Caravan.
These caravans are manufactured in Haenetsburg a village situated on the edge of the Great Escarpment in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, on the R71 road between Polokwane and Tzaneen en route to the Kruger National Park. It’s a small family business and each of their caravans are numbered. We are 81 and Cathy and Alec ar 109. Since they began in 2013 they have produced 160+ caravans. All Gecko owners belong to a Facebook and WhatsApp group and share tips and information about their caravan and camping experiences and this is how we met up with our ‘neighbours’ just 50km down the drag from us.
So shortly after meeting them they invited us to join them on a spur of the moment, two week Road Trip. It took only a heart beat of thinking to reply and say, Yes indeed we will join you.
Today marked the beginning of our our trip from Stuisbaai/Napier to Citrusdal, The Baths Natural Hot Springs. We decided to leave in our own time and meet up at The Baths.
It poured on Sunday night before departure and was still a bit iffy when we left at 8 am. We stopped to shop at Checkers, Bredasdorp and then at Springfield in Robertson to stock up on wine. It was overcast but not too wet. It was after 10 when we reached Worcester when hunger pangs insisted we stop for breakfast at Mountain Mall. The Wimpy, as usual, provided us with a satisfying and inexpensive breakfast of scrambled egg, cheese griller, bacon and toast. Wimp coffee also never disappoints. A text from Cathy confirmed that they too were having a sandwich and coffee somewhere in Worcester and we were just behind then on the road to Citrusdal. The route was scenic and they arrived just minutes before we did.
Our campsites are 23 A and 23 B. We set up camp and chilled for the rest of the afternoon. How amazing that we met other Struisbaai people camping nearby too. It is indeed a small world.
A scenic routeOur campsite at The Baths, Citrusdal
We had an awesome braai for supper and turned in early this evening. More of our adventures tomorrow.
If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be for? (Covid considerations are suspended for this question)
It would probably be for someone in my family reaching a milestone – like 21, 60, 70 100 etc. I don’t like huge parties where you just don’t get to interact with everyone but sometimes it is necessary. I prefer to celebrate with a Champagne Breakfast and I would serve a variety of fruits, Greek yogurt, muesli, croissants, rolls, small pastries, smoked salmon, ham and other cold cuts, pates, cream cheese and savoury quiches. There would be fresh orange juice and chilled champagne. And everybody would help themselves. There would be both indoor and outdoor seating and everyone would be free to mingle and chat.
Is a picture worth a thousand words? Elaborate.
Sometimes, yes. A stunning sunset/sunrise, a silhouetted giraffe on the horizon, lions having a drink at the waterhole in the early morning light – priceless. You can describe these things in words but the picture tells it far more eloquently.
Uh Oh!
Where IS Waldo? (Waldo, for those unfamiliar with him, is a cartoon character featured in many “find Waldo” images and puzzles) <—— WALDO
Waldo would be hiding behind a tree at a Kruger National Park picnic site, binoculars glued to his eyes as he searches for a bearded woodpecker.
What’s the best part of waking up?
Finding that I’m still alive!
No seriously – it’s the coffee.
Would you rather be covered in fur or covered in scales? (Wee disclaimer. I’m certainly not advocating the slaughter of creatures and the use of their skins for clothing or accessories. No! This question is a ‘grow your own’ type question…if you had an option of your own skin being made of fur OR scales, which would you choose?)
Fur would be lovely. It would be warm in winter and cool in summer after I moult the winter layer. And imagine the lovely feeling of being stroked – I’d purr like a cat!
GRATITUDE SECTION (Always optional)
Feel free to share your gratitude for our world!
I am grateful for my friend Kim who came to stay bringing her daughter and friend along. We have had such lovely adventures with them which has cheered us up after keeping things low key during Level Three Lockdown. (We’re now on Level One.)
Do you feel you ask enough questions or do you settle for what you know?
If I want to know something, I ask or I go to that know-it-all called Google. She has all the answers.
I don’t ask too many personal questions though. If it is none of my business, I’d prefer not to know.
When did you fail to speak up when you feel you should have?
I regret not following through with something that happened to my step-child at school. The brief for a assignment was to write to a friend whose parents were getting a divorce. I think what she wrote was excellent but the teacher commented that she did not show empathy and clearly didn’t understand the situation. Well, how dare he. My child was coping with the loss of her mother, her step-sister (my own child) was a product of a ‘broken’ home and she saw the effects of that. We spoke about our problems in our home, dealt with them and moved on! Her advice to her fictional friend was sound. Don’t blame yourself and get on with your life. (not those exact words but you get my drift) I wrote a letter explaining that his pupil was a very caring girl, who’d coped with grief and was kind and loving toward her siblings, and how dare he judge her when he didn’t even know her! I never got an answer and only later found out that it was because she wouldn’t give my note to her English teacher. She feared she would be picked on if she did so I let it go. This was many years ago (she is 50 years old now) and I still in my head, I play out the conversation I wanted to have with that idiot although now I can’t even remember his name.
When was the last time you felt lucky?*
I feel lucky all the time. It would be awful if it finally ran out!
What is a boulder?
It is huge, smooth rock which comes in different hues and can be rather fun to sit on and stare out at the view below. They are found everywhere, on the mountain, beside the sea and even in the garden of the house I lived in as a child. It must have rolled down from the mountain behind us many, many years before. I loved that boulder and would climb up on top of it and lay down flat on my back and watch the clouds and dream.
Two of grandsons atop a boulder on Elsie’s Peak, Fish Hoek, Western Cape, South Africa
*If the lucky question feels like a re-tread, sorry.
GRATITUDE SECTION (as always optional)
Feel free to share your gratitude with everyone!
See the lucky question – I am hugely grateful for things usually going well in my life, for the lovely seaside village I live in, for my and my hubbies health, for good friends, children and grandchildren that still live in the country and are close enough to visit, enough money to live comfortably and the energy to still enjoy the remaining years of our lives.
After six continuous days of intensive fishing it was finally over and the anglers gathered at Suidpunt Deep Sea Angling Club to discover who the final winners were. The Two Oceans Marlin Tournament is more about comradery and fun as well as conservation but there is still an element of competition. All the teams received prizes thanks to our very generous sponsors.
Please support our sponsorsA Display of some of the prizes And some more
Please take a look at Suidpunt’s Facebook page to see video footage of some of the proceedings.
Thanks to Sheila de Beer for handing out the prizes.
Third prize went to Marco Polo skippered by Rikus de Beer. Well done to all the crew and a special congratulations to the lady member, Linette.
Team Marco Polo
There was a tie for Second Place. Congratulations to John Graeme and Bayswater. Please pronounce the latter in Afrikaans.
The awesome anglers of The John Graeme team skippered by Chris GoatleyThe Amazing Anglers of Bayswater skippered by Piet Wessels
First Prize was also a tie between Dory and Lyfie.
Skipper of Dory, Dudley Dory and Skipper of Lyfie Rudi Moolman
There are videos of the marlin releases on Suidpunt’s Facebook page – unfortunately WordPress does not allow me to post videos on my blog.
Not all the teams posed for photographs but here are some that did. Well done to all the anglers. It was an awesome tournament, the best we have ever had in its fifteen year history.
Catch CookKinda MagicMojo skippered by Jacque van NiekerkAnd just for writing about it, I got a prize too! – Thank you everyone.
Here are the stats of the tournament as given to me by Andrew Perrins
These are the stats as given to
HOOK UPS:
DAY 1……11, 1XMAKO, 1X RELEASE
DAY2….14, 1x BRONZIE NO RELEASES.
DAY 3….5, NO SHARKS….2 RELEASES.
DAY 4…..4, 1X HAMERHEAD….. 1 RELEASED.
DAY 5 ….11, 1 RELEASED
DAY6….10…. NO SHARK…..2 RELEASES
TOURNAMENT RELEASES 7
Fishing in all its forms is a passion of my darling husband Earl Fenwick and so in spite of the fact that I do not fish myself, I have been drawn into the excitement of it all. Since retiring to Struisbaai I have become particularly interested and fascinated by the Two Oceans Marlin Competition. Having Andrew Perrins, the Safety Officer, spending a few days before and during the tournament adds to this. The radios are never quiet and listening to the banter and hearing the first call of a strike is a thrilling experience. I would like to just relate a little more of the history of this competition. Gawie Bruwer spoke of it at the prize giving in more detail but I am just giving a little background here too.
In my first post for this tournament I wrote about how it all began and I repeat that again here with additions as Gawie gave me the names of others who were involved right at the beginning.
Meirion Williams of Huck Finn fame, sowed the seed to have an annual Marlin catch, measure and release competition. This was after he chatted to local commercial fisherman, Trail Witton who landed a striped marlin some years ago. Meirion thought it would be of value to investigate the numbers and sizes of the Marlin swimming in the Agulhas area.
Of course it is never the work of just one man and mention must be made of others like Gawie Bruwer, Hannes Schreuder, Gerard De Kock, Johan Jooste and Johan van der Walt who were all instrumental in making the idea a reality.
Then Davy Smeda, a radio ham who has in the past helped with radio communications for TOMT, gave me some notes about how the aerial that was used for the first time in this tournament came about. – Thanks to him for the piece that follows.
It was the morning of Saturday 2 February 2019. We went to inspect the new site that Earl had found for The Two Oceans Marlin Tournament’s temporary repeater. The original site that had been used since 2006 was no longer available.
We met the property manager who guided us to the spot. While contemplating where to place the low mast and trailer we discovered a concrete base, complete with bolts where a tower had stood. Everyone there was excited including the property manager and that was when the idea of a permanent repeater site was conceived.
Thanks to the perseverance of Andrew Perrins and Earl Fenwick the project was completed in time for the 2021 Two Oceans Marlin Tournament. Exactly two years from that first visit to site, on 1 February 2021, I heard Andrew and Earl test the channel. You could say that since first hookup it took two years of playing that big fish until it was landed successfully. It was catch, tag, release to the sport. We all know it costs a lot to monitor tagged specimens and it certainly costs a lot to monitor this big fish. The equipment is expensive. Thanks to Earl and Andrew and especially to Koos who sponsored these costs.
A tournament like this doesn’t just happen. It takes months of preparation to ensure that everything goes off smoothly. Many people are involved in this and they all do an amazing job. I cannot possibly name all those involved in the excellent running of this tournament but I know that a lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into it. I would, however, like to single out Marinda who I think we all have to agree goes the extra ten miles to ensure that there are no hitches. We have all enjoyed the amazing catering and smooth running of an exceptional six-day tournament. On behalf of all the anglers, thanks a million, Marinda. Your organisation is exceptional and your staff are amazing.
PS – I have photographs of all the boats. If you would like them please email me and I will send them to you. fenwickh@jebomail.co.za
Not a day’s fishing has been missed this year and once again this final day dawned with awesome conditions. It was a tad overcast this morning with a spit and a spot of rain but Andrew was able to go live with the morning launch of the fleet. (See the Suidpunt Deep Sea Angling Club’s Facebook Page) As the day wore on the cloud cover lifted and it was once again sunny and bright. And wow what an exciting day it turned out to be.
At 08h25, position 59/50 Sea Cat called for a colour (orange) but the fish turned out to be a bronzie!
A call from Black pearl came in at 09h19, position 00/50 and a green armband was allocated. They fought for four hours and sadly dropped the black marlin.
Bayswater was next at 09h23 position 00/49 and a pink band was allocated but no luck in a catch and release for them.
The good ship Zeeman thought they would be the lucky ones at 09h58 position 01/53 but they too dropped their catch.
The excitement rose when at 12h55 Dory called in a double strike. Orange was allocated and a 272kg black marlin was successfully released.
At 13h02 Sea Cat had an on/off at position 59/40 The same for Indigo at 59/48.
Sea Cat dropped two at 14h16 position 59/50 and 00/49
Just when everybody was thinking it was all over as the time for lines up approached Dory called in at 15h20 position 59/49 and successfully released a big black marlin at estimated weight of 362kg at 15:35.
Please check Suidpunt Angling Club’s Facebook page for video footage of the prize giving. I will do a report on that later this evening when I have all the information needed.
Report by Helen Fenwick – Information from Andrew Perrins
Once again we had a splendid day for the marlin tournament. Andrew was live early this morning as the boats went out to sea. Take a look on Suidpunt Deep Sea Angling Club’s Facebook Page to see this footage.
The first few hours found the radios unusually quiet until a call came through from Koos Pretorius on G-Spot at 10:15 with a strike at 35/02S 20.51E on the Alphard banks but it soon dropped off.
Then 10:49 Catch Cook had a strike at the 06/53 South of the 12 mile bank. At 10:57 John Graeme to the west of the 12 mile bank at 01/51 confirmed a strike and identified a black marlin but they dropped it.
At 11:14 at position 07/57 hooked a black marlin but dropped it at 11h19. More action was called in by Reel Deal at 11h21 position 02/55. They asked for a colour (green) but lost the black marlin at 11h27.
There was an on/off for Sea Cat at position 00.49 but it was dropped at 11h47. At 12:25 Bayswater had a strike at position 51/50 but after five minutes the black marlin was dropped.
The real excitement began at 14:23 when Sea Cat had a hookup at position 58/50. He called for colour (green). It was a huge fish, seen numerous times jumping but unfortunately at 16:07 the huge black marlin threw the hook.
John Graeme at 14:40 position 00/41 had a hookup and dropped it at 15h47.
At 15h10 local time, Bayswater (Afrikaans pronunciation please) in position 00/49 had a hookup and at 16h15 on an orange band successfully released an estimated 170 kg black marlin. Well done team Bayswater! See Facebook for video footage.
There was a Pirate Dress-up at the evening function where delicious food was once again served. Andrew also did an auction where around R30 000 was raised.
Zeeman were the winning pirates and took home a package from Buffelsfontein Brandy.
Team Zeeman – the winning pirates
Report by Helen Fenwick – Information from Andrew Perrins
Going to sea three days in a row had taken its toll on a many of the anglers and a few boats decided to take an unofficial rest day so just three quarters of the guys were out on another beautiful fishing. There was a slight breeze blowing, the swell was moderate and the water warm.
The first call of a strike came from Marco Polo at 09h00 and by 09h50 Christo de Beer successfully released a striped marlin of an estimated weight of 100kg. A still photo will be posted on the blog tomorrow.
The rest of the day was quiet and in the evening there was not much action at the club either. Let us say that everyone needed an early night to prepare the final stretch. So not much to report today but watch this space as much is planned for the final days. Please take a look at Suidpunt Deep Sea Angling Club’s Facebook page to see the video of this catch.
In the meantime let me show you some photographs of our beautiful harbour. If you are from afar or have popped into this blog by chance let me encourage you to visit us here at the southern tip of Africa some time in the near future.
Struisbaai Harbour – the chuckies giving it a picturesque lookThe short-tailed stingrays are often seen looking for handouts from the fishermen when they return from sea at the end of each dayThe local children having fun jumping off the jettyOh to be young again!
Report by Helen Fenwick – Information from Andrew Perrins
Thanks to Jen Brown for her review of A Judge Decided available directly from me. fenwickh@jebomail.co.za
Helen Fenwick’s debut novel ‘A Judge Decided’ is a tale deftly told. A touching story, which has all the elements that draw the reader in right from the start. Suspense, love, fear, joy, determination and despair all play out under the greater umbrella of universal human relationships.
Central to the novel are characters Leigh and Darren Jones, who marry in South Africa and move to England with hopes for a bright future. There, two baby boys are born to them, but their marital relationship quickly begins to deteriorate. The narrative accelerates and draws us back to South Africa, where Leigh’s father Derrick and loving step-mother Penny are waiting to offer unconditional support in any way they can, unaware of what lies in store for all of them.
We read about a family subsequently buckling under the strain of an emotional & legal crisis, and yet their strong ties serving to bind them even closer together. They pass through the fire of their circumstances, and become stronger, even as a sword is strengthened and proved after being forged in the fire.
Carey is the benevolent and gentle other-worldly spirit who watches over her beloved family. They feel her presence, and are comforted by it. Her commentary draws the threads of the story together, and it seems fitting that she is gifted the last word.
The themes of post natal depression, marital discord, divorce, emotional upheaval and ultimately a legal battle challenging the issues of child custody and abduction under The Hague Convention, combine to make this a riveting read.
It’s a page turner, and I found myself reading it straight through. As the pace of the narrative increased, I raced along with it, eager to discover the outcome of the court case, and where it had left the characters in the years after it all ended. Highly recommended!
By quarter to six this morning most of the boats were out and ready for action. We the support team, I am afraid, did not wake up to see them off!
Lyfie was the first to call in an on/off at position 02/55 at 08h11.
At 08h23 Mojo reported catching two dorado at position 05/54 and Zeeman a little later reported that they had four yellowtail.
Well done to Robin Vermaak on Lyfie who at 11h20 released a 120 kg black marlin caught on live bait. Position 07/57. At 13:17 Lyfie had another on/off. 13:36 Kinda Magic had an on/off too. At 14h08 Lyfie was once again vas on a marlin. They saw that it was a huge black, called for colour (pink) and then at 15h06 they successfully released a 2.72m estimated at 280 kg black marlin. The angler responsible for this was Louis Langeman.
Well done Team Lyfie
At 15h00 Dory reported that a 3cm flying fish landed on their deck.
Tiny little flying fish photographed on board Dory
Here under are some photographs of the boats returning from sea
Champion Boat of the day – Lyfie!Crew – ecstatic after releasing two black marlinMembers of Lyfie’s Crew at Suidpunt Deep Sea Angling Club
The Two Oceans Marlin Tournament runs from Sunday to Friday and seldom do the anglers get to fish every day as the weather is so changeable. This year, however, the forecast predicts that every day will be a suitable fishing day. Going to sea every day is exhausting and one would thing that the anglers would like at least one day to be declared a rest day. But, after a democratic vote 14 out of 22 declared that no rest day would be necessary and so unless there is an unexpected change in conditions the anglers will go to sea each of these six days! South African anglers are a hardy lot!
Please take a look at the Suidpunt Deep Sea Fishing Club’s Facepage to see live coverage of this evenings proceedings. Marinda and her team are producing the most amazing meals each evening and a great deal of fun is had by all after a hard, hot day in the sun and the sea.
Report by Helen Fenwick – Information from Andrew Perrins
In your opinion, do May/December (older partner with much younger partner) romances ever work?
Yes, of course it can work but I don’t believe it is something that should be the norm especially if the age gap is more than fifteen years. There are things to be considered. If you are very young and energetic with plans to live an active and adventurous life don’t expect your older partner to be raring to go with you. He/she might be able for a few years but then the ravages of old age are going to set in. Having said that some oldies can be way more energetic than some youngsters. Also if you’re the younger partner, be prepared to become nurse and purse when your octogenarian becomes frail!
What physical action or gesture do you find romantic?
Holding hands.
What is your idea of a romantic dinner?
Picture the scene – a calm, warm summer evening on a tropical beach, the candlelit table with a white cloth set at the edge of the water. Champagne and seafood served by a butler, barefoot but dressed in bow tie and tails, my love and I in our finery, enjoying the moonlight when Lady in Red is sung by Chris de Burgh himself and we dance cheek to cheek on the sand.
Romantic candle light dinner on the beach
Well, that’s the dream but something similar will do.
Is ‘love’ a real ‘thing’ or merely a physical chemical response and brain activity pulling our emotional strings?
Love is real. Of course there are physical chemical responses in the brain etc but it’s still real. True love comes when you find a partner who you can live with forever in spite of their faults. Love is a verb. You have to do love as well as feel it. When you can live through troubles, hardships and dramas and are drawn closer together through them, then you have true love. It takes two to have true love. It is definitely not a one-sided thing. If your love is not reciprocated, get away fast – it won’t last.
GRATITUDE SECTION (as always optional)
How do you show your loved ones that you love them?
I’m sure they know because I’m so nice to them but just in case – I tell them!
Adventuring into Retirement 