GETTING TO KNOW THE NORTHERN CAPE

Home to the ancient San people, the Northern Cape is about wide-open spaces

An utterly beautiful coastline and a number of unique national parks offering the tourist a very different experience of the South African landscape. This province boasts a colorful history and a variety of cultural tourist attractions and is particularly well known for its incredible annual floral display that takes place in Namaqualand.

Overview

The Northern Cape lies to the south of the mighty Orange River and comprises mostly desert and semi-desert. The landscape is characterized by vast arid plains with outcroppings of haphazard rock piles. The cold Atlantic Ocean forms the western boundary. This region covers the largest area of all the provinces in South Africa yet has the smallest population. The last remaining true San (Bushman) people live in the Kalahari area of the Northern Cape. The whole area, especially along the Orange and Vaal rivers, is rich in San rock engravings. The province is also rich in fossils.

The first people of the Northern Cape were the San, who were gradually pushed out of the area by the arrival of Europeans, and other African tribes.  The Dutch came to the area to mine for copper under the famous Cape governor Simon van der Stel.  Mining has always defined the history in this part of the world and, when diamonds were discovered in Kimberley, unprecedented growth took place in the province under the leadership of men such as Barney Barnato and Cecil John Rhodes.  In 1899, the Northern province was the scene of the Anglo-Boer War, where Kimberley was one of the first towns to be besieged by the Boers.

Climate

Apart from a narrow strip of winter-rainfall area along the coast, the Northern Cape is a semi-arid region with little rainfall in summer. The weather conditions are extremely cold and frosty in winter, and extremely high temperatures in summer. Sutherland, in the Hantam Karoo, is one of the coldest towns in southern Africa with an average winter minimum is -6º Celsius.  In winter, snow often blankets its surrounding mountains.

Major attractions in the area:

Richtersveld National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Augrabies Falls National Park

Flowers Everywhere:  During August and September, the area of Namaqualand is transformed into a brilliant carpet of wildflowers.

Rock Art

Diamond Digging Country:  Kimberley boasts an excellent museum called the Kimberley Mine Museum, The Big Hole at Kimberley, Trains, and Trams.

Moffat Mission Station:  Missionaries, Robert Moffat and his wife Mary arrived in the Kuruman area in 1820.

Not too far from Kuruman, lies the Wonderwerk Cave.

The Kalahari Desert

Small-town delights

The Northern Province is littered with small towns that are fast growing in popularity with the arty set. Places such as Nieuwoudtville, Calvinia, Poffadder, and Springbok are definitely worth a

visit, especially for their warm-hearted local hospitality.

Orange River Adventures

Pella Mission is truly in the middle of nowhere. Approximately 150km from Springbok, Pella boasts a striking yellow cathedral that was built by French missionaries in the late 1880’s.

Information courtesy of South African Tourism (www.southafrica.net)

 

Drought in the Northern Cape

Attempts to overcome the effects of drought in the Northern Cape

Can history about local inventions ever be forgotten and lost? In our daily lives where parts of our country are suffering from major droughts, there were already early attempts to overcome the effects of drought in the Northern Cape.

Revd. Peter Wright and his colleague and friend Revd. Isaac Hughes were both practical and enterprising men who had been sent to this country from Lancashire as artisan missionaries in the early 1820’s and had subsequently been ordained.

In the surviving letters and reports of these good men illustrate that in order to teach their people Christianity, they considered that an essential duty was to aid them in the path of civilization by improving living conditions, ensuring so far as was possible that their fields produced good crops and that cattle, sheep, and goats could find good grazing.

Lacking proper tools, equipment, and material, the missionaries undertook an experiment as far back as 1832. When they constructed a pump of 6 inches bore, the barrel cast of lead, and, as they had no boring tools, their pipes were made from logs of wood sawn down the middle, hollowed out and bound together again with iron hoops.  Although not entirely successful as the pipes were not thoroughly watered tight, sufficient water was lifted from the Orange River to irrigate a small area of arable land.

Between 1833 and 1835 Mr. Wright had to travel twice to Cape Town and back, a wagon journey of more than three months each way.  He made purchases of iron pipes, tools, and pumps for transportation by wagon to Griquatown.

Andries Waterboer whose full co-operation the missionaries enjoyed, was keenly interested in a scheme devised by Wright and Hughes.  In February 1836 he and Hughes undertook a survey of the Vaal and Orange rivers in their vicinity to locate a suitable site.

Read’s Drift some 30 miles south of Griquatown on the Orange River was selected and on March 15th work on the project “to lead water out for agricultural purposes” was commenced.  Read’s Drift is across the Orange River on the “Old Mission Road to the North” almost due south of Griquatown.  Named after the Revd. James Read (Snr.) of the London Missionary Society, one of the first missionaries at Kuruman.  Afterward at Kat River.

Mr. Wright transferred himself to Philippolis where his presence was badly needed owing to the inefficiency of the resident missionary, Gottlieb Schreiner. After two years of most admirable work, Revd. Peter Wright died in the 1843 typhus epidemic.

The flourishing town of Douglas has to-day grown up around what was the mission.  Revd. Isaac Hughes, after laboring for 45 years among the Griquas, died in June 1870 and appropriately, lies buried on the farm ‘Backhouse’ at Douglas.

Notes:

The Reverend is an honorific style most often placed before the names of Christian clergy and ministers.

Inch: A unit of linear measure equal to one-twelfth of a foot (2.54 cm). 1 inch = 2,54 cm

A mile is an English unit length of linear measure equal to 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Is the animal kingdom not incredible? From the most beautiful to the beauty of imperfection, the biggest to the unique smallest.

Sometimes we stand amazed, can the human population not look beyond the smaller picture and look at the greater and unique surroundings. Could it be that the busy and crowded lifestyle of humanity keeps them from listening to the sounds of nature that surrounds them!

The best therapy on earth is sure to get in touch with nature. The odors of fresh veld flowers, soil that becomes wet with the cleanest of waters. Springboks that pronk just to show off a little. The enjoyment that bird life can give while drinking and playing in the hand-dug soil dams. A warm sunny day, the silence of the field where big and small animals search for a little bit of shade to shut an eye for a while.

When the day begins to cool and the shade of the trees starts to turn, it’s then when the animals get a new life and everything just gets even prettier.  All that we as humans can do is to protect and appreciate what is so unique around us.

The animals that run on the plains of Karreekloof with their own personalities are better than the best entertainment in the world.

Protecting ecosystems and nature means protecting animals.

As the saying goes, nature is red in tooth and claw. Existence in the wild is harsh and unforgiving, far removed from human ethical concerns or modern standards of physical comfort. Humankind is just another animal out in the bush – not a very tough one, either!

The message is simple:  Love and conserve our wildlife

 

KAROO CUISINE

Eating and drinking in the Karoo is a culinary experience not to be missed.

The Karoo is a large area with many towns! The region offers a variety of traditional and wholesome Karoo dining experiences to suit all tastes and budgets! From the deliciously diverse flavors of South Africa’s indigenous and multi-cultural rainbow cuisine to culinary specialties from all over the world.

The Karoo is well known for its Lamb.

It is believed that Karoo lamb is tastier and more flavorsome than lamb from other regions, the reason being the different types of shrubbery which the sheep in this region feed on. The fragrant bushes in the Karoo impart an unmistakable ‘herbiness’ to the lamb. Here, the sheep roam freely on farms eating the Karoo vegetation to their heart’s content!

Braaivleis (BBQ): The word braaivleis is Afrikaans for “roasted meat.” The word braai (pronounced “bry”, rhyming with the word “cry”; plural braais) is Afrikaans for “barbecue” or “roast” and is a social custom in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. It originated with the Afrikaner people but has since been adopted by South Africans of many ethnic backgrounds. The word vleis are Afrikaans for “meat”.

Bobotie: Bobotie, a staple of South African cuisine. It is believed to have originated with the Dutch and gets its name from the Indonesian word “Bobotok”. Bobotie has been part of the South African cuisine since about the 27th century. Back then it was made mainly with mutton and pork which were combined. Nowadays it is usually made using either beef or lamb mince. Dried fruits such as raisins and apricots can also be added. Flavored with mild curry, the mince is then topped with a milk and egg mixture and baked in the oven. Usually served with yellow rice with raisins.

http://www.south-africa-info.co.za/country/article/279/karoo-cuisine

 

Wildlife tourism

Wildlife tourism is an element of many nations’ travel industry centered around observation and interaction with local animal and plant life in their natural habitats.

Nature tourism is based on the idea that the destination and purpose of travel is nature itself. Specialized forms of nature tourism focus on e.g. specific groups of plants or animals.

Nature watching and photography are rapidly expanding into new geographical regions and species.

The Power of Nature is in Your Hands.

Wildlife photography is about capturing a split second when the light and the animal behavior come together to create an emotional image.

The beauty and also the curse of wildlife photography is that one cannot change almighty Nature. One cannot change the weather and the light, where the wild animals want to go, what they want to do, and when special things happen to them.

When that moment comes, we know we have conquered nature. Maybe this is what some people mean when they say “becoming one with Nature.”

Yet one does not need to travel to these grand locations to see wildlife. If you look closer, you will see that it is all around us.

Nature is not always sunshine and rainbows. Yet if you keep looking—enduring rain and wind—miracles can happen.

“The wonderful thing about nature photography is that you are continually humbled and amazed by the delightful surprises that come from it—and horrified and disappointed when it doesn’t work as you predicted.” – Jim Brandenberg.

Fascinating Reptiles

Ever since the time when Adam bit into the infamous apple, reptiles have caused a shiver down people’s spine and our inborn reaction is to scream and run, or on occasion, worse for the reptile, pick up a blunt object and beat it into oblivion.

Reptiles, however, play a vital role in the environment and if one takes the time to study them, they are generally shy but fascinating creatures.

Southern Africa has an incredible diversity of reptile fauna with a minimum of 517 species that have so far been described. These include 151 snakes, 338 lizards, 27 tortoises and one crocodile. Many more species are still awaiting description in the scientific literature. Sadly, many of these reptiles have largely been ignored in conservation management plans and require special attention in the future.

The Puff Adder is one of the most widespread snakes in South Africa and can attain an adult length of just under one meter. It is a slow-moving snake that relies on its camouflage to avoid detection and ambush prey.

The Puff Adder is responsible for more cases of serious snakebites in South Africa than any other. The venom is cytotoxic, causing extreme pain. Handlers use plastic tubing and a snake stick to carefully capture and handle Puff Adders.

The male Southern Tree Agama is brightly colored to both attract females and warn other males of their dominance status. They form family groups that are centered around clusters of trees. They avoid danger by moving rapidly around the tree trunk and fleeing into the upper branches.

Southern Tree Agamas are unusual in that they feed almost entirely on ants and termites.

The Leopard Tortoise is the largest species to be found in southern Africa and may weigh as much as 12kgs. Their home ranges may exceed 80 hectares.

During the breeding season between September and April, male Angulate Tortoises use their enlarged gular shields in intensive battle with other males and try and use the gular shields as levers to overturn and ram their rivals.

The Robertson’s Dwarf Chameleon is one of 15 currently described species of Dwarf Chameleon and adults are small ranging between 4,5 and 10cm in length. Dwarf Chameleons are heliothermic using the sun’s rays to raise their body temperature and climb into exposed positions in the mornings to bask.

Chameleons eyes can scan almost 180 degrees and can be moved in different directions simultaneously. Their vision is more acute than that of humans.

Got to love natures wonders!

Karreekloof since 1881

Why the name Karreekloof? No one really knows, but it could be because of the many Karee trees that grew in the kloof on the farm.

It is a farm rich in history and formed part of the Anglo Boer War. Many famous people’s footsteps lie here. Time can tell many stories they say.

For Karreekloof time is much needed to understand and appreciate every little detail of information. Fortunately, Peter Wright, the previous owner of Karreekloof, who still stays on the farm, shares endless stories, history, and lifelong experiences through his eyes as well as stories told by his father and grandfather. Four generations since 1822 and still stories are being told.

Karreekloof was once a trading store known as Lilienfeld & Wright. Many of the historical experiences may be of interest to the current generations and those to come. Although farming was the primary activity at Karreekloof, trading with Afrikaner cattle, Catalonian donkeys, and black head Persian sheep was as important.

The famous writer Olive Schreiner spent much of her time at Karreekloof writing one of her famous books, The Story of an African Farm. The Boer War, however, brought its hardships and difficulties to Karreekloof. A British officer Lieutenant Logan of Nesbitt’s horse was shot on the farm, which was buried in the small farm cemetery.

On 17 July 1962 former South African President PW Botha visited the farm leaving a letter in which he thanked the family of Karreekloof for their hospitality and kindness. “I hope that it will rain soon so that the farming interests may flourish,” was his wishes to the Wrights. Always interesting to know, that no matter where footsteps are being left, it always leaves a mark of some sort of history. It all depends on how you leave it.

This is why owner Wiaan van der Linde puts in all efforts to keep every little bit of history alive at Karreekloof through the new facelift and a museum – telling the stories of a long time ago.

The Giraffe

The giraffe is a genus of African even-toed ungulate mammals, the tallest living terrestrial animals, and the largest ruminants.

The scientific name of the giraffe is Giraffa camelopardalis, the species name camelopardalisbeing Latin. Camelopard is an archaic English word for giraffe derived from the Ancient Greek for camel and leopard, animals which the giraffe was thought to resemble.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of a giraffe is its long neck. Giraffe has seven cervical vertebrae, but each one can be up to 25 cm long. In addition to its role in assisting in feeding and maximizing vigilance, the neck is also used in an elaborate ritualized fight called ‘necking’, usually only seen in males. They repeatedly swing their neck to deliver powerful head-butts to their rival’s body.

They inhabit the savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands of Sub-Saharan Africa in a wide range stretching from Chad (Central Africa) to South Africa. Their main food is acacia leaves. Their long necks enable them to reach leaves other animals cannot reach. Giraffe tongue is so long that they could lick every part of their face, including their ears.

A male’s average weight is 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg). A female’s average weight is 1,800 pounds (830 kg).

These African animals can run at speeds of up to 34 miles per hour (56 km/h).  Bulls sometimes battle one another by butting their long necks and heads. Such contests aren’t usually dangerous and end when one animal submits and walks away.

The South Africa Bushmen have a giraffe dance which they perform to cure head ailments. The smoke from burning giraffe skins was used by the medicine men in Buganda to treat nosebleeds.

Aim High, Stand Tall and Get Spotted

Historical history on your way to Karreekloof

Prieska – the place of the lost she-goat

Prieska is situated on the south bank of the Orange River at the foot of the Doringberg and it was originally named Prieschap, a Khoisan word meaning “place of the lost she-goat”. It is renowned for its semi-precious stones. The Schumann Rock Collection, including semiprecious stones and Khoisan stone implements, can be viewed at the municipal offices.

The area between Prieska and Vioolsdrif is often called the “Rock Garden Route” – where the rare halfmens and succulents of the Lithops family can be found – and the Ria Huysamen Aloe Garden outside town contains a large array of succulents.

Attractions in and nearby Prieska include:

Die Bos Nature Reserve with indigenous trees, shrubs and abundant birdlife, picnic spots, angling and suspended bridges across the Prieska River.
Fort on top of Prieska Koppie, built with tiger’s eye by the British during the Anglo-Boer War
The Memorial Garden in town which contains the graves of British soldiers killed during the Anglo-Boer War.

Prieska Museum

Wonderdraai where a horseshoe-shaped island is formed by the flow of the Orange River and makes it seem as if the river turns to flow uphill.

Battle of Magersfontein

The Battle of Magersfontein, just outside Kimberley took place during the Anglo-Boer War on 11 December 1899. The Boers scored a decisive victory in what became known as Britain’s ‘Black Week’.

The Battle of Magersfontein was a triumph for the Boer forces, a disaster for the British army, and came close to wiping out Scotland’s proud Highland Brigade. During the second South African War, the Boers had besieged Kimberley and its 50 000 inhabitants since November 1899. Supplies were scarce in the diamond-mining town and relief was imperative. The British public and press were demanding action. British forces advanced north along the railway line in an attempt to relieve Kimberley, but a Boer force was in their way at Magersfontein.

https://www.places.co.za/html/prieska.html

http://www.britishbattles.com/great-boer-war/battle-of-magersfontein/

http://www.thesolomon.co.za/magersfontein-battlefield-museum.html

The Northern Cape

The Northern Cape is South Africa’s largest province and a must-see destination.

Exploring a land of ancient deserts, deep canyons, winding rivers and unique flora, the Northern Cape promises an unsurpassed experience.

The Northern Cape is all about wide open spaces, a magnificent coastline and a number of unequaled National Parks offering the tourist a very different experience of the South African experience.  Northern Cape’s sheer size, clear skies, elaborate sunsets, dazzling starry nights and incredible silence is mesmerizing.

The ideal habitat for some of the country’s most beautiful and exciting predators and prey. Experience the solitude of the landscapes, the heat of the sun on your shoulders as you explore the game reserves and parks of this fascinating part of South Africa.

The Northern Cape has always been a family-friendly destination and the region has a distinct and rugged natural beauty.

The Northern Cape’s natural beauty is enhanced by its enigmatic wildlife. From the “Small Five” to the Big Five, watching wild animals at close range is something truly unforgettable.

Just thinking of the Karoo and its endless wilderness plateau, unique flat-topped koppies, warm hospitality, wide open spaces and mysteries.

Each region will capture the imaginations of those who dare to explore its rugged mountains, endless flatlands, and undulating dunes. There’s an outdoor adventure activity or experience for everyone.