Road Trip pics

As Gwede “Uncle Gweezy” Mantashe confirms that there are no plans for the ANC to recall President Jacob Zuma and the Rand responds with a now customary gravity-inspired trip downwards, I’m still enjoying the memory of a great trip back from Agulhas yesterday.

fullscreen-capture-2016-11-29-033133-pm-bmp

Not the quickest journey back. In fact, at 8½ hours, definitely the longest. But definitely one of the most interesting too. Dirt roads, ostriches, tortoises, places that Google Maps hasn’t even heard of, two lighthouses (one of which we got all to ourselves) and some uitstekende scenery.

There are photos, obviously – I’ve put them in with all the weekend stuff here. But all in all, it was just great spending some time with my Dad and having the chance to see a few places that we didn’t even know we’d be passing.

Did I mention that we had a whole lighthouse to ourselves as well?

Long way home

“It’s not about the final destination it’s all about the journey” – that’s what all those motivational quotes always say.

What nonsense.

It’s all about the destination when we come down to Agulhas. All we want is to get here, light the braai, open some beers and have a chilled evening. The escape from the harsh urban reality of the week can then begin.  And the same with the return trip. Leave as late as you can, swear lots at Somerset West, get home and mentally prepare for the week ahead.

Tomorrow is different though. Tomorrow we are going to drive back very slowly and it will be all about the journey and hardly anything about the destination. Which will be Cape Town.

Thanks to the luxury of my 4-day weekend, I am able to meander back along the coast, and I fully intend to go on as many dirt roads as I possibly can and stop to take as many photographs as I wish. If it takes me 8 hours to get home, well so be it, because tomorrow it really doesn’t matter.

Tomorrow is all about the journey and has nothing to do with the destination. We’ll hug the south coast as much as possible, driving through L’Agulhas, Struisbaai and then hanging a sho’t left towards places with wild names like Baardskeedersbos and Wolvengat. From there: Pearly Beach, Danger Point, Franskraal, Gansbaai, Stanford and Hermanus. And then back through Kleinmond and Rooi Els to Gordon’s Bay.

It could take 4 hours, it could take 8. But either way, the SD card is primed and the camera batteries are ready to go.

But that’s tomorrow. Today is all about rockpooling, fish’n’chips, beers in the afternoon sun and some decent steak on the braai this evening.

Saturday excuses

Often, when we’re heading down to Agulhas, I prepare posts in advance so that if I forget to blog, I’m covered. Sadly, I forgot to do that this time around (thanks to my four day weekend), so I have had to remember to post this.

img_9125

I’ve had a chilled day with an excellent lunch at the Black Oystercatcher before heading back to Struisbaai and watching the local fishing fleet coming in. And that above is last night’s sunset. Hashtag no filter.

Tomorrow promises more relaxation and a walk along the beach before a long meander home on Monday.

Let’s Be Clear On Crayfish

The SA DAFF has announced the new WCRL TAC and there’s something in there for all of us. Here’s the full press release if you want it, but for a summary, you just have to read on. Simples.

Area Catch Period Nearshore and Interim Relief Measure Offshore Super-area 1+2 16 November 2016 – 30 April 2017 Super-area 3+4 16 November 2016 – 30 June 2017 16 November 2016 – 30 June 2017 Super-area 5+6 16 November 2016 – 30 June 2017 Super-area 7 16 November 2016 – 30 June 2017 (Interim Relief Measure only) 16 November 2016 – 30 June 2017 Areas 8 and 11 16 November 2016 – 30 June 2017 16 November 2016 – 30 June 2017 Area 8 (Deep water) 1 July 2017 – 30 September 2017 Areas 12, 13 and 14 16 November 2016 – 30 June 2017

The 2016/17 west coast rock lobster recreational fishing season will open on Saturday, 26 November 2016 and will close on Monday, 17 April 2017. The 2016/17 WCRL recreational fishing effort will be restricted to 21 days and will be split as follows: • Fishing allowed from 26 November 2016 to 27 November 2016 (2 days) • No fishing allowed from 28 November 2016 until 9 December 2016 • Fishing allowed from 10 December 2016 to 11 December 2016 (2 days) • No fishing allowed from 12 December 2016 until 15 December 2016 • Fishing allowed from 16 December 2016 to 18 December 2016 (3 days) • No fishing allowed from 19 December 2016 until 23 December 2016 • Fishing allowed from 24 December 2016 to 27 December 2016 (4 days) • No fishing allowed from 28 December 2016 until 30 December 2016 • Fishing allowed from 31 December 2016 to 2 January 2017 (3 days) • No fishing allowed from 3 January 2017 until 6 January 2017 • Fishing allowed from 7 April 2017 to 8 January 2017 (2 days) • No fishing allowed from 9 January 2017 until 13 January 2017 • Fishing allowed from 14 January 2017 to 15 January 2017 (2 days) • No fishing allowed from 16 January 2017 until 14 April 2017 • Fishing allowed from 15 April 2017 to 17 April 2017 (3 days)

Updated catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) and Fisheries Independent Monitoring Surveys (FIMS) indicated that Super-area 7, which has been managed under Exceptional Circumstances for the previous two seasons, has returned to a threshold that is above Exceptional Circumstances. For the 2016/17 west coast rock lobster fishing season, Super-area 7 (Dassen Island), the area between a line in the north (270° true bearing) drawn from the co-ordinate 33°15’00”S and 18°07’00”E in respect of Zone C and as a southern boundary the northern beacon MB 1 of the rock lobster sanctuary at Melkbos Point, will be opened for fishing for the Commercial (Offshore), Small-scale (Interim Relief Measure) and Recreational fishing sectors.

Well, there we go. Great news on Super-area 7.
And I think it’s all completely clear now.

Happy crayfishing!