Dagboek: Week 8
Voetspore in Suid Afrika
Die Voetsporespan is op reis – tydens ‘n wêreldwye pandemie loop ons paaie weer deur Suid-Afrika! Die week het as volg verloop:
Week 8
Dag 1
Ons vertrek van Witsand. Dit is die draaipunt van vanjaar se reis. Verder noord sal ons nie gaan nie.
Dis ‘n slegte grondpad deur pragtige terrein. Veral die versamelneste trek aandag. Maar die sinkplaatpad “chip” die emalje van jou tande af.
Later is ons tog op die teerpad. By Griekwastad stop ons vir brandstof. Die dorp het in die onlangse verlede beroemd geword vir al die verkeerde redes. Die rolprent “Griekwastad” het die tragiese gebeure mooi saamgevat.
By Campbell gaan kyk ons na die ou NG Kerk in die Griekwa nedersetting, en draai toe weg van die N8, rigting Douglas.
Nie ver van Douglas besoek ons die samevloeiing van die Vaal en Gariep. Dis indrukwekkend om die kleurverskil in die water te sien. Dis hartseer om die totale gebrek aan instandhouding van die terrein te sien. Dis ‘n baie belangrike geografiese punt in Suid Afrika, maar dit word so afgeskeep, vandag is dit feitlik net ‘n rommelhoop.
Ons reis verder suid. Wiaan van der Linde het ons na sy pragtige lodge op die plaas Karreekloof genooi. Hy het die plaas redelik onlangs by Peter Wright gekoop, en pragtig gerestoureer. Die lodge is 5 ster, die Trading Store is weer lewe gegee, oom Peter behartig die klein museum wat die geskiedenis van die plek vertel.
Net na sononder gaan eet ons saam met Wiaan en Oom Peter, en die personeel van Karreekloof – Gideon en Lizaan Watts, Marié Steyn, Jardine van den Heever, Derrick Green en SW en Nici Schoombie.
Daarna gaan kruip ons in onder die sagte wit linne. Dis nie aldag dat ons op vanjaar se reis so bederf word nie.
Dag 2
Vandag is die fokus op Christof en Willie Viljoen, pa en seun van Bloemhof. Hulle het ‘n wildvangspan.
Na ontbyt gaan ons veld toe saam met die Viljoens. Christof vlieg die helikopter. Willie is in beheer van die net geweer.
Die eerste operasie is om die wild in ‘n vangkraal te kry. Christof keer hulle aan met die helikopter. Hy ry dié soos ‘n go-kart. Seile is in ‘n tregter gespan en die bokke, rooi hartbeeste en later blouwildebeeste, word in die kraal ingejaag. Soos wat die tregter nouer word is daar manne wat die gordyn agter die bokke toetrek. Later is daar net een uitweg – in die vangwa in.
Hierdie is ‘n baie moeilike operasie en die manne moet weet wat hulle doen. Dinge gebeur vinnig. Wild is nie mak nie.
Ons slaag daarin om die gebeure uitstekend op video vas te lê met ‘n verskeidenheid kameras en ook die hommeltuig.
Daar is nog ‘n paar blouwildebees bulle wat gevang moet word. Hulle is in ‘n ander kamp. ‘n nader tegniek is nodig – die vernuf van Willie met sy net geweer. Christof keer die bul aan en skei hom van die groep. Dan skiet Willie ‘n net oor die bok. Die bok struikel en raak verstrengel. Die grond span haas hulle na die bok, hou hom vas, spuit hom in, laai hom agter op ‘n bakkie en neem hom na die vragmotor waar hy saam met die ander gelaai word.
Dit lyk soms of die bokke kan seerkry, maar dis geharde diere. In tye van COVID 19, waartydens geen buitelandse jagter die plaas besoek nie, moet van die wild verkoop word. Hierdie is die enigste manier om dit te vang.
Na ‘n baie opwindende dag groet ons en vertrek, rigting De Aar.
Dag 3
Ons het oornag op Cornelis Oosthuizen se plaas. Hy en Anoulize het ons onthaal. Styks gebraai en saam met ‘n warm aartappel gereg bedien. Dit was heerlik. Maar toe ons opstaan is dit weer bitterlik koud. Alles is gevries! Ons kan skaars koffie maak. Ontbyt is by die plaasopstal.
Tjaart van der Walt het ook weer by ons aangesluit. Saam met hom, Cornelis en Anoulize ry ons na Burgerville. Dis ‘n spookdorp waarvan net die murasie van die ou hotel nog staan. Ook die begraafplaas van die mense wat hier geleef en gesterf het. Toe De Aar ontwikkel is, het Burgerville gesterf.
Ons groet Cornelis en Anoulize en reis saam met Tjaart na De Aar. Onderweg – die grootste elektriese substasie in die Suidelike halfrond. Dis asof De Aar die middelpunt van Suid Afrika is. Alles kom hier bymekaar.
Ons ry die dorp in. By Fit It laat ons die drie Cruisers se bande roteer. Dit moet elke 6 tot 8 duisend kilometer gedoen word.
Ons ry deur die dorp. Verby die Bar op De Aar, die stadsaal, die stasie. Ook hier kom treinspoor lyne van dwars oor Suid Afrika bymekaar.
Tjaart neem ons na Gareth Kühn se huis. Hy is ‘n kompulsiewe versamelaar. Dis verstommend wat die man op ashope uitkrap. Gelukkig het hy onlangs afgetree. Nou kan hy ook alles regpak en skoon maak.
Laat middag reis ons via Merriman na Victoria Wes. Op die dorp stop ons eers om vir die ou Voetspore spanlid, Andre Bester te groet. Dit is fantasties om weer vir Dries te sien. Hy is sekerlik een van die mees entoesiastiese mense wat mens kan dink om te ontmoet.
Die aand gaan maak ons onsself tuis by Barry en Marise Andrag se plaas, Leeufontein. Saam met Andre, sy vrou Elzabé, Barry en Marise asook ‘n klompie ander gaste kuier ons lekker en smul aan die watertand geregte wat Jakkals vir ons op die vuur maak.
Dit word ‘n laat aand kuier. Vanaand is dit weer ‘n vars span teen ons!
Dag 4
Ons staan bietjie later as gewoonlik op. Ons begin ly aan “social fatigue”.
Ons ry deur Victoria Wes se strate. Dis ‘n pragtige dorpie. Een waarop die inwoners werklik trots is.
Victoria Wes is sinoniem met Mannetjies Roux. Hy het baie lank op die dorp gewoon en net buite die dorp geboer. Ons ry na sy plaas, Nobelsfontein.
Oom Mannetjies is ongelukkig nie op die plaas nie. Hy woon tans in die Kaap, en die gevare rondom COVID 19 het veroorsaak dat hy liewers nie moes reis en ons besoek nie.
Nobelsfontein het vandag nog ‘n 5 000 skape, maar daar word veel eerder met wind geboer. Op die plaas staan 42 wind generators. Die bestuurder van die plaas is Jan Hendrik Kuyler. Hy wys ons hoe dit werk, en hoe hierdie beslis die toekoms is vir die opwekking van elektrisiteit.
Ons gaan maak ook ‘n draai by die opstal wat onlangs pragtig gerestoureer is. Soos Streicher en Nina sê – waarskynlik die mooiste huis wat hulle nog gesien het.
Later ry ons terug oor Hutchinson Victoria Wes toe. By die Apollo gaan ons fliek.
Contessa Kruger het ons genooi om saam met ‘n 50-tal Vicwessers in die Apollo te kom kyk na The Gods must be Crazy van Jamie Uys. Dit bly steeds een van die beste rolprente wat nog in Suid Afrika gemaak is. Dit baie snaaks, maar vol deernis.
Na die fliek is dit na die Merino Inn wat onlangs aangekoop is deur Corné Marié Viljoen. Sy bedien skaapkop vir aandete. Die hele Voetsporespan geniet die unieke Karoo spesialiteit.
Dag 5
Ons vertrek vanaf Leeufontein en reis met die grondpaaie na Badshoek. Dis pragtig in die Karoo. Die streek kan nog meer reën kry, maar die afgelope jaar was bietjie beter as in vorige jare.
Ons ry af met De Jagerspas tot by Badshoek. Colin de Villiers en sy skoonseun Phillip ontmoet ons. Hulle neem ons op een van die mees uitdagende 4×4 roetes waarop ons nog was.
Colin het oor ‘n tydperk van meer as 10 jaar ‘n pad gebou tot bo op die berg op sy plaas. In plaas daarvan om te sigsag het hy die pad reguit op na bo gebou. Daar is wel yster stawe en draad om aan die voertuie meer traksie te gee, maar dit is steeds vreesaanjaend. Dit in eerste rat, donkie rat teen meer as 3 000 rewolusies, konstant. Jy moet vir geen oomblik twyfel nie!
Dis eers een bult, dan ‘n volgende een, dan ‘n derde een. Dit raak nie makliker nie. Ek het al so steil teen ‘n bult opgery, maar nog nooit so lank en aaneen nie.
Die uitsig van bo is uit en uit die moeite werd. Terwyl Nina vir ons ‘n tunaslaaai maak, geniet ons die uitsig. Mens kan tot 180 kilometer ver sien, tot by die Swartberge.
Die roete af is ook nie makliker nie. Dis donker toe ons terugkom by die opstal.
Colin en sy vrou, Evelyn, het ‘n pragtige huis. Dit was die tronk wat gebou was vir die gevangenes wat die De Jagerspas gebou het. Dis ‘n Bains pas. Ons geniet ‘n heerlike aandete van springbokboud, wildstong met mosterd, groente en broccoli. Nagereg is kaaskoek.
Dis die einde van die agste week.
Ons praat weer.
Mooi loop.
Johan
Week 8
Day 1
We depart from Witsand. It is the turning point of this year’s journey. We shall not move further north.
In spite of the bad tar road, the terrain is beautiful. The communal nests are impressive but the corrugated dirt road chips the enamel coating of our teeth.
Later we reach the tar road. We refuel at Griekwastad. This town has lately become famous for all the wrong reasons. The film “Griekwastad” depicts the tragic events that happened here.
At Campbell ,we visit the Dutch Reformed Church in the Griekwa settlement, turn off the N8, direction Douglas.
Not far from Douglas, we visit the confluence of the Vaal and Gariep rivers. Quite impressive to see the difference in the colour of the water. Very sad to see how bad the terrain has been maintained. Although an important geographical point in South Africa, it is presently a mere scrapheap.
We travel further south. Wiaan van der Linde has invited us to his beautiful lodge on the farm Karreekloof. He recently bought the farm from Peter Wright and did a great job in renovating it. The lodge has five-star status, the Trading Store has been re-invented, and Uncle Peter manages the small museum telling the history of this place.
After sunset we have supper with Wiaan and Uncle Peter, as well as with the staff of Karreekloof – Gideon and Lizaan Watts, Marié Steyn, Jardine van den Heever, Derrick Green and SW and Nici Schoombie.
Later we go to bed, covered in white linen sheets – a special treat on this year’s journey.
Day 2
Today we shall focus on Christof and Willie Viljoen, father and son of Bloemhof. They manage a game catching team.
After breakfast we accompany the Viljoens to the veld. Christof flies the helicopter. Willie is in charge of the net gun.
The first operation is to capture the animals in a boma. Christof herds the animals by helicopter. He manoeuvres it like a go-cart. Sails are pitched in funnel formation and the buck, red hartebeest, and later blue wildebeest are chased into the pen. As the funnel gets narrower the men are ready to let the curtain drop and the animals are forced into the pick-up.
This is an extremely difficult operation and the men have to be experts. Everything happens quickly. The animals are not tame.
We manage to take excellent photographs, and record video and drone footage.
There are still a few blue wildebeest in another camp to capture. A more close-up technique is used – Willie’s skill as sharpshooter. Christof rounds up the bull and separates it from the herd. He fires a net which entangles the animal. The ground team follows up by holding, darting and loading it on the truck with the others.
It seems as if the animals might get injured, but they are tough. During COVID 19 no international hunters were allowed, and game had to be sold and this is the only method of capture.
After a very exciting day we depart, direction De Aar.
Day 3
We overnight on the farm of Cornelis Oosthuizen. He and Anoulize entertains us. Barbeque steaks and potato bake. Delicious. When we rise the next morning, it is bitterly cold. Everything is frozen! We can barely brew our coffee. We have breakfast at the farmhouse.
Tjaart van der Walt joins us once again. Together with him, Cornelis and Anoulize we travel to Burgerville. A ghost town with the old hotel as its only ruin. And a cemetery of the people who lived and died here. Burgerville died when De Aar was developed.
We say our goodbyes to Cornelis and Anoulize and travel with Tjaart to De Aar. On route – the largest electrical substation in the Southern Hemisphere. Almost as if De Aar is the hub of South Africa. Everything gets together at this point.
We enter the town. At Fit It we have the tyres of the Cruisers rotated. It has to be done every 6 to 8 thousand kilometres.
Tjaart takes us to the house of Gareth Kühn. He is a compulsive collector. Absolutely amazing to see what he recovers from junk dumps. Luckily, he recently retired and has time on hand to clean and tidy up.
Late afternoon we travel via Merriman to Victoria West. We make a stop over to visit one of our former Voetspore team members, Andre Bester. Joyful to meet up with Dries again. He is probably one of the most enthusiastic people on the planet.
That evening we settle in at the farm of Barry and Marise Andrag, Leeufontein. Together with Andre, his wife Elzabé, Barry and Marise and a few other guests, we have a most enjoyable visit with mouth-watering dishes prepared by Jakkals on the open fire.
The evening stretches on. A fresh team to compete against!
Day 4
We awake a bit later than usual. Starting to suffer from “social fatigue”.
On driving through the town of Victoria West it is clear that the residents are proud of their town.
Victoria West is synonym to Mannetjies Roux. He used to be a long-time resident and farmed just outside town. We go to his farm Nobelsfontein.
Uncle Mannetjies is unfortunately not home. He currently resides in the Cape and COVID 19 resulted in him not travelling.
Although Nobelsfontein still has 5 000 sheep, wind farming is more relevant. On the farm is 42 wind generators. The manager of the farm is Jan Hendrik Kuyler. He demonstrates the operation and how this method is definitely the future of generating electricity.
We visit the farmhouse which has recently been restored. According to Streicher and Nina – probably the most beautiful house they have ever seen.
Later we return to Victoria West via Hutchinson. We go to the movies at the Apollo.
Contessa Kruger invited us and 50-odd Vic residents to watch The Gods must be Crazy by Jamie Uys in the Apollo. It remains one of the best produced South African films. Very funny but full of compassion.
After the movie we go to the Merino Inn which was recently bought by Corné Marié Viljoen. She serves sheep’s head for supper. The entire Voetspore team enjoys this Karoo speciality.
Day 5
We depart from Leeufontein along the dirt roads to Badshoek. The Karoo is beautiful. Although the area needs more rain, it is surely an improvement to the previous few years.
All the way with De Jagerspas to Badshoek. We meet up with Colin de Villiers and his son-in-law, Phillip. They take us on one of the most challenging 4×4 routes we have ever attempted.
Over a period of 10 years Colin has built a road to the top of the mountain on his farm. In stead of a zig-zag route he chose to built a route running straight to the top. Although the road is enforced with steel and wire to ensure vehicle traction, it is still terrifying. Constantly in first gear and donkey gear, at a rate of more than 3 000 revolutions. Definitely, no uncertain terms!
The first hill, then the second, and yet another. Does not get easier. I have previously drove a hill as steep, but not as continuously.
The view from the top makes everything worthwhile. While Nina prepares a tuna salad we enjoy the view. A view of over 180 kilometres to the Swartberg mountains.
The downward route is not any easier. It is dark when we arrive at the farmhouse.
Colin and his wife, Evelyn, has a beautiful house. It used to be a prison built for the De Jagers pass constructors. It is a Bain’s pass. We feast on a supper of springbuck leg, game tongue with mustard, vegetables and broccoli. Cheesecake for dessert.
It is the end of week eight.
Ons praat weer.
Mooi loop.
Johan