International Coastal Cleanup Day

Saturday 18th September is International Coastal Cleanup day.

GEESE (Glencairn Education & Environment Support Enthusiasts) are once again participating in this world wide effort and are inviting pariticipants to help them clean up Glencairn!

DATE: Friday 17th Sept and Saturday 18th Sept
TIME: 09.00 - 10.30
VENUE: Meet at the Southern Right Hotel
BRING: Tongs and/or gloves. GEESE will provide the bags!

People will be directed out to clean the beach, the river and the wetlands in the hope that after two days, Glencairn will be spotless and even more hopefully will stay that way. Southern Right Hotel will be supporting this effort by providing coffee, tea and snacks.

In July GEESE asked for help to donate 67 Madiba minutes to GEESE and approximately 40 people turned up to help cut down alien vegetation in Glencairn. The oldest particpant Joan Wright was just a few weeks older than Madiba himself. So please support GEESE on International Coastal Cleanup Day - young and old are welcome! Images above courtesy of Geese

If you know of any other Coastal Cleanups happening in the area please let us know on info@capepointroute.co.za

OTHER GEESE NEWS:

Leopard Toads have been breeding the Glencairn Valley this year! Please share any sightings of snakes, toads, bird lists, plants or animals with GEESE to help build the database of who and what lives in the Glencairn Valley.

An Egyptian Geese pair with 2 teenage goslings seem to have acquired a "laat lammetjie" as seen with this tiny chick. GEESE thinks someone found the chick and introduced it to the foster parents. Any information would be appreciated although the chick seems to be settline in well with it's new family! Pictured above!

Other dates to diarise:
Friday, Saturday & Sunday 1st, 2nd & 3rd October: Simon's Town Penguin Festival at Boulders Beach

Weds 17th November: Western Cape Wetlands Forum is holding its last meeting of the year, in Glencairn which is a first. Amongst other things, they will be looking at the eradication of Typha Project being undertaken by GEESE in front of the Southern Right Hotel.

For more information on GEESE: Please contact the Bromleys: cilla@bromley.co.za or call 021 782 6400

IMAGES:
1. Southern Right Hotel seen from Glencairn Vlei
2. GEESE Madiba Challenge - clearing Alien Vegetation
3. GEESE Madiba Challenge - including 92 year old member Joan Wright
4. Egyptian Geese - with the gosling arrival

Glencairn is located at the beginning of Simon’s Town. Glencairn is a hidden gem with a great family beach,the beach is also popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers, a wetlands area and a meeting place for most activities on the Cape Point Route. There’s an information office (yes that's the Cape Point Route office!), a dive centre, an African Cuisine and Galleria, small supermarket centre and the Southern Right Hotel with restaurant & entertainment, including live music, live big screen sporting action, ladies nights and more. Whale Season is still in full swing and this is a GREAT whale watching location. Select your Glencairn accommodation for easy access to Simon’s Town and the attractions on the Cape Point Route.

Don’t be Fooled – Whale Tales in Glencairn

PICTURES:
1. A real whale tail in False Bay (Photo: Dave Hurwitz)
2. Whale Tail Buoy in Glencairn
3. Another view of the whale tail buoy in Glencairn

It may not be April Fool’s Day but many a resident and visitor to Glencairn has been hooked into what could have been a perfect joke for 1 April 2010. A whale tail has been erected in the bay at Glencairn. Cape Point Route has been hugely entertained over the past few days as cars, buses, walkers and runners in the south peninsula have stopped near Glencairn Beach to gaze at the tail of a whale lobtailing in Glen Bay.

(Lobtailing is the act of a whale lifting its flukes out of the water and then bringing them down onto the surface of the water hard and fast in order to make a loud slap. Large whales tend to lobtail by positioning themselves vertically downwards into the water and then slapping the surface by bending the tail stock).

Whales can be seen in our local waters from as early as May but the peak period is around September and October, hence the surprise to see a whale tail bobbing in the bay in April! What could and has been quite easily mistaken for a real whale is actually a fibreglass whale tail which is meant to guide sailors and yachtsmen during regattas. The tail is in fact a buoy that is used as a race marker during regattas hosted by the False Bay Yacht Club in Simon’s Town. The whale tail buoy is the brainchild of Southern Right Hotel, who sponsored the buoy.

Operational manager at Southern Right Hotel and Boulders Beach Lodge Janine Genade says, “You will always be able to see a whale from the deck of the Southern Right Hotel”. The Whale Tail Buoy was crafted onto a buoy and has been permanently moored, 200 metres from Glencairn beach. Janine Genade said that the Southern Right Hotel prides itself on being involved with unique community projects like this and that is exciting to put a landmark in the ocean. The False Bay Yacht Club manager said that the location of the whale tail buoy will improve the racing courses and add a new dimension to yacht racing.

Whales can also be seen in season on a whale watching boat trip but there are some great marine adventures and boat trips to be had all year round.

Congratulations to the Southern Right Hotel for their innovative marker off the beach in Glencairn – hope the rest of you aren’t fooled! Please let us know if you do see a real whale and book your trip to visit the Cape Point Route in Whale Season (August - November)