The Fernkloof Flower Festival

The weekend saw a huge influx of visitors to Fernkloof to participate in the annual Flower Festival, where the theme was Fynbos Creatures.  Not only were there superb arrangements of local flora and fauna, but an astounding collection of over 400 different specimens.  These attracted many amateur and professional botanists who were able to identify whatever occurs in the area at this time.

Other attractions included stalls displaying everything from detailed botany to energy conservation and herpatology.  The restaurant provided a constant flow of good food and the nursery attracted many plant buyers.  All in all it was a very successful affair, and the Botanical Society should pride itself on a job well done!

Setting up

Setting up

Part of the completed display

Specimen Collecting at Jakkalsdans Farm

This morning four of us went up to the top of the mountain on Jakkalsdans Farm, overlooking Vermont.  It was a beautiful day and we were collecting botanical specimens for the upcoming Fernkloof Flower Festival.  The recent fire meant that many of the specimens were immature in terms of size, so we struggled to get good cuttings, nevertheless we had a good day and enjoyed the views and scenery, as well as the plants that we saw.

Liparia splendens

The view westwards across Sandown Bay

Ficina radiata

Dimorphotheca nudicaulis

Roepera sp.

Aristea africana

Erica cerinthoides

Disa bracteata

Geissorhiza ovata

Denham’s Bustard

From Vogelgat to Fernkloof

Eleven walkers set out this morning from Vogelgat Reserve.  We walked up via Sea Saddle to Mossel Nook Hut where we stopped for tea.  On the way we were surprised to see the new swimming pool erected on the path below the hut.  It will be a welcome stop for hikers on a hot day, but today the weather was far too cool to contemplate stripping off!

Our route from Vogelgat to Fernkloof

Walking conditions were ideal and we completed 10.2 km back to Fernkloof, on the route indicated on the above map.  The fynbos has recovered well from recent fires and we were delighted to find a small orchid along the way.

A waterfall along the path

Climbing steadily

Near Sea Saddle

The lagoon mouth

The pool near to Mossel Nook Hut

Everlastings

Our Orchid find, Disa obliqua

Tea at Mossel Nook

View towards the west

Hockey Festival in Knysna

We spent the weekend in Knysna and had the opportunity to watch Michael, Travis and Robyn playing a number of 7-a-side hockey matches.  It was a fun filled day, and, whilst none of them won their sections, they played well and were all pretty tired by the end of the day!

The swimming Hyena

Whilst sitting at a waterhole in Etosha National Park a couple of weeks ago, we noticed a hyena approaching the water.  It had a drink and then started wading into deeper water whilst sniffing the air around.

The hyena approaches

It enters the water

It then dived numerous times and was obviously struggling to raise a putrid carcass from the bottom of the pool

After diving, it comes up grappling with something

Another gasp for air

Then a second hyena arrived and looked at what was happening.  When the one in the water saw it, it immediately swam back to the edge and walked out of the water hole.

A second hyena approaches and sees what is happening

They greet at the waters’ edge

They sniffed each other and the first behaved very submissively, until it eventually slunk away with its tail between its legs.

The first one gives way

They part company

A few more images from the south west African Traverse

We took so many photographs, that I cannot resist showing a few more.  Just wish I knew the names of all the flowers.

Kudu bull

Sarcocaulon ciliatum (Bushman’s Candle)

Bulbinella latifolia

Crassula columnaris

Hemimeris sp.

A sign near Skilpad!

Will it rain?

Etosha sunset

Mother and child

Blue parasol

Gladiolus equitans

Gladiolus equitans

Thirst

Gemsbok

Red Hartebeest

Drinking styles

A wet hyena

A Pubcrawl in Ovamboland

In my last post I published some images of bars along the road in Namibia.  I snapped about 45 of them before I decided to stop as I would be holding up the traffic which was getting heavier as we approached the local capital, Oshikati, thereby missing an opportunity to get to 100.  Couldn’t help showing a few more, so compiled this composite image.  They really could use an architect with a bit more imagination, don’t you think?

Some Ovamboland bars