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| << June20, 2005 - Turtle Essays edition 138 dated 20.6.2005 |
July25, 2005 - Turtle Essays edition no 140 dated 25.7.2005 >> |
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Turtle Essays Edition no 139 dated 18th July 2005 ** Sometimes one gets lucky! I did when I came across this site by accident. Its offers stunned me so I decided to try it out to see if it was for real. It Was! This amazing members-only website run by a top internet marketer, is UNIQUELY available: at http://www.pr-pl.com/a.php?ELn Check it out today and get some of the free stuff offered as bonuses. ** In this edition: Editor's Blurb Storms River Mouth Paul Sauer bridge over the Storms River ** Editor's Blurb Hi there folks! Welcome back and I hope this finds you all in good health. Over the past three weeks I have spent a couple of days in Plettenberg Bay and the rest of the time here in Cape Town getting on with some home maintenance my wife wanted done. She goes back to school on Monday so I'll have the house to myself again for a while. While in the Plettenberg Bay area we visited the Storms River mouth and were amazed at the changes that have taken place since we were last there. The walk way to the suspension bridge which was partially complete last time we visited is now complete and can easily be negotiated by fit elderly people which in the past might not have been possible. The restaurant is in the process of being refurbished and now has a large outside restaurant and deck with spectacular views in all directions. The mouth is really worth a visit so next time you are in the area do yourself the favour. See you all next week. Geoff Fairman. ** Storms River Mouth Living in South Africa one is spoilt by all the lovely places there are to visit along our coastlines. One of these places is the Storms River mouth which is situated on the southern coast of South Africa about 600 kilometres from Cape Town. The river runs through some sheer gorges and rapids before entering the sea in the Storms River Nature Reserve . Indigenous forests line the banks of the river on its way to the sea. To gain access to the river mouth one has to enter the Nature Reserve which is approximately eight kilometres from the N2 highway. Once in the reserve one has to drive down a steep winding road to the rocky coastline far below. Here a camp site for caravans and tents has been laid out and there are also some wooden oceanettes (bungaloes) for those who want a more comfortable stay. The road ends at a rocky point where a restaurant has been established and where one can enjoy a light meal before setting off along the trail to the river mouth. Parking is available near the restaurant for day visitors. The trail to the mouth consists of a wooden walk way which is about a kilometre long and winds its way through the forests which cling to the steep hillsides in the vicinity of the mouth. The walk is much easier these days than it was twenty years ago when one had to cling to branches of trees in the forest to stop falling down the steep embankments. A word of warning however! This walk although not overly strenuous has about 350 stairs along its course and as you have to follow the same pathway back you climb up and down 700 stairs while on the trail. Luckily most of the stairs are the riverside of the trail so most people can enjoy the walk. There is plenty to see on the trail especially the glimpses of the sea through the forest umbrella . Along the way there are a number of caves, a lovely little waterfall and an almost vertical staircase to clamber down to reach the suspension bridge that crosses the river. Many people are afraid to cross the bridge as it sways a bit when walking over it but if you hold on there is nothing to worry about even if you should slip and fall. On the far side of the bridge is a steep hill and a short trail to a fantastic vantage point that overlooks the whole of the mouth and the restaurant complex at the car park. Near the mouth is a large cave which was once used by the Strandlopers for shelter. Its about forty metres deep and very dark and eerie. Even a flash on a camera does not light up the darker regions of the cave. Walking in the Storms River area is one of the major pastimes of people who visit the mouth. A number of trails start near the car park in the reserve. The most well known is the Otter Trail which winds its way along the rugged coastline towards the west, crosses a number of rivers and finally ends near Natures Valley after a three day hike. This trail is not for the unfit and is so popular that a hike along it has to be booked months in advance. Of course a highlight of any visit to the mouth especially in summer is a swim in the warm Indian Ocean out to the raft anchored a short way off the minute little beach. For those who are more adventurous there is also an underwater trail where people can follow a guide who will show you some of the sea life that abounds in the ocean on this part of the coastline. A visit to the Storms River mouth is well worth the entrance fee it costs you to enter the Nature Reserve. Visit it next time you are in the Tsitsikamma area. See you there soon. Geoff Fairman. ** Paul Sauer bridge over the Storms River The countryside between Plettenberg Bay and Port Elizabeth is very hilly and has many rivers flowing through it to the sea. The rivers have cut deep and wide gorges into the land and spectacular mountain passes had to be built to allow vehicles to cross them over low level bridges. Negotiating these passes took time and with constant rockfalls and continual maintenance of the roads in the mountains it was decided to modernise the roads through the Tsitsikamma area and build bridges over the gorges encountered on the route to be followed. One of the rivers that had to be crossed was the Storms River. The building of the new Paul Sauer Bridge over the Storms River began in 1954. It began with the building of two platforms one on either side of the gorge about two hundred feet down the side of the cliff faces. They were built to anchor the arch that was to be constructed in two sections, one on either side of the river. The halves were constructed on the platforms with each section standing erect and held by cables during the construction phase. Once the sections were completed they were lowered by cable across the gorge until the ends met in the midair about three hundred and fifty feet above the level of the river. Engineers had to be spot on with their planning and measurements to get the two sections to meet. Once each section was in place over the river they were joined to complete the arch. The base of the bridge was now complete and legs to support the roadway were built on top of the arch . When all the supports were in place the roadway was constructed on top of them. The bridge was finally completed in 1956. It is 630 feet long and the road is 405 feet above the water. The arch supporting the bridge has a span of 330 feet. Once the bridge had been completed many people stopped to view the bridge and to look at the river far below. View points and pathways near and under the bridge were built to give access to the spectacular views of the bridge and the gorge it crosses. Over the years the bridge has become an important tourist attraction and a whole village has grown up on the western bank of the river close to the bridge. Travellers can stop and have a meal at a restaurant that overlooks the bridge and the gorge. It is a pleasant place to have a break on the two hour drive from Port Elizabeth to Plettenberg bay. Next time you travel the N2 stop at the Paul Sauer bridge over the Storms river and look down into the gorge and marvel at the technology it took to build this spectacular bridge especially way back in 1954. It's worth the effort. With the completion of the modern bridge the old Storms River pass to fell into disuse. These days it is negotiated in 4 X 4 vehicles which take visitors down its winding roads to the river to show them some of the spectacular scenery in the area. To keep this old pass for future generations it appears that authorities are shortly going to declare it a natural heritage site. Geoff Fairman ** Turn your dog into the best behaved pooch on the park with Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer Guide Book http://www.dogproblems.com/clicksecrets.htm?hop=brerrabbit ** Turtle Travels new blog is online now. http://turtleessays.blogspot.com There are some interesting new articles being posted today. Be sure not to miss them. ** Start your own home nursery and earn yourself some pocket money! Find out how to do it from an expert. Here is his link: http://hop.clickbank.net/?brerrabbit/mcplants ** For my personal details, contact address, and warnings regarding products advertised in this ezine please read the disclaimers which can be found at: http://www.turtlesa.com/Disclaimer.html |
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| << June20, 2005 - Turtle Essays edition 138 dated 20.6.2005 |
July25, 2005 - Turtle Essays edition no 140 dated 25.7.2005 >> |
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