- 'n onvergeetlike week
- it is nice to be reminded of just how great the Magaliesberg is.
- pragtige reëlings, lieflike basiskamp, en manjifieke staptog
- dit was wonderlik om die natuurwonders van die Magaliesberge beter te leer
ken. Die eienaardige en vreemde rotsforme het ons baie gefassineer, terwyl die
pragtige diep klowe suiwer "magic" is… my waardering teenoor
julle Afdeling se mense (en Johannesburg Afdeling) uitspreek vir al die energie
en tyd wat oor die jare ingesit is om te verseker dat so 'n groot deel van die
Magaliesberg goed bewaar gebly het en steeds beskikbaar is vir ons bergliefhebbers
om te geniet. Welgedaan!
- a wonderful camp. It was very enjoyable and very well organised and managed.
~ ~ ~ ~
The National Meet of the MCSA was hosted by Magaliesberg Section from 4-11
April 2004 at Maretlwane in the Magaliesberg.
As could be expected for any MCSA meet - regardless of the set closing date
for applications! - numbers were only approximately finalised in the last week/days/minutes
before camp (Actually, during the meet). Eventually the Meet was attended by
105 persons present at various stages during the ten days: Cape Town (2), Eastern
Province (6), Free State (8), Johannesburg (20), KwaZulu-Natal (3), Magaliesberg
(29), Stellenbosch (1), non-members (12) and children (24).
The Meet set off with a bang when the ‘Cromarty Caterers’ arrived
the first Sunday with a 4x4 packed to the brim with lekker goodies to result
in The Braai of the Decade (if not Century) that night. The braai was also attended
by guests, MCSA President, Roland Magg, and Johannesburg Section’s 2003-chairman,
Greg Devine and his wife, Cheryl.
The base camp venue Maretlwane was excellent as the camp sites were shady and
pleasant and there was a lot to do at camp, including the river pool and slide,
or within short distances of camp. The braai area served as a general get-together
place and meeting point for activities and the cabin served as point of registration
and sales, store room and display area for maps, the program etc. As the Magaliesberg
is quite accessible, many enjoyed the luxury of fresh braai meat at the camp
fire nightly.
The Meet was blessed with good, cool weather with rain falling only during one
night (Maybe because the Chairman works for the SA Weather Information Service?).
There was a greater demand for shorter hikes, though there was a contingent
of people for all the activities offered from a four-day traverse from Castle
Gorge to Olifantsnek to kloofing to the special interest days to climbing. All
in all some 21 trips were offered. There was one small accident resulting in
a dislocated shoulder when a climber slipped on a small rock at the bottom of
Grootkoof (A fund was set up to help him cover his medical costs).
Thanks are due to all who helped to make the National Meet a great success:
To the subcommittee consisting of Gerhard and Cheryl Venter, Petrus Nel, Victor
Wilson and Christa van Schalkwyk, Mac McLachlan and Lenise de Kock for all their
work, leadership and administration
To the hiking/climbing/kloofing/flora leaders: Dries Bekker, Bruno Schostar,
André Schmidt, Michael Stiller, Derie van Eeden and Richard Watmough
(Also Gerhard, Petrus, Victor and Mac)
To Elza Cromarty a special thanks – the camp might be remembered more
for the special braai than for mountaineering! Also to Duncan for braaiing the
sheep in record time and for everybody at camp who helped with the braai
To Alard Hüffner and Marianne Pretorius who braved Johburg rush hour traffic
and presented their excellent slide show on the ascent of the Central Tower
of Paine at the camp
To Revil Mason whose hike to the Anglo Boer War blockhouses at Damhoek drew
basically the full camp
To Rita Kajaks-Schubert (and her friend Rosemary) who presented a workshop on
in location watercolour painting and who exhibited some of her paintings
To Elsa van Niekerk for designing a logo
To the Junod family and Pretoria Boys High School for letting us enjoy the superb
venue at Maretwlane and assisting with various matters
To Amos Letsoala, employee of PBHS, who assisted at Maretlwane with various
matters
To all who came and made of it quite a pleasant affair.
Petro Grobler
April 2004