January 2017January 2017January 2017January 2017

VOETSAC COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2016VOETSAC COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2016VOETSAC COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2016VOETSAC COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2016----2017201720172017 EMAIL WORK HOME MOBILE

Robin Holmes – Chairperson

rholmes@iafrica.com

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041 365 0996

082 374 9227

Danita Ferreira – Vice Chairperson

Ferreira.danita@gmail.com

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041 933 5119

084 585 5504

Keith Hoare – Treasurer

keith@ballmail.co.za

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041 379 5874

082 857 7397

Val Steyn – Secretary

val@wurz.co.za

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041 373 6611

084 556 4228

Benedetta Janse van Rensburg –

Assistant Secretary

benedetta@nbcei.co.za

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041 363 5460

082 931 1253

Grant Vincent – Newsletter Editor

gvincent@webmail.co.za

041 585 5134

041 583 4276

084 870 8017

Trefor Lloyd – Co-ordinator: Training

tdlgoat@gmail.com

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041 36 83761

083 966 0636

Helene Silli – Co-ordinator: Socials

Helene.silli123@gmail.com

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041 379 2443

082 447 1207

Buddy van Straaten – Special Projects

buddyvanstraaten@gmail.com

041 402 8872

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082 872 3072

Laurence Weitz – Co-ordinator: Hikes

Laurence.weitz@autocast.co.za

041 402 8897

041 933 3712

084 764 8996

Sandra Nell – Hike Bookings

nells@polka.co.za

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041 992 3162

083 650 5506

Voetsac address: PO BOX 27860, GREENACRES, 6057

Voetsac bank account: ABSA BANK—VOETSAC HIKING CLUB

Account number: 404 872 8301

Fill in your name and the name of the hike on the deposit slip in the reference blocks then

fax or email the deposit slip to Sandra Nell:

Fax—086 553 8826 email—nells@polka.co.za

Front cover: Hog 2 at Hogsback

Photo: Kelvin Smallwood

Booking procedure: YOU ARE NOT ON THE HIKE UNTIL YOU HAVE PAID

It is hoped that everyone had a great festive season and that all are now

rested and ready for the New Year. Presumably all of us who are working

are now back at work and fully back into the routine. There are also quite a

few members of the club who are retired or who are working part-time.

These members also do hikes during the week with other groups which are

not official club hikes.

For those of us who are keen on building up their hiker kms, it is presumed

that you are well into your hiking and have done quite a few trails since the

cut-off of the previous period, in order to build up kms. Hopefully those of

us who do weekend or longer hiking trips have booked on the ones on the

programme that they wish to do and not leave it to the last minute as

these can be booked up quickly and it is better to be safe rather than sorry.

For some of our newer members who have successfully done several day

hikes, it may be worth considering to do one of these trips, if you feel fit

and confident enough and depending on the advice of the hike leader.

ditorial E

Leader and scribe: Des Bradley

Hikers: Peet Claasen, Hein van der Rijst, Louis Joubert,

Elbie and Chris Weitz, Barbara and Jimmy de Scande

On arriving at the Groendal office we found Jeff Ferreira

and his small group ready to hike Kim Cadle Falls. We

decided to let him know that we had already decided to hike up Spider Alley due

to the track to the monument being slick after the rain. Spider Alley was open and

easy to hike until we got to the top where it began to rain. We backtracked into

Spider Alley for the rain to let up but after 5 minutes decided to be brave and

carry on in our rain gear. It wasn’t long before the rain stopped and we hiked un-

der overcast skies. This suited us as the hike is in the open until the gum trees.

After a tea stop at the usual tree we carried on up to the plateau where the views

are fantastic. Thereafter the trail is quite level and goes past a dry vlei and a cattle

fence. On reaching the gum trees we ate on a large felled tree and enjoyed our

lunch.

We had overcast skies still on the way back to Spider Alley and the office. The hike

was enjoyed by all and a picnic in the parking area rounded off our day. Well done

to the brave hikers who were not put off by the rain.

Upper Blindekloof

29 October 2016

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Leader and scribe: Des Bradley

Hikers: Peet Claasen, Dick and Karen Gillanders, Robert

Wilson, Sandra Nell, Daniela Heunis, Hein van der Rijst,

Louis Joubert, Chantre Viviers, Lawrence Lomax, Can-

dace Davis, Val Archer, Petro Els and Shawn Taylor

This is one of the most beautiful hikes in Groendal. I had

been warned that there had been a lot of rain in Groendal the evening before so

we were prepared for a wet start through the palmiet plants. Some of us kept our

water shoes on for the duration of the hike as there was lots of water to cross.

Laurence and Sandra enjoyed walking in the river while the rest of us walked on

the path.

There was a fair amount of debris with some trees having fallen over and these

were obscuring the rest of the path. This led to some bundu-bashing to regain the

path.

On reaching the path Peet led some of the hikers over the ridge to the waterfall

where Lawrence was the only person to swim. Lunch was eaten at the pool and

we retraced our steps back to the cars.

Thank you to Liana and Thys du Toit for the enjoyable raisin bread and braai at

their house.

Fernkloof

12 November 2016

_____________

14 Hikers

Leader and scribe: Sandra Nell

Eleven hikers arrived at Colchester in pouring rain, signing in under an umbrella!

Two people decided to go home while the other brave nine people decided to

take a chance and at least start hiking and see how the weather turned out. Mira-

cles do happen, because as we left the cars, the rain stopped and we had beautiful

cool weather for the rest of the hike.

We did three small hills with fantastic views over the Sundays River and then con-

tinued along the river to the sea. At this stage it was getting rather windy and we

decided to turn back and leisurely strolled back the way we came to the cars. Here

was another strange incident as only three people wanted to stay for the braai!

This did not deter Peet, Sandra and Rose from having our own braai while lei-

surely relaxing under the cool trees.

This was one of those hikes where you stroll along, enjoying the hike and the

views.

.

Sunday’s River

10 December 2016

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11 Hiers

The function was held at the German Club. The committee members met at the

club earlier on the day to do all the table settings. These included bottles of

wine provided by the German Club and which were included in the price per

person of R135.00 which was good value considering what one got for the price.

This price was to a large extent subsided by the club to cover the costs of the

evening.

The function which started at 6pm was well patronised with 62 people attend-

ing. The theme was a “Mad Hatters Party” and many of us came with their ap-

propriate headgear, with some being quite imaginative and in keeping with the

festive season. There was a prize for the best hat. The table decorations were

well thought out and imaginative, with stones painted with hiking quotations,

candles on timber log slices, painted pine cones, foliage and of course the bot-

tles of wine, which had Voetsac labels.

The evening began with the prize-giving, with the club’s annual prizes being

given out to the deserving parties and there were also donated lucky draw

prizes given out based on seat numbers. Then it was time for the 3 course din-

ner, which was served by waiters and waitresses rather than a buffet which had

happened in the past.

After this it was time for the dancing, with the music provided by a mobile

disco. There were also fires outside for those wanted to chill and talk away from

the music. The dancing went on until well into the night, with the last people

leaving at around 11pm. Thanks to Benedetta for coming up with many of the

ideas including providing and painting on the hiking quotations, Trefor for pro-

viding the firewood and to the sponsors of the lucky draw prizes. It was a great

evening appreciated and enjoyed by those who were there!

02-12 Anna-Lize du Preez 02-13 Dale Jack 02-14 Sharron Blignaut 02-14 Charmaine Olsen 02-15 Deidre Goliath 02-16 Bonita Hughes 02-16 Brenda Watermeyer 02-16 Louise Lock 02-17 Jeff Ferreira 02-20 Laurence Weitz 02-21 Ashwin Daya 02-21 Cara Janse van Rensburg 02-22 Vanita Dullabh 02-23 Zubaidah Amod 02-23 Arenda Prince 02-25 Andries Lottering

JanuaryJanuaryJanuaryJanuary

01-01 Magda Drake 01-02 Carla Clotz 01-03 Ruby Tait 01-07 Anthea Fourie 01-07 Shirley Heydenrych 01-09 Trefor Lloyd 01-10 Carole-Ann Bezuidenhout 01-12 Yolande Nell 01-13 Andrew Potgieter 01-14 Sandy Boreham 01-15 Valencia Benjamin 01-16 Gill Hill 01-18 Andrew Fyvie 01-19 Trish Cloete 01-22 Beth Clotz 01-22 Marvin Carstens 01-22 Judith Exley 01-23 Paul Schoeman 01-25 Tony Hill

01-27 Clarissa Bender 01-29 Tyrone Akers 01-31 Sharon Meistre

FebruaryFebruaryFebruaryFebruary

02-02 Danita Ferreira 02-04 Younus Amod 02-04 Helmuth Klingelhoeffer 02-05 Annelise Schroeder 02-06 Yolande De Vos 02-06 Mandy La Mude 02-07 Louise Solomons 02-08 Johanna Welsh 02-09 Magriet Kemp 02-11 Amita Daya 02-11 John Hayes 02-11 Dorette Zeeman

February

Wednesday 15 February 2017

6 for 6.30 pm at

Outdoor Warehouse

William Moffett Expressway