Zandvlei Trust

Peninsula Paddle Expedition on 5th June 2011 - World Environment Day.

Princessvlei activities.

.....zoomed around to Princessvlei off the M5 to where the day activities were held.

The police vans had made their way there as well, to make sure the Paddlers arrived safely. 
Another rainbow was evident.

Three SUP's Jann Du Venage, Peter Petersen and Sonja Pithey went across the vlei to meet
the Peninsula Paddlers. 
They are carrying their canoes from the canal and about to launch into Princessvlei on the far side.

The SABC man Trevor, had got there in time to set up with the rainbow arking over the Paddlers
on the water. Was this a good sign for the day?  You bet.

They are getting closer.

Zoomed in, they are all there at the end of the rainbow.

The Gravity Adventures had a group on the water and they went over to meet them.

This group of children went to escourt the Paddlers in.

Glen in the orange canoe and Dick in the yellow canoe pulling onto the beach.

Sonja Pithey.                                                           Jann Du Venage.

The ladies were carrying a message on their waists. See if you can read the message, a closer view below.

Glen stacking up with some engergy food. Gerard van Weele was the second for Sam and Christopher.

Glen must be wearing some of that irresitible under arm stuff they advertise on TV, he has all the girls swarming around him. Just joking gilrs.

Thomas Cousins catching up at Princessvlei.

Catherine checking with Alistair about what needs to be said to the media.

Kevin being interviewed and filmed by the SABC journalist. There were a few spots of rain, reason
the towel is over the camera.

Alison Lee from (Educo Africa) updating the SABC journalist about the childrens activities.

Paddling for Peace
A special programme of activities was planned for the stop at Princessvlei. The programme was aimed at 60 youth from across Cape Town and was a collaboration with the Western Cape Network for Community Peace and Development  whose youth attended the morning activities from 09h00 - 13h00, co-ordinated by Educo Africa. 
They were split up into 5 groups and took turns to participate at or in each activitity.

Activities on the programme will include:

• Experiential activities addressing cross cultural communication, presented by Educo Africa

• Paddling on Princessvlei, provided by Gravity Adventure Group who will be introducing the youth to the fun activity of paddling.

• A fun, interactive activity by WESSA, promoting awareness on World Environment Day about the value of water and biodiversity in our everyday lives.

• Zibi  - the friendly Ostrich mascot will spread his waste wise, litter-free message, presented by the City of Cape Towns WasteWise programme.

• A 35 minute production by Jungle Theatre Company (thanks to the generous support of the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund) to educate the youth on sustaining the waterways. Umlambo Wobomi / River of Life is an African musical fairy tale of a rural community sustained by a river. A chief’s respect for nature is compromised when a trader brings packaged products and chemicals from the city to his village.
  The community is dazzled by the consumer items and they unwittingly pollute the river. Community members and the river creatures become ill, so the river creatures decide to teach people a lesson. The chief’s daughter, the princess, is tasked to find the solutions to the tribe’s misfortunes. She embarks on a journey to save her people.
  Starring: Stacey Francke, Vuyolwethu Stuurman, Seyiso Qhola and Cebisa Fubesi.

• Fynbos planting along the banks of the vlei, co-ordinated by Dressing of the Princess project as well as story telling, highlighting the historical and cultural value of Princessvlei.  All the activities undertaken during the expedition helped raise awareness in each local community through which the rivers and canals pass, and in the city of Cape Town through local media.

The next group getting ready to paddle in the inflatable canoes.

These are two very important messages for everyone on the planet.

The new group being given instruction on how to paddle and the water safety rules.

The paddle instructor giving the demonstration and going through the rules on the water.

Maybe they will get it right some day, they were having fun though.

Calvin Cochran overseeing this group planting local indigenous plants in a laid out garden area near the car park.

Alison and Philippa Huntly (WESSA) checking notes.

Calvins group put in a variety of selected plants.

The next group has arrived and are planting.

He had given them the position and they had to dig the hole and plant the shrub.

Educo Africa were there co ordinating the events.

The taxi. 

Gravity supplied the infatible canoes.

The Citys Waste Wise tent waiting for the next group to arrive.

The WESSA tent behind George Davis (SANBI) and Phindile Mangwana (WESSA).

Touareg supplied the tent, where the Jungle Theatre play took place. Inside the tent Zibi is part of the City of Cape Towns WasteWise programme.

Who is this?

Zibi the friendly Ostrich.

LiquiFruit sponsored the juices.        Pick'n Pay, Plumstead supplied some of the food.

BulkSMS sponsorred sms.

This group is being primed too work and co operate as a team to achieve the next activity they will tackle.

What is happening there.

Thomas testing the waters at the estuary mouth.

Networking.

l

Checking all is dry in the bag.

This is an interesting co ordination, dexterity and speed test.

Have to carry the egg on the spoon along a course.

Climb up on a chair and down again, bend down and lift a hoola hoop over your head.

Then run around the markers....

...to the end 

...then get the egg into a bucket 2 metres from the marker. Not easy.

Other contestants in the race. There were 3 lanes.

Climbing onto the chair......

.... and runing to the end marker as quickly as possible.

Phindile asking the questions in the WESSA tent.

Phindile and Philippa giving the lesson on the value of water and biodiversity in our everyday lives.

Kevin the "task master" trying to get the Paddlers back into the water for the next part of the journey.
Time is a factor as the tide will be coming in when they get to Table Bay later this afternoon.

Ian is ready.

Glen checking with Catherine about the next stops and meeting points.

Do they know which way to go?

Errol tieing down the last things.

Sam has an audience, what could she be doing?

Sharon giving or getting last minutes instruction from Dick.

Dick chatting to Sharon. Christopher nearly ready.

Errol is there.

Andrew Kellett from Gravity is ready to see them off.

And off they go.

The sunlit fields in the background are Buitenverwachting Wine Estate.  
The Princessvlei Eco Adventure Centre towers are across the water.

They are practising and practising.

These guys are getting tangled up in the reeds going no where fast.

Karen interviewing Zibi the friendly Ostrich from the Citys WasteWise programme.

And another group activity.

The seconds and cameras are off to Plumtead, to wait for the group. Here they will swap canoes for bicycles as the canals become enclosed underground.