Hermanus Oncology Centre (HOC) hosted its biennial Survivor’s Day Celebration at the Sandbaai Hall recently to celebrate hope and life with cancer survivors and their families. The function aims to inspire and support those affected by cancer and to reflect on the journey travelled when such a life-changing diagnosis becomes part of one’s everyday existence. Hence the theme of this year’s celebration: Footsteps/Voetspore.

Tree trunk pavers in the foyer, painted with footstep, directed guests through an African-inspired savannah grassland towards an entrance adorned with proteas (flowers symbolic of strength, courage, resilience, and diversity) and fynbos, beautifully positioned by Sias Delport and his team from Afdaksrivier Nursery. A photo booth and beautiful bouquets of proteas on the tables were arranged by Susan Roberts of Lilly Rose Florist. 

The survivors, patients, and their partners, all dressed in a safari theme, were warmly welcomed and shown to their tables, where they were greeted by their hostess – either a staff member from HOC or a cancer support volunteer. A delicious pecan nut pastry from Daan’s Bakery awaited each guest, accompanied by a cup of tea or coffee, all served with enthusiasm and warm smiles by learners from the Hermanus High School Interact Group, who volunteered as waiters for the event.

The function was opened by Dr. John Duminy of Hermanus Oncology Centre, who gave a warm welcome to everyone. This was followed by the introduction of a new Cancer Support Group, held monthly at the Onrus Manor Clubhouse, by social worker and counsellor Elnette du Toit. The event also featured a stunning performance by the Hermanus Curro Cantate Girls Chamber Choir – a vibrant and dynamic group of 32 girls under the leadership of Maike Skein and accompanied by Madelein Krog.

Guest speaker Johan Badenhorst, known for the Voetspore adventure documentary series, enthralled guests with photos and stories from his travels. Over the past 25 years, Voetspore has taken Johan and his team to the far corners of the African continent. He has visited more than 70 countries (40 of them in Africa) and covered nearly 400 000km. More recently, his journeys have extended to Madagascar, India, and South America. Johan had the audience captivated with his tales of adventure, sharing personal experiences from his travels through South America, the places he explored and the people he encountered who each left a profound impression on him and enriched his life. 

Johan ended his talk with a thought-provoking comment: “We all leave footprints – some are easy, some are difficult, and some other people see, but they don’t have a clue of how difficult the journey was because they have never walked it themselves. Some walked with a loved one or precious friend and experienced something of their journey; some are deep because we have had to carry someone; some have run out because they can’t finish the journey or have come to the end of the road, and some we show to others in thinking they might like it or try it themselves”. Dr Marli Groenewald thanked the many sponsors, without whom the day would not have been possible. 

At the end of the formalities, the Whale Coast Line Dancers entered the hall and performed two dance items, holding red balloons as a visual symbol of hope. The dancers then invited all those in attendance onto the dance floor to learn a few steps as part of the very special and emotional ‘Survivor’s Moment’.  Giggles and laughter abounded as everyone had fun fumbling while learning the dance moves to the rhythm of ‘Stand by Me’ performed by MusicTravelLove.

Some lucky draws and spot prizes followed, and an award was given to the best dressed couple. Lunch was provided by Dutchies Restaurant, which owner Joké Gongrijp sponsored. Each special guest also received a goodie bag sponsored by Dr Reddy’s as a farewell gesture.

Hermanus Oncology would like to thank the committee (Louise, Melané, Meranda, Michelle and Elnette) who arranged the event, and every staff member who helped to prepare the venue. 

Now in its 14th year, Greenpop’s Reforest Fest continues to show just how powerful it can be when people come together for a common cause. From 18 to 21 April, hundreds of nature-loving people gathered at Bodhi Khaya Nature Retreat near Gansbaai to plant indigenous trees in the beautiful Uilenkraal Valley, leaving with a deeper connection to the earth and to each other.

By planting between 5 000 and 10 000 trees annually, Reforest Fest contributes to the Uilenkraal Forest Restoration Project (UFRP) – a year-round initiative that supports the regeneration of degraded forest ecosystems across four properties, including the ancient Platbos Forest, referred to as a relic or remnant forest. Platbos is home to trees that are estimated to be well over 1 000 years old. Visit www.platbos.co.za to learn more.

Greenpop’s efforts in the UFRP go beyond tree planting and include managing alien vegetation, supporting natural regeneration, and enhancing biodiversity. What makes Reforest Fest unique is how it combines this important ecological work with celebration, creativity, learning, and community. 

The festival began on Friday midday, as people arrived at Bodhi Khaya from near and far with their families, friends, and camping essentials. Friendly Greenpop volunteers and staff were waiting to welcome and direct festival-goers to their parking and camping spots, offering a helping hand to those who needed it. Festival-goers could choose to camp, glamp, stay at Bodhi Khaya, or sleep in their vans, bakkies, or caravans in designated spots that had been marked off and were within walking distance to the festival hub. 

A demonstration gave attendees guidance ahead of Saturday’s tree planting, which took place on a slope this year. The demonstration informed festival-goers which trees would be planted and showed them how to create a berm and add mulch to trap water and prevent soil erosion. Afterwards, there was time to explore, make new friends, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy some talks and workshops before the evening’s festivities began. Some of the afternoon’s activities included Qigong Yoga for the Whole Family with local Hermanus resident James Prain, a Fynbos Forage Walk and Talk with Veld & Sea, Land Art with Alexandra, and Nature Inspired Paint Doodling.

A wide assortment of enticing plant-based meals and snacks from a variety of food stalls was on offer, including dim sums, ramen, and tea from Nigiro Tea Café. Other options included the rich flavours of Ethiopian and Eritrean dishes from Mesob Ethiopian Cuisine, and pastries and hot cross buns from Bliss Food Truck. Disposable cutlery and packaging were prohibited, and all waste was sorted and reused. Festival-goers were encouraged to bring their own crockery and cutlery to further minimise waste.

As it began to get dark, and before the official opening of the festival, the Corona sunset dancers took to the main stage with an incredible dance performance which included drumming and fire. They were followed by The Rivertones, lovingly dubbed “South Africa’s favourite reggae band”, who got festival-goers, both young and old, on their feet and dancing. 

The evening ended with an unforgettable concert by Zolani Mahola of Freshlyground fame and her all-female band, The Feminine Force, while Flow DNA gave an enthralling fire poi performance. 

Saturday was the heart of the Reforest Fest: the official tree-planting day. Energised by a very cold morning, some hot coffee from the food tent, and inspiring words from the Greenpop team, attendees grabbed their tools and made their way to one of eight colour-coded tree planting zones led by their team captains and a small band of percussionists who further helped to energise the festival-goers.

Participants were encouraged to join a planting team ahead of the festival and to dress in their team colours. Those with a creative flair could also take part in the ‘Dress the Spade’ competition, where attendees decorated their spades with colourful and imaginative designs for a chance to win a prize.

Over the course of the day, debris was cleared, holes were dug, and thousands of trees were planted by hand. Volunteers spanned all ages and backgrounds with children planting alongside elders, and first-timers learning from the experienced. Apples, rusks, ice tea, and coconut milk were offered to the planters throughout the morning as the day became progressively hotter.

After the planting was over, festival-goers had a quick shower or a dip in the dam to freshen up. Among the afternoon’s activities were Conservation Wine Tasting, Line Dancing with Caroline, a Reconnecting with Nature Walk by Tim Wigley, Wood Carving with Connor Trembath, and a Paper Making Workshop with Growing Paper. 

One of the most exciting new features this year was the Restoration Tent which elevated the festival’s educational impact. Featuring the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the tent offered panels, exhibitions, and interactive displays that unpacked everything from soil health to satellite monitoring of forest growth. Visitors could explore Greenpop’s monitoring methods, examine soil and inspect samples under microscopes, while engaging with practitioners and researchers who shared insights from restoration projects around the world. 

As dusk fell on Saturday, the mood shifted from earthy to electric with performances on the main stage by Grassy Spark, the Congo Cowboys and DJ Crash Love. From 10pm it was off to the secret stage to continue the dancing with Sol Damba and Treepian. 

Sunday offered a slower pace, starting with Synergy Yoga by Jim Harrington, a Secret Sunrise Silent Disco, and a Guided Forest Walk with Platbos Custodian Francois Krige. Later that morning, Blossom & Bee led the children on a Kids Easter Choco Hunt, giving parents a chance to attend one of the many available talks. This was followed by an Adult Treasure Hunt and the much awaited Sunday Harvest Feast. A wine, chocolate and honey tasting set the mood for the evening’s Samba Jam with Mark.

Monday marked the end of the festival, and a final yoga session allowed attendees a quiet moment to reflect on the weekend before packing their belongings and bidding farewell to old and new friends.

The weekend not only saw the planting of thousands of indigenous trees but also highlighted the ongoing efforts of the restoration of vital ecosystems across the Uilenkraal Valley. With a blend of ecological work, education, and community spirit, Reforest Fest proved once again that collective action can make a lasting impact.

Doing its part to bring visitors to the Overstrand through sports tourism, the third annual Hermanus Chess Club Open (HCCO) was held on 12 April at Curro Hermanus. There were over 200 entrants with some coming from as far away as George.

Fifteen titled players registered for the tournament and included two international masters – last year's winner Watu Kobese, and Jan Karsten. Local esteemed player Andrew Southey also took part. The junior category had slightly less players than last year owing to a gruelling two weeks of various tournaments in the lead up to the Hermanus Chess Club Open, including the South African Junior Chess Championship.

Club members, individual players and first time players eagerly competed for a chance to win a share of the impressive R50 000 prize pool which was made possible by this year’s sponsors STBB, Private Wealth Management, and TECT Geological Consulting.

The day-long tournament had various categories, from U10s to Championship, and followed a Rapid Chess 15/15 format with a time increment of 10 seconds. Each participant played seven games and players were matched with each other according to previous placements. The top six Championship players' (those with a rating of over 1750) boards were broadcast through the use of DGT Boards and could be viewed online. A Blitz tournament (3/3 +2) was held the evening before and for the first time also boasted a prize pool.

Western Cape Chief Director for Sport and Recreation, Dr Lyndon Bouah, who competed in the HCCO for the second year running, had nothing but praise for the excellent work that Hermanus Chess Club is doing. Lyndon said it is a well organised event, a great opportunity to play against top players, and that the tournament has one of the best prize funds in the Western Cape, stating that, "It's a nice nod for chess Overberg".

Eighteen year old FIDE (International Chess Federation) Master, Matfey Rogov, emerged victorious in the Championship section and walked away with a trophy and R10 000. The winners in the other categories were Ishmaeel Allie (Advanced), Lemuel Saffier (Intermediate); Israel Mathivha (Development); Tristan Van Der Walt (U12); and Alex Akemdien (U10). The winner of the Blitz tournament was Cherwin Chanson Kleinsmidt.

It took four people to put together and pull off the tournament including HCC Chairman Martin Brink who said, "To be such a small club and to be able to have this kind of tournament is amazing."

Hermanus Chess Club welcomes new players to join the club. For more information contact  076 593 0010 or visit www.hermanuschessclub.co.za. 

By Chef Dean van Huyssteen

Osteria Allegra, Bot River

Serves 6 | Prep time 15 min | Cooking time 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

5 large egg yolks

2 cups fresh cream 

1/2 cup castor sugar 

8 bags rooibos tea (opened)

1/2 vanilla pod scraped

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 130°C.

• In a bowl beat the eggs and sugar until pale in colour.

• Gently heat the cream, vanilla and tea (don't let it boil or get too hot).

• Strain the cream mixture through a fine sieve. 

• Slowly add the cream to the egg mixture, whisking all the time.

• In a roasting tray, set out six ramekins and fill them to about a cm from the rim.

• Fill the roasting tray with hot water up to roughly 3/4 of the height of the ramekins.

• Place in the oven and cook for forty minutes.

• Once cooked, remove from the roasting tray and set in the fridge for approximately two hours.

• When ready to serve, sprinkle sugar over the top of the brulée and use a blowtorch to melt the sugar.

• Serve with fresh berries and ice cream.

CHEF’S TIP

Add a pinch of salt to the cream to bring out the flavour of the rooibos.

By Wouter Coetzee

MSc Student, University of Pretoria MRI Whale Unit

Picture this: You are swimming in the ocean, diving under the waves, when you suddenly hear a sound that could have come straight out of Star Wars, or maybe someone’s trying to drop the next big dubstep track underwater. That is exactly what scientists thought back in 2014 when they picked up a strange sound while studying the Mariana Trench using underwater microphones called hydrophones. They nicknamed it the mysterious ‘biotwang’ because of its weird, mechanical tone. For years, no one knew what was making that noise. But ten years later, they solved the mystery – it was a Bryde’s whale.

So, what exactly is a Bryde’s whale?

Think of a blue whale, but smaller. Bryde’s whales are part of the same whale family as blue whales and humpback whales. Like their bigger cousins, they do not have teeth. Instead they use something called baleen – long, hair-like plates that act like filters to catch tiny fish and plankton from the water. These whales live all around the world, but each group, or community, is a little different. They have their own habits and hunting techniques, which scientists use to tell them apart. And here’s the exciting part: South Africa has its very own community of Bryde’s whales! This community lives only along our coast and nowhere else in the world. That makes them unique, and also quite vulnerable.

Oh, and one last thing, most people say their name wrong. It’s not “Braai-ds” (like a South African braai). It’s actually pronounced “broo-dus”.

What do Bryde’s whales eat?

At the Whale Unit, we’re working hard to uncover the secrets of the whales that live in, or visit, South Africa, and Bryde’s whales are no exception. One big mystery is what our local Bryde’s whales are eating, and whether their feeding habits are changing over time. It’s still early in our research, but historical records tell us they love sardines and anchovies, especially during the annual sardine run.

How do we study them?

We go on long boat surveys, tracking the whales and writing down what we see (or what we don’t see). When they eat, we collect samples of their food and their faeces. It might sound disgusting, but it gives us important clues about what they’ve been feeding on.

But why does this matter?

It is because our local Bryde’s whale community is vulnerable to changes in the ocean. Just like we have homes we can’t easily leave, these whales rely on the South African coastline for everything, especially food. If their favourite meals start disappearing, their health could suffer. That’s why learning about what they eat is so important. Without this knowledge, we risk losing a rare and special part of our ocean that we often take for granted, until we catch a glimpse of them swimming past our shores.

In the past, whaling was one of the biggest dangers. Whales were hunted for their meat, oil and other resources. This led to a huge drop in whale populations around the world. But in 1982, a pause in whaling (called a moratorium) was put in place, and many whale species started to recover. But whaling wasn’t the only problem.

As the world becomes more connected, oceans are busier than ever, especially with massive cargo ships. These ships make a lot of underwater noise, pollute the ocean, and sometimes collide with whales. These ‘ship strikes’ can badly injure or even kill them. Another major issue is overfishing. As the global human population grows, so does the demand for seafood. But when people take too many fish, especially sardines and anchovies, it means less food for whales like the Bryde’s whale. This can leave them struggling to find enough to eat.

This is why our research is so important. If we know what they eat and how much food is available, we can help protect them. Of course, there are many more threats that we couldn’t fit into this article: pollution, entanglement in fishing gear, and climate change are just a few, but the message is clear… our resident Bryde’s whale community needs our help.

Is there hope for Bryde’s whales?

Thanks to growing research and conservation efforts, we’re learning more about these mysterious whales than ever before. Every new piece of information helps us understand how to protect them, whether it’s by creating safer shipping routes, reducing noise pollution, or making sure their food supply stays healthy. Even small changes can make a difference. Supporting sustainable fishing, reducing ocean waste, or just spreading awareness about local wildlife like the Bryde’s whale, these are all steps in the right direction.

Our inshore Bryde’s whale population is one of a kind. They don’t live anywhere else in the world, and we’re lucky to share our coastline with them. If we look after the ocean, we’re also looking after them. We may not be able to fix everything overnight, but we can choose to care and that’s where hope begins.

What began in 2013 with just 14 learners has grown into an impactful creative youth programme. The Creative Space, co-founded by Hermanus locals Vivienne Mitchley and Jeandré Marinier, is more than just an after-school art initiative – it's a safe haven, a classroom, and a launchpad for young talent.

In 2023, The Creative Space officially became a non-profit company (NPC), marking a new chapter in its evolution. While Jeandré now serves as a silent director, Vivienne remains at the helm, driving the programme's mission. 

From its humble beginnings, the programme now serves over 120 learners, ranging from Grade 4 to 12. Funded from day one by Trim Tab (The Rupert Foundation), it provides free tutoring four days a week for high school learners, and weekend sessions for primary school learners. Its aim is simple: keep children off the streets, provide a safe and supportive space, and help them explore their creativity. 

Vivienne and Jeandré strongly believe that this creative outlet not only improves learners' academic performance but also supports emotional healing for many of the children who have faced trauma or have stressful home environments. The Creative Space’s art therapy tutor, Sandra Slabbert, makes sure that the learners have a non-judgemental, safe creative space to thrive in.

Vivienne’s impact on local arts education goes back to 2000 when she founded Northcliff House College, the first school on the Whale Coast to offer design as a subject. Back then, art and design weren't part of the standard Overstrand school curriculum, and Vivienne, along with Jeandré, offered classes after school at an additional cost. Their shared vision culminated in the launch of the Hermanus Visual Art and Design Centre in 2014, extending access to design education for learners from Grades 10 to 12, as well as learners from Hawston and Mount Pleasant seeking after-school art instruction.

Today, Vivienne is instrumental in developing the Curro Hermanus High School visual arts and design programme, while still running community workshops in Hawston at both the primary and secondary schools. 

The Creative Space continues to make an impact and now has a new generation of facilitators: Ronaldo Bantom, Chanté Barends, and Adriano Swingani, who form part of the current core team. Chanté was one of the original Creative Space learners in 2013, and after matriculating she returned to teach art at Hawston Secondary School, making a full-circle impact.

While art is at the centre, the programme extends well beyond painting and drawing. Learners are encouraged to discuss real-life issues in regular workshops. One such event in Hawston addressed themes like self-worth and consent, empowering Grade 7 girls with tools to say "no" and express themselves through journaling. Older learners often mentor the younger ones, creating a culture of support and peer leadership.

Field trips such as visits to the Hermanus First Fridays Artwalk expose students to the broader art world, while community involvement projects connect them with initiatives like the Overstrand Association for Persons with Disabilities (OAPD), recycling projects, and anti-rhino poaching. Most recently, The Creative Space contributed artworks for Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary’s annual fundraiser, showcasing pieces by Ronaldo, Adriano, Vivienne, and her son Alex Mitchley.

Community partnerships continue to fuel The Creative Space’s growth. Laager Tea has hosted annual exhibitions for Grade 10 learners for the past two years, offering students a platform to showcase their work. PNA Whale Coast Mall also supports the programme with donations of stationery, toys, and art supplies.

Despite the generous support, needs remain. The programme feeds children after school and is always in need of food donations, clothing, art supplies, and everyday items like empty jars or ice cream containers. Volunteers and workshop facilitators are also welcome to help enrich the programme, and they are always looking for new spaces to exhibit in.

Earlier this year, The Creative Space team received the prestigious John Theunissen Award (Visual Arts Winner 2024). Learners from several Overstrand high schools collaborated on design concepts for the local train station, paying tribute to the late John Theunissen, a beloved entertainer who served the village for over 35 years. This recognition is testament to the talent and teamwork that The Creative Space continues to nurture.

For more information visit www.thecreative-space.co.za or contact info@hermanusyouthproject.co.za.