Category: this is south africa

Fire Pano

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One of the sadly inevitable consequences of the cape Town drought is the exacerbation of our fire season. With no recent rain, the local veld and fynbos is a veritable tinder box ready to go up at the slightest provocation. The Overberg FPA recently documented the huge number (40) of major wildfires they have had to deal with so far this year.

Yesterday afternoon, it was the turn of Cape Town once again, as firefighters, 3 helicopters and a spotter plane worked hard for several hours to contain a fire in Cecilia Forest. We couldn’t actually see the fire from our garden or our house, but I popped the Mavic up and suddenly, all became clear (Well, as clear as it could be with all the smoke drifting around). And so I did what any sensible fellow would have done, and banged the pano button. 21 separate photos, taken automatically by the drone and stitched in the app gave me this:

Those are Wynberg School fields in the foreground (Junior on the left, High School on the right), with the fire clearly visible on the on the mountain beyond, and smoke drifting everywhere, but mainly southwards on the light breeze through the Constantia Valley and down towards False Bay.

This is a great example of how the Mavic can give you a different point of view on things. I knew there was a fire somewhere close: I could smell it, and the air was hazy with smoke. But I literally couldn’t see anything from ground level. I’m in no way suggesting that this a great image (it’s not – shooting straight into the sun is never a good idea), but at least I could see what was going on, and could document it. (And without getting in the way of any helicopters.)
Last time I saw a wildfire, I had to drive to get there.

It would be nice, however, if there weren’t too many more wildfires to ‘tog in this way (or any other).

 

UPDATE: Sullivan Photography at Ground Zero

So gone

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Hey, Surgical Ward at the local hospital.

Thanks for being there when I needed you. I really wasn’t expecting to drop in this week, but these things happen, and you and your staff have been nothing short of amazing.

In fact, the care has been so good that I’ve been told that can go home today.

If I promise to be good when I get there.

You know me. I’m always good.

So it’s goodbye for now.
And thanks again for fixing me.

On fake twitter accounts

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I love local political press releases. And this one from the new police minister is particularly good.

Of course, Bheki Cele’s predecessor was hugely active on twitter. Sadly, he was more active in twitter than at doing his actual job. Happily, he’s now not doing his actual job anymore. Lovely.
But will our new minister be busy on the social medias? No chance – if you’ve seen an tweet from him, IT’S FAKE!

The Minister wishes to state categorically clear that any Twitter account or any social media account operating in his name is Fake and that no one is authorized to operate any social media account in his name.

See?

But wait, there’s more:

The mushrooming Twitter handles in the name of the Minister are viewed as sinister and are aimed at dragging the name of Minister Cele in all dirty and tricky mud games in the social media space for reasons best known to the ghost operators.

I actually only go onto Twitter to engage in all dirty and tricky mud games in the social media space. The rest of it is rubbish.

Social media remains a respectable communication platform that should be exempted from any abuse by ghost operators.

Ok. I’m in agreement here. Ghost operators should stick to operating ghosts. That’s definitely what they’re best at. Not abusing respectable communication platforms. No-one needs that. And what happens to all the unoperated ghosts while all this abuse is going on?

A frankly terrible situation.

This is a typically robust, ridiculously nonsensical start from Cele, and I can’t wait for what’s coming next.

An intervention

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Things weren’t going well with my knee, to the point where it was actually in danger of causing some permanent damage.

I’ve just woken up from a second, reasonably comfortable night in hospital and things are much less swollen than yesterday. Now I’m waiting for the call on whether I’ll be allowed to go home today. It seems unlikely, but a collective decision (doc, me, Mrs 6000, physio etc) will be made. It all seems rather dramatic and over the top to be honest, but they’re (quite reasonably) not willing for there to be more problems and another return visit.

Bandages are off, drain out, wounds looking good, drip out soon. The signs are good.

So, today will be another dull day of waking up super early [ticks box], hearing weird ward noises [ticks box], popping the cricket on and dozing [soon].

I promise you that it sounds much better than it actually will be. Additionally, I was unable to sort out my music issue before my surprise admission here, so I’m rather limited on the front as well. Grr.

Bit depressing, bit annoying, but fingers crossed that this is a new beginning.

Onward and upward.

(Just once I’m out of bedward.)

Gone yachting

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I like writing about yachting. There are hundreds of opportunities to slip yachting puns into your post, but it’s ok: yaw knot going to ketch me reaching for any of them. (Although I might pop one in schooner or later, so don’t go aweigh.)

But I digress. Often.

The Boy Wonder had a great weekend, which included a sunset cruise for a birthday party. The boat he was on was fairly impressive (friends, all you can eat sushi, on-board DJ), but the boat he saw while he was out there was on a whole other (sea) level.

Meet CLOUDBREAK, freshly into Cape Town from Tristan de Cunha.

72 point 5 metres of luxury yacht, with 22 staff for the 12 guests, who are housed in 1 master suite, 3 double and 2 twin cabins. Swimming pool, helicopter landing pad (because… well, obviously you need to park it somewhere), jacuzzi, and a tender garage for all your James Bond moment requirements. Jet skis, kayaks, flyboard, windsurfers. In case you get bored of the on-board cinema. Wow.

What’s more, by utilising YachtEye technology, charterers are able to trace the course of their passage in real-time on a collection of iPads found throughout the yacht. As impressive in its subtleties as its more obvious design features, CLOUDBREAK is finished with heated flooring in the ensuite facilities and totally automated doors.

And it can all be yours from just €750,000 (R10.7m) a week.

“Plus expenses.”

I’ve checked my bank account, and it being in that deliciously misleading bit twixt pay day and debit orders, I reckon I can afford almost 3 minutes and I’m off down to the Waterfront to cash it in right now.

If you’re reading this in Cape Town today (as in the day that I wrote it: 26th Feb 2018), CLOUDBREAK is still moored outside Mugg and Bean at the Waterfront if you want to go and have a look.

No touchies though, ok? Much like the rest of us, you simply can’t afford the cleaning bills.