Langebaan’s tidal estuary; new heights on the Green Mountain; Guy du Toit artworks; One, no one, one hundred thousand
PS: You have six balmy autumnal weeks to walk through and around the protected mountains surrounding Wildekrans Country House. Do consider hiking a trail, we have lots to share with you in mountain paths, food, wine and conversation. Book HERE.
PPS: Just four weeks until the May 2026 art retreat, Imagination. Enquire about the Imagination Art Retreat
Good Morning
‘Don’t just do something, stand there.’ This phrase came through from one of our financial institutions in the last few weeks. It’s amusing, clever and of course useful in this tumultuous time where every day brings news of a different happening that we have no part in. Allegedly originally uttered by the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.
We did exactly that, whilst gazing at the Langebaan lagoon this past holiday weekend. South African National Parks are managing the health of the Langebaan lagoon, a tidal estuary recognised as a Wetland of International Importance under the RAMSAR Convention 1998. The lagoon currently achieves a B health status while it should achieve an A, given it’s natural context, according to the 2025 Draft Assessment. Extensive industrial development, port operations, mariculture, and residential expansion exert significant pressure on this ecosystem.
My reading of the Assessment takeaways start with how the Saldanha Bay harbour development has changed the wave energy and circulation patterns, influencing the particle-size composition of the estuarine sediments, particularly an increase in mud, in areas previously dominated by coarser sediments. These changes have further led to a decline in various invertebrates like molluscs and crustaceans, seagrass cover, invertebrate diversity and waders. All exacerbated by ships that bring in alien species on their hulls and in their ballast, ready to fill the ecosystem voids created by port pressures. This well illustrates the need for citizens to pay attention to tabled projects and concurrent EIA’s. The Saldanha Steel plant was mothballed in 2020.
The Elgin Valley and Bot River farmers that abut the Kogelberg Biosphere, a World Heritage Site, are paying attention and are in the process of taking the protected status of these mountains to a new level. It is through these mountains that the Green Mountain Trail happily walks sharing knowledge of the plant kingdom, geology and history. We have been climbing higher slopes in these autumn days, pushing new boundaries and finding new paths to fulfil the super active Duracell bunny hikers. A range of paths of different effort levels suit varying fitness levels.
This week’s WANTED magazine featured ‘the internationally acclaimed Green Mountain Trail which also stands out for its gourmet dining, ecofriendly wines – from the world’s first biodiversity wine route on family-owned farms in the Elgin and Bot River area – and modern art in the historic Wildekrans Country House.’
Claire Keeton writes about trail base camp; ‘ Wildekrans Country House has the charm of centuries embedded in it’s thick walls, beyond which is a peaceful garden adorned with sculptures bordered by the Jackal River and Kogelberg Biosphere. No surprise then that it is a sought-after artists’ retreat’. Guy du Toit’s works in the collection are well appreciated with much affection given to DANCING HARE. Three pieces from the series OBJECTS STARTING WITH A CHICKEN are now placed in our gardens. These works are for both the sheer enjoyment of viewing and for sale. To walk through the gardens and view, call ahead to walk the gardens, or book a trail or an overnight. 028 284 9827.
Not being able to take a good look at yourself or, in fact, to see yourself at all, has always mystified me. In an Italian class last term we were introduced to philosopher Luigi Pirandello who in 1926 wrote One, No One and One Hundred Thousand (Uno, nessuno e centomila). Simply put it’s about how the only you is the sum of how all others perceive you. The phenomenon of not being able to see yourself is known to cause anxiety and sometimes insanity.
After that bombshell I thought to close with Audrey Lorde’s A Burst of Light. If like me you don’t like foul language, please yoga glaze your eyes over the last line.
‘I want to live the rest of my life,
however long or short,
with as much sweetness as I can decently manage,
loving all the people I love,
and doing as much as I can of the work I still have to do.
I am going to write fire until it comes out my ears,
my eyes, my noseholes—everywhere.
Until it’s every breath I breathe.
I’m going to go out like a fucking meteor!’
― Audre Lorde, A Burst of Light
PPPS: Langebaan Beach Cottage is well loved by travellers seeking the shores of the massive Langebaan lagoon. Visitors cite beautiful surroundings, great restaurants and lots to do.
With love
