WELCOME TO PLETT !

  6 February 2012: Lovely sunny day with a light breeze from east-southeast, Temperature 25 degree's.

Low tide at 8.57 and 21.11, high tide at 3.01 and 15.11

This website hosts:
HELLO PLETT  the most comprehensive Directory of who does what and where to find them in the area.
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If the activity or business is not on Hello Plett it probably does not exist.
Other Publications featured on the site are:
'WHAT'S NEW IN PLETT'
Thursday is 'What's New day'  when everyone in town enjoys reading the little mag of what's new, what's happening, what's on sale and what's on special as well as news, views and other snippets from our community which includes all the suburbs of Bitou ... Natures Valley, Keurboomstrand, Keurboomsriver, Wittedrift, Uplands, Green Valley, Gansevallei, Plettenberg Bay, Qolweni/Bossiesgif/Gaaitjie/Pine Tree, New Horizons, Ladywood, KwaNokuthula and Harkerville. Click on 'What's New in Plett' to read the complete latest edition in Booklet form.
CRAGS TIMES is a monthly publication which is published at the end of each month.
PLETT IN THE WHALE SEASON and
and the PLET SUMMER SCENE are annual publications.
We trust that you will find all the information helpful and that it will add convenience to your enjoyment
of our area which is truly 'Spectacular by Nature.'

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Sabrina Love breaks all records
THE eighth annual Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge was lauded a great success as top international sport stars, holidaymakers and local athletes competed in the multidisciplinary competition in Plettenberg Bay on 28 and 29 December 2011.
Sponsored by Stonehage, international family wealth advisers, and Discovery, the Challenge drew close to 3000 participants to compete in 2 days of sport and fun for the whole family. While day one took place  at Plettenberg Bay’s popular Central Beach, the second day of the Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge moved for the first time ever to the prestigious Kurland Polo Estate.
     The Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge is the main fundraising activity for the Sabrina Love Foundation. Established in 2003 by Tony and Suzy Lubner in memory of their daughter Sabrina, who died at age six from complications of a rare bone disorder, the Foundation supports children and families living with physical disabilities in the Bitou region.
Events of the first day included:
The 6km Ocean Swim from Robberg Corner to Central Beach once again lived up to its iconic status as Paralympic gold medallist Natalie du Toit and Olympic long distance swimmer Chad Ho finished both in first position in their category. The sea conditions were difficult and times where slower than in previous years. Du Toit addressed competitors ahead of the Swim, encouraging them to “have fun and remember the Sabrina Love message of hope.”
     Olympic paddler and Plettenberg Bay local Michele Eray teamed up with Neil Stephenson and came in third in the Surfski Paddle behind the winners Warren and Wayne Jacobs, while the single paddle was won by Kevin Hill in a time of 1:05:55.
     Comrades Marathon legend Bruce Fordyce hosted the 10km Run, which was won in an incredible time of 38 minutes by Kane Riley and Carlyn Fisher (43:00). Conditions were very hot and humid and although the race took place in the early morning, athletes were battling with the heat.
     The beach walk was once again the atmospheric climax to the first day event as hundreds of walkers, donned pink T-shirts and hats, welcomed the swimmers to the beach.
     The second day of the Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge presented by Stonehage and Discovery was hosted at the magnificent Kurland Polo Estate where thousands of supporters of the charity event participated in one or more of the four sporting events on offer. The manicured grounds of the estate were draped in the now trademark Sabrina pink and, contrasted against the lush backdrop of the Tsitsikamma mountain range, made for a beautiful and fitting sight as the fundraising event attracted record numbers. The Kurland Pavilion, better known for its hosting of international polo matches, looked equally gracious serving as the event hub from which the different races reached out into the surrounding mountains, forests and lake.
     The first event of the day was the 600 meter lake swim over a star shaped course where participants were required to exit the water at two points. Olympian Chad Ho’s pure power through the water was enough to see him round the course in the fastest time to claim the men’s race whilst Kamilla Snyman was equally unfazed by the short running legs and emerged as the winner of a strong female field. 
     Attention was then focused on the 25km mountain bike ride where 400 riders, many of them clad in pink Sabrina riding gear, set off on a wide sweep of the estate reaching high into the beautiful mountain before descending on long single tracks back through the forests, over sparkling streams and onto the polo fields to reach the event hub. No one was too surprised when local mountain biking hero Kevin Evens broke from the treeline and streaked into the finish chute to claim his 2^nd Sabrina Love trophy while Nicky Booyens lead the woman’s race.
     The sun was already high in the sky when the 430 plus trail runners sprinted off into the forests for ten kilometres of pure trail running bliss. The intermediate course was intended to be achievable for the many first timers whilst still challenge the pro runners and that is exactly what the undulating and varied trail did. Melikhaya Msizi was smiling broadly when he sprinted down the home stretch to tremendous applause from the spectators to comfortably claim the men’s race whilst Nicky Rider held off a close challenge from the Crag’s local Kerry Scott, to claim 2^nd place in the woman’s race.
   For many participants the Sabrina Kids of Steel was the highlight of the day’s proceeding as youngsters racing in their age groups from 6 to 12 were set off on the specially designed adventure duathlon. A short swim was followed by a 1.5km exploration trail through the forests fringing main polo field before the children got to finish under the same arch that many of their heroes had passed under earlier in the morning.
     The Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge concluded with a spectacular prize giving ceremony with “Tigger” performing the Sabrina song together with the celebrated Plett Fieldband.
Further information and results on www.magneticsouth.net.

These adorable twins were born at Monkeyland recently. It is extremely rare to have twins born to capuchin monkeys...
read more information on Capuchins in this week's What's New in Plett.

Team Cyanosis

Garden Route
Adventurers World Class
The gruelling Adventure Racing World Championship concluded in Tasmania last week with both South African teams finishing amongst the top ten teams. No fewer than eighty teams from thirty countries challenged for Adventure Racings premium prize which was contested over a punishing 700km course. The three men and one woman teams were required to sea kayak, raft, cave, mountain bike and run traversing some of the wildest regions of this remote island.  The two South African squads; Team Merrell and Cyanosis finished 7^thand 8^th respectively just fifteen minutes apart after almost 150 hours of nonstop racing.
     The South African teams had been trading places for the entire duration of the race. Merrell caught them again 10 minutes before the final transition. “We saw them and thought, ‘we’ve got to move ... now!” said Tatum Prins. Bird added, “We ran right past them. It wasn’t a nice thing to do, but it’s a race. They wanted to beat us and we wanted to beat them!”    
     Although a healthy rivalry exists between the two South African teams, the real enmity was reserved for the Australians who fielded no fewer than 40 teams at the World Championships. Despite the sporty nations overwhelming representation in the championship and the home turf advantage, the Australians did not manage to have one team finish in front of the South Africans.  This must have been sweet revenge for Team Merrell who finished behind the Aussies in controversial circumstances in 2010.
     Cyanosis were pleased with their top 10 finish, which had been their objective at the start. “It’s good to have objectives,” said John Collins, “though when I saw who was racing I’d have been happy with top 20! It’s a good result as we’ve never really raced before as a team. The course was tough, very tough, and some of the stages were long. They just seemed to go on and on, but we really felt like we were out in the wilderness
     The strength of adventure sport in the Garden Route was underscoring in that each of the two South African sides had half their membership made up by locally based adventurers.  Knysnarians Graham Bird and Hano Smit raced for Team Merrell whilst John Collins and Jeanette Walder Wylie joined Team Cyanosis for the race.  John Collins had previously finished 5^th in the 2005 World Championship in Newfoundland.

Meet the Formosa Primary Tree Carers!

Formosa Primary serves as a pilot project that can hopefully be taken to all the other schools in the Bitou area once funding has been secured. Should you be interested in getting involved, please contact either info@lunchbox.org.za or info@thegreenticket.org

Site_Specific Bitou
– Land Art Book Launch
Janet Middleton reports:

Could there be a better place to launch a book on land art than the Beacon Isle Hotel. The iconic hotel is an architectural artwork in itself and the hotel hosted the launch of a documentary book about the Land Art Event that took place in Plettenberg Bay last year.

     Site_Specific explains that “discipline of Land Art uniquely combines culture and nature in a manner that brings art to the community’s landscape thus it has the potential to transform communities’ and individuals’ perceptions of themselves, each other, their environment and the interconnected relationship between all of them.”

      Last year, many Plett residents watched in wonder as circles were drawn in the sand and rocks piled atop rocks as both national and international artists worked on their pieces in and around the town. After seeing the collection of prints, I am reminded of the saying: “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” Seeing the collection completed and the prints on display showcased the talent of these artists and photographers as well as capturing the natural beauty of the Bitou Community.

     The launch was very well attended and included Site_Specific’s Strijdom van der Merwe, artist Anni Snyman and event designer, Heather Greig. The local art community supported the event and Jacques Moolman from the Beacon Island and Mayor Memory Booysen were also in attendance.

     Both Mayor Booysen and Mr Moolman expressed their excitement over the Site_Specific project and future Land Art events in the Bitou area.

     Most of the artwork created disappeared within a week or two, but Simon Bannister was commissioned by the Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative to create a permanent work close to the Griqua community of Kranshoek. Along with local stone masons, he created a work entitled “Aartmoeders” and this is the first artwork in the Eden to Addo Corridor land art route.

     Looking into 2012, the Site_Specific Land Art event will take place this year with a week long showing including the communities of Wittedrift and The Crags in addition to Kwanokuthula, Kranshoek, Robberg and the Keurbooms Corridor. The artwork and event will be focused around local artists with an invited artist creating a piece for the Eden to Addo Corridor and holding workshops during their stay at Ebenezer Estate.

     Very exciting for nature and art lovers is the 6 day hike/mountain bike trail linking the Eden to Addo Corridor Land Art sites. Please contact admin@edentoaddo.co.za for more information as space is limited.

     We are very much looking forward to this event this year and if you would like to get a copy of the book or a beautiful limited edition print, contact anni@annisnyman.co.za or heather@redart.co.za