St Francis Today has received several calls regarding the clearing of the land adjacent the roadworks at the St Francis Bay entrance circle. Well St Francis Property Owners in their latest newsletter have cleared up some of these queries. According to the newsletter ‘these are private properties and the owner has cleared these in response to complaints from neighbouring residents regarding the fire risk posed by overgrown alien vegetation on these properties.’  

Those concerned that these plots were going for a taxi-rank can thus rest assured that these plots are not going to be used for this purpose for formal taxi rank is rather being envisaged within Sea Vista and discussions are underway with the Kouga Municipality in this regard.

More good news is that apparently all the necessary contracts have now been signed off by the Kouga Wind Farm and the contractors so work can finally start on the pathway between Sea Vista and the village. The pathway is to be paved and will be lit and have CCTV cameras thus offering those using the pathway at night safe passage. We have heard that start on the pathway is imminent on several occasions so let us hope that it is indeed about to start for the safety of those working is the village do indeed deserve safe .

Before who are against most of what SFPO are involved in get hot under the collar that their money is being spent on Sea Vista, relax, the project is being fully funded by The Kouga Wind Farm Community Trust. Their funding includes the CCTV cameras and lighting that will be installed along the pathway for the protection of those using it.

Whilst there are those who are inherently opposed to virtually anything the SFPO proposes or does there is no doubt they have already made several positive improvement to St Francis Bay. Continue your good work – you have many more supporters than detractors.

A successful hunt for snares was held yesterday 

Sandra Hardie who organised the SNARE HUNT  commented on the wonderful turn-out for the snare hunt yesterday and thanked those who joined in the hunt. The bounty collected on the hunt included one broken old snare, a horrid small barbed wire & two rope snares. Seemingly a number of bushbuck alerted, lots of spoor & faeces. Desmond from SPCA joined the hunters.

Apart from snare sweeping the team did a sterling job of collecting bags & bags of litter.

The next snare hunt Thursday 18th April 2019 and more information can be obtained from Sandra Hardie 079 634 5391.

Snares found on yesterday’s snare hunt

Intermittent water supply over next three weeks in Cape St Francis and St Francis Bay

Water discreteness will be conducted at Sea Vista and Cape St Francis over the next three weeks and could lead to water outages for up to four hours in these areas. 

Kouga Infrastructure and Engineering Councillor Freddy Campher said expert contractors had been appointed to carry out the tests, aimed at helping to combat water losses.

“The Re-Solve/EAS Joint Venture has been tasked to conduct discreteness testing in order to optimise the water reticulation system, as well as to locate potential leaks,” he said.

Campher warned that the tests could lead to a drop in water pressure or water interruptions for up to three hours in the areas where the teams were working.  

Tests will be conducted in the residential area of Sea Vista next week, from 18 to 20 March, and in Cape St Francis the following week, from 25 to 27 March. Tests will then be conducted at the Sea Vista industrial area from 27 to 29 March.

“Residents will most likely experience a disruption of the water supply on the first or second day, but we recommend that they also prepare for possible interruptions on the third day.”   

He said the teams would be easily identifiable as they will be wearing brightly coloured safety vests and carrying ID cards.

“They will also be making use of branded vehicles and will have a letter signed by Kouga Municipality, indicating the activities to be undertaken.

“We ask that residents be patient during the execution of these activities in order to help us reduce water losses and ensure ongoing reliable service delivery to all residents.”

Media Release Kouga Municipality

Thatch Marshall

For those who have still have thatch this may be possibly a solution to reducing threat of fire before you consider spending on changing to tiles, tin or the new shingle roof product that many have selected in recent times.

redFireLabs is a company with a division now based in Jeffreys Bay and they supply a range of Fire retardant products to the residential and industrial industry. Thatch Marshal is a South African manufactured product and it holds third party labs certification, complies with SANS 10407 and conforms with ASTM E 108 specifications.

– more than 35 years of combined experience in the fire retardant industry
– It is a chemical that swells and resists the accelerated process of fire that in many cases brings it to a halt
– Thatch Marshal 8000 is clear and non odorous, non toxic when dry and non flammable solvents
– It is also environmental and pet friendly, it dilutes easily even when in contact with nature
– We apply 0,9 liters per m2 for exterior and 0,3 liters per m2 to the interior of Thatch with a high pressure pump and penetrates the thatch approximately 75mm

The benefits

– It extends the life of your thatch and reduces their maintenance periods
– It provides increased dust and water resistance
– It binds the thatch together making it more difficulty to get damaged by wind
– It inhibits the growth of fungus, reducing sinus and allergies
– many insurance companies validate it and decrease your insurance premiums
– on completion we issue a certificate of application that should be handed over to your insurance broker
– our application is valid for a period of (5)five years dependent of weather abrasion and aggression to your particular geographic location
– applied in conjunction with our Emergency Control Barrier you can achieve an integral solution for the protection of your investment
– we also supply Rational certificates if required for building and construction

Due to complexity and sensitivity on some of their products where training and the use of specialised equipment is a requirement, redFireLabs prefer to execute applications themselves rather than using sub contractors. Certifications are included in their applications.

Other products

Thatch Marshal 8000
Entumescent agent specially developed for the prevention of fire in Thatch Roofs. Water based solution free of sulfates and phosphates. Many other advantages to the regards of Thatch maintenance.

Thatch Marshal 9000
It is an enhanced version and variation of the previous and successful ThatchMarshal800. Super concentrate formula.

Mine Marshal 8000
Entumescent developed for the protection and retardation of fire on timber. Main uses for the building and mining applications.

Textile Marshal 8000
Another successful product developed for impregnating of textiles in the prevention and reduction of heat. Ease and safe usage in heated environments.

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Enjoying a cup of coffee with a fellow Kings Beach Lifesaving Club member from the past, Nigel Harvey, we were joined by a local born and bred youngster who along with Nigel is very involved in St Francis Bay Paddling Club. The topic of conversation naturally flowed to lifesaving and then more specifically, paddling discussing some of the greats of lifesaving and paddling, some of whom Phill has had the privilege to paddle with over his years as probably St Francis Bay Paddling Club’s most accomplished paddler.

As a schoolboy paddling was certainly not even a ripple on his sporting future for playing off  a Plus Two golf handicap a future on amateur golf circuit if not a professional career would be a natural progression. Being a relatively small guy choosing golf over rugby at school at Nico Malan in Humansdorp was a no-brainer and certainly seemed to have decided his path in sport. Enrolling in the Golf Academy in Johannesburg after school seemed to further cement the future of this budding young golfer brought up on the greens of St Francis.

But life of is full of twists and turns and after practicing eight-eight hours a day at the academy a young  Phill Smith decided that was not the path he wanted to follow and returned to St Francis clear in his mind not to pursue a future in golf.

A sports minded youngster really has limited choices living in St Francis. Surfing is a choice as are swimming, running or paddling and so young Phil turned to swimming. Training with Haydn Holmes  at Haydn’s  swimming facility, Liquid Lines in Cape St Francis, one thing led to another and Haydn soon encouraged Phill to get involved in paddling. Phil has never looked back and made the transition from the greens of golf to the ripples of the canals and paddling is now his passion. Such is this passion that Phill now trains twice a day either swimming, paddling, running as well as attending Yoga classes twice a week.

Phill has excelled at his chosen sport thus far even boasting a win at an international event in Ireland partnering world surfski champion Dawid Mocke. Relating how he received a phone call from Mocke who was competing in Portugal at the time, Mocke asked him if he would like to join him in the Irish race. Phill didn’t need a second invitation and the rest is history.

Phill still has yet to win St Francis Bay’s major paddling event, The Pam Golding King of The Kromme and says unfortunately the date clashes with an event in Plettenberg Bay that he races in but he says he is going to make an effort to race the Kromme event this year.

Phill has raced most of the big challenges including th PE – East London on both a double ski (with Haydn) and on a single. Next on his race calendar is the Freedom Challenge in the Cape in April. He raced partnered Matt Boumann last year finishing third overall last year in spite of being disqualified in the first round for inadvertently wearing an illegal life jacket for the leg. His plans are to again partner Boumann but this time, take the honours.

Asked as to his future in paddling his answer was rather interesting. Whilst he would like to win a few races he would love to do some of the international events especially the Molokai in Hawaii, a race in which South Africans have excelled in over the years, none more so than the legendary Oscar Chalupsky

Asked what he sees in his paddling future …

Inspired by Lewis Pugh’s swimming the length of the English Channel last year, Phill says his ultimate desire is to paddle the length of the South African coastline. Now that is a challenge! He certainly is in the right place being surrounded by people who can assist him in achieving this goal. Stave Praetorious who skippered the boat that accompanied Pugh on his historic swim lives in Cape St Francis and with his experience in these matters would make an ideal person to skipper the accompanying boat. That said the SA coastline is somewhat more challenging than the English Channel and Phill’s ambitions would be sure to make headlines. All he needs is a sposnor …  any offers?

 Such an achievement would certainly put little ole St Francis firmly on the international map if an organization like Sky could be convinced to cover it as they did Pugh’s monumental achievement.

Nigel Harvey (l) with Phill Smith