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Monthly Archives: November 2015
Knysna….the heart of Africa
SLURP from the left and SIP from the right……or vice versa…..repeat….
This is how you should eat a Knysna Oyster. Slurp from the shell in your left hand and sip from the wine glass in your right hand.
Knysna is home of the SA’s first commercial oyster company that was founded in 1948. In 1973, the oyster boom really hit and more farms were set up, creating more jobs for a town that was still a small forestry and fishing town.
Some silly facts about oysters:
– NYC used to be the place to eat oysters in the 17th century
– Oysters have many health benefits because it is rich in Zinc
– There are five species of oysters.
– Oysters clean the water – Each oyster filters about 110 to 190 litres of water a day.
– Not all types of oysters make pearls.
– Oysters taste better in the winter
Wild Knysna Oyster
92 years old and 96m long…..
This is the Red Bridge, on the Western side of Knysna that supports the main raw-water pipeline that conveys more than 80% of the water used in Knysna homes.
The bridge originally carried road traffic to and from the West to Knysna. When the White Bridge (on the N2) was built in 1955, the original road river-crossing was closed and the Red Bridge was handed to the Knysna Municipality.
Construction of this bridge starter in 1918 and was completed in 1922. In 2014, the Knysna Municipality did essential maintenance and refurbishment at the cost of over R3 million.
This is such an amazing place to visit, take photos and even take a swim in the river.
Paraskavedekatriaphobia ……
….the fear of Friday the 13th!
While many will laugh off the superstitious day, others people will stay in bed today
The origin of the fear surrounding Friday the 13th is unclear. There has been a longstanding myth that if 13 people dine together, one will die within a year. The myth comes from the Last Supper, when Jesus dined with the 12 Apostles prior to his death. Also, in a Norse myth, the god Odin dined with 11 close friends and their dinner party crashed by a 13th person, Loki, the god of evil and turmoil.
There are a number of popular myths and superstitions surrounding the day, most famously:
- If you cut your hair on Friday the 13th, someone in your family will die.
- If a funeral procession passes you on Friday the 13th, you will be the next to die.
- Do not start a trip on Friday or you will encounter misfortune.
- If you break a mirror on Friday the 13th, you will have seven years of bad luck.
- A child born on Friday the 13th will be unlucky for life.
- Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck.
- If you walk under a ladder or if a black cat crosses you on Friday the 13th, you will have bad luck..
Anyone from 6 to 106 can do it……
…….. SUP (Stand Up Paddle) is definitely a Family affair. A sport that anyone at any age can do.
Beginners can learn the art of Stand-up paddle Boarding in the protected shallow waters of the Knysna Lagoon. As you get better, you will have to venture out for a lagoon tour.
For the more experienced core paddler, take an unforgettable surfing experience right into the famous Knysna Heads, at Coffin Bay. This is for experienced board riders only, and this can only be done twice a month at Spring Low tide. For the novice paddler/board rider wanting to venture into the surf we have the perfect beach.
Equipment, including boards, paddles and wetsuits can be rented. Stand Up paddling is a refreshing, easy, and exciting way to get in shape. Stand Up paddle Boarding is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and touring/cruising on these boards is an awesome way to get outside.
Book you stay at the Knysna Log-Inn www.kli.co.za res@kli.co.za ……… and contact Tony for more info about SUP info@kitesurfingafrica.co.za
The Paquita…..Part 2
Explore the remains of the Paquita…..
Scuba diving in Knysna is a great adventure for anyone interested in shipwrecks. The Paquita sank on the eastern side of the Knysna Heads way back in 1903.
This wreck, which is easily accessible to qualified divers, remains in excellent condition. Its iron plates still glimmer brightly and its anchors are clearly visible, despite sitting at the bottom of the ocean for over a century.
Divers exploring the Paquita wreck can go as far as 16m below the surface. The visibility of the water at the site is graded as moderate, with divers able to see up to 10m in any direction.
In addition to the wreck, divers will experience a variety of marine life, such as monster-size garrick (also known as leerfish), small sharks, cuttlefish and an assortment of colourful sea anemones.
There is even a chance of spotting the rare Knysna seahorse, believed to be the most endangered variety of seahorse on the planet and indigenous to the Knysna Lagoon.
The Paquita…..Part 1
Taking a trip to the Knysna Heads’ many viewpoints. If you’re lucky, and if the water’s clear, you might be surprised and see the outline of a ship.
That’s the wreck of the Paquita.
Interesting story:
The Paquita – launched in 1862, a 3-masted ship that sailed from Goole, in England, in April 1903 with a cargo of coal for Knysna’s Thesen and Co. She arrived off The Heads in July, 1903, but anchored far too close to the coast for comfort, so the Thesen’s steam ship Agnar sailed out of The Heads to offer to tow her in. Her captain refused – and instead, sailed off to anchor in Plettenberg Bay.
In August, though, Captain Faske returned to Knysna, sailed safely into The Heads, and discharged his cargo before taking on ballast for the forward journey to Barbados.
After sailing back into the channel, and laid down his anchor – which ‘failed’ in high winds, and the Paquita found herself washed up against the Island.
Clearly she’d have to stay there until the next spring tide when she would be floating off safely. But when that happened, she somehow, mysteriously, strangely, floated right onto the rocks at Fountain Point, where she commenced to sink.
In Part 2, we will be exploring The Paquita……………..under water.
Knysna Log-Inn Hotel 