Helderberg Nature Reserve

Eco-Ranger Newsletter – Autumn 2012

educationcentre — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:27:31 +0000

The latest newsletter of the Eco-Rangers is available for download.

Eco-Rangers Newsletter Autumn 2012

March 2012 Hack Newsletter

admin — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:06:56 +0000

The hack newsletter reporting on the March hack is available for download as a pdf.

Newsletter-2012-03

West Peak sleepover – 17/18 March 2012

educationcentre — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:02:24 +0000

We had a fabulous sleepover on the mountain. The weather was lovely.

Ready to climb the mountain!

It was hard work walking up the mountain, but everyone was in good spirits. We had a refreshing break at the gorge where everyone could fill up their water bottles. Then the interesting path began, zig zaging up the buttress towards the saddle.

Silhouette view from the cave

We decided to sleep over in an overhang just below the saddle. We each looked for a place to sleep: some surfaces where nice and flat, but dripped from above. Some where very narrow, you could easily bump your head when sitting up. Eventually everyone managed to find a spot, even if it was between a rock and a hard place!

Everyone found a space to sleep

The next morning we had breakfast and then explored a few smaller overhangs, caves and a porcupine hole.

After this we loaded our packs again and walked right to the top of West Peak to enjoy the view. Ben and Jeff found the official Geo cash container and could swap ‘treasures’.

West peak summit!

Then it was time to go down again. We decided to take the same route back, as the other route was in a bad state.

Our youngest member, Noah who is just 6 years old, found many insects, spiders, lizards etc. along the way. Kieran, who was on the mountain for the first time, enjoyed it so much that he can’t wait for the next hike. Thanks to everyone who joined us and well done to all of you!

Penguin outing : Betty’s Bay – 4 February 2012

educationcentre — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:01:10 +0000

The penguin outing on Saturday was very informative and hopefully enjoyed by everyone!

Although it was windy, the children learned so much. Cuan gave us an interesting history of Stony Point, why the colony of penguins settled there, what threats there are for the penguins and what good work is being done. He showed us penguin eggs and the skull of a penguin and demonstrated what penguins feed on with its sharp hooked beak.

ECO-Rangers and parents listening to an informative talk on penguins

After the talk we walked onto the boardwalk into the colony and looked at the penguins that were mostly standing at the waters edge for their 21 day molt. We plan to come back in March when the chicks are born. We want to give our ECO-Rangers the opportunity to do a penguin observation on one or two nests. We also want to visit SANCCOB in Cape Town in winter. This is where any penguins or other birds are taken if they have been exposed to oil. Here the children will be able to see how birds are cleaned and handled.

African penguins preparing for the coming nesting season.

Friends Newsletter – March 2012

admin — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 08:56:46 +0000

The latest newsletter of the Friends of Helderberg Nature Reserve is available for download.

Friends News March 2012

February 2012 Hack Newsletter

admin — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:47:42 +0000

The hack newsletter reporting on the February hack is available for download as a pdf.

Newsletter-2012-02

Banned In Evolution concert on 11 March 2012

admin — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 10:54:30 +0000

Local Big Band at the Helderberg Nature Reserve

Pack a picnic and enjoy a feast of Rock, Funk, Jazz and African music when Banned in Evolution ends the summer concert series on 11 March 2012 at the Helderberg Nature Reserve in Somerset West.

Banned in Evolution was formed four years ago by a group of talented like-minded local musicians. The band soon evolved into what it is today – players of different generations, comprising music teachers, University students, learners at local schools and professional business people.

The band’s repertoire includes Moonlight Serenade, In the Mood, Mack the Knife, Lady Marmalade, Mpumalanga Sunrise, Dudu, Hit the Road Jack, Cry me a River, I’m a Believer, Way Back Fifties, Roxanne and many others.

Banned in Evolution perform in the Reserve on Valentine's day in 2010.

One of the band’s objectives was to provide a forum for young players to continue sharpening their talents by being around experienced musicians. Some of the music with a township jazz flavour has been specifically written for the band by Prof Mike Campbell, Convenor of the Jazz Studies Programme at UCT.

The present members are Duncan Combe – music teacher at Parel Vallei High School on Alto sax/Bass, Brad Bennell on Keyboard, Gavin Bingham (Ophthalmologist) on Tenor Sax, Dylan Campbell and Chris Coetzee (students and past Somerset College pupils) on Trumpet and Baritone Sax, Tessa Roos (music student and past Somerset College pupil) as lead singer, Jeanette Combe (past Parel Vallei pupil and Drum teacher at Somerset College) on Drums, Louise Smith and Karen Hess (Trombone teachers at Somerset College and SACS Junior respectively) on Trombones, Markus Hegewisch and Nicolai Hausammer (pupils at Somerset College) on Tenor Sax and Guitar and Simon Chapman (Director of Music at Somerset College) on Alto Sax.

The concert starts at 17:30 and tickets can be bought at the gate or at the Information Centre. The tickets cost R40 per adult and R10 for scholars and the price includes entrance to the Reserve. There is no admission fee for children under the age of five. Discounted season tickets are available at the Information Centre. Parking is available inside the Reserve.

Bring your blankets and chairs, your friends and refreshments and come and enjoy the entertainment.
Please call the Information Centre for more information.
For contact details refer to the Information column to the right of the page.

Army and Caledonian bands concert on 19 February 2012

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:30:22 +0000

The ever popular SA Army Band and Caledonian Pipe Band join forces on Sunday, 19 February 2012 to delight sunset concert patrons with their big band sound at the Helderberg Nature Reserve in Somerset West. The concerts are brought to you by the Friends of the Helderberg Nature Reserve and Fleur du Cap.

Dressed in their traditional McDonald Tartan, the Caledonian Pipe Band will play a variety of standard items, but expect a few numbers you might not have heard before. This band is a regular at various functions – especially those with a Scottish flavour such as Burns Nicht at Kelvin Grove.

The band was the overall winner of the Eastern Gathering in 2009 and also led the procession against women and children violence through the streets of Cape Town.

The Caledonian Pipe Band playing in the Nature Reserve

The Army Band, that can hold its own with any international military band, is also the premier music training institution in the SANDF and has trained numerous musicians from neighbouring African countries. At present they are training members of the SADEC region in military music. Besides Rwanda and Congo, they will be training groups from Botswana this year. The Cape Town Tattoo at the Castle will take place from 31 October 2012 to 3 November 2012. If the 2010 Tattoo is anything to go by, it will be a great spectacle.

January 2012 Hack Newsletter

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:05:25 +0000

The hack newsletter reporting on the January hack is available for download as a pdf.

Newsletter-2012-01

Virtual Jazz Reality concert on 5 February 2012

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:47:29 +0000

Bring your picnic and relax to the sound of jazz masters, Virtual Jazz Reality, at 17:30 on Sunday, 5 February 2012 at the Helderberg Nature Reserve in Somerset West.

Formed in 1993, Virtual Jazz Reality (VJR) comprises some of the most respected, versatile and experienced artists on the South African music scene. Collectively and/or individually, they have performed throughout Africa, the United Kingdom, America (New Orleans and New York), Far East, UAE (Dubai), Australia, Sweden, Denmark and elsewhere in Europe.

The band’s jazz repertoire includes over 100 original compositions (some of which have reached the top of the jazz charts) and all the popular jazz standards.

Virtual Jazz Reality in concert

The band has done numerous television and radio specials and has worked with artists such as Pavarotti, Jonathan Butler, Shirley Bassey, Liberace, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Bono, Anastasia, Shakatak, Latoya Jackson, Judith Sephuma (a former member of VJR) and Jimmy Dludlu.

Comprising Ian Smith (trumpet, flugelhorn, and vocals), Andrew Ford (keyboards, drums and bass), Sammy Webber (bass and vocals) and Frank Paco (drums and vocals), VJR have impressive individual pedigrees as band leaders, studio musicians, music educators and performers.

Having played with numerous ensembles of his own creation including Concert Boulevard, Pound Seats, MJ-9, The Tony Schilder Quartet, Airborne and Inside Out, Ian Smith is one of the most sought after studio musicians. His prowess as a trumpet player has also earned him a place as a soloist for the UCT Big Band and for the CAPAB and CTSO orchestras. He was also one of the influential figures, along with Prof Mike Campbell, in the formation of the Cape Jazz Orchestra.

Andrew Ford has studied piano and percussion – both classical and jazz – for the past sixteen years and in 1980 began performing with the Richmond-Upon-Thames Youth Band in London. Despite having performed extensively with his own trios and groups (Inside Out), as well as being a regular with the CAPAB, CTSO and Cape Jazz Orchestra, his talents as a producer are extensive. His appointment as musical director for B&S Studios while at the same time running his own successful recording studio, the ‘Nuthouse’, bears tribute to this fact.

Sammy Webber has been playing bass from the age of 17 and started playing in his first band at the age of only 19. Since then he has played with the successful duo U-Turn with Tony Paulse and is also the bass player for Inside Out and MJ-9. He is increasingly in demand as a session musician and is considered a vital contributor by the members of VJR.

Self-taught musician, Frank Paco, started playing drums at the age of 16 whilst living in Mozambique. He has performed with Zairian-born French singing sensation Papa Wemba, South African renowned vocalist Miriam Makeba and has toured with Afrojazz band Sakhile. More recently he featured on the FNB and Gold album by Jimmy Dludlu, “Echoes From The Past”.