Update on the rain

Well, it is still raining here at the Estate and it doesn't really look like it is going to let up any time soon. It has been a soft, continuous rainfall (What I have always called "South Coast Rain") and we received only 57mm between my last post regarding Dineo and yesterday afternoon.

The rivers receded a bit since Dineo and remained at high but acceptable levels throughout the week. The roads were quite heavily damaged by the flooding last week and our team of workers have spent this week, in the rain, repairing them.

BUT

Last night we had a further 34mm of rain and I noticed, on my way to work this morning, that the Kliprots' water level has risen about 40cm since yesterday afternoon.

What is left of the wooden foot bridge just North of the hatchery on the Spekboom

The Spekboom behind the hatchery this morning

Beautiful Climbing Rock Rose, Sphedamnocarpus pruriens, found climbing up the cliff faces just below Mount Prospect yesterday afternoon.

The secretive Orchid, Dispersis anthoceros, growing in a colony all around my little cabin this very morning!

I will be here and will still be conducting guided hikes up in the highlands on Saturday and Sunday where we can explore.....

New Orchid species.

oh my goodness, I have to share my excitement:

I was just below the summit of Mount Anderson in January doing follow-up work on the Pines we destroyed up there when I encountered a beautiful orchid. I, as usual, took photos of it with my phone and reached for the excellent and fully comprehensive orchid book that Graeme (or is it Graham?). Naylor from unit 1 gave to me. Strangely, I could not find it in the book!

I sent a picture of it to Mervin Lotter today together with my plant list and got an immediate reply:

" Hi Jimmy

Do you know that you just missed out on discovering a new orchid species! The species you found on Mount Anderson (part of the reason for our visit last weekend), is Disa staerkeriana, named after Hurbert Staerker who discovered it about 3 years ago. It is not everyday that someone finds a new orchid. Do see http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=2759-4014 "

This is another reason why I love my job! Anyway, here are some photos of this new and very rare (only known from about 30 individuals!) Orchid:

So long.......

DINEO was here.

We were certainly brushed by cyclone DINEO this weekend! Between Thursday and Friday we received around 130mm of rain which swelled the rivers to the point where they were unsafe to cross. The Abels from unit 2 wisely escaped the Estate at around 02h00 on Friday morning before the water levels rose too high. In fact, the staff were all trapped on the village side of the Spekboom river on Friday and were unable to get to work! The Benningtons and their guests were also hunkered down in unit 10 with nowhere to go as the waters dashed around their house and the Howards were very much trapped up in the Steenkamp's valley in unit 21.

 By Saturday, Whiskey 6 was traversable but still rather rough and the Benningtons were able to drive around a lot of the Estate. The Howards, though, were still trapped in the valley because the rock crossing at S3 was washed away. By late afternoon we managed to get them across the S3 crossing only because they were in an excellent off-road vehicle and Gary had faith in it.

The water's egress from the "Shark tank" with Spioenkop in the backround.

The crossing at Whiskey 6. I sure wasn't going to try cross it!

The crossing between K3 and K4. My vehicle was picked up and drifted a few meters when I crossed it. Phew!

K9 flowing strongly.

I could finally see the suspension bridge just North of Otter's rest only on Saturday afternoon when the water levels had dropped somewhat.

The access road between unit 24 and 25 was still a raging river even late on Saturday afternoon.

 Anyway, I am glad to say that it appears all the concrete infrastructure, including the hatchery, managed to withstand the massive amounts of water. Simon did say he lost a bunch of fingerlings but, after working through the night on Thursday and Friday, he said the loss was relatively minimal.

The roads, though, are a different story. The water levels have dropped to reveal massive damage to the roads and I am sure we will find a lot more damage as the levels drop further in the coming week!

We look forward to seeing a lot of visitors on the upcoming weekend! It sure is lush and green here!