+bear&fox Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Hoo boy, I can think of at least two caches that must surely have been toasted in the current fire. Hopefully I will be proved wrong. I also read that it is thought 40% of the (world's) Silver Trees have been destroyed. Sad. Fox and I have been planning a cache that takes one through these magnificent trees... hopefully we can still find a reasonable stand of these! B Quote Link to comment
+GlobalRat Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Latest news seems to indicate that the fires were the result of an individuals indiscriminate use of the countryside as their ashtray. If this is the case, then I hope this person feels the full force of the law (for what it is worth) and it will send a message to all those other puffers that treat the world as their ashtray, what's wrong with the one in your car? Not only has this inflicted untold destruction to nature, it has resulted in the tragic loss of life. In addition I'm quite fed up with walking along our beautiful trails, plonking myself down on a beach, or pretty much going anywhere while caching (had to get it in) or not, and having to wade through thousands of cigarette butts! Quote Link to comment
+ZAlandyman & Susieq Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 We have been witness to the fires for the last two nights and it is heartbreaking when thinking of the loss of a human life, animal life, and vegetation. According to a nature conservationist, it will take 15/20 years for the animals to re-inhabit after a fire. So sad about the silver trees, we were just talking about that this morning before entering the forum. Apparently they are charging the offending smoker (a British tourist) for arsen and homoside. He has been released on R3000 bail and his passport has been confiscated. On a brighter note - Yesterday, Cape Talk raised +/- R1 400 000 for the Fire fighters. Quote Link to comment
+vespax Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 (edited) Had dinner with a few reporters with the Cape Argus last night. After eating we walked outside and could see the flames on the mountain from the city bowl. They mentioned that it was a british tourist (about 35 years old) and that a park ranger/employee saw him throw the cigarette out the window. They recorded the license number and had stopped him before he got out of the cable car area. Well done by them. He is being charged with neglegent homocide (I think that was the term they used). Up to 5 years in prison. I asked if he would be fined for the damage. They seemed to think not. Other counties do fine for damage, rescue efforts. But I guess you have to figure how much can one person really pay of that fine. They did mention that Cape Town has 166 firefighters currently. Down from over 300 a little while ago. 6 firefighters per unit/engine around the city. They are over-worked, under-resourced, and with low moral. It is a shame with the great natural resource within the city that more funds aren't offered to help protect and secure it. It would create jobs and higher quality of life for all capetonians. Oh, and Globalrat, I am with you on the cigarette butt issue. Had to clear my little patch of beach the other day. And the people wonder why I get so upset when I see people discard cig butts on the ground. Edited January 28, 2006 by vespaxvespa Quote Link to comment
+QFC Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Looking at the photos of the fires, I am hoping that the Top Billing cache is still safe since it is one of the pitstops in this years TB race. Can anyone comment? Do we have an official count on what caches were destroyed? Quote Link to comment
+Discombob Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I will check on Top Billing cache sometime this week. I can replace obviously if its burnt to smithereens, but it will just never be the same without the funky container and fluffy pink log book, and michael and tumisho's signatures I also don;t have the access to get another signed Celine Dion CD (Sorry, Globalrat) I will also have to check on Frodo's Journey - I think hiking up in the burnt veld must make Frodos Journey even more like a stroll in mordor! Quote Link to comment
+GlobalRat Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I also don;t have the access to get another signed Celine Dion CD (Sorry, Globalrat) Oh bother... you had my hopes high at having a second chance to destroy one Quote Link to comment
+bear&fox Posted February 1, 2006 Author Share Posted February 1, 2006 It is totally beyond me why more people have not walked in the shoes of Frodo. It really is worth it. Quote Link to comment
+Discombob Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Checked on top billing cache this morning. Fires did not reach this far along the road, and cache and surrounds are fine Signal hill is still there, but a bit burnt - see below logs from recent finder from UK: January 30 by Sweepy (237 found) Amazing that the cache is still there right in the middle of a burnt out area. Box is melted but the contents were safe. Had to wash all our clothes and shoes after this one as it is covered with black. Co ordinates were spot on. Thanks for the cache. TNLN. Cache needs a new box. Sweepy and Geowife on holiday from the UK [view this log on a separate page] January 30 by Coordin8z (365 found) Geowife from Sweepy's team found this. The area is burnt out, the cache box has been partially melted, but the contents are OK. Due to the fact that the area is burnt trying to keep charcoal off our clothes is impossible. We had to return to our accommodation for a complete change and a shower. Signed the log book. TFTC Quote Link to comment
+Goofster Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 It is totally beyond me why more people have not walked in the shoes of Frodo. Hobbits wear shoes? JRR would turn in his grave! Quote Link to comment
+bear&fox Posted February 3, 2006 Author Share Posted February 3, 2006 Erm, good point Goofster! ... amke that walked in the soles of Frodo. Very pleased to see that both caches more or less survived the onslaught. Quote Link to comment
+Discombob Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 Went to check on Frodo's Journey today. Entire route is completely burnt out, but cache is fine. Route is definately more fun with some greenery, but the burnt sections do give it a different dimension - also makes the final bit trickier, as its not so clear where the paths goes anymore. I have left my new TB Shelob in the cache, so please will someone go and save her Quote Link to comment
+Larks Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 I'll have to agree with B&F! Frodo's Journey should be compulsory! I'd gladly do it again should anybody need a guide, any day of the week! Open invitiation! (Exept for those crazy night time cachers!) Quote Link to comment
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