South African (Off-Topic) Quiz

[+cincol 0]

Hamiltons (I take a flyer at 1893)

 

Club corrct - year incorrect.

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

1877?

[+cincol 0]

Almost there!

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

1875

[+cincol 0]

Well done to Carbon hunter - now your turn!

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

Where did the first "flight" occur in South Africa?

[+DamhuisClan 1]

Over the border (into SA).

Edited November 27, 2008 by DamhuisClan

[+amaSoekSoek 0]

:-)

Edited November 27, 2008 by amaSoekSoek

[+cincol 0]

When I see "flight" written in inverted commas I immediately become suspicious! If my memory serves me correctly that would be Kimberley. Probably circa 1903 or 1904?

[+Jors 0]

Where did the first "flight" occur in South Africa?

What made them flee?

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

When I see "flight" written in inverted commas I immediately become suspicious! If my memory serves me correctly that would be Kimberley. Probably circa 1903 or 1904?

 

No - inverted commas as it was not a commercially sucessful flight - but was considered a flight none the less. Flight in the sense of a flying machine aiming to become an aeroplane.

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

Perhaps - "attempted flight"would be a better indication?

[+CapeDoc 0]

Too hard for me so I googled it (also quite hard). Quite surprised by the answer! It was a non motorized flight.

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

Too hard for me so I googled it (also quite hard). Quite surprised by the answer! It was a non motorized flight.

 

Yes - good 20 - 30 years before the Wright Brothers too!!!!

 

There is a cache nearby at the falls - but not at the monument. so a definite site for Blackjack Bailey to place a new one.

 

Now is that a hint or what?

[+cincol 0]

Yes, now I remember! It was near Karkloof in the KZN Midlands.

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

Yes, now I remember! It was near Karkloof in the KZN Midlands.

A real flyer there

 

Yep - in 1870 - John Household and his brother made two flights from around the De Magtenburg area (near Karkloof Falls). There is a small monument near the site.

 

But it was little publicised for fear of bringing the wrath of God on the family for interferring with the laws of nature.

 

This is not substantiated yet - but would have been a good 20 odd years before Lillienthal in Europe and even more than the Wright Brothers in the USA.

 

The flight was apparently more than 1 km long (much longer than the Wright Brothers (whose initial flight was shorter than the wingspan of a Jumbo jet!).

I have an article to anyone who is interested and wants to read it (send me a PM).

 

You're it Cincol.

[+cincol 0]

Nope - you got it wrong. Not a flyer, just didn't know the name of the dude.

 

Let's get into the sporting theme for a change. With the tour to Australia this month let us look at the gentlemen's game of Cricket.

 

Where was the first ever International game of cricket ever played? For bonus points you can give the teams involved and the date if you wish.

 

As a matter of interest though South Africa was the 3rd country to become a Test playing nation and that was in 1889 - some 7 years after the famous Ashes Test at Lord's between England and Australia. In 1877 the first ever Test match was played. The earliest known reference to cricket being played was around 1550 at the Royal Grammar School in Guildford in Surrey, UK.

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

Was it played between Canada and USA? (I know either rugby or cricket - that was the first recorded test).

[+cincol 0]

Was it played between Canada and USA? (I know either rugby or cricket - that was the first recorded test).

 

The teams are correct but no bonus points though.

 

The game was played at the St George's Cricket Club in New York - of all places. And it was NOT the first Test match played. That was between England and Australia in 1877 when 2 tests were played.

 

Well done.

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

Sappi is a good old South African company. When they first started operation - what did they make paper from?

 

BTW: The original plant is in Springs - and the name may give a good clue.

[+cincol 0]

I think I will sit this round out as it looks as though I am hogging the show. I know the Enstra Mill well and a bit of its history too! There's a clue as well!!

[+DamhuisClan 1]

I would say from wood, but that is the obvious answer.

What it actually was, I have no idea.

[+anlufu 0]

Hmm - I grew up in Springs. I remember Sappi coming to our school and handing out little fir trees to all the kids. And I seem to remember something about making paper from straw!

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

Hmm - I grew up in Springs. I remember Sappi coming to our school and handing out little fir trees to all the kids. And I seem to remember something about making paper from straw!

 

Yep - Anlufu - you're it - it was straw.

 

Enstra = derived from Enterprise Straw. Originally grown in Brits and shipped in. This didn't work so well - then they converted to wood.

 

Well done

[+anlufu 0]

Okay - here's an interesting one. Name the only lighthouse on the South African coast to be built on rock.

 

Clues:

Built in 1864.

Made of cast iron.

Untill recently was one of 2 remamining lighthouses to be manned 24 hours a day.

Untill the 1970's it had a clockwork mechanism which needed to be wound up ever 3 hours.

[+the pooks 0]

Seem to recall Slangkop lighthouse is made from iron, so will offer that as an answer.

[+Fish Eagle 0]

Seem to recall Slangkop lighthouse is made from iron, so will offer that as an answer.

And it's built on rocks - we explored them in detail when hunting that cache a few years ago!!

[+anlufu 0]

Nope - this one has only rocks for foundations.

 

Add to the clues:

It's very close to the only remaining Pavilion on the beach in South Africa. Built in 1906, it was inspired by the pavilion at Brighton, England.

Edited December 5, 2008 by anlufu

[+tomtwogates 0]

Could it be Roman Rock in False Bay - third oldest lighthouse in SA?

[+GlobalRat 44]

After the pavillion clue I'd have to guess Cape St Blaize?

[+anlufu 0]

After the pavillion clue I'd have to guess Cape St Blaize?

 

Yup. Your turn.

[+GlobalRat 44]

South Africa is credited with any inventions and world firsts. Many people know of the CATscan, world's first push-button telephones, Pratley Putty etc.

 

Less known, but South Africa is also credited with the world's first arch gravity Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) dam. Two were actually built simultaneously and they are often both credited as being the worlds first although the one was completed in 1988 and the other in 1989. Name the one completed first in 1988.

[+anlufu 0]

Wagendrift near Escort?

[+Wazat 0]

Nope Wagendrift is not it... I was actually looking at the dam wall there the other day... Wagendrift was also built in the 60's

 

I think it is Nelpoort or Nelport something to that effect in the FS. Remember seeing something about it been the first of it's kind in the world.

 

There is a similar concept near Ladysmith but this was built in the late 1940's Although it uses steps on the downstream side it is only on the sides of the wall The center is dominated by a large steel sluice gate, so should this be lowered and the water goes over the sides it will be channeled over the steps... This may have been an early idea for the arch gravity RCC. I was doing a lot of research on this dam so this is where it came to the fore. Look out for a cache at Windsor dam sometime soon.

 

Windsor dam it would seem has been put out of commission as it was not effective enough and they have since built another dam called the Qedusizi Dam further downstream. This was completed in the late 1990's to help prevent the yearly floods that ladysmith encountered for many years.

[+GlobalRat 44]

Nope Wagendrift is not it... I was actually looking at the dam wall there the other day... Wagendrift was also built in the 60's

 

I think it is Nelpoort or Nelport something to that effect in the FS. Remember seeing something about it been the first of it's kind in the world.

 

There is a similar concept near Ladysmith but this was built in the late 1940's Although it uses steps on the downstream side it is only on the sides of the wall The center is dominated by a large steel sluice gate, so should this be lowered and the water goes over the sides it will be channeled over the steps... This may have been an early idea for the arch gravity RCC. I was doing a lot of research on this dam so this is where it came to the fore. Look out for a cache at Windsor dam sometime soon.

 

Windsor dam it would seem has been put out of commission as it was not effective enough and they have since built another dam called the Qedusizi Dam further downstream. This was completed in the late 1990's to help prevent the yearly floods that ladysmith encountered for many years.

 

Close enough, the dam is Knellpoort. The steps you mention, although characteristic of RCC dams, are often found in dams in order to soften the water coming over the wall and thereby reduce the erosion effect downstream.

 

Your turn.

[+Wazat 0]

"The City of Durban" was the name of a plane that was christened by the mayoress of Durban, it became a bit of a celebrity and the finalists of a Wool Board beauty contest were treated to an "Air lunch" aboard it. But this plane went on to become a South African first, what was it and when and where did this happen.

[+Discombob 0]

"The City of Durban" was the name of a plane that was christened by the mayoress of Durban, it became a bit of a celebrity and the finalists of a Wool Board beauty contest were treated to an "Air lunch" aboard it. But this plane went on to become a South African first, what was it and when and where did this happen.

 

i know, its was the first ever plane to fly with its passengers consiting only of sheep!!

[+GlobalRat 44]

"The City of Durban" was the name of a plane that was christened by the mayoress of Durban, it became a bit of a celebrity and the finalists of a Wool Board beauty contest were treated to an "Air lunch" aboard it. But this plane went on to become a South African first, what was it and when and where did this happen.

 

i know, its was the first ever plane to fly with its passengers consiting only of sheep!!

 

Love DBob’s answer. Don’t know if it is true, but just happened to read some info on this aircraft while researching the Pelican flights a few months ago. If memory serves, it was the first South African plane to have sleeper accommodation, hopefully nothing to do with the sheep . It was also the first commercial plane crash in South Africa, crashing into a koppie (Spitzkoppie I think) near Memel sometime in 1948.

[+the pooks 0]

"The City of Durban" was the name of a plane that was christened by the mayoress of Durban, it became a bit of a celebrity and the finalists of a Wool Board beauty contest were treated to an "Air lunch" aboard it. But this plane went on to become a South African first, what was it and when and where did this happen.

 

i know, its was the first ever plane to fly with its passengers consiting only of sheep!!

 

Priceless!

[+Wazat 0]

Right you are GlobalRat... And if I get to go that way soon enough there may just be a cache or two in the area....... It is also close to Verkykers Kop a sleepy little town made famous by one of it's new residents... Chris Chameleon....

[+GlobalRat 44]

Ok, here's a quick fire round (relevant cache owners, you know who you are, to refrain from answering). Where will you find the way of the women?

[+anlufu 0]

Dunno about that but I know where you find "mangos"

 

 

Wherever woman goes!!

[+Wazat 0]

Womans Monumet perhaps or at Kaalvoet vrou?

[+GlobalRat 44]

Womans Monumet perhaps or at Kaalvoet vrou?

 

Nope

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

Try at Magoebaskloof?

[+anlufu 0]

Got anything to do with the 1956 womens march to parliament?

[+Discombob 0]

curses , when is someone going to ask a question I can answer?

[+GlobalRat 44]

Not close yet

 

thought this was going to be answered in seconds, guess not

[+GlobalRat 44]

Clue: Was originally constructed in 1869 and took 4 years. Was rebuilt in 1974, taking 6 years. Go figure

[+Carbon Hunter 10]

OK - let me try - 1869 - perhaps a railway line across a mountain range - following a route the women trekboers took?

Let me say - from Natal into the ZAR (Transvaal)?