Finally, Knysna’s main street was getting a much-needed facelift. There was no way the foreman  was going to let his shift fall behind lest he fall on the bad side of the Municipal Manager.

This week, the foreman had 2 guys working under him. One would dig a hole – dig, dig, dig. The  other would come behind him and fill the hole – fill, fill, fill. These 2 men worked furiously; one digging a hole, the other filling it up again.

On the third day, a small business owner, across the road, was watching from the sidewalk and  couldn’t believe how hard these men were working but couldn’t understand what they were doing.

Finally he had to go and ask the foreman, “I’m impressed at how hard your men are working but i  can’t figure out what you’re repairing? One digs a hole only so that his partner can fill it up  again?”

The foreman replied, “Oh yeah, that must look funny but the guy who plants the trees is sick today.”

Win a painting holiday in France worth over R50,000 PLUS! get your artwork on the cover of The South African Artist magazine.

The South African Artist magazine is proud to announce the 2013 Cover Competition. Submit your artwork and you could be a winner!

This competition is open to all legal residents of South Africa.

Other prizes include:

• A 2 night stay at the Coco de Mer 4-star boutique hotel in Ballito
• An art workshop with Mel and Dale Elliott in Knysna
• Loads of fabulous product hampers and more!

The theme for the competition is “MY HOME TOWN”.

1. Complete an entry form, which is available for download on the website or e-mail cover@thesaartist.co.za to request an entry form.
2. Make your payment of R70 per entry. Proof of payment must accompany each entry form.
3. E-mail a photograph of your painting to: cover@thesaartist.co.za (guidelines for submitting photographs can be found on our website: www.thesaartist.co.za/photos.html.
4. Closing date is Friday 13 September 2013.
5. A full set of competition rules is available in the May/June 2013 issue of The South African Artist magazine and also on the website.

For more information write to: info@thesaartist.co.za.

The South African Artist magazine is SA’s fastest growing visual arts publication. It is available at CNA, Exclusive Books, PNA and various independent art stores and galleries throughout South and Southern Africa.

Amazing video that’s bound to put a smile on your face and make you say, “Too cute!” Also bound to attract more people to the Knysna Elephant Park (KEP). Fiela is becoming a star.

Video shot by Wild Imaging.

Another firm favourite at Kilzer’s Kitchen, is Lynx Winemaker, Dieter Sellmeyer. Dieter is on a roadtrip on his beloved bike and has generously offered to host a tasting of his Lynx wines on Wednesday 22nd May 2013.

Situated on the foothills of the Klein Drakenstein Mountains, just outside Franschhoek, Lynx Wines is the smallest Wine Estate in the Valley, producing less that 3500 cases per annum. The team is led by Owner/Winemaker Dieter Sellmeyer, ably assisted by Assistant Winemaker Helgard van Schalkwyk and Farm Manager Theunis Brandt.

Lynx Shiraz 2010: Their flagship wine – rich, meaty, layered with ripe fruit, clove spice and vanilla. Lynx Shiraz Accolades includes Top 10 in Shiraz challenge, Silver at Old Mutual Trophy Wine show, and Gold at Michelangelo wine Awards. Platter Rating: 4 stars.

For reservations, phone Jenny on 044 382 0135 / 082 571 7986.

Compliments to these Knysna Restaurants who are currently the Top 10 on TripAdvisor. If you have rated them yet, be sure to give them a boost with your happy opinion.

#1 East Head Café

Trip Advisor page

Love Knysna page

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#2 The Olive Tree

Trip Advisor page

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#3 îl de païn

Trip Advisor page

Love Knysna page

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#4 Pembrey’s

Trip Advisor page

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#5 Kilzers Kitchen’s Cook & Look

Trip Advisor page

Love Knysna page

* * *

#6 Anchorage

Trip Advisor page

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#7 Daniela’s at Leisure Isle Lodge

Trip Advisor page

* * *

#8 Freshline Fisheries

Trip Advisor page

Love Knysna page

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#9 Chatter’s Bistro

Trip Advisor page

* * *

#10 Simola Hotel’s Orchid Restaurant

Trip Advisor page

If you’re like me and haven’t experienced all of Knysna’s best restaurants yet, then we have wonderful, eats and treats ahead of us in 2013:)

Matthew Brittain (L) and Rob Dormehl © Thys Dullaart

Fresh from his success at the Old Mutual joBerg2c, Olympic gold medallist Matthew Brittain is set to be more than just a celebrity guest at the 3-day RE:CM Knysna 200 mountain bike race next month.

Brittain, who finished sixth overall alongside Rob Dormehl in the nine-day event, will once again team up with his fellow rower to take on the Garden Route race from June 7.

The 26-year-old oarsman said he hoped his recent achievements on the bike meant that he would be taken seriously in the competitive stakes.

“I would way rather be a racing snake than a celebrity guest! When I go slowly ‘for the fun of it’ I don’t really enjoy myself; to me it’s more fun to race a bit and go for it.”

This year, he also notched up a 27th place finish in the Absa Cape Epic with Olympic teammate James Thompson.

Brittain said the Knysna race would be an interesting test, as he had only participated in the longer stage races.

“I would guess the shorter distance would suit me better but I don’t have the experience to really know where I stand relative to the competition. I know the terrain down there is incredibly steep so I will be bringing a granny gear and expect the legs to feel like they have done double the distance!”

The Centurion resident said he was looking forward to riding the 200km route in and around the Knysna forest.

Read the other half of this article by at www.supersport.com/cycling/sa-cycling/news/130509/Olympic_rower_ready_to_race_in_Knysna.

Knysna Classic Car Auction – photo Reuters

A silent auction of classic cars in Knysna in the Southern Cape has netted millions of rands.

The auction took place during the annual Knysna Motor Show which was hosted by the Garden Route Motor Club.

Among the 24 classic cars on auction, were Ford, Packard, Bentley and a Rolls Royce. Around R25 000 of the proceeds from the auction will go towards local charities.

The Garden Route Motor Club’s Peter Pretorius says, “It’s really a charity show. The funds that we raise here is for hospice, animal welfare and e’pap which is a children’s feedi

ng scheme here in our area. So our drive here really is where we go out on a good show, attract the public and the funds generated from here we distribute to those three charities.”

In celebration of Earth Day, Conrad Pezula team members recently dedicated an afternoon to cleaning Noetzie beach.

(From left to right) in the front row are Wilhelmina, Lutricia, Senovia, Theodora, Jessica, Lulama and in the back row Coanel, Jessica, Tebogo, Wezile & William .

Annerie ‘Gangham Style” Lamprecht of the Sustainable Seas Trust and Knysna Sea Cadets have some fun on the beach at Coney Glen.

“We need long term collaboration between our rural coastal communities, therefore making them the solution and not the problem,” said Sustainable Seas Trust (SST) director, Dr Tony Ribbink at a South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and Sustainable Seas Trust organised breakfast event at the Knysna Yacht Club last Wednesday. The event was part of the SAMSA SEA Pledge Saldanha to Sodwana Tour, where for four weeks the team will be touring South Africa’s coast line and spreading the word of coastal conservation to everyone from young school children to the various mayors and dignitaries along the way.

More ideas than coffee was passed around at the breakfast, which served as a meeting of minds where the agendas of SST and SAMSA were laid out for all interested parties. “SST is very keen to play a facilitative role in Knysna,” explained Ribbink, “And I believe that this is an ideal area for a South African Hope Spot.”

Many interested parties, from the tourism industry to the Rastafari community, attended the Sustainable Seas Trust and South African Maritime Safety Authorities breakfast brain storm at the Knysna Yacht Club, all part of the SAMSA SEA Pledge Saldanha to Sodwana Tour.

Internationally renowned oceanographer, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and patron of the SST, Dr Sylvia Earle was granted a wish in 2009 after winning the TED prize for that year. Her wish was for a development of “Hope Spots” around the world where ocean life can be protected from any disturbance and be allowed to flourish as it should.

For such a goal to be reached, the needs of the coastal communities living along the coast line must to be addressed, as former president Nelson Mandela stated, there cannot be environmental stability without the issues of poverty, food security, education and human dignity considered simultaneously. The interest in protecting our environment in Knysna was excitingly high, demonstrated by the calibre of guests at the breakfast. Representatives from Honda Marine, the Rastafarian community, Sea Cadets, the tourism industry and many more concerned citizens shared their views on coastal conservation.

“Wicked” Mike Hampton from the Love Knysna initiative, Annerie Lamprecht, Laura Weston and Kathryn Hendry from the Sustainable Seas Trust (SST) at the Knysna Yacht Club for the SST and South African Maritime Safety Authorities SEA Pledge Saldanha to Sodwana Tour.

Love Knysna Projects, headed by Mike Hampton (a.k.a. Wicked Mike), played host to the SST and SAMSA , helping organise the event and invite key players. Luckily SST is not all talk and no action, and with a great deal of help from Hampton, the team were privileged to spend the rest of the day with a group of Knysna Sea Cadets as well as students from Concordia High, Knysna High and Hornlee Secondary. SST spoke to the Cadets about the hard facts about our disappearing marine life and the small ways everyone can help in saving our oceans. Everyone was then encouraged to make a SEA Pledge, a promise you make to yourself and the planet, detailing how you’ll try contribute to healthier oceans.

Love Knysna Projects then organised for everyone to visit Lookout Point and have a bird’s eye view of Coney Glen beach which they then proceeded to as the last stop of the busy day. “By showing you this beautiful spot I want to think about how lucky we are to have such a wonderful coast line,” said Hampton, “and then, perhaps, you’ll share it with your friends or your family and get everyone involved in looking after it.” As Earle said at the launch of the tour in Cape Town mid-April, “What you experience, you’ll love, and then you’ll want to protect it.”

As the Sea Cadets scrambled across the rocks, found sea urchin in the sand and enjoyed the sunset over the estuary, it was clear that the best way to educate communities for environmental conservation is to immerse them in what it is that needs conserving.

A group of Sea Cadets and school students were invited by Love Knysna Projects, to spend an afternoon enjoying what it is Knysna has to offer (this photo taken at Lookout Point).

South African’s everywhere are invited to join the SST and SAMSA on the coastal tour, to make their SEA Pledge and set their own personal goals of how they will contribute to securing the healthy future of our oceans.

View a photo gallery and blog of the kids fun, educational trip here.

Article by Desiree Schirlinger (SST)