F r o m p a g e 1 crossed the watershed to Access Park. Strand paddler Daantjie Malan took a wrong turn in Elfindale and asked locals for directions to Princessvlei. Michael Scott of Diep River, repre- senting NCC Environmental Services in Westlake, said a Plumstead resi- dent asked if they belonged to a club and was amazed to see people pad- dling the canal. He said the event was an eye- opener, describing builders’ rubble, domestic waste and toilet seats in the river at Steenberg. After Access Park the river was overgrown with vegetation and he noticed that people had thrown dog poo over their walls. Guest of honour this year was adventurer Riaan Manser. Although he has cycled around the perimeter of Africa, circumnavigated Madagas- car by kayak and more recently pad- dled around the Icelandic coastline, he admitted to being apprehensive before the paddle. He expressed concern about a section of canal in Plumstead, where the walls were held together with logs. He said politicians need to get involved in this kind of activity. “They should come and get dirty with us – but who wants to walk through the City’s sewerage drains on a Sunday,” he laughed. This year members of the City’s Invasive Species Unit and two river wardens of the Mayor’s Kadar Asmal Project took part in the event. The City’s Invasive Species Co- ordinator Louise Stafford said although progress has been made in controlling aquatic weeds, there is still a lot of work to be done to address the ongoing dumping of household and industrial waste into rivers. She said they are now focusing on fostering a stewardship programme in which people care for the rivers in the same way they do for the moun- tain. Zandvlei river warden Siyamdu- misa Sinyondo enjoyed paddling through a natural watercourse after Access Park. Seeing people living there, he was shocked that their waste enters the river and then flows into the sea. Melinda Griffiths of Vredehoek also enjoyed this section of river. She said it would make a great recreation area and would benefit people living NEWS Bulletin Thursday June 13 2013 3 ALPHA BLINDS FREE QUOTES AND INSTALLATION 076 294 3848 Tel/Fax: 021 715 8925 [email protected] www.alphablinds.co.za OM\02\0885382 om/02/09056911 MR OVEN DOMESTIC OVEN CLEANING & REPAIRS We do the job you hate Tel: 021 7090130 • Cell: 082 426 9516 • www.mroven.co.za Painting Damp-proofing Renovations Tree-felling MASTER PROPERTY SERVICES Steve: 079 513 4526 Peter: 082 732 0320 Tel: 021 797 9343 om\04\0918352 www.thecandlefactoryshop.co.za • [email protected] RETREAT: 021 701 2101 6 Honeywell Rd MAITLAND: 021 593 6307 8th Avenue, Kensington BRACKENFELL: 021 981 0528 cnr Frans Conradie & Kenwil Dr om/06/09241150 Trading Hours: Mon – Fri: 8:30am – 5pm * Sat: 8:30am – 2pm UNIQUE FATHER’S DAY GIFTS & SPECIALS WARM DAD’S WINTER NIGHTS WITH CANDLELIGHT! 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Exp. 4 July ‘13 om\05\09252530 Decor planter pots, hand crafted with unique highly durable ibre cement technology. Available in a variety of colours incl. light & dark rust Suitable for outdoor and indoor container gardening Contact us for wholesale prices to the public Tel: 082 782 6776 or 021 715 8925 H A N D C R A F T G a rd en P o t s a n d P a v e r s OM\04\09252546 Tall Boy Namib om/18/09121608 Educational Psychologist Nicolette Liddell BLUE ROUTE MEDICAL SUITES Tel: 021 713 2030 / Cell: 082 807 4666 Email: [email protected] Fields of Practice: • Marital Counselling • Depression and stress-related problems • Interpersonal conflict and interpersonal communication difficulties • School readiness • Learning/emotional/study difficulties • Career guidance • Parental counselling Medical Aid Rates nearby. At the halfway mark, soup was provided by the Sybrand Park Civic Association. Jonathan Hobday said the Friends of the Black and Vygekraal Rivers were inspired by the Peninsula Paddle. A group got together to form the organisation through the Wildlife and Environ- ment Society (Wessa) and it was constituted in October 2011. From Sybrand Park, the partic- ipants paddled all the way as they entered a chute and the Black River. Nico Roulstone and Anton Nieuwoudt of Observatory were catching fish and two men were wading the water in search of golf balls. This is the first year that pad- dlers did not wear masks for this section. “It’s the cleanest we’ve ever seen it. In the past it was one of the most risky parts of our journey in terms of our exposure to these waters,” said Rondebosch envi- ronmentalist Kevin Winter. Most paddlers aborted the final sea leg up Milnerton Lagoon because of the swell. Sipping soup provided by Friends of the Lies- beek at Milnerton Canoe Club, Renee Brown said she and Riaan were knocked over on the first wave. ■ F a r l e f t : Riaan Manser helps lift a kayak out of the canal in Plumstead. ■ L e f t : Michael Scott of Diep River, representing NCC in Westlake, paddled in an inflatable boat. It’s the cleanest we’ve ever seen it, says paddler of Black River ■ Before climbing out in Plumstead are members of the Kader Asmal Integrated Catchment Management programme, from left, Siyamdumisa Sinyondo, Alvina Brand and Zikhona Sokudela.