EP Open Water Swim Champs this weekend

January 27, 2012

Jeffreys Bay will host the prestigious Eastern Province Open Water Swim Champs this weekend at Marina Martinique.

The event is the last opportunity for swimmers to qualify for the South African Open Water Swim Champs to be held in April at a venue still to be confirmed.

Local swimmers Caro de Jager, Seth de Swart, JC Van Wyk and Brenton Williams have all been selected in the provisional EP team for the national championships.

The format of the EP Champs will follow international standards with the 10 K marathon swim and the 3 K swim taking place on Saturday afternoon.

Marina Martinique is regarded as the best open water swim venue in the Eastern Cape and swimmers from all over South Africa are expected to attend the event.

Online entries can be made at www.ecswim.co.za

The full programme is:

Saturday 28th January 2012

Event 1 – 13h00 : 10km Mixed Swim
Event 2 – 15h00 : 3km Mixed Swim

Sunday 29th January 2012

Event 3 – 09h00 : 5km Mixed Swim
Event 4 – 10h30 : Kids 14u 500m swim
Event 5 – 10h50 : Kids 10u Bank to Bank
Event 6 – 11h00 : 1km Mixed Swim

Entry Fees

10km: R 100
5km, 3km, 1km Swims : R60.00

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Beyrick de Vries moves into last 16 at Billabong World Junior Surfing Championships

January 26, 2012

Beyrick de Vries kept the South African flag flying at the Billabong World Surfing Championships in Australia today with a hard fought Round 3 victory over sixth ranked Andrew Doheny (USA) to move into the last 16 in the third and final event on the ASP World Junior Tour.

Beyrick de Vries is the only SA male surfer in the World Junior surf champs. Photo: ASP

After yesterday’s lay day due to the windy and rainy conditions, the remaining 32 competitors in the men’s event were sent out in messy one to 1.5 metre waves and chocolate brown water at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast this morning and given jetski assistance to ferry them back out to the line-up after each ride.

De Vries chose to sit on the outside bank at the break and was rewarded early on in the heat when he earned a score of 7.33 out of a possible 10 for a ride that consisted of just two manoeuvres, albeit on a larger wave.

The 19 year-old from Umhlanga is the only member of the South African team still in contention after compatriots David van Zyl and J’Bay local Dylan Lightfoot were eliminated in their respective Round 3 match-ups. Van Zyl was ousted by Kaito Ohashi (JAP) in a low-scoring encounter while Lightfoot could not match the aerial ability of Felipe Toledo (BRA), who will de Vries’ opponent in Round 4.

Dale Staples (St Francis Bay) and Michael February (Kommetjie), the other two South Africans in the men’s event, were eliminated in Round 2 earlier this week. Sarah Baum (Athlone Park, Durban), who posted the highest heat total of the entire event to date in Round 1 of the women’s event on Sunday, and Bianca Buitendag (George), winner of last year’s Billabong Women’s World Championships, will resume their challenge for the title when the women’s Round 3 takes to the water.

The Billabong World Junior Championships Gold Coast runs until 29 January and all the action will be webcast live via www.billabongpro.com

BILLABONG WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS GOLD COAST ROUND 3 RESULTS:

HEAT 1: Mateia Hiquily (PYF) 9.67 def. Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 8.63

HEAT 2: Medi Veminardi (REU) 10.34 def. Chase Wilson (USA) 6.20

HEAT 3: Arashi Kato (JPN) 13.43 def. Thomas Woods (AUS) 9.30

HEAT 4: Jack Freestone (AUS) 18.00 def. Jack Robinson (AUS) 7.10

HEAT 5: Conner Coffin (USA) 14.70 def. Jake Halstead (USA) 12.44

HEAT 6: Ian Gouveia (BRA) 12.83 def. Matt Banting (AUS) 12.27

HEAT 7: Vasco Riberio (PRT) 10.70 def. Caue Wood (BRA) 7.90

HEAT 8: Wade Carmichael (AUS) 13.33 def. Caio Ibelli (BRA) 12.83

HEAT 9: Garrett Parkes (AUS) 13.60 def Tim Macdonald (AUS) 12.07

HEAT 10: Kaito Ohashi (JPN) 8.77 def. David Van Zyl (ZAF) 6.00

HEAT 11: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 17.20 def. Dylan Lightfoot (ZAF) 8.67

HEAT 12: Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 14.00 def. Andrew Doheny (USA) 12.10

HEAT 13: Nathan Carvalho (HAW) 12.17 def. Marco Fernandez (BRA) 8.70

HEAT 14: Evan Thompson (USA) 10.43 def. Matt-Lewis Hewitt (NZL) 8.50

HEAT 15: Soli Bailey (AUS) 13.66 def. Keanu Asing (HAW) 12.57

HEAT 16: Dean Bowen (AUS) 17.43 def. Hiroto Arai (JPN) 7.36

UPCOMING BILLABONG WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS GOLD COAST ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS:

HEAT 1: Mateia Hiquily (PYF) vs. Medi Veminardi (REU)

HEAT 2: Arashi Kato (JPN) vs. Jack Freestone (AUS)

HEAT 3: Conner Coffin (USA) vs. Ian Gouveia (BRA)

HEAT 4: Vasco Riberio (PRT) vs. Wade Carmichael (AUS)

HEAT 5: Garrett Parkes (AUS) vs. Kaito Ohashi (JPN)

HEAT 6: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Beyrick De Vries (ZAF)

HEAT 7: Nathan Carvalho (HAW) vs. Evan Thompson (USA)

HEAT 8: Soli Bailey (AUS) vs. Dean Bowen (AUS)

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No danger from solar flare

January 25, 2012

Social media sites were abuzz yesterday with warnings about the danger humans were facing from a solar flare. However, the earth’s magnetic field protected us but did not prevent NASA from getting some awesome pictures of the event.

A solar flare is an intense burst of radiation coming from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots. Flares are our solar system’s largest explosive events. They are seen as bright areas on the sun and they can last from minutes to hours. We typically see a solar flare by the photons (or light) it releases, at most every wavelength of the spectrum.

The primary ways NASA monitors flares are in x-rays and optical light. Flares are also sites where particles (electrons, protons, and heavier particles) are accelerated.

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4.4 Million HIV/AIDS deaths in South Africa

January 24, 2012

The population of South Africa would be over 4.4 million more than it is today if it were not for the HIV/AIDS epidemic. So says the South African Institute of Race Relations in its latest South Africa Survey, published this week in Johannesburg.

Currently, there are 50.6 million people in the country. In the absence of AIDS, this would have been 55.0 million. By 2040 the population would have been 77.5 million without AIDS — 24.1 million more people than is projected.

The data shows that 31% of all deaths in 2011 were AIDS related. By 2015, this proportion will have risen to 33%. In 2025, there will be 121% more AIDS deaths than there were in 2000.

The total number of people living with HIV/AIDS in 2015 (6 million) will be double the number recorded in 2000 (3 million). The Institute’s analysis is based on data sourced from the Actuarial Society of South Africa and the Institute for Futures Research (IFR).

According to the IFR, the HIV prevalence rate is higher among young African adults, resulting in fewer people in this group reaching old age compared to other races.

Mr Thuthukani Ndebele, a researcher at the Institute, said that HIV/AIDS has resulted in a significantly slower population growth rate, among other things.

“Not only does HIV/AIDS reduce life expectancy and increase mortality, but it is largely responsible for wider social ills such as orphanhood and child-headed households”, Ndebele said.

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Chumming for sharks in Jeffreys Bay

January 24, 2012

The Kouga Municipality has been investigating reasons why there has been a marked increase in shark activity in our waters over the past couple of months.

There has been an increase of shark sightings in Jeffreys Bay

Sightings of great white sharks have resulted in beaches in Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay being closed with swimmers being evacuated from the water at Main Beach for 4 days in a row during the peak holiday season in December.

Fishermen have been reporting an unusual number of juvenile great whites taking bait off Kabeljous Beach, an occurance that is not seen every day in the bay.

The shocking discovery of long line shark fishing apparatus off the coast between Paradise Beach and St Francis Bay has shocked the local community and even more so because the operater is apparantly laying the bait legally.

The Weekend Post reported that Marius Van Heerden from Port Elizabeth has the only permit for long line shark fishing in the Eastern Cape and that he is allowed to fish for sharks anywhere.

The shark meat is is then exported to countries like Australia and France or their cartilage is used in medicine according to Van Heerden’s lawyer Ryno Scholtz.

The Original Jeffreys Bay Ugg Boot - by Instep Leather

Chumming for sharks must not be tolerated in our waters, permits or no permits. One wonders if any public participation process took place before a permit was issued allowing an individual the right to lay baited hooks just 300 m off our shores.

The usual argument will probably be presented that chumming does not affect the behaviuor of sharks as they are already here but why is this argument not also presented in our game parks. Why are buck not attached behind cars to attract lions when people go game viewing?

Tourism is the lifeblood of the coastal towns like Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay. We cannot afford to have baited hooks off our beaches that will attract predators closer to the shore. As a commumity we have to be pro-active and ensure this activity is banned before an accident happens.

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CPF to meet quarterly in Jeffreys Bay

January 23, 2012

The Jeffreys Bay Community Police Forum will hold quarterly general meetings in 2012, to which all commuinity organisations are invited.

The newly elected Executive committee however will still be meeting on a monthly basis.

DATES FOR COMMUNITY POLICE FORUM GENERAL MEETINGS FOR 2012

6 February 2012 Jeffreys Bay Police station 18h00
7 May 2012 Jeffreys Bay Police station 18h00
6 August 2012 Jeffreys Bay Police station 18h00
5 November 2012 Jeffreys Bay Police station 18h00

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Jeffreys Bay Residents Association 2012 AGM

January 23, 2012

The Jeffreys Bay Residents Association AGM is scheduled for 22 February 2012 at 6 pm in the Newton Hall, Jeffreys Bay. All residents and ratepayers and interested parties are invited to attend.

Your town needs you!.


The notice of meeting follows:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE 2012 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE JEFFREYS BAY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2012 AT THE NEWTON HALL IN JEFFREYS BAY COMMENCING AT 18:00

AGENDA

Notice of meeting

Opening and Welcome

Address by guest speaker, Elza van Lingen, Leader of the Opposition in the National Council of Provinces.

Minutes of the annual general meeting held on 22 February 2011

Chairman’s annual report, 2011/2012

Financial annual report, 2011/2012

Amendments to the constitution

Election of management committee, 2012/2013

Questions

Closure

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Tough year for J’Bay property market

January 20, 2012

Jeffreys Bay has not escaped the global economic downturn and the local property market is feeling the effects.

Estate agents report that there were many interested buyers in town during the holiday season but that not many sales emanated from the enquiries.

Reasons given for this state of affairs were banks still not giving bonds and also buyers coming with offers that were simply unrealistic. Sellers are often still wanting prices for their properties that do not match market expectations.

Houses are on the market for more than four months and up to 90 % of sellers are being forced to drop their asking price by up to 13 %, according to First National Bank property sector strategist John Loos.

He said it was a buyers’ market, with prices having declined by about 17 % in real terms since February 2008.

“We believe that indications emanating from the latest results of the FNB Estate Agent Survey suggest that the residential market still has some way to go before it reaches that ‘holy grail’ where oversupplies disappear and the market can finally be said to be realistically priced.”

There are some realistically priced properties in the Jeffreys Bay market and Marina Martinique is holding its own. Discerning buyers can find good properties that offer a sound investment for the future.

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Stop the Secrecy Bill from becoming law

January 19, 2012

The current Secrecy Bill violates the freedoms South Africans won in 1994. A bill that criminalises the possession & disclosure of information that is in the public interest has no place in our democracy.

It will be used to cover up corruption, unlawful behaviour & inefficiencies. The Secrecy Bill will enable the abuse of state power.

Journalists and whistle blowers who report on what the government deems secret will face up to 25 years in prison. It will be illegal to expose even corruption and serious crime.

The bill, in its current form, is opposed by every opposition party in parliament. It is opposed, in its current form, by the Democratic Alliance, COSATU, SAMWU and SADTU, by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, and the Right to Know Campaign, a collective civil society group representing more than 400 organisations.

South Africans have an obligation to fight the Secrecy Bill for the future well being of our democracy. Become involved by signing the Democratic Alliance’s online petiton to Stop the Secrecy Bill from becoming Law

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Another shark attack in South Africa

January 18, 2012

Port St Johns has experienced yet another shark attack, with the unfortunate victim succumbing to his horrific injuries. At this stage the species of shark responsible for the attack is unknown.

The attack follows on an increase in shark activity all along the South African coastline, with the Main Beach in Jeffreys Bay being closed for 4 days during December due to big sharks being spotted just behind the breakers.

A kayaker was attacker by a Great White Shark in Port Elizabeth, just off Noordhoek Beach during the holiday season as well.

St Francis Bay has also seen an increase in Great White activity with the beaches also being closed, according to the St Francis Chronicle

What is even more disturbing is evidence that chumming for sharks is taking place in St Francis Bay, which led the NSRI to issue a shark warning to residents. A Great White Shark of up to 5 m in length has also been spotted patrolling the coast in St Francis Bay

Could the increase in the number of Great White Sharks being spotted off out coast be linked to chumming? This is a highly conterversial topic but one that needs to be discussed to ensure the safety of the surfers and swimmers who use the ocean in our back garden.

The Kouga Municipality was highly pro-active when it became clear that there was a problem at Main Beach in peak holiday season. A shark spotting programme was introduced and jet skis were used as early warning systems. These measures appeared to have been successful.

Law enforcement agencies must stop illegal chumming in our waters with immediate effect. There is no proof yet that chumming does not attract sharks to an area and that sharks do not associate food with humans due to chumming.

After all, who goes to the Kruger National Park or Addo Elephant Park and drags a buck behind their car to attract lions?

Tourism is the driving force behind the local economy and we need to ensure that our beaches are as safe as reasonably possible.

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