Mapungubwe National Park July 2007

A big Thank You

A really big thank you to everyone who was involved in making last night one of the most amazing birthdays in the universe. Thank you so very much - really appreciate it.

I wont be able to thank individuals until after my fieldtrip but the gratitude will not diminish!!

Thank you very much
Love Ralph

Beach Paradise

Thank you Lord Jesus for freedom - freedom to be ourselves, to have fun, to have friends, and to enjoy Your beautiful creation. Thank You most of all for freedom from sin! "Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!"

Haha!!

Food for Thought!

This is reason Tony cycles so well (photoographed on his pantry shelf in the digs...).

Bits and pieces

Having got exhausted from proofing plant names in a 4000-species spreadsheet, I figured I could justifiably have time to post something or other on this here blog (at last).

The long weekend was great. I went camping with Eben, Fu, Kambani (they're a Trip) on a farm near Bathurst. We camped in a ravine and went exploring up a valley - we started in rain: and ended up in warm sunshine+clear skies standing abo on a palm tree growing straight out over the water. It made Wild at Heart seem somewhat tame.... :-) The Lord met us after supper at the campfire and we had an [awesome] (new vocab needed) time of praise, prayer and prophecy. It was great to get to know those three guys better - and it's particulary great to see how well Fu's coming on. Makes me stoked! It was also great to be with okes who weren't afraid to get wild and wet even though the weather was testing our faith and wild-heartedness. Ja - Kambani broke a stronghold about cold water, and Eben's core temperature nearly shut down (but was saved by peanuts and raisins). There was 1 m of wors braaied, some excellent wood (possibly some Kameeldoring the Strijdomtjies left at 7 Oatlands - they'll never know...), and all 4 of us squashed into a 3-man tent with a door that doesn't close and no doubt thousands of puffies in the area. Oh, the moon was magnificent. Fortunately it wasn't full (Finding Love that last might actually be falling on a Full Moon next Sat, in which case I must stay indoors that evening and avoid beaches/sea/anywhere romantic otherwise the singel-and-content status might suffer structural damage).

And as I have airtime still, I must say that Tony - my digsmate from the ground floor - is great. He woke me up at 7 am one Sunday and suggested we cycle to Bathurst. Which we nearly did, but alas after 40 km one of the bikes retired injured so we chilled by the pool in the same ravine as above while we waited for the kind-hearted Mike secret-bester to fetch us. Tony is a wild man - not afraid of mud (a sign of true nobility): the lump I threw at him immediately became his garment. And this pool is legendery - it is big. It is huge. It is phenomenal. It has no equal. It is deep (2,43 m). It's now called Fred's pool because Fred is so kif. One day Fred will hopefully see it. It was discovered by myself and Mike Secret-Bester on a pre-previous adventure that resulted in tick bites (this weekend gave me several more - occupational hazard).

Have a goodie!
Ralph

More on Cameroon!

Sojourn in the Cameroon

It was the thought that there probably used to be gorillas in this forest that was very exciting. And gorillas still occur 90 km to the north in adjacent Nigeria. The other very exciting thought was that Bannerman's Turaco and Banded Wattle-eye are endemic to this forest and there is a good chance of seeing them. The forest in question is the Kilum-Ijim forest in western Cameroon, which lovingly wraps itself around the volanic massive of Mt Oku – at 3 011 m the second highest peak in West Africa. I had linked up with Prof. Peter Linder and his PhD student Berit Gerhke from the Department of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, for a tour of Mount Cameroon (the highest peak in West Africa) and the Bamenda Highlands before the start of the 18^th AETFAT congress in Yaoundé the following week. It had never occurred to me that I would one day stand on the two highest points in West Africa - in the same week - or have the privelege of walking through silent yellow-wood and bamboo forests at an altitude of 2 800 m. Then there are the 29 bird species endemic to these Cameroonian highlands... (It was - after all – a botanically-orientated excursion but – as we all know – the most renowned natural scientists and explorers were multi-disciplinary!)

The Bamenda Highlands, of which Mount Oku is the highest point, comprise a massive volanic region that is part of the Cameroonian zone of faulting and associated volcanic activity; the offspring of this volcanic activity include the Gulf of Guinea islands, Mount Cameroon, and the Bamenda Highlands and its natural continuation in adjacent Nigeria. The region is complete with crater lakes, an active volcano (Mount Cameroon), basalt formations and a profusion of endemic plants and animals. It is also relatively only recently explored botanically: for example, in 1995 only 269 plant taxa were known from the Mount Oku region whereas now the tally it is nearly 1 000.

Our journey began with negotiating a private landrover and driver in Yaounde, as the car rental option wasn't too accommodating. The result was that we were able to access our destintations without needing public transport and with only the loss of 2 back shock-absorbers on some less than healthy roads in the Bamenda area. Mount Cameroon was first on the agenda and the six hour drive from Yaounde to Buea was one of much interest – lots of rainforest and slash-and-burn; the chaotic city of Douala at the mouths of the Sanaga River with its massive mangrove system; extensive, quiet rubber and oil palm plantations along the coast; and a perpetual haze that rendered sunscreen unnecessary before 9 am and after 3 pm. We arrived at Buea – the main base from which Mount Cameroon is accessed – got sorted out with a local Mount Cameroon climbing agency quite quickly, settled into the Presbyterian Synod Guest House (a very, very nice place) and went off to have a fantastic dinner of braaied “shad” in town. The next morning it was up early and we made a break for the mountain (preceded by a sighting of a male Carmelite Sunbird next to the Guest House).

The climb up the mountain was great. The first day we ambled up through the rain forest and enjoyed the plant diversity and bird life. There are many afro-montane birds that are found in east Africa and then again in the Cameroonian highlands, having somehow negotiated the Congo Basin to settle on these volanic masses. And they were quite easy to see too – prolific and rather tame: the dificulty came in having the time to confirm identifications and still make adequate progress up the mountain! The result was that I ever return to Mount Cameroon, I will consider lurking in Hut 1 (near the upper end of the forest) and spending a couple of days in the forest zone (e.g. I still haven't decided if the forest robin I saw at lunchtime near Hut 1 was Bocage's Akalat, Whitebellied Robin Chat or Mountain Robin Chat!). Above the forest zone we entered what is locally called the savannah zone, and is really grassland that is burnt every year by honey-gatherers and for the Mount Cameroon race, which had just taken place that Sunday. It is from here upwards that you begin to appreciate the volcanic nature of this massive pimple in the armpit of Africa with its very steep slopes of slobbering, black lava tongues; loose debris; and a certain reminescence of “Lord of the Rings” ('you can do it Mr Frodo') as the altitude makes itself known (mostly in the form of deeper breathing and sore legs, but that could happen anywhere I suppose).

Hut 2 at 2 800 m was where we spent the night – it's situated nicely between two very steep steps in the ascent. There are some interesting heathland remnants in fire-protected gulleys, as well as some lava-tubes that can be explored. Perhaps the heathland would be more extensive - like it is on Mount Karthala on Grande Comore: a dense, 3 m tall and very thick zone between the forest zone and the summit - if it wasn't for the deliberate annual burning. One could certainly argue this considering the scattered trees that may have been part of a denser vegetation type than the straggly shrubs and grass now dominating the scene (this is why it's essential to always have a professor with you on excursions). But we were priveleged to see Thickbilled Seed-eater in the remnant heathland, and Blackcapped Waxbill was very common. It got chilly as the sun sank – but not as cold as I'd expected. Then it was a restless night in the hut – too many people, too much activity, and very dry air.

The second morning saw us plodding our way towards the summit at six o'clock. Soon we were leaving the level section of Hut 2 and climbing the second very steep part of the ascent. Above 3 000 m you definitely start to take it easier – just one step at a time, consistently – and you feel a bit light-headed if you do something too quickly. It was a long haul up to Hut 3 – a bleak place of afro-alpine vegetation with a decidedly tundra look – and a stiff breeze. From there it was an easy stroll to the summit - somewhere between 4 070 and 4 100 m (depending on your source) - past a really neat steam-vent next to the path! The summit was reached with jubilation and the views were spectacular (not of the surrounding countryside – it was too hazy for that – but of the vast dome of Mount Cameroon around you).

Descending is much easier than ascending – well, at least it was to Hut 2, where we had some lunch and I had a last-ditch attempt to locate the endemic Mount Cameroon Speirops. But from Hut 2 descending was harder than ascending: it is the steepest part of the mountain slope on this route, and with much loose stone. But at least the mist kept it nice and cool. Once back in the forest – with more avifaunal heart pangs – we made a slow trudge back to Buea while I desparately tried to ID as many birds as possible... From there it was to Mount Oku and – yes – Bannerman's Turaco and Banded Wattle-eye made spectacular appearances...

Cameroon

Hey All

Home safe after 2 weeks in Cameroon. The Lord was very gracious and there were no mishaps, injuries or stomach bugs! But it is very nice to be home in a 1st World Country and with spiritual family again! There's no easy task going to live in a third-world, foreign-speaking culture and my respect to all those who give their lives for the Lord's work in such areas. There are many social and environmental challenges that drain you every day in such a place. You definately need a clear calling from the Lord (and 2 angelic visitations!) before packing up and moving to such a place.

Well, the place is lovely. I have had a good dose of rain forest - there's miles of it - as well as mountains: in the first week I stood on the two highest points in West Africa - Mount Cameroon (4 090 m) and Mount Oku (3 011 m). Mount Cameroon is an active strato-volcano and one of the largest active ones around apparently. All we saw were 2 vents emitting steam. The lower slopes are rainforest and the middle slopes grassland and a type of fynbos ("heathland"). The upper slopes are a sparse grass cover and a shrubby Helichrysum. You definately feel the altitude - above Hut 2 (2 800 m+) every step is effort and you feel tired doing silly things like getting up too quickly. As long as you just chill and walk slowly you're fine though. The hike is also enhanced in that about a third of it is at a 45o angle!

Mt Oku is much easier. Its the height of the Drakensberg but you wouldn't notice! There's forest almost all the way up - and we saw spectacular birds.

About birds - well - had 62 positive IDs of which 38 species were new for me. They included Great Blue Turaco, Bannerman's Turaco (endemic to Mt Oku forests), Banded Wattle-eye, Yellowbilled Turaco, Rock Pratincole, Mount Cameroon Speirops (endemic to Mt Cameroon) etc. etc. Haha! It was great!

The conference - the actual reason I went - was cool. Met people from all over Africa. Had encouraging comment on my poster and work. Praise the Lord for that!

Photos & video-clips are viewable on http://sneeuberg.multiply.com.

Love Ralph
(maybe I write more as get time but for now this is all!)

Tender for Ruwenzoris, Dec 2007

Dear All

Tenders for joining a trip to the Ruwenzoris in Dec 2007 are now open.

Details will be posted as come along.

Current plan:

Arrive about 10th leave 20th+ Dec (before Christmas)
Hike the Ruwenzoris (5 day trail) and explore Uganda (time permitting)

Cost:
unknown at present.

If you are interested email me at vincentralph.clark@gmail.com

Holiday Update

Here's an update on my holiday:

19-31 Dec - chilled in Jo'burg with my family. It was a great time of deep rest and connecting with my family more. Really beautiful time and a wonderful Christmas.

31 Dec-4 Feb - Farm in Creighton. That was cool. The frizbyx3@once + big tennis ball + random things was great fun!!

4-8 Feb - stayed with Lord Frederick Otten in Pmb - that was cool - watched Schrek 2, Narnia (brilliant), and other randoms. Nice to see Ed, Fred's apostolic brother. We all went to the beach one afternoon at Scottburgh.

Week of 8th - my awesome friend Chris and I had a wild time at Waters Meeting, Port Alfred, Kasouga, 3 Sisters - tower-jumping till 7.45 at night into the dam at WM, supper and prayer on beach at Kelly's Beach, canoed up Kasouga River, snorkelled at 3 sisters, camped in sand dunes near Kasouga - it was all so great, easy, uncomplicated and fun. Chris is a legend. Like Rod we go back a long way, and Chris is extremely easy to get on with and a brilliant doctor (GP).

Week of 14th - Cape Town for botany conference at UCT. We stayed at Jan Smuts res!! Great place but Rhodes is much nicer than UCT: smaller, quiter, more friendly, and we dont have a freeway running past the main campus!! I accidently climbed Table Mnt while bunking some presentations, and we had an EPIC tour of the Cape Peninsular on the last day, including up close and personal with penguins and snorkelling in a bay in Simon's Town in the most perfect conditions imagineable. It was all so blessed. We did Cape Point and toured around back to Cape Town. That week we got thoroughly lost in the CBD several times and when I got home to Gtown I remembered I'd put a map of the city in my bag but forgot I had it! Anyway, I can take you anywhere you want in Cape Town now - I've been all over it a few times (so even I can be unstructured at times - Fred will thrive off that).

Week of 22nd - My Dad and I had a fantastic time in Kenton for 3 nights - great father-son time. Very great. Thanks Dad. Some things are too deep to go into detail about.

Now am working hard again. On fieldwork this week, and off to Cameroon on 16 Feb - 3 March. HELP!!!!! "Gonna shout it from the top of Mt Cameroon, Your Name and Your Renown etc.."

Ralph

Roderick Goes to Limerick

My friend Roderick is going to Ireland in March to work. So this is a good moment to expand on the subject of Roderick as a tribute and a thank you to such an awesome friend. Roderick is a great warrior and one of my longest-standing friends (the rest prefer sitting). We met at RAU in amaJoziJozi way back when RAU was RAU and lang-arm was lang-arm (it was time to pull up our sokies – actually I never went to one, which is a pity – I might’ve got married to a blonde poppie and have “ryperd” as my cell-phone ring). He was studying (un)civil engineering and I was studying Geografie & Omgewings Bestuur. We did have some fun! It wasn’t cool to go to varsity barefoot then (not like Rhodes today) so that’s what we did. It was cool back then (and it still is) to get injuries: the more severe the injury, the more points you get, and at the end of every year there is a winner. Ironically, my sister wins most years.

Rod is pretty wild. He takes the concept of cave man to a whole new level. Rod and I pioneered the concept of ‘abo’, which originally meant going camping in the Magaliesberg with no tent, bedding or anything useful. (It has since evolved into something slightly more than this at Rhodes, but I divest). I think the best time we’ve ever had was a 10-day camping trip in the Chimanimani’s (on the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border) last December/January with my cousin Bob from Gweru. We lived in a cave for a week, and bathed in the river/showered under waterfalls (actually I don’t know if the other two did bath or shower). The cave had straw on the floor and was just wide enough for the 3 of us to fit. It was also the driest cave around and a huge answer to prayer, especially since we had a torrential storm the one night and the river rose 5 feet. After the cave trip we went back to Gweru and had a booze-up on countless 1-litre bottles of Schweppes Lemon (the type you only get – had? - in Zim). Another cool holiday was when we worked on a Christian adventure farm (Bekezela) in the KZN Midlands near Greytown: our job was to improve a 4x4 track with spades on a 45-degree slope of red mud. By the time we had finished you needed an 8x4. We ate porridge and fresh milk every day, and there was no cell reception or any other form of reception. Naturally we thrived.

Rod is a physical machine. If you need a TLB to do the work Rod will volunteer to do it with his teeth. He is a cycling machine – we once cycled to this one farm 30 km from my home in Jozi, and he got home about an hour before I did…(does anyone know Doreen Road in Roodepoort? Well, I have NEVER got up there without pushing – the last time I tried my bike chain snapped – but Rod klaps it stukkent, sommer for an afternoon’s fun).

Rod has some fantastic character traits. He is one of the most loyal and faithful people I know. When I moved to Margate in 2001, he stayed in touch and came to visit often (I appreciate very much people coming to chill – that's my friendship language - and Rod’s great at that). Rod’s friendship has been a great blessing in my life during two moves and a difficult season in Margate (being with my Grandparents was cool though), and I’m grateful to the Lord for that – (over-share time: it’s not easy moving and having to start over, and to have a friend that stays in touch regardless of the province you are in is a priceless balm to the soul). Rod is a man of his word: if he says he will be somewhere he is only not there if he fell asleep and didn’t hear his alarm: in our 9-year friendship Rod has motivated me by example to be more honourable in keeping my word (letting yes be yes and no be no). Rod is also a genius. He picks up languages like people pick up shells on the beach: he reads his German or French Bible for quiet times, and greets the people at the toll gates anywhere in S.A. in their local lingo! At the moment he’s learning Italian. When we were in Zim last year he was learning Shona. I have come to appreciate Roderick very much, particularly this year past.

The best is that Rod has a great heart for the Lord. He is very tender towards the Kingdom of God, and this is irreplaceable. This is the best, the ultimate and what all friendships should be based on: Christ and His Kingdom. We used to get together and pray once a week, and that has been the basis of our friendship – we know we can still talk and pray about stuff when the need is there. (Praying together regularly is by far the best glue in relationships).

Rod – in short – is a legend. And - as he is going to Limerick - in Ireland:

I have a mate called Roderick -
Who is going to work in Limerick!
He’s a hell of an ou -
I hope he gets a really GREAT vrou!
And that our friendship stays fantastic!

Ralph

(I dont have a digital photo of Rod so i put one in of the cave in Chimanimani...)