MISTY CLIFFS VILLAGE ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER - November 2009
Editor: Tim Anderson

AS you’ve all been directly notified and invited already, the most enjoyable event of the year in the whole South Peninsula is the annual Misty Cliffs year-end party. This year it will be a “Christmas Braai” (possibly a spit braai) on Sunday 20 December, from 18h00, at the home of Dennis and Anita Williams, Erf 43 - which is on the beach. DON’T MISS THIS!

Bratpack very welcome, even babies, and they can play on the beach while the grown-ups are being dull and serious in the house. If you’ve let your Misty pad then your tenants will also be welcome, so do tell them, and bring also any friends staying with you. It would be a good idea to stick a label on yourself with your name because over the course of a year some of us age unrecognizably (and lose their memory for names!).

The Village Association will supply all the solid food. You will need to bring your liquid food, including kiddy liquid; don’t be mingy - what you don’t drink you can finish at home. For catering WE MUST know how many people will be coming (including your house-guests) so if you’re going to be there please be certain to let our chairman Jacqui Parsonson know by email well before end November. It’s terrible to run out of food and be forced to make do with liquids. (If anyone’s a vegetarian tell us so that we can make a plan for them.)

Finding the place: From the Scarborough side, on the M65, take the third driveway left (beachwards), counting from immediately after the wooden footbridge. Erf 43 is the second house along the driveway, probably marked by Riot Squad vehicles waiting nervously outside. Note: There is almost no parking along the driveway, so either walk or get a lift or leave your car parked safely along the main road.

OUR PICTURE

This shows the start of Scarborough’s Big 350 Swim (a few from Misty braved the chilly water too) staged on 24 October as our area’s gesture (along with nearly 5 000 others worldwide), to imprint the daunting number “350” on the minds of the politicians (mainly) who’re headed for December’s UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen. Some 45 similar events occurred around SA of which 17 were in Cape Town alone. Thanks to Graeme Robinson of Scarborough for the picture.

Those of us who understand and care want “350” to become the most important number in the minds of humans and politicians right now because 350 parts per million (ppm) is the scientifically agreed safe UPPER limit of CO2 in the atmosphere. Currently we already have a global average of 387 ppm!

A massive photo collage representing all the 5 000 demo groups will be assembled by www.350.org to lobby the Copenhagen conference. The hope is to help convince our global leaders that the concerned and anxious people of the world want them to make a new fair, binding, AMBITIOUS and enforceable treaty as a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol. If our voice is loud enough, they may feel encouraged and compelled to do the right thing. “www.350.org” is supported by WWF, Greenpeace, Avaaz.org and hundreds of other climate change groups.

This is not alarmist stuff. By the end of 2007 the mean actual sea level had already risen 1.6 times faster than the rate predicted by the most pessimistic forecasts from climate change models. Sea levels are a better indicator of global warming than temperature measurements, which fluctuate so much that it is difficult to plot a trend line. Sea level rises by the expansion of water as it absorbs heat from all the various atmospheric sources, as well as from water previously trapped in glaciers on land, some of which are now melting. Our City planners are already anticipating inundations in the Fishhoek valley, initially from equinoctial storm surges and/or the predicted episodes of exceptional rain during the general much drier climatic regime.

OUR COUSINS BROUGHT TO HEEL

At long last the Battle of the Baboons seems to have gone our way. The monitors managed by Nature Conservation Corporation are doing a fine job (see previous Newsletter). It just goes to show that if the guys are given tenure, recognition, decent equipment, and competent management then they will be motivated and dependable.

Front-line Scarborough’s experience is well summed up by the following letter from Harald Kolnik to the Residents’ Association and his fellow residents:

Dear Graham, Richard & Scarborites,

I wanted to place on record how fabulous life has been in Scarborough since the new contractors namely,"The Nature Conservation Group” took over the management and monitoring of the Baboons in Scarborough. These past months have allowed us to once again live a normal life, entertain, re-create outdoors and enjoy the beautiful environment that surrounds us. I have also been told by many Scarborough residents how happy they have been with this new lease of life that they are currently enjoying. Bravo to Dean and his team for a job well done as well as compliments to the people manning Baboon Hotline, they are efficient and courteous and quick to respond when we contact them. I also suggest that we Scarborough residents that share these sentiments write to the press and the City of Cape Town so that the powers that be continue to fund and support this functioning new initiative. Lastly perhaps we the community could contribute and organize a year end Christmas Braai / Function for the monitors to express our gratitude to them for doing such a great job, thus encouraging them. Feedback on this proposal would be appreciated.

Our chairman Jacqui has written formally to Piet van Zyl, the accountable City official, expressing our huge relief and approval of the system and hoping (desperately!) that funding to sustain the operation will somehow continue. There’s no doubt most people are much happier about the situation. Monitors have been conspicuous in Misty and the ones your scribe has encountered are cheerful and courteous. One of the men can produce a highly realistic baboon bark; hopefully he can vary it to indicate a voetsek command rather than a challenge, or a call for a mate.

However (there’s always a “but” isn’t there?) funding is guaranteed (by the City) only until 31 January, as pointed out in the previous Newsletter. It’s very important that the other parties which have been found legally obligated to participate in the funding become convinced that the present monitoring system is cost-effective and adequately successful. So it’s to some extent up to residents to support the new system, and do their best not to undermine it by leaving their trash available or persisting with putting out food for birds and pets.

SECURITY

We’ve already notified you individually of a proposal to add a security foot patrol over the holiday season in order to help outwit the criminals who watch the movements of Scarborough Security and SAPS patrol vehicles so as to tip off their accomplices to strike accordingly. Misty Cliffs is a small enclave and an inconspicuous foot patrolman can get around sufficiently. As we said, law enforcement people have warned us of an almost certain uptick in crime over the season, the more so because of the dire economic situation. The proposed extra service will be taken up if a sufficient number of house owners agree to it. The cost will be added to their usual SSS monitoring accounts, since nearly every house owner is already a subscriber.

We appeal to all residents, including tenants and friends, to report any suspicious person or behaviour to the Simon’s Town Police Station. The number of reports logged has a direct bearing on the facilities and personnel complement allocated.

Strong recommendation from SSS: ON NO ACCOUNT give house keys or alarm codes to domestic helpers. No matter how honest and loyal they are, these people are helpless against threats and intimidation, or worse, by criminals. You may leave keys at the Scarborough Security offices and arrange for an officer to open up your place and later lock up again for your employee at an agreed time or on request.

TIP: If you’re ever criminally accosted at an autobank and forced to reveal your PIN, disclose it in reverse sequence. Reputedly this will cause the money issued to be stuck half-way out of the slot and will simultaneously notify the SAPS.

FIRE

Fire warnings are already being broadcast and we can expect big fires at any moment. We had mooted the idea of buying some equipment such as one or two “pods” (small semi-portable pump sets) and some hoses, fittings and protective gear. Unfortunately the cost has turned out to be far higher than we were first led to believe. Therefore we are investigating if it might be more cost-effective to rather increase the frequency of firebreak maintenance, including similarly frequent clearing of growth on undeveloped plots, and planting of indigenous water-rich plants. Decisions will probably be taken before the next newsletter, in which case we will notify everyone separately.

We are also engaging with the City’s Water Services to obtain a guarantee that the various reservoirs and booster pumps associated with the reticulation system for our area are consistently in a state of accessibility and readiness for a fire emergency, and that appropriate personnel are briefed and available, 24/7, to divert water supply so that it is adequately available at the site of fire fighting.

Meanwhile, go to www.firewise.org.za for all the top tips on how to fireproof your homes, and what to do in the event of an approaching fire.

FILMING and PHOTOGRAPHY

Some Misty owners have allowed film companies to hire their places for filming and fashion shoots. Usually these activities include beach scenes, and for these it is mandatory for the companies to apply to SANParks for permits. The rates have been considerably hiked recently but are scaled according to how many vehicles and people will be involved. Parks also require some details of what disturbance to the environment might be likely before they issue a permit. Full information is available on the Parks website: www.sanparks.org/groups/filming.

POISONING FEARS

Occasionally natural conditions cause outbreaks of “Red Tide", a bloom of tiny sea creatures which can be poisonous to humans but are nutritious to filter feeding shellfish, such as mussels, of which there are lots at Misty Cliffs. It is ALWAYS advisable to check locally for rumours or reports about Red Tide before you eat mussels or other shellfish. Marine and Coastal Management is the official source of information, but most times the local fishermen and police find out sooner. We hope to have shortly a weblink on the Misty website to make this easier to check.

WALKING ON THE MOUNTAIN

We have lovely mountain walks and for Misty-dwellers one of the nicest and most accessible takes them onto the territory of the Baskloof Private Nature Reserve. The owners are keen conservationists and quite happy for people to enjoy their property so long as no flowers or plants are picked, BUT they do insist on a permit, and access from a set point. Day permits are obtainable from Mickey’s Mousetrap (shop at Camel Rock Restaurant in Scarborough), otherwise phone Danielle Harris on 021-780-1361 or 082-680-6188. Access to the Baskloof hiking path is from Hilltop Road, but cars must be left parked at or near Camel Rock.

SOLAR HEATING

General information about solar heating is available for downloading on the ESKOM website: Eskom info

WiFi

At last count eight people had signed up to use the wireless hot spot set up by the Parsonsons. Apparently the system is proving completely satisfactory, so here’s a reminder for folk interested in having an internet connection without paying Telkom every month: Most houses in Misty should by now have access to the wireless network, so if your computer has wifi capability just search for the Skyrove network, connect to it, and you will pay only for what you use (60c/MB). Those houses that cannot “see” the network, or would like to use it a lot, can join the network for a once-off fee of about R2k, which covers installation at their house and lowers the per MB charge to 20c.

DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES

Your committee has been working for several months on a complete revision of the Building and Development Guidelines, specifically for Misty Cliffs, and this will soon be posted on our website. The document was basically adapted from the excellent material prepared for Scarborough, but factors and considerations inapplicable to our enclave were deleted, and a considerable number of additions and expansions were inserted after wide-ranging consultations. In particular, a lot of information has been included about landscaping so that new houses can be designed from the outset in parallel with their garden plan. This is important not only for aesthetics but also, and especially, with an eye on the ever-present danger of fire.

VANDALS!

Someone in Scarborough has been spraying outside/security lights with black paint, apparently as a kind of protest against lights which they think are too bright and/or too numerous and thereby interfere with the natural nightlight which appeals to many residents. Some very strong feelings have been expressed about this vandalism, and no less strongly about the presumed motive for it. Our comment at this stage is simply that while security lights are increasingly necessary, care should be taken not to go overboard with their quantity, intensity, and spread. It is entirely feasible to have lighting which adequately illuminates the surrounds of a building without simultaneously illuminating the neighbours and ships out at sea.

PICTURES

We like to include interesting or amusing pictures in these newsletters to relieve all the boring text, but we depend on owners to provide them. Please keep your hard-pressed scribe in mind so that he has something of a resource for future newsletters.