Have you seen this lately?

I’ve been promising everyone an update on the green monsters that is multiplying like little rabbits on our ever so precious water surface.

I’ve got good news, bad news, inbetween news & then some more bad news as it normally goes with these things.  The good news is that we can do something about it.  The first bad news is that WE must do something about it and it is going to cost us (meaning all of us) – more good news – only a little bit of money each.

Some background:  This plant (here I’m suppose to use the scientific name to sound fancy) reproduces maybe (as nobody is sure yet) in two ways……..

Another half dead daughter

The mother plant let go of pieces (called daughters) and daughters get stuck in anything that floats in the river to become mothers and so the circle goes.  Or a flower (the nice lavender flower) carries up to 300 seeds that floats to the bottom of the river – germinates in the mud – pops up and so the circle continues.  This plant – after having totally removed every last stem can stay active for 20 years.

Basically – we are “frenched”!

So na baie gesukkel met een of ander regerings departemente (elke een stuur jou mos na die volgende een so ek sal nie veel name noem nie) en na die laaste keer wat ons met groot gesukkel die pomp gekry het om te spuit – het ons nou self ons ou waterkarretjie opgegradeer.

My Lady with yellow fire engine!

Dit het nou nogal ‘n paar rand gekos om die ou dingetjie te kry dat hy ver genoeg kan spuit – julle weet mos almal hoe dit met die ou goeters gaan.  Maar nou werk dinge sommer lekker.  Nicolaas haal die sykant van die My Lady af, trek die karretjie op, laai sy manne, die gif ens en laat waai.  Twee dae later is hy klaar gespuit die hele rivier, pak weer alles op en herhaal die proses twee weke later.  Dit moet twee keer ‘n maand gespuit word, verkieslik met windstilte sodat die gif op die regte plek beland.  Totdat ons dit onder beheer het en dan een keer ‘n maand moet die rivier gefynkamp raak indien dit weer kop uit steek.

This is the who, the why, the how and the what.  Now the financial side.  The first three cans of poison we got from Water affairs.  We have personally bought 5 @ R700 per can.  One of our members has also donated some poison but the amounts that we have to use is a hell of a lot.  The cost for us to spray 2 a month for 2 days at a time is just over R9 000 and that is without the poison. Water affairs has notified us that they have received a new load of poison and will replenish our stock soon.

He must have guts!

We attended a meeting from “Benede Bergrivier Besproeings Raad” this week.  The meeting was so successful they unanimously agreed to found a Hyacinth Committee.  Of course Nic was also appointed.  Wateraffairs has taken arial photos of the whole river and will put that on a map to show where the hyacinth is accumulating.

So while everyone is doing everything in their power to fight the hyacinth we are actually doing it.  Water affairs has got a budget for things like these but they also have 48 other projects and that just ain’t gonna put us on top of the list.  Benede Bergrivier will look into getting monies together for the fight against hyacinth from the farmers next to the river and the municipalities that draw water.

And in the mean time, the hyacinth mothers & daughters are watching us two legged creatures having meetings while they flourish.

We have taken action – a Special Hyacinth levy was introduced this month to our Homeowners & Caravaners.  This levy will also be at the gate for day visitors plus if you book in for the weekend.  Seriously guys – if we do not stand together on this to help fight the hyacinth we are going to be “Damwatchers” instead of “Water skiers” by the end of this year.

Ons het die kostes van die levy so gesplit dat dit nie veel invloed by ‘n groep se besoek sal maak nie, maar gesamentlik sal dit ons help om meer te spuit en minder te vergader.  Want dit kan ek vir julle met sekerheid sê – die regering se hand is in sy sak maar hy gaan nie baie vinnig dit uittrek nie.

Tot volgende keer as ons meer weet – hou ‘n ogie op die site vir meer nuus!

Nog so bietjie foto’s om darem te wys daar is nog baie ski-water oor!