Rachel Colenso

Key Section of Famed Half Dome Route Falls Off - Climbing | Climbing I remember us sleeping on a ledge just before this! Then eating our breakfast bagel before climbing the cracks. -It was an experience I will NEVER forget, as Jeremy led the cracks in French free climbing style, and I followed carrying our two days of water, sleeping bags, etc, and food in a rucksac on my back. The sun was scorching, and the route physically testing to the limits as the climb consisted of just a never ending, overhanging crack, with a vertical edge to cling to for as far as the eye could see upwards,  I took great relief jamming my body into the cracks higher up which meant I was out of the sun, and could take the weight off my aching arms even if I was sandwiched uncomfortably between two slabs of granite rock, with a 1000m drop when I looked at my feet! I do remember thinking why on earth I was there, and that perhaps another sport may be less painful and scary. Little did I know that what I wa

New beetle species discovered in Noordhoek - Weekend Argus This is an amazing discovery in a location that is now partially surrounded by suburban development. - I remember leading our expedition across the beaches of Noordhoek, and up Noordhoek Peak to support the Door of Hope, a charity to help abandoned babies in South Africa. A full team of firefighters from Volunteer Wildfire, (who have recently braved intense bush fires around this area in the Cape) joined our hike up Noordhoek Peak. On the beach section we came across a seal that had just given birth to a cub, and on the mountain we looked across the marshland and beach and marveled at natures beauty. I am sure that not one of the thirty or so of us who joined those hikes really thought then that we might be brushing passed, or flicking an undiscovered species from our clothing!

Last week Cape Town was ravaged by fires. Thousands of homes and properties were saved, thanks to the efforts of the joint firefighting teams. Now the surrounding mountains in neighbouring areas are alight. Once a fire starts it can be difficult to control. Here is a personal action plan for people living/ near dry wilderness areas at risk of fire to protect them and their property when they come under threat of fire. Please read this advice and send it on to those who may benefit. This was from the Volunteer Wildfire Facebook page. Jason Whiting  Advice I've received in the past: 1. Move anything flammable away from windows,  2. take down curtains and put blinds up; Close all windows;  3. Gather essential documents, family photos and laptops/PC (leave monitors and keyboards, need to rescue the hard drives);  4. Switch sprinklers on;  5. hose down fire side of the property (and especially roof if thatch); 6. prepare for evacuation, load car and park it facing t