Crime and Self Defense whilst Hiking

Read about the latest stats on Google Groups of incidents of attacks on hikers. Before you read these stats (shown below), thanks to an email from Tony Heher of Cape Town Hiking Club, this is what I would like to add to the subject of Crime and Self Defense whilst Hiking:


I say, unless you like to hike dressed like our friend above:

1. Do not expect to be 'safe' when you go hiking, especially in areas that are surrounded by typical squatting type communities or low income housing. These areas generally are filled with opportunistic criminals mainly due to poverty. (which is most of Table Mountain in this case).
   
2. Take along a shocker (GREAT for chasing away baboons and monkeys). When you get approached by a criminal, baboon or monkey, snap the shocker to make them aware that you have 'safety gear'.
3. Pepper Spray: apparently this does not work too well if your criminal uses it for pleasurable rush to his head on 'off days'. Its possible, but I would rather have it than not have it. Just make sure you have it replaced with a 'fresh' one at least 1/year.
4. Gun: if you have one, take one. The legal ramifications is your problem if you use it - of course.
   
5. Knife: if you know how to use a knife, like maybe you might have done some sort of self-defense course, then take one. I learnt how to use a knife - and trust me, its NOT like cutting a nice piece of cheese :)
6. Bottom line: whatever you take to protect yourself with - make sure it is within arms length (not like me, at the bottom of my backpack!). My hiking partner (he is such a winner!) ALWAYS takes his shocker and his pepper spray - both are in his back pockets. I always complain that it makes it difficult for me to touch his cute bum. Then I get a grumpy mumble of some sort in return about another lecture on safety. Love it! He is so cute when he grumbles like that :)
   
7. Dogs: your pet is a great deterrent for wanna-be criminals.
   
8. Lastly: Know your gear! if you don't know how to use it - tried and tested - then why do you have it? Consider to go on a self defense course, or go to an open field - please make sure its on a windless day, and test your pepper spray, shoot your gun. Know how it works. How far does your item reach - what are the sounds that it makes - familiarise yourself with how it feels in your hand - know where the trigger button is - how messy is the real deal? Don't be intimated by your own forms of self defense, because trust me, when someone else pulls out a weapon, you are going to WANT to have learnt how to use your own gear, to protect yourself and your fellow hikers.
9. Some easy tips for you to consider if you dont have some sort of weapon:

• Elbow is strongest bone in your body. Use it.
• Knee the person in the groin / or the face / side of leg / stomach / ribs / you name it.
  
• Fingers are excellent to poke into someones eyes.
• Sand is great to throw into someones face.
• Scream - try to let others hear you or know.
  
• Attitude is vital. If you show you are scared, you will be walked over and even maybe raped. If you show aggression, you might be attacked out of pure adrenalin. Stay calm and think clearly of the points above. I know its horrible to consider these factors, but spend some time alone, visualize how you will deal with an attacker one day, what kind of weapon will you use, how will you use it etc.
• When you are done with overpowering your attacker - with whatever you chose to do to eliminate the ordeal - RUN away as fast as you can! if and when they contain themselves, make sure you are not around for their crazy minds to take over and do something stupid again.

Buy a shocker / StunGun at Bid or Buy

Updated Incidents (February 2010)
Signal Hill / (Lions Head is ontop of Signal Hill): (Sunday Feb 14 to Tuesday Feb 16 2010)

Four tourists were robbed there in just three days this week :

• An American man was robbed and apparently injured with a pair of scissors on Sunday morning (14th). R400 was taken. The victim was attacked with a white-handled pair of scissors, causing cuts on both hands.

• A group of three students, studying English at a local language school, were robbed on Tuesday night (16th). A group of three men stepped from behind a tree and threatened to kill them unless they handed over their belongings. Money, cellphones, cameras and watches were stolen. "It was very fast, I think less than a minute. “

Sandy Bay (Saturday 16 Jan 2010 20:30)
ROBBERY – Rocket Road

• Black Male +/- 20 years old threatens walker with a knife. Suspect asks walker to hand over his cellphone and wallet. Walker says no and fight breaks out whereupon suspect stabs the walker in the back and arm and hits him on the head with a rock. Walker taken to Constantiaberg.

ROBBERY Tuesday 2 Feb 2010 14:17 – Sandy Bay (path to Llandudno) -

• Two lady tourists mugged on Sandy Bay beach close to the Llandudno footpath by a group of five males 3 Black males (one in a red sleeveless top and shorts) and 2 coloured males last seen heading toward Kerzner Est. Good response by HBNW, SSP's, Herzner guards and SAPS

Karbonkelberg (Hout Bay): (Friday 8 Jan 19:30)
ROBBERY – Karbonkelberg – CAS 9/1/2010

• 3 colored males, one with a golf club and another with a (toy?) firearm hold up a party of 3 hiking on the Karbonkelberg. They took camera and cellphones. Suspects pepper sprayed by one of the complainants. Mountain was searched by police. Suspects also set fire to the mountain (no case of arson from saps) resulting in helicopter services being activated for many hours, including the next day. All 3 arrested?

Buy your Pepper Spray at Bid or Buy

Year 2009 Incidents:
Silvermine East: 2 Attacks.

• Saturday 23 May 2009: 2 hikers held up & robbed at Amphitheater at about 2.30 or 3pm. Firearm involved.

• Weekend 16/17 May 2009: Attack in the Waterfall area. No further details.

Sandy Bay:

• Sunday, October 19, 2008 19h42 Mugging earlier at Sandy Bay by a group of 4 Bravo males that take off with a bag. Victim reported to be heading to the CSC to lay charges. 19h55 ADT6 detains a matching set of Bravo males with “the bag” at Victoria traffic lights. SAPS asked to attend. 20h22 Long story but as the ‘victims’ never arrived at the CSC, suspects are released to shop another day.

• Friday, February 27, 2009 18h24 Elderly tourist couple mugged, robbed and tied up on Rocket Rd above the dunes. HBNW respond. Two knife wielding Bravo males, one taller than the other carrying a backpack in which the knives were concealed.

• Sunday May 10, 2009 09h22. Serious incident (rape) at Sandy Bay. Suspect Charlie male, 40 yrs old short/stocky wearing black cycle shorts and a white t-shirt, may be well known in HB. Extensive 3 hour search, nothing found.

• Follow-up to 10 May incident: Sandy Bay - Hout Bay police have arrested a man in connection with the rape of a 50-year old woman on a Llandudno beach at the weekend. Lesch said police had made another arrest last night - a man in his late thirties - in connection with the incident. She said the man had initially only been taken in for questioning.

"We had a few positive leads and we followed them up, this is what led to his arrest," she said. "The suspect left some clothes on the beach after the incident and these will be sent for tests. " she said. The suspect, who is from the Hout Bay area, is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

• Beware also Rhodes Memorial area where bicycle riders are targeted from time to time. Last incident in this area was in March 2009.

Good luck! any other advice from the readers will be great?

Waterfall Hiking Trail (aka Day 1 Route and start of the Otter Trail)

Get your walking shoes on, put on enough sunblock, take lots of drinking water and experience nature at its best!



Hiking Trail: Waterfall Trail (Known as Day 1 Route and start of the Otter Trail)
Name of Reserve / Area: Tsitsikamma National Park
Nearest Town: Storms River Village, Plettenberg Bay
Province: Garden Route
Country: South Africa




This route starts (when facing the ocean) to the far right of the Storms River Mouth Resort, just next to the camp grounds. Wow! this was such an amazing walk we had here.

One is often exposed to only one type of environment... Here we had thick dense forest, some board walks and bridges, shrubbery, rock scrambling, flat open fields, bolder hopping along this magnificent coastline and a nice freshwater pond to swim in at the end... definitely a must do when you visit the area.

Duration of hike: 4 hours if you stop as often as we do to have fun and take pictures. Its a 6,4km route to the waterfall and back. Without stopping, it took us about 45 minutes to walk the 3.2km back to base.




Directions to get there: From Cape Town, take the N2 towards Plettenberg Bay. About 60km pass Plettenberg Bay, and just after the Blaauwkrantz River is a turn to the right which takes you to the entrance of the Tsitsikamma National Park by the Storms River Mouth Rest Camp.




Recommended starting times:
Summer: not later than 14h30
Winter: not later than 13h30




Contact Information:
SANparks - Tsitsikamma Section
Phone: +27 (0) 42 281 1607
Reservations: +27 (0) 12 428 9111
www.sanparks.org/parks/tsitsikamma
reservations@sanparks.org




Best time of year to go: Anytime.

The route is marked with little yellow otter paw prints all along the way...



What costs did you incur to do this hike:
Entrance to the Park: Free entry (if you are a South African Citizen) for Wild Card Holders (www.wildinafrica.com)
Accommodation: varies from Camping to Stunning self Catering log cabins of up to R900 per night in season.
Actual hike: Free when in the park.




How safe is it: We felt very safe walking in the park and on this route. Do not go without water as its is a long walk and there is limited shade from the heat of the day.



Fresh Water: Only at the camp. The walk does cross a stream at various points but its not recommened to use as drinking water.




Difficulty: Due to the uneven & slippery terrain, The Waterfall Trail is rated as difficult and is not recommended for unfit hikers.




Pets: No pets allowed in the park.



How will I rate this hike? The route hugs the cliffs all the way to the waterfall. We experienced bolder hopping and rock scrambling, as well as various flat sections all along the route. At the start we were very fortunate to see a Blue Duiker grazing on the beach below us. The pond below the Waterfall provided everyone with a welcome break from the heat of the day. The Tsitsikamma area is experiencing a severe drought during the time we visited the park (and wrote this article), which explains why the waterfall was so small.



The actual (and very popular) Otter Trail starts on this walk and continues past This waterfall for about 45km in total. It takes the hikers an average of 5 days to complete this grueling but very scenic challenge, and is booked out 2 years in advance.

Storms River Mouth Circular Route

Hiking Trail: Storms River Mouth Circular Route

Name of Reserve / Area: Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park
Nearest Town: Storms River, Plettenberg Bay
Province: Garden Route
Country: South Africa




Directions to get there: From Cape Town, take the N2 towards Plettenbergbay. About 60km pass Plettenbergbay, and just after the Blaauwkrantz River is a turn to the right which takes you to the entrance of the Tsitsikamma National Park by the Storms River Mouth Rest Camp.




Contact Information:
SANparks - Tsitsikamma Section
Phone: +27 (0) 42 281 1607
Reservations: +27 (0) 12 428 9111
www.sanparks.org/parks/tsitsikamma
reservations@sanparks.org




Duration of hike: 1 hour





Best time of year to go: Anytime.

What costs did you incur to do this hike:
Entrance to the Park: Free entry (if you are a South African Citizen) for Wild Card Holders.
Accommodation: Cost varies from Camping to Stunning self Catering log cabins of up to R900 per night in season.
Actual hike: Free when in the park.

How safe is it: We felt very safe walking in the park.




Fresh Water: Only at the camp, none on the route.






Difficulty: Easy, short 2km circular walk. Most of the walk is fairly flat and on the boardwalk. The route continues - after the main suspension bridge over the Storms River Mouth, up the cliff about 300m above.

Pets: No pets allowed in the park.




After you cross over the hang-bridge, the route continues to the lookout point ontop of the hill.



A short easy climb takes you to view the Storms River Mouth resort from the other side...







We stopped here for a short coffee break and to enjoy the view.



Having gone back down the mountain, the route takes you back on the lower level of the boardwalk to the campsite.







How will I rate this hike? Very easy, but so beautiful and well worth visiting.

Simonsberg in Franschoek is a must do!

SIMONSBERG 1390 metres

Hiking Trail: Circular ridge route on the Simonsberg
Name of Reserve / Area: Simonsberg is a private property.
Nearest Town: Stellenbosch
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Duration of hike: 6-8 hours
Directions to get there: From Cape Town CBD, take the road to Stellenbosch then drive to the summit of the Helshoogte Pass.

Contact Information:
Ed Flitters, Cape Hiking
(www.capehiking.com)

Best time of year to go: October to April.

What costs did you incur to do this hike: None, but I feel it is important to support the vineyard owners who allow access to their land.

How safe is it: Exposed and can only be recommended to those with experience and a head for heights.

Fresh Water: Plenty lower down

Difficulty: see above

Pets: Not appropriate as there are sections of scrambling

How will I rate this hike? Very highly. Simonsberg is an iconic peak which dominates the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek area.

sent to us by:
Ed Flitters, Cape Hiking
(www.capehiking.com)

There are some mountains that simply get into your blood. Beautiful, aesthetic peaks such as the Matterhorn in Switzerland or Ama Dablam in Nepal. Often solitary summits they dominate an entire valley or region, tempting walkers and climbers with their exposed ridges and dark gullies, offering a playground with a myriad of possibilities.




The Simonsberg is one such mountain. It does not matter where you are, Table Mountain, Cape Point, the Jonkershoek, Mont Rochelle Reserve, Paarl Rocks and even parts of the Cederberg, this iconic triple-headed berg dominates the skyline. I remember seeing it for the first time and being immediately captivated by its striking physical presence. For a mountaineer there are hills that are climbed and then forgotten or pushed to the back of one's mind, and there are those that are revisited many times during a lifetime, presenting different challenges on each occasion; the Simonsberg falls very definitely into this latter category.


Parking in the Thelema courtyard, at the top of Helshoogte Pass, and ignoring the dozing Weimaraners, we make the gentlest of starts, strolling up a gravel road past the ordered rows of vines. Looking back occasionally we are rewarded with magnificent views of Bothmaskop and Haelkop to the south and the Jonkershoekberge to the south-east. After about forty-five minutes a large dam on our right and a small cairn on the left of the track indicate a path cutting left through the fynbos. After another hour we come to large boulders, at about 800m, an ideal resting spot for a well-earned drink. This is the point at which the path forks.



The main path, our descent route, continues left and winds its way up the south-west facing slopes of the mountain. Our route, a longer and more exposed variant, forks right and heads up north-east towards the kloof. The path is very indistinct in places, as it is rarely walked, and the fynbos does its best to repel our advances! Two stream crossings, gentle when I first came here in dry weather, but far fiercer the second time after several days of heavy rain, remind us that the mountain environment can change very quickly and that these expeditions should never be undertaken without necessary items such as a First Aid kit, cell phone, waterproofs and plenty of water.



Entering the kloof, the steep and rocky path winds its way up along the stream, passing slippery mossy banks and some gorgeous waterfalls, throwing out rainbows as the morning light catches the droplets. Care needs to be taken here, as the ground is uneven and the rocks sometimes greasy and loose. After two and a half hours we now reach the nek at 1100m. Breaking out of the darkness of the kloof into the exposure of this breche affords us breathtaking views of the village of Pniel below and the vineyards which line the R310 and R45.



After a tasty sandwich or muesli bar our route now cuts north-west up the ridge, changing sides from west to east, to a large ledge at about 1250m. There is some easy scrambling here, but one still needs to take care, and the more able and adventurous can even practise the odd rock move on sun-baked sandstone. The setting is idyllic; flowers are everywhere and the white and grey rock is stained with bright orange lichen, adding to the Provencal feel. At 1320m the climb evens out and we pick our way through the heathers and orchids towards the summit. The hard work is well and truly over now and, for me, this is the most rewarding stage of our excursion. The slopes are covered in purple ericas and yellow daisies and, although we spot no wildlife on this occasion, other than the ubiquitous lizards, there is plenty of dassie and klipspringer scat to acknowledge their existence.



The summit is topped with a large wooden cross and just next to it stands a smaller cross commemorating the life of 21 year old Jeremy Wilshere. A fifty metre scramble on the east side of the summit reveals a beautiful bivouac cave, built from stones around a large overhang, in which two or three people could easily spend the night if they had the energy to carry up enough water. There is a summit book in an ice cream container stashed in here, and the dates reveal that this is another Winelands summit that is rarely visited. In the distance we can see Cape Point, Table Mountain and Lion's Head, and slightly closer the Wemmershoek range, Franschhoek Mountain, Victoriapiek and the Hottentots Holland mountains.



Wind and rain have carved away the first part of the path down, and we pick our way carefully over loose boulders and past overhanging proteas for the initial two hundred metres, but then we level off and meander across colourful fynbos-covered slopes, looking down onto the vines and dams below us to the south and west.




Easy walking allows us to enjoy the views and reflect on the day's adventure. After two hours we reach the point at which we diverged earlier on and, following the track through the fynbos, we arrive back at the dam and gravel road which leads us back to Thelema and eagerly-awaited refreshment! Thelema Estate prides itself on being one of the highest and coolest wine farms in the Franschhoek/Stellenbosch area. A former fruit farm, it is now a cutting edge winery, producing exceptional award-winning wines. Sipping a glass of Ed's Reserve (great name!), I cannot think of a better way to end a superb mountain day.



''He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary.'' (Nietzsche)


Ed Flitters, Cape Hiking
(www.capehiking.com)


Thanks for sharing this with us Ed!
Loved walking with you in your area a short while ago. We look forward to joining you again on this one sometime soon.
Kind regards,
Juanita and Alex.

Due South on Facebook

Alana from the Due South facebook group has made this December her hiking month.

Please see the interviews she is having with me over the duration of this month. You are welcome to post questions on the group at any time.

Due South Facebook Group

Full Moon. Where to go...

Click here to find out where to go hiking on the next full moon.

Full Moon Calendar

Month/Year	2009	2010	2011	2012
January	10	30	19	9
February	9	28	18	7
March	10	29	19	8
April	9	28	17	6
May	9	27	17	5
June	7	26	15	4
July	7	25	15	3
August	5	24	13	1 & 31
September	4	23	12	29
October	4	22	11	29
November	2	21	10	28
December	2 & 31	21	10	28

A scenic but hard walk from Houtbay to Llundudno

Hiking Trail: Houtbay to Llundudno
Name of Reserve / Area: Karbonkelberg
Nearest Town: Houtbay, Llundudno
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Duration of hike: 6 - 7 hours

Our Hiking Guide: Dieter Heiser - aka Bosvark (u gotta love it!)



Directions to get there: From Cape Town CBD, take the scenic coastal road past Campsbay and Llundudno. Follow the road into Houtbay untill you reach the 3rd circle at the bottom end of the road. Turn right into Harbour road, pass the Mariners Warf on the left and continue with this road all the way.



Take the last road right into Skipper road. This will lead to a gravel road and a dead end. I do not recommend that you leave your car here, but this is where your walk starts (as seen in the pic below). We parked our cars at the Mariners Warf Restaurant and hitched a ride to the start of the walk. (We were also told that we were not allowed to park at this parking spot by the car guard of the restaurant, but do not let the owners bully you into moving your car. This is a public common ground parking area and there for everyone's use.)



Best time of year to go: (there are 4 things to take note of here)

1. A very early start (around 06h00) is recommended for the summer. You are walking in the shade almost 2/3 of the way.
2. This section of the mountain is fairly protected from a NW wind in winter, but caution is always recommended.
3. Make sure you start when the tide is going down, or else you will have to climb steep cliffs in places to escape the high tide.
4. This route is only recommended to be done by an experienced guide like Bosvark, do not attempt to do this one on your own.
   

We all gathered at the starting point marked by an old stone wall being a clear entrance to the start of this magnificent walk.



What costs did you incur to do this hike: none, but the guides may ask for a fee.

How safe is it: I always say that the mountains around Cape Town are never safe from crime and one should never drop your guard. Always take a mace spray and or a shocker along with you.
The phone signal is very poor and sometimes non-existent.
The route is exposed in many areas. Rock scrambling and bolder hopping is par for the course. According to the hikers in the know, every year this route has claimed lives, so please do not attempt this route on your own.



The route starts with a single track and bolder hopping for the better half of the way. Here is a view of our first peak that we pass, the Sentinel (331m) on the right as seen in the pic above.



Fresh Water: none, unless you are fortunate enough to pass a small running stream from the mountain. We often stopped to take a 5 min break and to re-group.





After bolder hopping for about an hour the route flattens out below the Karbonkelberg.



Another break on the rocks at Duiker Point and in front of a surfer spot known as the Dungeons - a world famous spot for surfers who wish to catch the biggest wave in Africa.



Leaving Duiker Point, we head off again to scramble the rocks below the cliffs of the Karbonkelberg.







The views along the entire way were breathtaking. The ocean was that beautiful sea-green and just to add to our delight, we saw a school of dolphins playing in the water below us.



Being the typical girl, my hands started feeling rather sensitive from this point on, and next time I do this walk, I will remember to bring my mountain bike gloves with me. At the end of the walk, I made a mental note that gloves and a medical kit is a must if I come here again. This route is just too isolated for you to not come fully prepared.



As seen in the pic above, again, we took another break, which gave the group a chance to regroup for the next 1 hour very tough leg to an area known as Leeugat by the first shipwreck (Bos 400 - 1994). From here we were exposed to the merciless heat of the day, and rough bush and shrub terrain.



A mere 1 meter of shade next to the rocks, gave us a welcome break from the sun and a chance to enjoy the opportunity to view this massive wreck from very close by.



This area known as Leeugat has 3 wrecks to prove what this part of the ocean has to offer on a bad weather day.

1. Bos 400 hit the rocks in June 1994 and all 18 of the crew survived by being airlifted safely to shore.
2. The Maori was a British steam ship that hit the rocks of the rocky peninsular known as Oudeschip (as seen far left in the pic above) in 1909. Only 22 of the 55 crew survived and she lies below the water to the right of this bay (as seen in the pic above).
3. The next shipwreck which can be seen on the rocks of Oudeschip landed there in 1986 known as the Harvest Capella. She was a long-liner owned by Sea Harvest.
   

After leaving the shipwreck Bos 400, we went scrambling again through very thick bush and schrubs for about 45 minutes - we reached the now deserted Rocket Station (built after the sinking of the Maori in 1909) at top of the rocky peninsular known as Oudeschip. Here is a clear view of the Harvest Capella. We chose not to go down into the valley, but opted to follow the jeep track above, which took on a easy walk down into Sandy bay. I saw many naked bodies all over the place. Most of the walkers could not wait to jump into the cold water, before taking the short 15 minute walk back to the carpark in Llundudno.

Difficulty: Its a long walk and only the fit and experienced hikers should attempt this. Many parts need rock scrambling, so if you have a fear for heights, then I will also recommend that you rather give this one a miss.

Pets: not recommended at all

How will I rate this hike? I have always wanted to walk here, but never knew the route existed. When Dieter invited me on his annual Houtbay to Llundudno walk (the 9th one this year!), I could not wait for it. The weather was perfect, the tides were low. The crowd that walked with us were awesome. I will not attempt this one on my own, but can not wait to take my friends along to show them parts of this route sometime in the future. The water at the famous Dungeons was flat as a pancake. It seemed like a different place to the one that Im normally used to seeing the biggest wave in Africa at. Very cool hike. Great memories to last a long time for me. Thanks again to Dieter and the guys who joined him on this walk. Also thanks to the gentleman that gave me his last plasters to cover my war-wound on my leg, and who saved me from being stuck in a deep pit in the rocks. Dolphins playing in the water below us... loved it all!




Thanks to Dieter and the very friendly crowd for an amazing experience.

Contact Information: email Bosvark