SANParks.org Forums

NEW STINGRAY PATROL BOAT FOR WEST COAST NATIONAL PARK
Honorary Rangers do it again!

As most of you know, the West Coast National Park is responsible for monitoring marine resources utilization on the Langebaan lagoon, most of which is not only a marine reserve, but an international RAMSAR site, and has been closed to resource exploitation and interference by engine-powered boats. In order to implement and maintain this goal, the Park has had at its disposal for a number of years, a two-engined, mono-hull patrol boat. However, this boat is too bulky and also has a deep draught, making it cumbersome when maneuvering around mudflats and sandbanks in pursuit of transgressors. In the past, on more than one occasion, lagoon patrol staff have had to await the rising tide in order to get out of a stranding, while the miscreants perform a hasty getaway.

In October 2004 the West Coast Honorary Rangers received a call from the Park’s Marine Conservation Officer to inform us that this patrol boat needed to be replaced with a suitable 4,5m rubber dinghy, and asked if we could possibly assist in fulfilling this need. We raised the request at the next Park Committee meeting and HR Regional meeting, and before long, we had purchased a beautiful 4,5m Stingray rubber dinghy, trailer and 40hp Yamaha motor for the Park.

We were delighted to hand this boat over to Park Manager Gary de Kock at our annual year-end braai, and are proud to say that we got the Park Rangers back on the water and armed them with the tools they need to do the job. May they have every success!

The Stingray was purpose-built according to Park official’s requirements and is fast and highly maneuverable. It follows the standard plan that Stingray uses for building military and naval semi-rigid inflatable boats. Total purchase costs were in the order of R42,000, and were the results of some of the profits earned from four consecutive years of our popular December HR Marathons and Cycle Tour league races held in the Park.

As the old boat is still a SANParks asset, it will most likely be passed across to the Anti-Poaching Unit who has a need for such a boat in order to pursue their freshwater and marine activities. If this happens, we are pleased to have been able to help them too!

Previous Chairman; SANParks Honorary Rangers
West Coast Region

Hats off to you West Coaster,

I think its fabulous that you guys were able to use popular pastimes like running and cycling to raise money to support conservation.

If the anti-poaching unit isn't going to use the boat, or even if they are, is there any chance that the HRs or the SANParks staff could organise boat trips to act as a mobile hide to allow birders to get closer to waders out of reach from the current hides? If done properly it could be a great revenue making opportunity for the park.

Cheers

Bodger

PS What type of snake is your signature pic? (Or maybe you want to post that as a quiz)

Hi Bodger.

Thanx for the kudos! Without the able and willing assistance of our Regional Honorary Rangers team who consistently place body and soul at Parks' disposal, we would never have been able to buy SANParks this much needed piece of equipment. All thanks to them, every one!

SANParks at the West Coast National Park already have a large boat that they take birders out to the islands with. This works very well. As far as your other suggestion goes, about taking birders to inaccessible areas of the lagoon to see waders, there are staffing issues. Not that this should detract from your idea, and I will take it to the SANParks staff for you. Thanks for a marvellous idea! We have a couple of birding days coming up in conjunction with Birdlife Africa, and I will suggest this as an option on the day/s. More about this initiative a little later... Watch this space.

My snake avatar is a Gaboon Viper. It is so beautifully coloured, patterned and camouflaged, that it is known as "The snake in lace panties"!!!

* Edited to fiks pselling. *

I am delighted to tell you that a brand new Mercedes Benz 20-seater bus has been delivered to our PR lady for inspection before the fitment of seats as per our requirements. This is the first of 2 such buses for which funding is being raised (R370k per bus) by the Honorary Rangers for our West Coast National Park and will be used to transport the 10,000 per annum disadvantaged schiilchildren around the Park while they attend our Socio-ecology courses.

Mrs. WestCoaster had the privilege of driving the bus a short way in the parking lot outside her shop, and final delivery from Mercedes Benz is expected within 10 days. A huge presentation, with much fanfare is planned as a handover to SANParks!

Better that, all other Regions!

GREAT NEWS! I trust that we will be able to see photos and a report on the handover?

Can you mabe tell us more (maybe under a different heading) about this Socio ecology course e.g. what the children are taught and the main goal of the course.

Well done on this great achievement.

If you send us the details and photos we'll make a big splash here on the web, in Go Wild, and in a report to EXCO.

Well Done WestCoaster
You guys are doing really well.

When you have some time, take a look at this post and pop a reply please.http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8982

Well, the bus arrived yesterday and SANParks (West Coast NP) is now the proud owner of a the first of two 20-seater Mercedes buses. We held a finger supper with a big variety of Cape wines and beers for the 100 or so invited guests that turned out in miserable weather to see the beribboned bus handover. All the HRs and Park staff turned out, and the occasion also celebrated the arrival of our new Park Manager, Xola Mkefe, and saw the farewell of Gary de Kock to greener pastures at cluster level. Most of the crowd were our sponsors over the years, and a real gemoedlike afternoon and early evening was enjoyed by all.

Articles and pics to follow...

Congrats to the WCNP! Just a question, is it like a city bus, or open like a safari vehicle?

Yellow ones I hope?

Hi all-there is naturally a front page story on the site on this great acheivement...i hope you will check out the front page as well for all the other news stories but in the mean time, here's the link to the story, with a pic or two...Well done the West Coast HRs!!

Well Done WestCoaster