Friday, November 1, 2024

Eye on Life

Broad interest online magazine

Trails

Water, water everywhere

After bewailing the lack of rain in June, we are now admiring waterfalls and streams where we have seen nothing but a trickle or dry rocks for the last few years. Perhaps the mountains have at last become saturated from the rains of last year and we are now getting the run-off above ground. The well at home, which is only 8 feet deep before bedrock, had totally dried up in December last year, for the first time in 40 years, and now after only two weeks’ rain the water table has risen by nearly a metre. Good news indeed for next summer’s watering!

Out on the Tokai Forest trail this morning, the track was completely flooded in places, with the normally unnoticed stream nearby gushing merrily on its way to the sea. As so often happens in Cape Town, the day was sunny, windless and cloudless – winter at its very best with the summer dust washed off the leaves and colours bright and clear. There was much activity in the treetops, with dozens of small birds all a-twitter in the fine weather. Dogs bounded joyfully through the water, shaking themselves dry among the legs of the walkers, then leaping back in. Although not quite a hint of Spring, there was definitely a feeling of renewal in the air

We took a turn off the track where the tree stands in a sandy patch, sometimes a river, to assess the state of water affairs and share our views on the climate, and today we were not disappointed. The pond was full and rushing over the weir – a marvellous sight and sound.

Our coffee break is always on One Tree Hill, overlooking the sweeping view of the mountains and Blue Route freeway, with speeding traffic breaking the peace, but today the stepping stones were covered with water and nobody felt like a swim, and so we sat on the sandbags under the gum trees, a river behind us and sunshine on our faces. So good to be out in the Cape’s natural beauty – a bag of litter was collected by the civic-minded among us, leaving the scene unspoiled for those who might come by later. Traipsing back through the forest allows one to experience a sense of silence that only a canopy of trees and soft pine needles underfoot can give. A place of peace away from the turmoil of the world.

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