Fight Club

Does anyone know what all those brightly-lit boats are doing in our bay?

SEIZING THE DAY: These chokka boats photographed 13 years ago, when their numbers pushed nearly 100, operated on the same principle of today’s fl eet of 30-odd boats: the bright lights enable crews to better locate shoals and process their catch while duping sea creatures into behaviour brought on by the illusion of eternal daylight - Photos: Derek Frielinghaus

We have been living in Plettenberg Bay for the past 20 years. During recent weeks, we’ve been counting 15 to 20 boats in the bay at any time. Can you explain to us what they are doing here?

We remember a time about 15 years ago when Portuguese fi shing boats were taking away so Plett has lost its best beach, the famous Lookout, to the last great fl ood of a decade or so ago. Parking facilities at Main Beach, Robberg 5 and Solar Beach are lacking in peak season.

Lookout Beach must have been the biggest drawcard for the holiday makers and tourists who made Plett their holiday destination. So why can’t we do something to restore the parking lot? Even a temporary refurbishment of the surface would be welcome.

General restoration may not even be necessary if one could only provide a hard-surface off-ramp; The greatest sense of achievement and JOY is that of Just Owning Yourself. It is a tough call in a society that values what everyone else thinks much of our local fi sh stock that even the dolphins stayed away, because they had nothing left to eat.

Is this happening again now? Please give us an answer at your earliest convenience.

Dr Annelie and Volker Ney, Plett

(While awaiting offi cial of you, above what you think of yourself.

Living in JOY requires a paradigm shift - it is about living the kind of life you have always imagined or stats in this regard from Plett Beach Control, we bugged local archivist and NSRI stalwart Derek Frielinghaus for his take on the state of boats operating off our coastline at this time of year. He shared the images above and wrote: “I took these photographs in 2007, when there were longed for, and then following the feelings that will add JOY to each moment, each day of your journey of life.

I am in a position where many of my clients have had to close doors. As a single breadwinner this is very scary - BUT, I can deal with this one moment, one choice, one decision at a time.

I cannot feel overwhelmed by what society has conditioned me to believe; I would have had to fi nd a way of opting out of life. Still here I am, weaker but stronger, disheartened but motivated, fearful but curious. What else can life bring?

Massive change brings massive shock or massive change on the JOY (Just Own Yourself) side. nearly a hundred chokka boats operating in the bay. They are catching calamari for export purposes and I believe the whole process is legal.” Watch this space for additional information on the subject, currently being compiled by the crew at Beach Control’s HQ on

Additional parking would go a long way towards restoring Lookout’s allure

Central Beach. - Eds.)

THOSE WERE THE DAZE: Lookout Beach used to teem with holidaymakers before the parking lot was washed away - this picture was taken around 2010 and, according to the author of this letter, the last great fl ood occurred around 2012

just imagine how popular it would be if we gave access to 4X4 vehicles. What/who is stopping us?

Where there is a will, there’s a way, but without a will there is no way.

The Drone, Plett

(We suspect your suggestion of allowing fourwheel drive automobiles on Lookout Beach will be met with serious resistance, dear Drone. But with regards to making Plett’s award-winning beaches more user-friendly, there should be scant reason to disagree. Readers are welcome to share their views on this subject by emailing editor@cx

Sharing a moment of joy

Marine mammals are jumping…

Suzy Noble of Plett recently captured this spectacular image when her son Connor was snorkelling at Keurbooms, perfectly timing the shot to catch a dolphin frolicking in the sun-lit surf just metres away from this able young angler’s preferred fi shing grounds. So perhaps the presence of Plett’s visiting chokka fl eet has not deterred the bay’s best-loved marine mammals from making the most of current surf conditions...

press.co.za - Eds.) Embrace the major shift and change. When you go with the fl ow rather than against it, amazing things happen, almost like magic. Ever seen a unicorn?

That is the level of thinking required: just like cryptocurrencies came out of nowhere, so can your fantasy, your belief, your purpose.

Believe in something, whether it be God, Buddha or the sun rising yet again tomorrow. Life is not a choice, but how you choose to live it is. Choose JOY!

Rose Scott, Plett

(Rose writes a weekly contribution in the hope that it may “help us to unite, to heal and to remember that what we have discovered is truly important for each one of us”… - Eds.)

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CONTACT NUMBERS OF THE PLETTENBERG BAY POLICING AREAS:

SECTOR MANAGERS

Sector 1: CBD, Poortjies, Dunes, Town areas - W/O Taylor: 079 894 1645 Sector 2: New Horizon, Bossiesgif, Qolweni, Wittedrift - W/O James: 079 894 1643 Sector 3: Natures Valley, The Grags, Keurbooms area, Covie - Sgt De Vos: 082 820 7889 Sector 4: Rural Safety - farms - W/O Van Pletzen: 082 411 2738

COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTRE Plettenberg Bay

044 501 1900 / 044 501 1907 / 044 501 1908 / 044 501 1909/10 Vispol Commander: Lt Col Solomon: 044 501 1939 / 082 778 7310

Detective Commander Plettenberg Bay:

Lt Col Cebekhulu: 044 501 1946 / 082 778 6713

COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTRE

Kwanokuthula 044 533 2145 Detectives: 044 533 3121 Administration: 044 501 2900 Switchboard: 044 501 4200 Policing areas: Kranshoek, Harkerville, Piesang Valley

082 251 8134