Pringle Bay Hack Report No 141-143

PRINGLE BAY HACK REPORT N0 141

Our final hack for 2018 took place on 25 November when we continued work on the plot next to the entrance of Pringle Bay for the fourth time. The hackers have now established that it generates more success if they work as a team. (See the first photo below.) The Spider Gums were falling with a regular rhythm, making steady progress. The two Pines that were left from the previous hack (because they were too close to the telephone line) are gone as well and the telephone line is still intact.


Team work!

After tea all the hackers moved on to Leigh Elves’ smallholding, next to Porter Drive between Rooi Els and Pringle Bay. Spider Gum and Australian Myrtle seedlings were the culprits, and were removed by hand.

Thank you all – the team spirit and productivity are improving every day. And that is wonderful!


Hacking at Leigh’s smallholding.

Today we broke a new record with 40 hackers and 47 party animals! Welcome back to Rienie Schenk and Jeannie Harning; it was good to have you back!

The new hackers for today were:

Stephen Rabe, Malcolm Ferguson, Aiden Botha and Lezette Van Jaarsveld; all participated energetically and enthusiastically!  You are most welcome to the Pringle Bay Hack and we hope to see you every time you are available!

A special word of thanks for the contribution and support provided by Frik, Jane, Ulli, Katherina, Tom, Richard, Bernard, Jeannie, Jan and Betsy of the Bettys Bay Hack to the Pringle Bay Hack. Their efforts and encouragement are, as always, greatly appreciated.

Karen, thank you for the very delicious mid-morning refreshments. A special word of thanks goes to Adriaan from the Mini Mark for the generous monthly donation of tea and sandwiches for the Hack Group. It was, as always, greatly appreciated by all.

For our final Hack of 2018, we had a braai at Leigh and Monique’s place. They have opened their house and hearts to all the hackers! Thank you for your hospitality and the wonderful sausage and salads. A word of thanks for all the contributions, specifically Ria and Karen for the bread rolls, Rienie, Carol, Belinda, Lezette and Retha for the delicious brownies and Sandy for the scrumptious chips and dips. If you visit the Hangklip Bottle Store, kindly convey our appreciation for the 20 litres of Bitburger beer donated by Karina and Elmarie. Together everyone ensured that the lunch was greatly enjoyed by all!


The host of today’s function, against the backdrop of Valsbay.

We will meet again at our next monthly hack on Saturday 26 January 2019. As usual we will get together on the pavement opposite Drosters Centre, in Central Avenue, Pringle Bay, at 08:30 whereafter we will proceed to the hack site. The hack ends at 11:30. Everyone who would like to help rid Pringle Bay of alien vegetation is welcome. Hacking tools are provided. Contact Chris at (028) 273 8588, or just turn up at the meeting point.

PRINGLE BAY HACK REPORT N0 142

We began the year with a wonderfully energetic hack on the “Green Belt” behind the Pringle Bay Church on 26 January 2019. This strip of land was seriously infested with Australian Myrtle and New Zealand Xmas Trees. In no time the Myrtle were tackled and removed to the verges, but the NZ Xmas Trees proved too much. These need to be retackled or the Wednesday Hack needs to take over. Nevertheless, today was a good example what can be achieved by team work. Initially it looked as if the Myrtle were going to win, being all over the place, young ones in their millions, but by pure endurance we managed to get rid of them all! Thanks guys – it was wonderful to see everybody take the task seriously, but with a joke and a smile!


Just a small portion of the hacked Australian Myrtle. 


Although it was Myrtle country, a few Rooikrantz trees also fell in the onslaught.

Today we had 38 hackers, with no new attendees. We were happy to welcome Tom back in our midst after his and Christine’s narrow escape from the Betty’s Bay Fire. We also wish Frik and Jan a speedy recovery.

In light of the recent fires, the question arises to what extent hacking helps to control the damaging effects of a fire. It would be interesting to get an educated opinion on how hacking benefits the environment. Your thoughts?

On several occasions, the issue of planting indigenous trees in addition to the hacking process has been raised. I think it would be worthwhile to get ideas and suggestions as to how that can materialise. Any ideas?

A special word of thanks for the contribution and support provided by Ulli and Tom of the Betty’s Bay Hack and Mike of the Rooi Els Hack to the Pringle Bay Hack. Their efforts and encouragement are, as always, greatly appreciated!

Dave and Lena, thank you for the very delicious mid-morning refreshments, they were wonderful. Lena, we hope that you will make a speedy recovery with your ankle! A special word of thanks goes to Adriaan, from the Mini Mark, who has decided that he will continue with the generous monthly donation of the tea and sandwiches for the Hack Group. It is, as always, greatly appreciated by all.

We will meet again at our next monthly hack on Saturday 23 February 2019. As usual it will be on the pavement opposite Drosters Centre, in Central Avenue, Pringle Bay, at 08:30 whereafter we will proceed to the hack site. The hack ends at 11:30. Everyone who would like to help rid Pringle Bay of alien vegetation is welcome. Hacking tools are provided. Contact Chris at (028) 273 8588, or just turn up at the meeting point.

PS: I want the residents of Pringle Bay to take note of the way our town is being suffocated by rubbish. Just look at what was retrieved by Rienie, and that was from only half of what is supposed to be the “Green Belt” running through our town! Thanks, Rienie for your efforts.

PRINGLE BAY HACK REPORT N0 143

The 23rd of February, a wind-still day, when we launched an assault on the small stuff growing on the foothills of the “Two Sisters” next to Porter Drive between Pringle Bay and Rooi Els. This piece of land was cleared of all the big stuff, like Pines, Eucalyptus, Spider Gums and Australian Myrtle some time ago by the Wednesday Hack. But in the meantime, seedlings have taken over the slopes. So, the hackers were compelled to terminate these small seedlings today. It was no display of force, but a gentle pull did the thing. It was the opinion that we easily eradicated a few hundred thousand of the Spider, Myrtle and Pine seedlings today. Thanks guys, it was wonderful to see everybody take the task seriously; it required a great deal of patience and endurance!


Today’s Office, what a view!


One of the culprits, a young Spider Gum.


This is the ever-present Australian Myrtle.

Today we had 26 hackers, and again no new attendees. It was not one of the biggest hack groups, but all were very dedicated and did a great job. Our sympathy to Penny who slipped and fell, but luckily Reggie was quick and efficient in assisting with the pleisters!


The hackers on the foothills of the Two Sisters.

A special word of thanks for the contribution and support provided by Tom, Tim, Ulli and Richard of the Betty’s Bay Hack to the Pringle Bay Hack. Their efforts and encouragement are, as always, greatly appreciated!

Mike and Ilse Meyer, thank you very much for the very delicious mid-morning refreshments, they were wonderful. Someone remarked that they are of the opinion that it is easier to hack than to prepare and serve sandwiches! I am quite convinced that there is great appreciation for these servers of the snacks! A special word of thanks goes to Adriaan, from the Mini Mark, for the generous monthly donation of the tea and sandwiches for the Hack Group. It is, as always, greatly appreciated by all.

We will meet again for our next monthly hack on Saturday 30 March 2019. As usual we’ll meet on the pavement opposite Drosters Centre, in Central Avenue, Pringle Bay, at 08:30 whereafter we will proceed to the hack site. The hack ends at 11:30. Everyone who would like to help rid Pringle Bay of alien vegetation is welcome. Hacking tools are provided. Contact Chris at (028) 273 8588, or just turn up at the meeting point.

– Chris Geldenhuys, Convenor