Media Release. Mossel Bay Tourism. 2 September 2010.

Members of the Dias Festival Joint Organising Committee (JOC) - from left: Dias Museum Complex manager Mbulelo Mrubata, Festival coordinator Juanita Pienaar, and Dias Museum Management Committee chairman, Harold Miller.

Juanita Pienaar to Coordinate Dias Fest

Next year’s Dias Festival, which will be held in Mossel Bay from the 3rd to the 6th of February, will be coordinated by Juanita Pienaar.

Ms. Pienaar recently also coordinated the Summer Festival at Santos Beach, and the Kraak-i-Mossel Festival at The Point.

“Mossel Bay was the first point of contact between the European explorers and the indigenous people of South Africa, so it is a vitally important site in the history of our country,” said Mbulelo Mrubata, manager of the Dias Museum Complex, which will be the focus point of next year’s Festival.

He said that the South African Navy will once again be part of the event next year, and that it had agreed to send vessels, its band, and its mobile display and careers exhibition to Mossel Bay.

“The vessels will enter the Harbour on the 523rd anniversary of Dias’ landing at Mossel Bay,” he said.

“While the Museum will be the designated Festival Grounds, it’s important that the whole town and the whole community become involved in the Festival,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s Marcia Holm.

“Over the next week, we’ll be circulating all the service clubs, sports clubs, schools, and similar organisations, and asking them to join in, and to put their events onto the programme.”

She said that the annual Vryburgers Marathon – which has been run every year since 1988 – would once again take place during the Festival, and that the Friends of the Dias Museum would be holding a concert of Operatic Arias in the Maritime Museum.

“The Maritime Museum has the most amazing acoustics, and is available for other, similar events, and, of course, the Museum Grounds will, as always, be made available to stall holders – and particularly to local crafters and artists,” said Ms. Holm.

“Because of its association with Bartolomeu Dias, we’ve decided to give the Festival a strong Portuguese theme, and we’ve been in contact with the Portuguese Embassy, and invited them to take part,” she said.  “Also, we’re encouraging the restaurants and shebeens to put on jazz shows, and we’ll be asking them to include Portuguese dishes in their menus for the duration.”

She said that the Mossel Bay Aero Club had shown interest, and that the schools, churches, and sports cubs would be encouraged to use their own venues for Festival events.

“In this way, we’ll spread the Festival through the entire community,” she said.

Mossel Bay Tourism’s Louma Jansen is currently compiling a list of organisations and event managers who will be taking part in the Dias Festival 2011: contact her on 044 691 2202 or info@visitmosselbay.co.za

As a result of decisions taken at this week’s JOC meeting, Ms. Pienaar will coordinate a committee that will include representatives of the Dias Museum’s Management Board, the Friends of the Dias, Museum, Mossel Bay Chamber of Commerce, Mossel Bay Tourism, the Municipality of Mossel Bay, etc. Contact her on 084 258 1713 or juanitapienaar@gmail.com.

ENDS 525 Words

Media Release: 30 August 2010. Mossel Bay Tourism

IMAGE: (From left) ISAF Trainer Rich Percy, schools sail training consultant Hannah Percy, ISAF Training and Development Manager Dan Jaspers, and South African Sailing’s National Training Manager, Mossel Bay-based Rob Holden.

IMAGE: (From left) ISAF Trainer Rich Percy, schools sail training consultant Hannah Percy, ISAF Training and Development Manager Dan Jaspers, and South African Sailing’s National Training Manager, Mossel Bay-based Rob Holden.

ISAF Visits Mossel Bay to Train South African Sail Trainers

Two of the International Sailing Federation’s highest-ranked Coach Trainers are currently visiting Mossel Bay to train South Africa’s own Entry Level Coaches.

Dan Jaspers, ISAF’s Training and Development Manager, and ISAF Trainer Rich Percy will work with Mossel Bay’s Rob Holden – the holder of the first ever ISAF Training Scholarship, and South African Sailing’s National Training Manager – to train eight Coach Assessors over a five day period.

Mr. Percy’s wife, Hannah, is also visiting Mossel Bay, and has come to South Africa to look at how sail training can be integrated into cross-curricular school programmes.

“Coach Assessors are the people who will implement our National Sail Training Scheme, so this is a ‘Train the Trainers course,” said Mr. Holden.

“Up to now, everyone who is involved in sail training in South Africa has been working without structured guidelines, but our new National Training Scheme will improve standards, create a unified approach and strengthen our growing legacy through increased access and opportunities – and it’ll turn out a better quality of sailor.

“The end result for everyone will be that we’ll be able to issue internationally recognised certificates to both participants and coaches, which will create job opportunities for South Africans in the sailing industry,” he said.

Development and the inclusion of people from previously disadvantaged communities are important aspects of the new South African Scheme – and also an important part of Mr. Jaspers work internationally.

“I’m very encouraged by all the support and hard work that the South African Sailing Federation has shown in assisting the International Sailing Federation in its efforts to develop a National Scheme that will help to increase participation in sailing for all people worldwide,” said Dan Jaspers.

Mr. Holden said that eight Coach Assessors – two from each of South Africa’s four sailing regions (the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Northern Region, which includes the provinces in the centre of the country) – are taking part in the current course.

“The International Sailing Federation is working with South African Sailing to deliver the Course, which has been funded by the South African National Olympic Committee through the International Olympic Committee’s Programme for Coach Development,” said Mr. Holden.

“What we’re working towards is a safe, robust Scheme that will meet recognised international standards ahead of the planned International Accreditation Inspection of our Sail Training Scheme in early 2011,” he said.

“This five day course may not seem like a great boost for tourism, but we see it as another step in our dream of establishing Mossel Bay as the premier sailing destination in South Africa,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s chairman, Neels Zietsman.

“The Mossel Bay Yacht and Boat Club is the ideal venue to host sail training because of Mossel Bay’s brilliant sailing conditions.

“Rob is also working with the official ISAF Training Partner Rockley International to set up a permanent training centre in South Africa that will attract students from around the world; the town has experience at hosting a number of national and provincial regattas; and we have already announced our intention to bid for the Dart 18 Catamarans world champs in 2014 – all of which will contribute to positioning Mossel Bay as the premier sailing destination that we know it to be,” said Mr. Zietsman.

ENDS

Click here to view the embedded video.

Media Release. 26 August 2010. Mossel Bay Tourism.

Mossel Bay Tourism Upset Over Closure of the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe

Mossel Bay Tourism has expressed deep disappointment over Transnet’s decision to close the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe.

The closure was announced in a statement released by Mboniso Sigonyela (Transnet’s External Communications Manager for Group Corporate and Public Affairs) on the 24th of August: “In 2007, Transnet Limited identified the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steam train service operating between George and Mossel Bay as one of its non-core assets. Following extensive studies and stakeholder consultation, the company decided to follow an open tender process to find a new operator for the service.

“Unfortunately, this process could not identify a new operator and as a result, Transnet was left with no option other than to terminate the service subject to the required approval by the Minister of Public Enterprises in terms on the Public Finance Management Act – this has since been finalised. The Outeniqua Transport Museum in George will remain open to the public.”

“As Africa’s last remaining scheduled steam train, the Choo Tjoe became an icon of the tourism industry in South Africa,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s chairman, Neels Zietsman.

“It ranked amongst the greatest of the attractions in the Southern Cape. Just a few years ago it was carrying as many as 115,000 passengers per annum – most of whom were foreign tourists – and it was definitely recognised as one of the things that made the Garden Route unique.”

He said that this was the reason Mossel Bay Tourism had fought so hard to establish the George-Mossel Bay service after the floods of 2006 heavily damaged the George-Knysna line, and caused the suspension of the George-Knysna service.

“It was imperative that steam should be preserved in the Garden Route, and we put a lot of our own funds into doing so,” said Mr. Zietsman.

“From the start, we couldn’t help feeling that Transnet showed a lack of interest in keeping the Choo Tjoe on track – and we now feel that they’re making it almost impossible for it to have any future,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s Marcia Holm.

“Besides closing down the train itself, we understand that they’re also closing the steam maintenance facility at the Voorbaai Yards – which is the last steam maintenance facility in the public domain in South Africa.

“This will mean a serious loss of skills – and the all-important training that’s always been done there will also be gone.

“We know that the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism in the Western Cape, Alan Winde, is in favour of re-opening the George-Knysna line – but how can you run a steam schedule without a maintenance facility?” (Minster Winde also released a statement on the 24th of August, in which he said, “I remain resolute in my commitment to reviving [the Choo Tjoe] and ensuring that it remains a vital part of the South Cape’s heritage and tourism offering.”)

Mr. Zietsman said that Mossel Bay Tourism would consider supporting well-planned and appropriate unsolicited bids for the re-opening of a steam service in the region.

“It’s not just about Mossel Bay: the Garden Route has some of the most scenic lines in the world, and it could still become tourism’s steam-central,” he said.

ENDS

Mediavrystelling: 25 Augustus 2010. Mosselbaai Toerisme

2011 Diasfees: Organiseerders uitgenooi om deel te neem

Volgende jaar se Diasfees sal van 3 tot 6 Februarie plaasvind – en organiseerders wat sportbyeenkomste, kulturele aanbiedings of vermaaklikheid wil aanbied word genooi om vir die program te registreer.

“Die Dias-museum en Mosselbaai Toerisme sal die 2011 Diasfees koordineer maar ons sal nie die individuele items organiseer nie,” sê Dias-museum kompleksbestuurder Mbulelo Mrubata.

“Ons hoop dat sportklubs en kultuurorganisasies, asook profesionele geleentheidsorganiseerders en individuele besighede soos restaurante en hotelle, met hulle eie idees vorendag sal kom en dan hulle items aan die fees sal verbind.

“Die Suid-Afrikaanse Vloot het reeds aangedui dat vaartuie en die vlootorkes na Mosselbaai gestuur sal word. Hulle binnekoms in die hawe op 3 Februarie – dieselfde datum waarop Dias hier in 1488 aangeland het – sal die fees open,” sê hy.

Mosselbaai Toerisme se Marcia Holm het die hoop uitgespreek dat verskeie fees-items regoor die groter Mosselbaai-gebied sal plaasvind.

“Ons hoop dat daar teater en konserte sal wees – en veral jazz-konserte – asook dans en kunsuitstallings, en sportbyeenkomste soos sokkertoernooie, padwedlope, veldlope, krieket en miskien ‘touch rugby’ en vlugbal.

“Ons gaan die Portugese en Maleisiese ambassades nooi om afvaardigings te stuur en plaaslike restaurante sal aangemoedig word om spesiale Maleise en Portugese spyskaarte aan te bied, terwyl hotelle gevra is om dinge soos kosfeeste, wynproe en kos-en-wynparings aan te bied,” sê sy.

“Dit is baie belangrik dat die Diasfees elke deel van die gemeenskap bereik, en daarom, alhoewel die museum die offisiële sentrum van die fees sal wees, ons beslis ook skole en klubs sal aanmoedig om hulle eie items op hulle eie gronde aan te bied. Ons verwag egter dat hulle alle vergaderings van die Gesamentlike Organiseerderskomitee bywoon sodat datums, tye en belangrike vrae oor gemeenskapsveiligheid en sekuriteit bespreek kan word.”

Mnr. Mrubata sê dat die Vriende van die Museum ‘n aand van opera-arias beplan, en dat die museumgronde die basis van die Onafhanklike Entrepreneurs se handwerk- en kosstalletjies sal wees.

“Ons is ook oop vir ander idees vir die amfiteater, die maritieme museum en die opleidingsentrum in die ou graanskuur (Granary),” sê hy.

Die volgende vergadering van die fees se Gemeenskaplike Organiseerderskomitee sal by die Dias-museum op 31 Augustus om 10h00 plaasvind.

Organiseerders en klubverteenwoordigers word genooi om hulle items vir die fees by Louma Jansen by Mosselbaai Toerisme te registreer – telefoonnommer 044 691 2202 of e-pos info@visitmosselbay.co.za

EINDE  464 WOORDE

Media Release. 18 August 2010. Mossel Bay Tourism

IMAGE: Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex manager Mbulelo Mrubata at the pond below Dias’ Spring.

Dias Museum’s 500-year-old Solution to Water Crisis

The Dias Museum Complex in Mossel Bay boasts one of only a few Braille Trails in South Africa – so when the drought that’s currently gripping the Southern Cape began to threaten the plants in the Museum’s Ethno-botanic Garden (of which the Trail forms an integral part), manager Mbulelo Mrubata decided to look to the past for a solution that would lead the important tourist icon into the future.

“Our first reaction to the drought was to install three 10,000 litre tanks that were donated to us by Petro SA,” he said. “We wanted to catch the run-off from the Shell Museum and the Maritime Museum, which both have enormous roofs – but, of course, the rains never came, so the tanks remained empty.

“But there’s a spring that runs out of the hillside just below the Post Office Tree, and while we can’t be certain that it really is the exact place where the early explorers drew their water, it’s generally known as ‘Dias’ Spring’ – and it hasn’t stopped running since the day I began working here four years ago,” said Mr. Mrubata.

“So I asked the municipality’s water engineer, Johan du Preez, to test the water – and he said it was fresh and that we could use it for irrigation.”

A collection well was built, a pump was installed, and Mr. Mrubata ordered the museum’s irrigation contractor to sever the irrigation system from the municipal supply.

“From then on it took only a few days to fill the tanks, and we’ve been irrigating with our own water three nights a week ever since,” he said.

In the next few days, he said, the water would be tested for a second time to see if it’s fit for human consumption. “We’ve got 30,000 litres now, and it would make sense to use it for our public restrooms if we can.

“I know it won’t make a huge difference to the municipality’s water supply – but every little bit helps,” he said.

Mossel Bay Tourism’s chairman, Neels Zietsman, said that the Dias Museum Complex was one of the most important attractions for the town.

The Post Office Tree – a milkwood under which sailors of the 16th century would leave messages for one another – is the focus of the Complex, which also includes the Maritime and Shell Museums, the old Granary (now home to the Museum’s education centre), some of the oldest stone cottages in the town, a number of Malay graves, and the site of Dias’ padrao (the cross with which he marked his arrival in the Bay in 1488).

“It’s incredible how many foreign visitors and foreign tour operators ask about the Post Office Tree – and how many people want to post their letters from here, and have them stamped with the Tree’s special commemorative frank,” said Mr. Zietsman.

“I certainly hope other businesses and attractions in the tourism industry are looking for similarly innovative ways to survive the drought.”

More information from www.visitmosselbay.co.za or www.diasmuseum.co.za.

ENDS

Media Release. 18 August 2010. Mossel Bay Tourism

Record Price for Coffee at Mossel Bay Auction

A recent auction in Mossel Bay in aid of a children’s cancer appeal appears to have fetched a record price for coffee.

When master coffee roaster Aharon Baruch – known simply as Baruch to his friends – made a hasty, last-minute decision to donate ten, 200-gram presentation boxes of his own best blend to the Mark ‘E’ Winter Ball’s CANSA for KIDS auction, he expected they’d raise about a thousand rand at best. “But he was ecstatic when I phoned him on Monday with the news that they’d fetched a total of R2,500.00,” said organiser Sue Furness.

Ms. Furness said that her company, Bardin’s Jewelers (which owns Mark ‘E’ Jewelers) has served Mossel Bay since 1895, and that it sponsored the annual Winter Ball “as a way of supporting the community that’s supported us for over a hundred years.

“We decided that CANSA should be our nominated charity because there can’t be a single family that hasn’t been affected by this disease, and last year we teamed up with Mossel Bay’s CANSA Relay For Life – and this year their theme is CANSA For KIDS,” she said.

“R 1,250.00 a kilogram – it has to be a South African record for coffee,” said Baruch, who roasted and ground the coffee at his boutique-sized factory in Mossel Bay’s Voorbaai area.

“We’re delighted but not surprised that Baruch’s coffee raised so much money,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s director for marketing, Anthony Doherty.

“In a way it reflects the respect and affection that Baruch and Baruch’s Coffee Roastery have earned for themselves both in Mossel Bay and beyond.

“Baruch’s is one of the most unique tourism attractions in the Garden Route.

“It’s the kind of business that really blurs the line between visitors and locals – because everyone loves a great cup of coffee, but not every coffee factory welcomes visitors with Baruch’s brand of warmth and hospitality.

“And it’s certainly the only place I know of that offers barista courses to both professional and amateur coffee makers,” he said.

Baruch said that he used only 100% Arabica coffee blends, and that his business supplied coffee shops, restaurants, and coffee addicts from around the country with coffee machines, coffee grinders, and coffee beans, whilst his factory and was popular for its coffee-making tours and its intimate coffee shop.

And, he said, he was enormously excited when he heard the results of the CANSA for KIDS sale: “It’s wonderful knowing that my products could make difference to a desperately ill child.”

More information: www.visitmosselbay.co.za and www.baruchscoffee.co.za

ENDS

Media Release. 18 August 2010. Mossel Bay Tourism

IMAGE: First meeting of the 2011 Dias Festival’s Joint Organising Committee: (Back from left) Mossel Bay’s Port Manager Willem Roux; Friends of the Dias Museum chairman, Pierre le Roux; Mossel Bay Protea Hotel manager Karen Bus; the Dias Museum’s Brigitte von Schütz; Mossel Bay Tourism’s Louma Jansen; and PetroSA communications officer Nafeesah Abrahams. (Front) Harold Miller, chairman, Dias Museum Complex Management Committee; museum manager Mbulelo Mrubata, and Mossel Bay Tourism COO Marcia Holm.

2011 Dias Festival: Event Organisers Invited To Join In

Next year’s Dias Festival will run from the 3rd to the 6th of February – and event managers wanting to organise sporting, cultural or entertainment events have been invited register for the programme.

“The Dias Museum and Mossel Bay Tourism will be coordinating the 2011 Dias Festival, but we won’t be organising individual events,” said the Dias Museum Complex’s manager, Mbulelo Mrubata.

“We’re hoping that the sports clubs and cultural organisations, and also professional event managers and individual businesses like restaurants and hotels will come forward with their own ideas, and link their events to the Festival.

“The South African Navy has already indicated that it will be sending vessels and its band to Mossel Bay, and their entry to the harbour on the 3rd of February – the same day on which Dias landed here in 1488 – will mark the opening of this year’s Festival,” he said.

Mossel Bay Tourism’s Marcia Holm said that she hoped that Festival events would take place at various venues throughout the greater Mossel Bay area.

“We’re hoping that there’ll be theatre and concerts – and particularly jazz concerts – as well as dancing and art exhibitions; and sports events like soccer tournaments, road running, trail running, cricket, and perhaps touch rugby and beach volleyball.

“We’ll be inviting the Portuguese and Malaysian embassies to send delegations, and local restaurants will be encouraged to put on special Malay and Portuguese menus, while the hotels have been asked to present things like food festivals, wine tastings, and wine parings,” she said.

“It’s very important that the Dias Festival reaches every part of the community, and so, while the Museum will be the official centre of the Festival, we’re definitely encouraging schools and clubs to put on their own events in their own premises – but what we do expect them to take part in the meetings of the Joint Organising Committee, because that’s where we’ll be discussing things like dates and times, and the important questions of community safety and security.”

Mr. Mrubata said that the Friends of the Museum were planning to present an evening of operatic arias, and that the Museum grounds would host the Onafhanklikke Entrepreneurs (Independent Entrepreneurs) group’s craft and food stalls.

“We’re also open to other ideas for the amphitheatre, the Maritime Museum, and the education centre at the Granary,” he said.

The next meeting of the Festival’s Joint Organising Committee (JOC) will take place at the Dias Museum on Tuesday, August 31 at 10h00.

Event organisers and club representatives are invited to register for the Festival with Louma Jansen at Mossel Bay Tourism – telephone 044 691 2202 or e-mail info@visitmosselbay.co.za

ENDS 524 WORDS

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• Tel: +2744-695 1010
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• E-mail: heli@macyoung.co.za
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IMAGE: The Hobie Tigers South African Championship was sailed in Mossel Bay last weekend. Picture: Jan Hoevers

Mossel Bay to Bid for International Dart 18 Catamarans Sailing Championship

Mossel Bay will submit its bid for the 2014 Dart 18 Catamaran world championship when members of its sailing club attend this year’s event in Weymouth, in England, later this month.

“I’ve sailed around the world, and as far as I’m concerned, Mossel Bay has some of the best sailing grounds of any I’ve ever seen – so it’s ideal for this kind of competition,” said South African Sailing’s national training manager, Mossel Bay-based Rob Holden.

“And this isn’t just something I’ve made up: I’ve heard it from various other competitive sailors, and Blaine Dodds said it when he won the Hobie Tigers National Championship here last weekend.”  (Amongst others, Plettenberg Bay-based Blaine and Roxanne Dodds won the 2007 Hobie 16 Masters International Cup in Suva, on the Fiji Islands – placing South Africa first among 11 countries, and 38 teams.)

Mr. Holden said that Mossel Bay was also ideal for the Dart 18 Worlds because of its many other attractions.

“Our preliminary bid document will show the benefits of sailing here, but it’ll also list things like our scuba diving, surfing, shark cage diving, game viewing, and so on – it’s basically a complete package,” he said.

Timing will also be crucial – the bid document will suggest holding the event in the second or third week of January, 2014, because, “Northern Hemisphere sailors will be able to ship their boats in containers during their off season, arrive here, sail, and ship them back before their next season starts,” said Mr. Holden.

Mossel Bay Tourism’s chairman, Neels Zietsman, said that Mossel Bay would receive massive media attention if the bid was successful.

“The Dart 18 is a 2-person boat, and we’re hoping we’ll see at least 160 entries – that is, more than 320 sailors – from more than 20 countries.

“If we can achieve this, the exposure on the internet alone will be invaluable,” he said, adding that Mossel Bay Tourism would put its full weight behind the bid.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Result of the Hobie Tigers South African Championship sailed in Mossel Bay on the weekend of 7-9 August 2010:

Place    Sail No.     Skipper & Crew
1    2233    Blaine Dodds / Peter Blaine-Dodds
2    2235    Shaun Ferry / Lee Hawkins
3    2291    Colin  Whitehead / Neil Malan
4    2287    A Lawrence / D Lawrence
5    2289    Paul Lagessie / Guido Verhovert
6    2451    Mark Kopel / Ewald Erasmus
7    2126    Michael Goodyear /
8    2234    Brent Gray / Kirsten Veenstra
9    2424    Andrew Walker / Stewart Walker
10    2170    William Keiser / Claire Walker
11    2422    Mark Wijtenberg / Jaapie Krynauw
12    2463    Brent Coetzee / Lilian Steyn
13    2292    Richard Goldstein / Rob Holden
14    2265    John Goldsmid /Mark Nicholls

ENDS 482 WORDS

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• P.O.Box 237
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