Die Tonteldoosreeks / The Tonteldoos
Series.
Hierdie is die sewentiende skat in die Tonteldoosreeks. Jy mag
die skatte in enige volgorde soek.
Regdeur Suid-Afrika - ons eie ‘Land van Melk en Heuning’ is daar 18
tonteldose begrawe. Bykomende tot die bevrediging om een van
hierdie skatte te vind, moet jy ‘n leidraad uit elke tonteldoos
versamel. Gedurende die Paasnaweek 2009 sal daar ‘n kode vrygestel
word wat al 18 die leidrade gebruik om jou na die koördinate van
die finale 19de Groot Skat te lei.
Hierdie reeks was geïnspireer deur Afrikaanssprekende Geocachers
wat iets van die Afrikanergeskiedenis wil deel. Die volledige
beskrywing van die tonteldoos-tema kan binne-in die Tonteldoos
gelees word en ook hier.
This
is the seventeenth cache in the 'Tondeldoos' Series. You may
attempt cache finds in any order.
Throughout South Africa - our ‘Land of Milk and Honey’, 18
Tinderboxes have been hidden. In every one you will find a clue,
the name of a well known Afrikaner/Boer, that you need to gather as
you find these caches. During the Easter weekend of 2009, a
code-deciphering key to the coordinates of the Great Cache will be
released.
This series were inspired by Afrikaans-speaking Geocachers who
wanted to share some of their personal history through geocaching.
A more comprehensive description of the theme for the series can be
found in the cache itself as well as here.
This, the Savannah Tonteldoos cache, is located on the Savannah
Cheetah Foundation farm situated in the Vredefort Dome (A world
heritage site.) at the junction of the Kromelmboogspruit and the
Vaal River on the Free State side.
This junction is an important part of South African history and was
to become an important strategic location for the English in the
Anglo-Boer war. As the name indicates, the Anglo-Boer War was
fought between Britain and the Boers - the latter consisting of the
combined forces of the South African Republic and the Republic of
the Orange Free State. The war broke out on 11 October 1899 and
ended on 31 May 1902. To the British it was a war mainly fought to
establish their supremacy in South Africa, while to the Boer
Republics it was a defensive war.
In
spite of their initial victories over the British, the tide began
to turn against the Boers in February 1900. Bloemfontein, capital
of the Free State, fell to the British on 13 March 1900. On the
morning of May 24th, General French attempted to cross the Vaal
River at a drift near Parys, the attempt failed and he decided to
look for a more suitable place. On the morning of May 24th, General
French attempted to cross the Vaal River at a drift near Parys, the
attempt failed and he decided to look for a more suitable place. At
4pm that day, the 1st cavalry brigade crossed the Vaal River north
of Parys at the so called Old Viljoensdrift
Unfortunately (I should actually say fortunately, as Pieter Kemp
and his family is passionate believers in the preservation of this
important Anglo-Boere sites. His future plans are to develop the
lookout and canon sites for sightseeing.) the location of
this cache is on private property and wild animals do roam freely,
therefore some rules and regulations apply. The cache and cheetah
visit is available every day of the week except Mondays. Morning
visits start at 9am – Pieter will meet you at the gate at 8:30am.
Afternoon visits start at 3pm - Pieter will meet you at the gate at
2:30pm. Each visit lasts approximately half an hour. The costs are
R60 for an adult and R30 for children under the age of 13. Children
under the age of two are free.
But, all is not lost! Just tell Pieter you there to sign the
cache log and then it is up to you to enjoy some memorable time on
the lovely farm, and become part of a bigger picture to preserve
our past, present and future in South Africa. If you go on a
Saturday morning a game drive can be arranged at another nominal
fee from where the owner Pieter Kemp will show the crossing point
of the English. Pieter will also show you points in the “Koppies”
surrounding this crossing point where the English established
lookout points and some defensive canon positions.
Directions to get to the Savannah can be found at http://www.scfafrica.co.za/contact_us.html
More information in the Savannah and the Cheetah foundation
can be found at
http://thesavannahcheetahfoundation.com/