In celebration, every cacher who attends a Geocaching Event on November 6 or 7, 2013 will be awarded a Geocaching in Space souvenir.
In keeping with the space theme, we decided to host our first (small) Geocaching Event at the South African National Space Agency Space Science Facility right here in Hermanus!
The WHAT? WHERE? No joke; Hermanus is home to SANSA's Space Science Facility.
Formerly known as the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory, SANSA monitors and provides early warnings on space weather close to Earth. This includes solar storms, solar winds and disturbances in the ionosphere. The facility also monitors solar flares that might affect electricity grids, satellites and digital information.
By good fortune, it is well placed to observe a strange planetary phenomenon – the South Atlantic Anomaly. The Earth’s magnetic field is slowly weakening (for reasons no-one can quite explain), but is doing so with speed in a large and growing patch that straddles South America and South Africa. The patch is called the South Atlantic Anomaly.
Many scientists think the anomaly (which is like a very weak North Pole in the wrong place) may herald the beginning of a polar switch – a potentially cataclysmic event during which the Earth reverses its polarity. This occurs roughly every 500 000 years, and it’s been 780 000 years since the last switch, so we’re more than a little overdue...
Interestingly, the reason for SANSA ending up in Hermanus is greatly due to Sir William Hoy, head of the South African Railways in the early 1900’s. When a railway link to Hermanus was planned, Sir William, supported by his wife, Gertrude, promptly thwarted any such plans; both loving their quiet, little hideout in the Overberg and therefore reluctant to pollute the little village with dirty steam trains bringing hordes of noisy holidaymakers.
So, when Cape Town’s magnetic observatory had to be moved in the 1940’s as the recently built suburban railway lines created too much electromagnetic interference, Hermanus was chosen as it had remained magnetically unaffected.
Event: An hour long tour of the SANSA facility in Hermanus, followed by drinks and/or lunch at Hermanus's oldest restaurant, Rossi's.
Date: Wednesday, 6 November 2013
Time: 10h30 for 11h00
Tour Venue: SANSA Facility, Hospital Street, Hermanus (the listed coordinates should take you there).
Lunch Venue: Rossi's Restaurant, 10 High Street, Hermanus (the coordinates are listed in the waypoint below).
Tour Cost: Free
Pax: For practical purposes, a maximum of 20 individuals can take part in the tour at SANSA, so first come, first serve by way of your "Will attend" logs. Also ensure to include the number of attendees in your group as we need the numbers to confirm our lunch booking at Rossi's where everyone will meet up following the tour in order to sign the log book. All expenses for attendees own account. Current number of tour attendees: 20
While in the area, why not do some Whale Spotting with the help of our local Whale Crier as you will most likely find yourself at 10-10-10 The Right Spot. Or follow The Great Escape to Voëlklip and you might see another Two Whale Tales. For the more adventurous, consider a short hike up Hoy's Koppie or a Cliffhanger ending at Grotto Beach. Shaded Under Milkwood, stroll along the Milkwood Meander, before ending your day with Troll Sundowners. Otherwise, avoid the Mouse Trap, drop a TB at the Hermanus Bug-Packers Traveller's Lodge, or report a missing one at Milk Carton TB Hotel, then continue Down the Road to Bamboo Beach along Duiker Crescent before taking the scenic route via Clarence Drive back home...
Suikerbossies are a South African geocaching team.
You can follow our adventures on our Facebook Page Suikerbossies Geocaching Adventures.