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Kaaimans River
The Kaaimans River ( af, Kaaimansrivier), also known as Keerom River, is a river in the Western Cape, South Africa. The mouth of the river lies near Wilderness. Further upriver, the Kaaimans River Gorge is popular for hiking and whitewater kayaking. The nearest large towns are Mossel Bay and George. History The Kaaimans River was formerly an obstacle for travellers, whose wagons had to wait sometimes for weeks before being able to cross it safely when it ran full of water. It was also nicknamed "Keeromrivier" (Turnabout River) because, faced with the raging waters, some travellers had to turn and try to find another way to reach their destination. Finally this obstacle was overcome when the Seven Passes Road was built by Thomas Charles John Bain. The tidal estuary at its mouth is crossed by a rail bridge. The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe, the last passenger steam train in Africa, crossed this bridge until the line was closed due to landslides in 2006. See also * List of rivers of Sou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Varanus Niloticus
The Nile monitor (''Varanus niloticus'') is a large member of the monitor family (Varanidae) found throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa and along the Nile, with invasive populations in North America. The population in West African forests and savannahs is sometimes recognized as a separate species, the West African Nile monitor (''V. stellatus'').Dowell, S.A, D.M. Portik, V. de Buffrenil, I Ineich, E Greenbaum, S.O. Kolokotronis and E.R. Hekkala. 2016. Molecular data from contemporary and historical collections reveal a complex story of cryptic diversification in the Varanus (Polydaedalus) niloticus Species Group. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 94(Part B): 591-604. It is one of the largest lizards in the world reaching and even surpassing the perentie by size. Other common names include the African small-grain lizard, as well as iguana and various forms derived from it, such as guana, water leguaan or river leguaan (leguan, leguaan, and likkewaan mean monitor lizard in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay ( af, Mosselbaai) is a harbour town of about 99,000 people on the Southern Cape (or Garden Route) of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province. Mossel Bay lies 400 kilometres east of the country's seat of parliament, Cape Town (which is also the capital city of the Western Cape), and 400 km west of Port Elizabeth, the largest city in the Eastern Cape. The older parts of the town occupy the north-facing side of the Cape St Blaize Peninsula, whilst the newer suburbs straddle the Peninsula and have spread eastwards along the sandy shore of the Bay. The town's economy relied heavily on farming, fishing and its commercial harbour (the smallest in the Transnet Port Authority's stable of South African commercial harbours), until the 1969 discovery of natural offshore gas fields led to the development of the gas-to-liquids refinery operated by PetroSA. Tourism is another driver of Mossel Bay's economy. Etymology The origi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Rivers Of South Africa
This is a list of rivers in South Africa. It is quite common to find the Afrikaans word ''-rivier'' as part of the name. Another common suffix is "''-kamma''", from the Khoisan term for "river" Meiring, Barbara"South African Toponymic Guidelines for Map and other editors: Fourth Edition" 12. Retrieved on 30 April 2013. (often tautologically the English term "river" is added to the name). The Zulu word ''amanzi'' (water) also forms part of some river names. The Afrikaans term ''spruit'' (compare spring) often labels small rivers. List * A Drainage basin code assigned by the Department of Water Affairs (South Africa), a complete list is available at Drainage basins of South Africa Gallery Image:South Africa Topography.png, Topographic map of South Africa. Image:Orange watershed topo.png, Course and watershed of the Orange River with topography shading and political boundaries. Image:Groot River.jpg, Grootrivier in Nature's Valley, stained a tea colour by plant tannins ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steam Train
A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomotive's boiler to the point where it becomes gaseous and its volume increases 1,700 times. Functionally, it is a steam engine on wheels. In most locomotives, the steam is admitted alternately to each end of its cylinders, in which pistons are mechanically connected to the locomotive's main wheels. Fuel and water supplies are usually carried with the locomotive, either on the locomotive itself or in a tender coupled to it. Variations in this general design include electrically-powered boilers, turbines in place of pistons, and using steam generated externally. Steam locomotives were first developed in the United Kingdom during the early 19th century and used for railway transport until the middle of the 20th century. Richard Trevithick bui ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Outeniqua Choo Tjoe
The ''Outeniqua Choo Tjoe'' was the last remaining continually-operated passenger steam train in Africa, ending operation in August, 2006. The line on which it operated links the towns of George and Knysna in the Western Cape, South Africa, and was completed in 1928. The scenic route from George took 3 hours, following the rugged coastline of the Garden Route,and passing through Victoria Bay, Wilderness, Goukamma, and Sedgefield before crossing a bridge over the Knysna Lagoon and ending at the Knysna station. The line and steam service were declared an officially preserved railway in 1992. At first carrying about 40,000 passengers per year, the train was carrying 115,000 passengers per year by the early 2000s. 70% of passengers were foreign tourists. The trains were usually pulled by SAR Class 19D steam locomotives, of 4-8-2 wheel arrangement with Vanderbilt-like "torpedo" tenders, although SAR Class 24 steam engines were also used occasionally. When dry conditions in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Estuary
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments and are an example of an ecotone. Estuaries are subject both to marine influences such as tides, waves, and the influx of saline water, and to fluvial influences such as flows of freshwater and sediment. The mixing of seawater and freshwater provides high levels of nutrients both in the water column and in sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world. Most existing estuaries formed during the Holocene epoch with the flooding of river-eroded or glacially scoured valleys when the sea level began to rise about 10,000–12,000 years ago. Estuaries are typically classified according to their geomorphological features or to water-circulation patterns. They can have many different names, such as bays, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thomas Charles John Bain
Thomas Charles John Bain (29 September 1830, in Graaff-Reinet – 29 September 1893) was a South African road engineer. As a prolific road building pioneer, Bain was responsible for the planning and construction of more than 900 km of roads and mountain passes, many of them still in use today, over a career spanning from 1848 until 1888. These passes through the mountain ranges between the thin coastal plain and the interior of the former Cape Colony in South Africa, played a major role in opening up the vast hinterland of South Africa. Biography Bain was born in 1830 at Graaff Reinet, at that stage a frontier town in the Cape Colony in Southern Africa. His father, Andrew Geddes Bain, was born in Scotland and settled in the Cape Colony in 1816 at the age of 19. Bain and his six brothers and six sisters were educated largely at home like most settlers' children of that period. The children's education was interrupted by the outbreak of the War of the Axe in 1846, one of sev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seven Passes Road
Seven Passes Road is the oldest direct road link between George and Knysna in Western Cape, South Africa. The road which traverses seven passes was engineered by Thomas Charles John Bain and Adam de Smidt. It was completed around 1883 and is situated just south of the Outeniqua Mountains. Seven passes The seven passes, in order from George to Knysna, are: * Kaaimans River Pass * Silwer River Pass * Touw River Pass * Hoogekraal Pass * Karatara Pass * Homtini Pass * Phantom Pass History The first of the passes to be completed was Phantom Pass, in 1862, which was named for the ghost moths that live in the area. The pass was rebuilt in 1882. In 1863, Bain designed the 75-km road from George to Knysna, which reached the Kaaimans River in 1869 and Woodville (26 km from George) in 1871. The discovery of gold near Karatara led to expansion lines toward there and further north near the Homtini River. Homtini Pass, the last completed, was finished in 1882 and officially opened in 188 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saasveld04
Saasveld is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 7 km north of Hengelo. Overview It was first mentioned in 1145 as Saterslo. The etymology is unclear. The castle Saterslo was first mentioned in 1361. It was surrounded by swaps and often raided the countryside. After the reformation, a clandestine church was constructed inside the castle. The castle was demolished in 1818, and a church was built in Saasveld. The current Saint Plechelmus Church dates from 1926, and is tall. In 1870, the gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ... ''Soaseler Möl'' was constructed. Gallery File:Overzicht van de voorgevel - Saasveld - 20427768 - RCE.jpg, Village shop (1983) File:Soaseler Möl Saasveld. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Whitewater Kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is an adventure sport where a river is navigated in a decked kayak. Whitewater kayaking includes several styles. River running; where the paddler follows a river and paddles rapids as they travel. Creeking usually involving smaller, steeper, and more technical waterways. Creek boats tend to be short but high volume to allow for manoeuvrability while maintaining buoyancy. Slalom requires paddlers to navigate through "gates" (coloured poles hanging above the river). Slalom is the only whitewater event to be in the Olympics. Play boating involves staying on one feature of the river and is more artistic than the others. Squirt boating uses low-volume boats (usually made specifically for the paddler) to perform special moves in whitewater features. History Paddling on rivers, lakes and oceans is as old as the Stone Age. The raft, the catamaran, the canoe and the kayak evolved depending on the needs and environment of the indigenous peoples in different parts of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini. It also completely enclaves the country Lesotho. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World, and the second-most populous country located entirely south of the equator, after Tanzania. South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot, with unique biomes, plant and animal life. With over 60 million people, the country is the world's 24th-most populous nation and covers an area of . South Africa has three capital cities, with the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government based in Pretoria, Bloemfontein, and Cape Town respectively. The largest city is Johannesburg. About 80% of the population are Black South Afri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A History of Walking'', 101-24. NYU Press, 2004. Accessed March 1, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt9qg056.7. Religious pilgrimages have existed much longer but they involve walking long distances for a spiritual purpose associated with specific religions. "Hiking" is the preferred term in Canada and the United States; the term "walking" is used in these regions for shorter, particularly urban walks. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, the word "walking" describes all forms of walking, whether it is a walk in the park or backpacking in the Alps. The word hiking is also often used in the UK, along with rambling , hillwalking, and fell walking (a term mostly used for hillwalking in northern England). The term bushwalking is end ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
