Take a long walk and a deep breath, right here on Earth
For the past few nights I have made a point of walking down to the Knysna estuary to enjoy the wonderful spectacle of phosphorescence, courtesy of the red tide. Last night I took my kayak out and marvelled at it all.
Tiny pipefish were dancing across the glassy surface of the estuary leaving little dots of green light as they bounced along, mullet left trails through the water like shooting stars and blobs of green luminescence appeared each time some startled fish broke surface.
Several evenings ago I cycled with one of my sons up at Diepwalle and we took a walk to the beautiful kalander (Outeniqua yellowwood) at Velbroeksdraai – it is one of my favourite trees. We were surrounded by silence. Then came the fireflies, weaving their magic through the onderbos!
Stand on the hillside above the Keurbooms estuary in the late afternoon and soak up the sight of the graceful curve of Plettenberg Bay’s shoreline as it recedes toward Keurboomstrand and the Tsitsikamma coast.
This feast for the eyes is topped by the backdrop of the Tsitsikamma Mountains. There can be few other bays as beautiful on our planet.
Yet I read that young Tarn Alcock, who grew up in this paradise, would like to go to Mars! Tarn has, no doubt, been following the exploits of the Curiosity Rover which landed on Mars in early August 2012.
NASA’s website (www.nasa.gov) regularly displays high-resolution panoramic photos of the Martian landscapes. Does Tarn REALLY want to live there?
Carbon dioxide comprises 95.3% of the Martian atmosphere; it supports no life as we know it, and it is also a cold place which can be exceedingly windy. Furthermore, judging by what we see in the images streamed back to Earth, it all looks rather boring.
Admittedly, the science behind Curiosity is impressive, and I find the exploration of space just as exciting as Tarn does. But I would strongly advise him to enjoy a long and happy life here on Earth – and what better place to spend it than Plettenberg Bay?
Dave Reynell, Knysna
Source: CXpress