WILDLIFE SOCIETY The experiment of having the elected Committee actually run and organise the year's activities proved all in all a success, and will be continued into 1984. However, it is hoped that the Society will have a greater number of speakers in the coming year. During 1983 we had a number of speakers who were contacted by Bruce Hulett as Chair man and Guy Brokensha as Secretary. Prof Bowmaker of the Durban Aquarium spoke on "Seals Along the South African Coast" and his department also provided a talk on the "Capturing and Caring of Dolphins", which gave us quite an inside picture regarding the recent controversy over the capture of wild dolphins off South West Africa. A group of our members represented the school in the annual Environmental/Conservation Competition, where they acquitted themselves well. Their talk is now in the archives of the Education Centre in Pietermaritzburg and will be used as Resource Material in Primary Schools. It is entitled "Priority for theTwenty FirstCentury — The Urban Environment". The same group will be entering the 1984 Competition, and we are most thankful to Mr S. Piper of Natal University who is including them in his Cape Vulture study at Colleywobbles. We wish them every success in their new venture. Our Umgeni Valley Outing for Second Form was a great success. Mr Lamplough, who accompanied us, was so impressed with what is being done in Environmental Educa tion at Umgeni Valley, that he has volunteered to join us again when we go in 1984. Several outings took place over the year ranging from nearby Kloof to distant Maidstone and it is hoped that these will be continued into the future. There is no doubt that visits to Conservation areas augment what we learn from our speakers. To all who have assisted, and they are too many to name individually, we give our heartfelt thanks and hope that 1984 will find them once more able and willing to assist our Wildlife Society. J.F. THE WILD COAST HIKE The Wild Coast. The name conjures up all sorts of images — long, unspoilt beaches, huge cliffs, pools teaming with fish .. . casinos. With this in mind,fourteen of us accompanied by Mr King and Mr Garrett, left Kearsney for theTranskei coast during the mid-term weekend in the second term. We spent the first night in Port Edward and the morning saw us heading for Lupatara after a memorable evening at the Wild Coast Casino. Because of bad roads, however, we were forced to start our hike at Mbotji, and we arrived there in time for lunch after first stopping at the impressive Magwa Falls. On Friday we left our packs at the cottage at Mbotji and hiked north to Waterfall Bluff, a seemingly endless trip during which we crossed ravines and scaled impossible cliffs. It was a very weary band of boys that arrived back at Mbotji that evening. On Saturday we left Mbotji and hiked down to Manteku where we were to spend our first night really "roughing it". On the way we stopped at Collier's Rock for lunch and used the time to do some crayfishing and fishing. We fished with limited success in the lagoon at Mbanteku and after braving a night in the rain, made an early start for Port St John's.The final day's hike was probably the most scenic as the rolling hills, so typical of the Transkei coast, gave way to long stretches of beach and awesome cliffs. We made a brief stop for lunch at the mouth of the Matfufu River and pushed on to Port St John's which we reached at about two o'clock. After crossing the Mzumvulu River in a rowing boat which went under the grand title of "river ferry", we descended on Port St John's only tea-room and spent every cent we had — civilization at last! I'm sure that I speak for all of us when I say that the hike is something that we will remember for the rest of our lives and I would like to thank Mr. King and Mr Garrett for sacrificing so much time and effort towards making it such a success. A.JEWITTand N.SHEPHERD y*K { The majesty of the Drakensberg:on one of the many Berg trips this year. WORLD WATCHERS World Watchers held two meetings this year. In the first term Mr V.C.R. Dewing, the local representative of the South African Department of Foreign Affairs and Informa tion, spoke about the South African diplomatic service. After tracing the history of the country's representation abroad, he went on to describe the working of the service today and to relate some of his experiences in different places abroad. He then discussed the qualifications necessary for a diplomatic career. In the fourth term Mr Ralph Hadani, currently on a three year mission to South Africa from Israel to promote 'Operation Galilee' spoke on the Middle East conflict and a very worthwhile video was shown. Some very interesting discussion was held afterwards over coffee. D.BROWN and J. HANKS(Chairman) YACHT CLUB 1983 This club is still a little strange to me having taken it over at the start of 1983 with a very limited real knowledge of sail ing. I do however have some very strong feelings about the whole concept of Yachting at Kearsney. I do not like the idea of an Olympic sport being classed as a club on the same level as say the Stamp or Photographic Club. It is a sport and should be treated as such. We have had some fine yachtsmen in the past, we have some at present and I am sure we will have in the future and I feel their chances 23
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