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NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2010
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A new fossil find revealed to the world, more interesting lectures
and outings as winter makes its presence felt and the World Cup
distracts us all. There is always something new, interesting or
controversial happening around us. In the meantime the Friends
programme continues and we look forward to seeing you in the coming
months.
LECTURE PROGRAMME FOR 2010: Lectures are held in the TH
Barry Lecture Theatre at Iziko South African Museum at 19:00 unless
otherwise advertised. There is no charge for members who show their
membership cards with the 2010 stickers. Please note that visitors now
pay R30.Tuesday 25 May 2010
REPORT-BACK: KAROO FOSSIL TRIP
by Munro Bloch
The Friends 2010 fossil trip in the Graaff Reinet area was yet
another success to add to the long list (19) of annual fossil trips
lead by Dr Roger Smith for the Friends.
Our home away from home was the Karoopark Guest House, where the
owners and staff went the extra mile to make our stay enjoyable. This
included excellent service and five-star meals at night. Georgina was
responsible for equally good catering in the field, served from the
back of the bakkie. Nobody went hungry!
Roger’s attention to planning and detail made for a really interesting
and informative time on the slopes, which he checked out meticulously
over the preceding two days, to ensure us amateurs had the best chance
of finding fossils. Although no spectacular finds were made, almost
everyone found something of interest.
The sites we visited included Wellwood farm which belongs to the
Rubidge family, Roger gave a talk and Marianne Rubidge laid on a
sit-down tea and homemade goodies fit for a king and queen!
Another interesting site we visited was the Wapadsberg Pass. The
boundary between the Permian and Triassic Periods which marks the
Mother of all Extinctions is clearly visible halfway up the pass.
Fossils can be found leading up to the boundary, in the late Permian,
but going up into the Triassic layers, nothing can be found for about
30 to 40 metres, when (past) life reappears. We found a badly
weathered Lystrosaurus, one of the few species which got
through the extinction, and has been found in South America,
Antarctic, Russia and India.
Learning was not confined to the slopes. Roger gave two excellent
talks on the ancient Karoo landscape and possible causes for the
extinction event (his area of research), which like the excursions,
were well-planned and very informative. Brian Warner gave an excellent
lecture on Herschel on the Friday evening.
I think that it can be safely stated that a wonderful time was had
by all. We ended the outing with a braai on Saturday night, before
heading home Sunday.
REPORTBACK: A TALE OF TWO TIDES
The weather was superb and the rock pools at Dalebrook revealed a
treasure trove of the interesting marine life which inhabits our
shorelines. Thanks to Philke Cakebread and her team of assistants,
including two guides from the Two Oceans Aquarium, who led us from the
low tide zone up to the high tide zone of the beach pointing out the
differences in marine life as the conditions changed. With the sun
shining on the pools the group could easily see the colourful sea
urchins with their improvised ‘sunhats’ in place, anemones, dainty
cushion starfish, chitons, pear limpets in their red algae gardens,
red-bait (sea squirts) and many more. The expert eyes of the
assistants discovered wonderful specimens of sea cucumbers, a
beautiful nimble brittlestar, a dainty featherstar, a tiny orange
nudibranch and a large spiny starfish. To supplement our own diet
there was the edible sea lettuce, brown hanging wrack which is endemic
to this stretch of coastline and sea bamboo as well as Purple Laver or
nori which is used when making sushi or soup or if you happen to be
Welsh you could fry it with oatmeal and serve as laver bread.
A perfect morning to enjoy the outdoors and discover the wonders of
nature on show before the tide returned.
WELCOME TO ALL NEW MEMBERS: It is a pleasure to welcome the
following new members who have recently joined the Friends – we look
forward to meeting you at our future activities.
Mary Burton, Juan Nieto, Catalina Nieto, Jaime Nieto Camero,
Natasha Nieto, Ingrid Roderick, Amanda Nieto Lawrence, Julian Nieto,
John Roderick.
Maxine Davies
Editor – newsletter.
Friends of Iziko South African Museum
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