Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2016 i Caravan and Outdoor Life

Robbie Kerkhof, the founder of Skipper Tent Trailers, has been in the industry for more than half a century. The original Skipper built a reputation as a simple, practical, lightweight trailer that could criss-cross Africa. Out of this the Kerkhoff family ended up forming a company that hand-built the Gazelle caravan range, another legend in the industry. Robbie and my wife Jenny retired to Pennington on the KZN south coast. Luckily for us campers, the couple and their son Reinhart and his wife Charmaine decided to resurrect the legendary Skipper. Built on a hot-dipped galvanized steel chassis, the basic construction of the trailer is an aluminium frame with white fiberglass body panels that are resistant to rust and stone damage. The tents are manufactured out of 100% cotton canvas, which…

I had no idea how popular the Brits area is for caravanners and campers until I visited the area. Bosveld Oase is a mere 15 minutes’ drive from the town of Brits, and is the new kid on the block, but owners Eugene and Elna Muller haven’t let the grass grow under their feet. On my visit, I watched while an extension to the campsite - roughly two rugby fields in size of neat Kikuyu grass sods - were laid out in one day. No expense has been spared at Bosveld Oase, the resort is really 5-star. There are 110 spacious and grassed stands for caravans and camping, as well as chalets and a complex consisting of seven ensuite rooms. The complex even has its own small, heated, indoor swimming…

While some of us love camping and caravanning to “get into nature”, others still want all their home comforts, even when they’re out in the wild. And it’s not just about having an aircon and soft bed… we’re talking about a bar, flat-screen TV, big fridges, full bathrooms, and more. Fred Oosthuizen knows a thing or two about this side of the camping market. Being handy with carpentry tools and blessed with an active imagination, as well as a genuine passion for his work, Fred establish his company, Custom Campers, as an interesting choice for those who want their motorhomes to better reflect their individuality. We paid a visit to the Custom Campers factory in Meyerton to take a look at one of their recently completed projects. Externally, there’s little…

Tandoori mutton chops (Serves 4-6) Ingredients 6 mutton chops, 2cm thick Marinade 350ml plain low-fat yogurt10ml ground cumin15ml ground coriander10ml medium curry powder3 cloves of garlic, crushed10ml chopped fresh mint15ml fresh lemon juice Instructions 1. Mix all ingredients together and pour over meat. 2. Cover and marinade for 4-6 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator if preferred. 3. Remove lamb from marinade and braai over moderate coals for 15-20 minutes until done. 4. Serve immediately TIP This dish can also be prepared on a skottel or cast iron pan. Roosterbrood Ingredients 2 cups cake flour 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp dried yeast ¾ cup lukewarm water Instructions 1. Mix all the ingredients together and then knead the dough until it becomes soft and…

GOING THE EXTRA MILE It’s nice to know there are still people out there that go the extra mile. We recently visited Namibia, and on our return went through the border late the afternoon at Ariamsvlei. Arriving at Uppington quite a bit after dark, we stopped at a guest house (can’t remember the name) where we asked if they could recommend a place to camp for the night. Unfortunately it’s not a camping venue, but the lady was quiet helpful and even made a phone call for us. We asked if there was any campsites in town, to which she replied there is one, but that there were reports of a lot of burglaries. She phoned Kalahari Monate Lodge, which is some 10km out of Uppington, the same way we…

1. KOSI BAY Kosi Bay comprises four lakes interlinked by a network of channels. The estuary offers extraordinary snorkeling opportunities and is one of the world’s top fly-fishing destinations. Traditional fishing practices dating back 700 years are still passed down from one generation to the next. It is the only place where all South Africa’s mangrove species and the stand of naturally Raffia palms occur. 2. SODWANA BAY Rated as one of the top ten dive destinations in the world. The coral reefs contain over 1 200 species of fish as well as a variety of underwater seascapes and marine fauna and flora. The Coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) was discovered in the deep Jesser Canyons offshore from Sodwana Bay in 2000. occurring 3. COASTAL FOREST Accessible only by off-road vehicles, this…

• 220 kilometres of coastline and beaches. • 100 species of coral • 8 interlinking ecosystems • Last major swamp forest left in South Africa • 3 major lake systems – Kosi Bay, Lake St Lucia and Lake Sibaya, • 8 major game reserves in the greater Maputaland • 105 years of conservation (St Lucia Park was declared a game reserve 3 years after Yellowstone National Park and is Africa’s oldest protected area. • Has the Big Five with the reintroduction of lion into uUMkhuze recently. • 105 Red Data species • 5 species of turtle • 35 species of frogs with 2 endemic – highest number in Southern Africa. • 36 species of snake • 526 bird species (the greatest avifauna diversity in Africa with 50% of South Africa’s…

The OZtrail Fast Frame tent series has become very popular in the Australian camping market, and it’s clear to see why. If you’re looking for a big tent that’s easy to set up and break down, this is the product you want. With the steel frame fitted into the tent, setting up literally only takes a few minutes (once you figured it all out for the first time). But no product is perfect… in this month’s tent review we tell you all you need to know about the OZtrail Fast Frame 300 Plus. SETTING UP The OZtrail Fast Frame 300 Plus comes with its steel frame attached. You simply lay out the tent, peg out the four corners, and extend the legs until they click into place – that’s the…

A caravanner was stopped at Hartebeespoort Dam recently for overloading. The police made him completely unpack his caravan – and it was still overweight and therefore illegal. Something is wrong here, caravan manufacturers are pulling the wool over our eyes by not being honest with their caravan weights. Of concern to me is that we have a very old Jurgens in which we intend becoming“swallows”– living in the caravan and going around the country. We have built this caravan up to have everything we need. We were about to replace the original fridge with a double door electric, no more! What is going on? Melody McClure There are a number of problems caravanners face when it comes to overloading, and I suggest you read our story on page 48…

THE TTTM SINGLE HAMMOCK After a long day’s drive to get to the caravan park and setting up camp, allow dad to relax in style. The hammock is made from terylene (triple-stitched parachute silk) which is very strong and heat resistant. The hammock weighs just 500g, and can be folded up for storage. Take it easy dad, whether you are camping, travelling, or at home! R490 Available from www.thehammockman.co.za PIZZA GRILL PAN WITH FOLDAWAY HANDLE Pizzas, tortillas, naan… what more could your dad want this Father’s Day? No need to buy him an expensive clay or wood oven, just get the Pizza Grill Pan from Mantality. Now you can make pizza right on the braai. With a folding rosewood handle for convenient storage. R320 Available from www.mantality.co.za GARMIN FORERUNNER 15…

5 June EAST RAND MOTOR SHOW Gauteng The third annual East Rand Motor Show will have classic cars, muscles and street rods on show, including modified vehicles and dyno machines. There is also a kids’ entertainment area, an auto and non-auto flea-market, and various car clubs will be attending. The East Rand Motor Show’s main purpose is to contibute to society, and this year supports TAG (The Animal Guardians) and CHOC (Childhood Cancer Foundation of South Africa). More info: www.eastrandmotorshow.co.za 23 - 25 June KOMATIPOORT PRAWN FESTIVAL Mpumalanga The Komatipoort Prawn Festival is celebrating its 29th annual festival. Various South African artists will perform on a large outdoor stage, including Steve Hofmeyr, Dozi and Jak de Priester.There is also a wide variety of food stalls, beer tent, conservation tent,…

It’s not often that journalists get to travel over 5 000km in a test car, but on this trip I did. Look, I have to admit my bias from the start – I like a Nissan Patrol! The most reliable and toughest 4x4 I ever owned was a battered old 1984 model. A young Overberg farmer, Reenen Kritizinger who farms near Greyton where I live, is now the proud owner. I challenge you to ask him if he will sell it. What I can tell you is that all the basics of good engineering that created a legend has been maintained 64 years after the first Patrol (the 4W60) rolled off the factory floor. It seems appropriate that it was 1952, the year of my birth! Moving with the times…

After reading your January 2016 edition I thought I must share with you the alteration I made to my 2015 Jurgens Xplorer. Finding Jurgens not having made provision for food storage on the outside, we sold our first Xplorer in 2013 and bought one of the competitor’s caravan trailers. But after just one trip we also sold that, and went for a top-of-the-range caravan from the same manufacturer. My wife was happy at that stage since it offered the full outside kitchen and storage, but the canvas work was a big problem for me, especially when it was raining. So in beginning of 2015 we sold the caravan and bought a Jurgens Xplorer again. The understanding with my wife was that I will do the alteration so that we can…

During March and over the Easter long weekends traffic police developed writer’s cramp from all the fines they issued to drivers with overloaded caravans and trailers. Irate owners took to all forms of media blaming caravan manufacturers and crying foul. One caravanner apparently went through three roadblocks where each time he was instructed to remove weight from his caravan. By the time he reached the third roadblock the caravan was reportedly empty but it was still overloaded, according to those manning the checkpoint! Our telephones rang off the hook, ‘Has the law changed?’, ‘When did the law change?’, ‘Why was I not informed?’, ‘The manufacturer must take responsibility’, ‘What of those big 16-wheeler trucks, no ways can that trailer be lighter than the horse!’ That is why this month we…

The school holidays in South Africa start at the end of this month… are you ready parents? While having the kids around all day is a blessing, it’s also quite a lot of extra effort. And that goes double if you’ve decided to go camping this holiday. Yes, it’s winter, but when has that even stopped us South Africans from enjoying the great outdoors? Not all of us can escape to Namibia when the weather gets a little chilly! In fact, the “off season” is a great time of the year to go caravanning or camping – for one, the resorts are not overcrowded and you can easily secure that prime spot; and two, many campsites drop their rates in winter. But still, winter is winter and kids are kids.…