In 1983, I was the Nipper Officer for the Umhlanga Rocks Surf Lifesaving Club, and the then chief reporter of Northglen News was Marianne Meijer. Marianne was also a swimming teacher and many of her past pupils had been doing well in competitive surf lifesaving events, and she asked me to keep her informed of their progress. The rest is history, as they say in the newspapers.
After Marianne retired, I wrote a regular monthly column on the very successful uMhlanga surfing scene for the uMhlanga Globe and later I included a column on birdwatching in and around the uMhlanga and north Durban area. In 2007 I moved to St Lucia, based in the centre of the isiMangaliso Wetlands Park, and I discovered a whole new world of birds, and old 4×4 vehicles.
My love of the outdoors, and the characters, both animal and human (including my surf and adventure crazy family), that I have encountered in my travels, have given me all the inspiration and content for my articles over the years and I will be privileged to share these with the Northglen News. My stories will be neither expert, technical, nor scientifically correct, but purely to share the outdoor life I am so blessed to experience with my friends and my family. I hope you enjoy the ride.
