Return of a star as Mannville readies for ‘Romeo and Juliet‘ revival

WELL, the last of Hugh‘s Christmas house guests has been safely deposited at the airport for the long flight to distant Gauteng. There can be few regrets as it has been so splendid a Christmas season for the family, who so kindly provided a wonderful marquee affair for a sister‘s landmark birthday.

There was sunshine, a sparkling ocean and, of course, a party for all generations of the family.

What the children will never forget, Hugh is sure, was the inspirational decision by the hosts to persuade a vintage ice-cream van to come around at pudding time so that everybody could get what they wanted – privately paid for by the genial party-givers.

It was a gathering of family and friends which the Baakens clan will long remember.

Schoenies has been blessed with a wonderful summer this year – plenty of time for swims and walks, and much family togetherness and, now that it‘s all over, a time to relax and feel good, even if for some there‘s the long flight back to the domestic fortresses of Gauteng.

Well, there are other milestones to be marked.

Tomorrow there will be a quiet gathering of the Krige family to mark a milestone birthday of Dr Lou Krige, that doyen of local doctors and of the Order of St John of which he is the senior local Knight.

Among the family will be his famous daughter, Dr Alice Krige, who, aged 13, so memorably starred with Colin Stevens in a 1969 production of Romeo and Juliet when they were in the early freshness of their young talent.

By coincidence, Weekend Post colleague Brett Adkins tells Hugh that Mannville is about to stage that play shortly – and there is hope that Alice and Colin will be able to attend.

Hugh is looking forward to this year‘s Helen Wilkins and Linda-Louise Swain production in that sylvan setting.

ONE of Hugh‘s favourite pastimes is walking along the water‘s edge at Schoenies. It‘s appalling that the coastal setting is littered with so much junk – mainly plastic and chunks of polystyrene. But the current mess is the result of the huge storms we have had.

A favourite early morning swimming spot for the Baakens clan is The Tanks below the Sacramento Cafe. There the huge storms have torn up shoreline vegetation, revealing signs of Strandloper middens which can be quite fascinating.

At the foot of The Tanks‘ concrete steps there is a large deposit of Strandloper shells. Rather interestingly, Hugh found an egg- sized stone of porphyry there which must have been carried there by a Strandloper who would have got it from the wreck of the Sacramento in 1647.

There can be other fascinating finds.

A few weeks ago, Hugh found a business card on the shoreline, perhaps dropped overboard by a passing traveller. It belonged to Lal Dhirwani of Fort Mumbai, India, who advertises himself as a specialist in suits, leather garments, uniforms, boiler suits, T-shirts and caps. Hugh will be sending this cutting to Lal – enclosing the card.

Did it float here all the way from India? Time, we hope, will tell.

Not everybody can share the windfalls of Hugh‘s neighbour, Luc Hosten, whose beachcombings have provided rich pickings, not least his selection of fine walking canes made of bamboo.

And his latest Schoenies calendar is a handsome way to start the year.