Frogging!

Okay, Chrissiesmeer is not in Johannesburg nor even in Gauteng (it is in Mpumalanga) but it is such a beautiful area and the event quite unique, we just had to include it on the blog. The hamlet lies about 2 1/2 hours east of Johannesburg and is described as "the lake district of South Africa" for the area boasts some 270 lakes of varying sizes. How they were formed remains a matter of dispute as does why some contain fresh water while others are saline, some contain peat and others are considered wetlands. 
History relates that the name Chrissiesmeer is derived from that of Christina, the daughter of the then President Pretorius. Many of the farms bear Scottish names because a Scottish pioneer, reminded of his homeland by the high grasslands, fell in love with the area and persuaded the government to sell him 200 farms as part of an immigration scheme for his fellow countrymen. 
Chrissiesmeer was also the scene of a significant battle in the Anglo-Boer War when the British initiated a pincer movement in early 1901 to entrap the Boer forces under the leadership of General Louis Botha. If successful, the war could have been effectively ended with about half the Boer forces captured but the brilliant general read the situation, infiltrated the British camp and stampeded the cavalry horses.
Several years ago, the residents of the area adopted an approach of raising the public profile of Chrissiesmeer to try and combat the threat of coal mining which would pose a huge danger to the delicate ecology.  Part of that strategy was to hold an annual "Frogging" weekend partly because there are literally millions of frogs and partly because frogs are an early warning indicator and would be in the frontline of the threat.  
Lectures about the ecology and the frogs are held on a Saturday afternoon at the beginning of summer followed by the fun of trying to catch frogs for identification.  At sunset and equipped with torches, wellingtons, a plastic bag and a keen sense of hearing, participants attempt to catch as many frogs as possible. Be warned: the sound bears no relation to the size of the frog and they are ventriloquists.  A competitive edge is introduced by recognising the most number of frogs caught, the greatest variety etc.  A potjie feast at a farm signals the end of a fascinating, fun filled and very worthwhile event.

Such is the success of the frog weekend that similar events are held to highlight other riches of this highly endangered grassland biome area including the identification of butterflies as well as the huge diversity of indigenous flowers. 
Friendly people and accommodation which in our experience is of a high standard and is readily available from camping to B & B's to a hotel, makes for a highly recommended experience.




http://www.chrissiesmeer.co.za/