Dragon's Wrath 2018

I fully agree with ASL, KZN Management needs to do more about making people aware of the dangers in the berg.
We took our kids as well as family and their kids for their first berg hike this past weekend in the Injasuthi area. Was VERY misty, fortunately not windy or cold, and no rain, just super muddy. There were actually 2 single guys that got lost in the lower berg. Going up in the mist, with only shorts and a T-shirt, no map, no GPS, no raingear - MADNESS!!! What are these people thinking?

My brother in law joined me on a quick hike up van Heyenings Pass on Sunday afternoon after all of us got down form Grindstone caves and had pitched tents in the camp. I wanted to show him the view from Shada ridge, but everything was still covered in thick mist. On our way back we found a family (mom, dad and two teenage sons). They were heading for Wonder Valley cave but had no idea where the cave was. Armed with only a map (which was useless in the thick mist) they happily set off in the mist, completely unaware of the potential dangers should they not find the cave. No emergency gear on them other than some nylon groundsheets. Eish!!! We couldn't just leave them there so I found wonder Valley cave on my GPS and took them to within 100m of the turnoff to the cave. I told the dad to please get a gps and get tracks for where they want to hike in the berg on VE for any future hikes.

It seems that people think that a couple of hikes in Mpumalange or similar low altitude hikes are sufficient preparation for hiking in the berg, forgetting that the berg is actually an alpine environment with things like hypothermia being a very real risk.

I told Sanet we would be back by 5pm latest, leaving camp at just after noon. The family was walking very slowly so by the time we dropped them off near the cave it was already after 3pm. I realised we would have to pick up the pace a lot before we would be the cause of a search party being sent out unnecessarily. Running down the fairly decent tracks was quit a bit of fun as the footpaths were very slippery (How not to be safe in the mountains 101 ). Anyway, we got back safe and sound, walking ( a bit tired by then so no more running) into camp at 4:59pm Sunday afternoon.

www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-04-13-actor-falls-to-his-death-in-drakensberg-during-fighting-scene/


An actor rehearsing a fight on a movie set in the Drakensberg plunged to his death when he fell 40m into a river and was washed over a waterfall on Thursday.

It is understood that the 39-year-old man‚ from Centurion in Gauteng‚ had fallen from a cliff at the Sterkspruit Waterfall near Monks Cowl in the southern Drakensberg.

His body was recovered from the pool below on Friday morning.

He has not been named as his family is yet to be notified of his death.

The man had been rehearsing a fight scene with another actor when he lost his footing and fell. Specialised divers from the Search and Rescue Unit and dog handlers arrived in the mountainous region and‚ guided by a search dog‚ found the man’s body.

Once the body had been pulled out of the water‚ it was hauled on a stretcher to the top of the gorge by rope.

Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said an inquest docket had been registered.

It is reported that a tragic death has occurred near Monk's Cowl.

m.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/actor-falls-to-his-death-during-movie-shoot-in-drakenberg-20180413

I found this article on the trailmag website. I've just been someway up that pass this last week with my young kids, as always these are sober reminders to take care in the Berg.

trailmag.co.za/flash-flood-survival/

so... we got stuck in a massive lighting storm in the open near giants castle... just run for the closest ditch and lay flat .... what is the best thing one can do in n situation like this?   
glad to hear the guys are okay...

Here is the report from the Mercury this morning which is more accurate and gives credit to all the organisations involved.
A special mention to the four hikers who were asked to help and did so without hesitation.  It made the operation much easier and brought the patient down to proper medical care much sooner.

Here is a link to some useful information regarding lightning. It is American but still applicable here.
One thing to note is their comment that strikes are more likely as the storm approaches and departs and not while it is bucketing on you.

www.active.com/outdoors/articles/lightning-safety-for-hikers

A while ago I met an electrical engineer who was studying lightning in SA I think for a PhD.  I think his name was Mike Smith.  Apparently there are a number of "listening stations" for lightening spread throughout SA and each lightening strike has its own unique electromagnetic signature.  By correlating the data received at all the stations in matching up the signatures and knowing the velocity of the electromagnetic signature they can triangulate the position of each an every strike and from this they can produce lightening density maps.  Here's another link.

www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard_Evert/publication/321162358_Official_South_African_Lightning_Ground_Flash_Density_Map_2006_to_2017/links/5aa64f0aa6fdccd544bc90f9/Official-South-African-Lightning-Ground-Flash-Density-Map-2006-to-2017.pdf.
While the Drakensberg remains very dangerous for lightening Mpumalanga seems to be much worse.

The interesting anecdote that Mike told me that in the berg the highest density of strikes occurs on the Cathedral Peak ridge. It has stuck in my mind and I always hurry along that ridge in summer!  It is surprising given the number of visitors from the hotel who are guided up Cathedral Peak that we have not had many more lightening accidents there.

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The original thread  was moved from Lightning related to Dragon's Wrath. Content no longer relevant to incident specific Dragon's Wrath thread.

Interesting how that information mentioned that caves are not that safe from lightning, not sure if they are comparing this to a tent.  I do feel safer in a cave, perhaps because it is made of rock and more solid.  Must just be in my head i feel safer.