A new plaque describing and interpreting the geology of Chapman’s Peak is set to be unveiled by the Western
Cape branch of the Geological Society of South Africa (GSSA) on Tuesday November 12.
Dr John Rogers, from the GeoHeritage Sub-committee for GSSA, said the plaque
would replace an earlier, bilingual version which had been lost by civil engineers restoring Chapman’s Peak in recent years.
“The new plaque is in
English only and gave us more room for text, as well as for an illustration by Dr Hayley
Cawthra of the Council for Geoscience (CGS). The line-drawing is
based on a photograph that I took from the view-site, looking south towards Slangkop,” said Dr Rogers.
“The significance of the unveiling is to alert visitors, local, national and international, to this outstanding GeoSite,
world-famous to many,” Dr Rogers said.
For many years, Dr Rogers led geological field-trips, mainly for UCT students, to Chapman’s Peak Drive and his photographs populate the Chapman’s
Peak Drive section of the GSSA website and also in his newly published book, Geological adventures in the fairest Cape: Unlocking the secrets of its scenery.
The plaque will include information about the rocks,
which range in age from 540 to 130 million years.
“As Planet Earth is 4550 Ma (Mega-Annum) old, the Chapman’s Peak Drive rocks are relatively young. The South Atlantic Ocean itself, is only 130 Ma old,” Dr Rogers said.
The GSSA have been interacting closely with Entilini and the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) in order to make the unveiling a reality.
“One of our committee members, formerly a manager for PetroSA, is a keen Honorary
Ranger of the TMNP and has undertaken to remove graffiti at the view-site before the event,” said Dr Rogers.
* The plaque unveiling will take place on Tuesday
November 12 at the parking area, uphill of the toll plaza on
Chapman’s Peak Drive, and downhill from the view-site
opposite The Sentinel, starting at 2pm.
For more information, contact Dr John Rogers on 073 166 8228.
