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THE GREAT WHALE TAIL PROJECT @ MUIZENBERG JUNIOR SCHOOL, CAPE TOWN

CONSTRUCTION DELAYED: A DATE FOR THE UNVEILING & AND THE RAFFLE DRAW WILL BE ADVISED

FUNDING THE TAIL

WHALES

HOME

HELP “DRESS” THE WHALE

WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE WE ALL?

PROJECT TIMELINE

PUBLICITY

Background

In 2009 an image was discovered on the www of some children

The Great Whale Tail Project Launch,

Muizenberg, 29 April 2010.

A sketch of  the Muizenberg Tail –

announced on 4 August 2010.

The 22ft Humpback Whale tail at

Tussing Elementary School,

Pickerington, Ohio, USA.

View on Google Earth at co-ordinates Latitude: 39°55'27.13"N  Longitude: 82°48'33.97"W

standing around a large sculpted Humpback tail (see image far right).

It was traced to Tussing Elementary school in Ohio USA with whom

contact was made. They were informed of the intention to challenge

theirs and to sculpt and erect a tail locally. The Ohio Humpback tail is

made of steel and weighs 2 400lbs.

The inspiration was pursued by Mary A. Sheridan Ph.D. and is based on

the story of an imaginary whale’s journey from the waters of Alaska

through the Panama Canal and up the Mississippi, Ohio and Scioto

Rivers and was told through murals on the school walls, post cards to the

students, quilts and mosaics, and finally, through a life-sized sculpture of

a whale’s tail rising from the Pickerington plains.  As Ron Hirschi (who

worked with Mary on the project) said “seemingly diving into the ground

to escape from a sea of plastic waste”.

The Muizenberg Whale Tail – see design right with launch photo

The Muizenberg whale tail will be located inside the school grounds off

the corner of Main and Belvedere Roads Muizenberg at co-ordinates

Latitude: 34 deg 06' 17.81" S Longitude: 18 deg 28' 04.11" E .

It will be made of re-cycled plastic bottle caps collected both locally and

internationally. Like the Tussing Tail, it will symbolise an imaginary

whale’s journey ie from the Antarctic to False Bay. The highly visible tail

will be symbolic of conservation and promote business, tourism, and

re-cycling initiatives whilst providing a powerful educational lever. It will

simultaneously indicate (1) the start of whale watching territory/A Whale

Of A Heritage Route (False Bay West Shore) and (2) the entrance to

historical Muizenberg. According to local historians Surfer’s Corner 

Muizenberg boasts 100 years of surfing in its various forms (1910 – 2010)

as well as the oldest Colonial building in South Africa (Het Posthuys)

which happens to overlook the Corner. Not to be outdone in the historical

stakes, Muizenberg Junior School is located on the site of an old hotel –

The Park Hotel (c1901) which is featured on the Old Hotel Trail.

Check out here the unpacking of the box of bottle caps received from

Tussing Elementary School, Ohio on Monday 31 May 2010. Note:

Retired Engineer Ken Budden with the bottle

cap jig that he designed and donated to

the project to speed up punching.

Caps have since been received from Ron in Hawaii and Jennie in LA

and many from local residents, businesses and NGOs.

PROJECT TIMELINE, FUND RAISING (BUY A BOTTLE CAP CAMPAIGN)

AND BOTTLE CAP COLLECTION

Jan – April 2010

May – Dec 2010

2011

Plan

Resource The Project

Build/Unveil

PROJECT PARTNERS: BUSINESS

Architecture Workshop, Palmer Road, Muizenberg

Design

A Whale Of A Heritage Route

Project facilitation

PROJECT PARTNERS: NON BUSINESS

AOCA

Inspiration and know how

Applauz Arts Initiative

Bottle caps

Cinnabar Flats

Bottle caps

Additional

Web Page Sponsors

Ian Burgess – Simpson Pianos, Muizenberg.

Knead Bakery & Coffee Shop, Surfer’s Corner, Muizenberg.

Neptune’s Rest Self Catering Accommodation, Fish Hoek.

Revenue Red Africa,

Muizenberg.

Mary A. Sheridan Ph.D.(USA)

Inspiration

Muizenberg Improvement District

Encouragement

Muizenberg Junior School

The venue

Ron Hirschi (USA and Hawaii)

Inspiration and technology

Safer Together, Muizenberg

Bottle caps

Sycamore Creek School, USA

Mary’s current school

Tussing Elementary School,

Site of the Tussing Whale Tale/Mary’s

Pickerington, Ohio, USA

former school

Zandvlei Trust

Car tyres