The Cactus Trip Diaries

Alain Buffel writes:

I bought my first cactus (Mammillaria hahniana and still in my collection in the greenhouse) back in 1978 and a second plant followed the next week.

I was offically infected with the cactus and succulent virus and there was and still is no cure for it. Wanting to see the world of the plants that I grew my first ‘plant-expedition’ followed in 1991 to go and see the then still very exotic world with a 6 week trip to South Africa.

To make a long story short, I never recovered from that infection either and travelling the world to see plants in habitat became a second passion, never to end again. Some 20 trips later I still feel passionate by growing plants, mainly from seeds brought back from habitat plants. This resulted in a trip to Australia in 2018. This the  story of that trip:

Join Alain at his Webinar at : Sunday 13 September – 11:30 Central European Summer Time
(= 10:30 British Summer Time)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81144723794?pwd=SVA5MTFDYytqOUgrSk9oQ3RFN0hWdz09

Meeting ID: 811 4472 3794
Passcode: BuffelRoo

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Join Dr. Jonathan Clark’s ‘Cacti & Succulents in 3D’ Webinar on Sunday 13 September 15:00 PM European Summer Time (= 14:00 British Summer Time) by following: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84737413362?pwd=am9FZFV4eTVlamxuSHBZbmZlZmVvQT09

Meeting ID: 847 3741 3362
Passcode: DrYClark

Jonathan Clark writes: I have been growing cacti and other succulents all my life since school days, and I have always been interested in technology, especially computers, plus photography. My interests also include anything and everything that enables creation and showing of 3-Dimensional images. I have already given many 3D cactus and succulent talks in ‘real’ 3D, taken both in habitat and in cultivation – my aim being to bring a ‘full immersion’ view of cactus habitats to the audience. However, that uses the same technique as the cinema and requires a special screen and glasses. Since everyone will just be viewing the talks this weekend on their home computer screens, that are (mostly) not 3D, it has been quite a challenge to work out a way of giving a 3D talk that can be viewed on normal 2D screens. The method I’ve worked out does NOT need polarising or ‘funny-coloured’ glasses. I will be showing pictures taken during trips to Mexico, including Baja, that I went on with Paul Klaassen and others, as well as pictures taken of plants in cultivation.

Paul writes: Jonathan’s parents must have had quite a sense of humour giving him a middle name starting with the letter Y. There is already a Doctor Who, so he is Doctor Why! Enjoy the images! We hope to persuade Jonathan to write up how he did this (perhaps in Cactus World?) I’d love to know how to do this AND make it look good in webinars!

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And that is it! Feel free to stay until the janitor switches off the lights. Have another drink with friends! Make plans to meet up next year for the Second Weekend in September 2021, hopefully at Duinse Polder in Blankenberge, Belgium.

Normally we would be on the ferry to Dover, gaining an hour before we reach England. Some 3 hours after disembarking I arrive home, rushing to unload the car before dark. Tomorrow the race begins to move all my plants back into the greenhouse for winter, until May next year when they move outside for summer sun and rain.

Thank you to all the presenters and people who sat through the test presentations to minimise any ‘problemettes’. Many people have thanked me to help us to get us through these strange COVID 19 days. Check this page for announcements for future get togethers.

Stay Safe!
Cheers!
PK

Saturday 12 September – 11:30 Central European Summer Time
(= 10:30 British Summer Time)
Paul Klaassen (Tephrocactus Study Group) ‘But I don’t like Opuntias! 2020’.
In the absence of formal proposals from the TSG, I will present ‘But I don’t like Opuntias – 2020.’ The theme will be similar to the talk I gave at the TSG AGM what seems now quite a while ago. Once again I’ll show images (newly selected) that I have seen in nature from the 15-16 or so groups that are known as Opuntias s.l. using the taxonomy/classification of the New Cactus Lexicon 2006. Plenty of opportunity for differing opinions! No fighting please! 

To join this webinar, click the link at the start time.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84629283591?pwd=eUVPQSt3VE03R3puQzhJTE40dGhCZz09

Meeting ID: 846 2928 3591
Passcode: Tephros

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Saturday 12 September – 13:30 Central European Summer Time
(= 12:30 British Summer Time)
Rikus van Veldhuisen (Euphorbia International Org):
Magnificent Tanzania
Images from my recent trips to Tanzania, with of course any Euphorbia we saw!

Image taken from http://u4ba.nl/about_me.html

To join this webinar, click the link at the start time.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84941860792?pwd=ZHhTa3FKZldIRjlUWmo4aldkVVRrQT09

Meeting ID: 849 4186 0792
Passcode: Tanzania

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Saturday 12 September – 18:00 hrs Central European Summer Time
(= 17:00 British Summer Time)
Finn Larsen (Denmark) : A trip to southern Peru

Finn writes: I´m Danish and live with my wife to the west of Copenhagen. For many years I’ve been active in our Danish Cactus and Succulent Society (Nordisk Kaktus Selskab) and for many years I  have been travelling to look for cacti and succulents. Paul K. writes: in 2003 we met Finn, on his own, in the Quebrada San Ramon, near to Taltal on our second Copiapoathon. Ian had space in his car, so invited Finn to join us for the rest of our trip. Finn has traveled since with Ian in USA and Mexico and meets up with our group at ELK where he has a sales stand.

Finn continues: In 2015 I paid my friend Carlos Jimenez a visit and we made some trips looking for cacti in Peru. One of our trips went to southern Peru and Macusani to see Punotia lagopus and other cacti.

To join this webinar, click the link at the start time
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89736738932?pwd=RlpFOUxZL0tXZHQyaVhORy9ySU9qdz09

Meeting ID: 897 3673 8932
Passcode: FinninPeru

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Saturday 12 September – 20:00 hrs Central European Summer Time
(= 19:00 British Summer Time)
Wiebe Bosma – Succulent highlights from Ethiopia

To join this webinar, click the link at the start time
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83772188864?pwd=K3ZoTURUTEx0RjZFbG5admRWaTk5Zz09

Meeting ID: 837 7218 8864
Passcode: Asclepiads

Paul writes: within minutes of Ronald’s announcement on Facebook that ELK 2020 would be cancelled this year because of COVID-19 I wrote to my friends suggesting that we should set up Webinar presentations to fill the gap in our diaries. Wiebe was the first to reply, within minutes, and so has been given the Saturday night ‘Top Slot’

Regular attendants of ELK will know Wiebe from his sales stand at the back of the tent in Duinse Polder. In case he needs further introduction Wiebe writes: “Born in 1959, have enjoyed a ‘life-time’ interest in cacti and succulents. I started collecting these plants as a teenager and right now have a mixed collection in a 24 square meter greenhouse. I enjoy looking for cacti and succulents in their natural habitat and have done so in 8 different countries. Wiebe has a broad interest in people, culture and nature from the countries that he visits and being an amateur photographer, so always returns back home with a load of pictures. And yes, he likes the local beers. Cheers!

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And so we reach the end of Saturday night. Feel free to continue the chat over a few more (Belgian) beers or wine from cactus country and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning for more Webinars!

In 1995 my job was IT Documentation manager for an international benefit consultancy and used to knock up websites for fun. A lot has changed, not in the least my energy levels and my ability to find solutions that the software that I now have available produces.

So the program of presentations is much later than I had intended.

My Blog allows me to publish pages for dates in the past – not in the future. I should have tested this feature out sooner – but here we go.

Friday 11 September – 18:00 hrs Central European Summer Time
(= 17:00 British Summer Time)
INTRODUCTION and OPENING COMMENTS
Ronald Fontyene & Paul Klaassen

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89721742891?pwd=SGxua0l2Rk9IU21PQTBmODFNY3kzQT09

(SWiS2020 (1) Meeting ID: 831 4751 2741 – Passcode: Welcome

Ronald has collected cacti and other succulents since the early 1970s. His interests in all aspects of the adaptation of succulent plants to arid and semi-arid ecosystems has resulted in a mixed collection of both cacti and other succulent plants. He says: ‘This interest goes hand in hand with my pleasure in photography, which comes in handy when illustrating articles and giving lectures.’ Ronald is a member of the Flemish cactus & succulent societies Grusonia and Lophophora, Succulenta, the BCSS and the DKG (Deutsche Kakteen Gesellschaft). For 15 years he was treasurer of Grusonia. Since 2006 he was involved in the organization of the ELK, first as secretary-treasurer and now as chairman.

After the opening comments, Ronald will entertain us with his presentation From Cederberg to Richtersveld (South Africa).
The wide surroundings along the Atlantic coast of South Africa consist of areas famous for their extreme richness of succulent plants of which many are endemic to this region. Succulent Karoo, Cederberg, Namaqualand, Knersvlakte and Richtersveld are place names that trigger the imagination of a succulent plant lover. Here we are introduced to the great botanical diversity of these regions, from the tiny Conophytum minitum to the tall Aloe pillansii, photographed during a six-day tour through fascinating landscapes.

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Friday 11 September – 20:00 hrs Central European Summer Time
(= 19:00 British Summer Time)
by Ian Woolnough: “Some Pediocactus, Sclerocactus and selected associates”.

Ian first joined us on the 2003 Copiapoathon in Chile. Here he is preparing dinner at Secret Valley, south of Taltal. Since then he has travelled to the USA (to avoid language problems), Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, Argentina and Peru, often with his wife Sarda. You may recognise them from their plant sales at ELK where Sarda is often seen selling the plants while Ian is sampling Belgian beers.

Tonight he will entertain us with images of the Sclerocacti and Pediocacti plus other flora, fauna and scenery in the USA from multiple visits.

Friday 11 September – 20:00 hrs Central European Summer Time
(= 19:00 British Summer Time)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88675872734?pwd=U2ttYm9HOFh3YjlMN3JsS3NCaEh6UT09

Meeting ID: 886 7587 2734
Passcode: PedioScler

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Almost there! With (almost) all speakers for the Second Weekend in September 2020 (SWiS2020) having had a chance to test their presentations, this weekend’s session is primarily a chance for the speakers to meet up, exchange any questions and tips for next weekend and a chance to share a few beers.

Topic: Last meeting before SWiSS2020
Time: Sep 6, 2020 07:30 PM London

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82653110224?pwd=STJoTTg0VkppMklhV044T25oM2o2Zz09

Meeting ID: 826 5311 0224
Passcode: Lasttime

It has become a tradition to leave the speaker of tonight’s rehearsal until the last minute. Tonight is no exception, as Eunice Thompson from Bellflower, CA cancelled her drone flying again, this time stressed by the high number COVID-19 cases and by unrest caused by use of violence against black people in the USA.

So we’re pleased to welcome Alain Buffel from Oostende back to show us a brand new version of his presentation featuring strange plants and animals that he saw in 2018 on his trip to Australia.

Topic: Alain’s Zoom Meeting
Time: Aug 30, 2020 07:30 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88621634338?pwd=MVBoUHl5dTNLYjd3T2I3N2JFclc5dz09

Meeting ID: 886 2163 4338
Passcode: Australia

Tonight I will also present the program for the Second Weekend in September (SWiS2020) event.

Hope to see you there!

SWiS2020 rehearsal

Again, today, Eunice Thompson: ‘Looking for Cacti and Succulents by drone’ was the planned program. Last week she asked to move the presentation to this week to enable her to replace her hard drive. Although she has successfully replaced her hard drive, testing it on her changed set up revealed a few more flaws.

So once again I’ll step into the frame. The last few years the Tephrocactus Study Group have had a slot at ELK. I asked if they would like to propose a speaker and/or subject to fill the slot for 2020. So far I have not had a reply, but have been asked by a BCSS Havering branch to dust down a talk entitled ‘But I don’t like Opuntias!’

I gave a presentation of this subject at the AGM of the Tephrocactus Study Group some ten years ago. It was meant to be a one-off talk – no body likes Opuntias, right?! WRONG! Each year I get at least one request for this talk, but I was never been able to find the images again. Once I put together another set of images that did the trick, gave the presentation … and misplaced the images again.

This time I have put together Version 3 (2020) and will make at least three copies of it, specially made for Zoom! With age, I have found my memory lets me down just when I need it, so this time I rely a lot more on information being displayed on-screen. This means that each slide will be displayed a lot longer rather than my usual jam-packed program, so tonight will indicate if I need more or less images.

Could all speakers please contact me with the final title of their talk, a brief biography of themselves and a brief description of their chosen subject.

I look forward to seeing you all tonight!

Topic: But I Don’t Like Opuntias! (V3, 2020)
Time: Aug 23, 2020 07:30 PM London
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88489417596?pwd=TjFyaWI4V1hha2hkZ3RJMitzek1zZz09

Meeting ID: 884 8941 7596
Passcode: Opuntia

The Plan
It’s good to have a plan! If only to suggest what needs to be done when what is planned does not happen.

Today, Eunice Thompson: ‘Looking for Cacti and Succulents by drone’ was the planned program. Like Jonathan’s ‘Cacti in 3D’, this too has some technical challenges to overcome. The things we like about Webinars is that they allow us to share information with a large audiences (the BCSS Tuesday evening meetings now regularly attract audiences of 300 plus people from all over the world). Brian Bates from Sucre, Bolivia is a regular attendant (has he actually missed any Zoom meetings?) and we’ve enjoyed meetings where the speaker delivers the presentation from his home in Madagascar to our living rooms in Europe (including the UK), the US with clusters in Brazil, in fact anywhere in the world where people with internet access and a computer and a hunger for information about Succulent plants, including cacti, are motivated to switch on their computer at the right time.

We learned that things that work fine on a laptop in a hall with a digital projector and a screen (or sometimes just on a painted wall), can look less impressive when shared with a large audience over a great distance: movement!

This can be a dashcam video of Al driving down Cerro Perales in Chile, through fields of Copiapoa and Eulychnia, or it can be the subtle shift of the camera’s view to create the sensation of movement and depth in Jonathan’s 3D presentation. Eunice and I developed an interest in looking at our plants of interest from a different angle by using footage shot by a camera mounted on a drone. Again, it is the movement that can be tricky to share in a webinar.

Eunice has asked me to postpone her presentation while she installs and tests a new fast hard drive in her computer. Fine! So I’ll fill the gap this week by sharing with you how Jonathan and I opened the box and set up my first drone (in Jonathan’s kitchen) in 2015, flew it through a series of short test flight in the UK and then eventually for real in Chile. Once it got safely back home, my youngest son ‘borrowed’ it to help with his photographic work. It has never been seen again! I have since bought two more drones that had overcome the space and weight issues of my #1 drone. Health issues (my own and now COVID 19) and my location on Salisbury Plain, much of which is MOD owned, which means that much of it is a ‘no fly’ zone.

Fingers crossed that Eunice can show us her footage next week.

Today’s session is on Sunday 16 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST) Just click on the link below at the right time.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82942872588?pwd=SjVTK3Y4L1Rzc3RWMzVHWDFSYkFVQT09
Meeting ID: 829 4287 2588
Password: Bellflower

Next week:
Eunice Thompson: ‘Looking for Cacti and Succulents by drone’
Date and time: Sunday 23 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: DJIdrones

Tephrocactus Study Group – Speaker and subject to be announced
Date and time: Sunday 30 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: WhoTCSG

Alain Buffel:

Date and time: Sunday 6 September 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: BuffelRoo

Dr. Jonathan Clark: ‘Cacti and succulents in 3D’
Date and time: Sunday 9 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88687624737?pwd=VXd6Zlc2WW1JTEVSdmppWHA3ejRXdz09

Meeting ID: 886 8762 4737
Passcode: DrY3D

Jonathan has been taking 3D images and movies on trips in Chile and Mexico. In the old world of meetings-in-halls and digital projectors projecting images on screens, it was necessary for the audiences wear ‘funny looking glasses, to obtain the full benefit of the 3D effect.

Tonight he’ll show us how we can enjoy 3D without the need to wear the funny glasses and explain how the magic is achieved. It should also take a good deal less time to carefully set up the necessary equipment in the hall, but I gather it is quite time assuming for to prepare the material for 3D presentation.

Next week:
Eunice Thompson: ‘Looking for Cacti and Succulents by drone’
Date and time: Sunday 16 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: Bellflower

Tephrocactus Study Group – Speaker and subject to be announced
Date and time: Sunday 23 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: WhoTCSG

Alain Buffel:

Date and time: Sunday 30 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: BuffelRoo

Today’s meeting is an Open Microphone / Camera meeting.

To join this Zoom Meeting, click on the link below, close to the start time of 19:30 BST
Time: Aug 2, 2020 07:30 PM London
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86561018009?pwd=bGhuajQ0Z0tEQ3l4UUVSbHp3VWxsZz09

Meeting ID: 865 6101 8009
Passcode: toohot

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Future weeks:

Dr. Jonathan Clark: ‘Cacti and succulents in 3D’
Date and time: Sunday 9 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: DoctorY

Eunice Thompson: ‘Looking for Cacti and Succulents by drone’
Date and time: Sunday 16 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: Bellflower

Tephrocactus Study Group – Speaker and subject to be announced
Date and time: Sunday 23 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: WhoTCSG

Alain Buffel:

Date and time: Sunday 30 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: BuffelRoo

Just to confuse you, I thought that I’d announce Sunday’s meeting a few days early. Rikus is back from holiday and would like to entertain us with his trip to Tanzania that ran into a few technical problem a few weeks ago.

Rikus van Veldhuisen presents Magical Tanzania
A presentation about his latest trip to Tanzania last January with a lot of Euphorbias.

Start Time: Jul 26, 2020 07:30 PM London

To join this Zoom Meeting, click on the link below close to the start time.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84070180368?pwd=d3hTYXR4THI4cEZwZUdBL3dmNU5Xdz09

Meeting ID: 840 7018 0368
Passcode: Rikus

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Last minute update

Rikus and I had a success test meeting this morning: his wife had bought a new tablet enabled him to play his presentation so that I could hear and see it: Success!!

But Rikus has another engagement tonight, so will go straight to the SWiS2020 event – now not too far away.

I have been working on another Chile presentation, so unless anyone has anything else to entertain us with, I can show you that.

Future meetings include:

Speaker and title to be announced
Date and time: Sunday 2 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: Who

Dr. Jonathan Clark: ‘Cacti and succulents in 3D’
Date and time: Sunday 9 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: DoctorY

Eunice Thompson: ‘Looking for Cacti and Succulents by drone’
Date and time: Sunday 16 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: Bellflower

Tephrocactus Study Group – Speaker and subject to be announced
Date and time: Sunday 23 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: WhoTCSG

Alain Buffel:

Date and time: Sunday 30 August 2020 at 7:30 pm (BST)
Meeting ID: to be announced
Password: BuffelRoo