The Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse Ladies only walk started back in 2006. Raising awareness and funds for cancer survivors and friends and families alike who had lost loved ones to this disease. The route back then was a hike and camp along the way from Struisbaai to Hermanus. Twenty-six brave women were to start something bigger than they could have ever imagined.

L2L was born

This walk resulted in a yearly event with numbers of up to one hundred and twenty women at a time. The hiking trail was also extended starting from Cape Agulhas Light House to the Birkenhead lighthouse in Danger Point (L2L). The hike itself took four days and three nights to complete with just over 100km clocked in total. All ladies would be bunking and camping and brought back to Die Dam Holiday Resort at the end of each day.

White Shark Projects

This year our CEO Jessica Smit was lucky enough to be a participant in this amazing fundraising event. All monies raised went to the Butterfly Children’s Centre in Stanford which will assist in completion of building their new school.

Day 1

On the first morning 120 women met at Cape Agulhas Lighthouse. The women were from a mixture of cultures, backgrounds and experience. All the ladies started the journey with the same purpose and goals to achieve. The first 18K walk began taking them along the beautiful serine coastline and Fynbos trail ending at Brandfontein Farmstead. The first day was adrenaline filled. Jessica met and spoke with many different walkers all with their own stories on the previous years hikes. When the first portion of the hike ended it gave Jessica the taste of what was to come. She returned to camp and a hot drink and a welcoming smile from Ann the onsite nurse was waiting for her. There was a designated shebeen set up which was actually someone’s holiday home they had graciously rented out to the L2L event. Forty cabins were where some walkers would sleep and some camped including Jessica in a lovely secluded area of the resort. The walkers were told to be on the camp site at 6pm for dinner. The abolitions were a plenty and each walker was able to have a nice hot shower and change for the evening events. The hosts included Marlinda Wright, Ronelle van Zyl, and a very entertaining guest speaker Vanes-Mari Du Toit.

Evening Events

That evening and every evening after that they ate like kings and were entertained by many characters. Jessica met many interesting and accomplished women from over South Africa all with their own reasons for why they wanted to walk. L2L wasn’t just a charity event but it was a family consisting of dedicated, hardworking and compassionate women. All of these women wanted to give back and White Shark Projects was proud to be associated with it.

Day 2

The next two days were hard especially the grueling long stretch of beach from Buffeljagsriver to Pearly beach totaling 27K on day three. That was when Jessica felt that she might not make it. Luckily she was not alone and accompanied by 119 dedicated strong South African women she was not about to let the beach beat me.

Day 3

By day three and last night Jessica was firm friends with Karen and Linda. They had pitched their tent next to Jessica in camp and it was their seventh L2L walk. The ladies would talk back and forth from our sleeping bags during the evening and laughed until our stomachs hurt. On the final morning many walkers were wondering if they were going to make it as they started to dismantling their tents. Before the group set off our hosts gave us a final inspirational thought and prayer for the day and we all finally felt ready to finish what we started.

The Finishing Line

Walking up to the Danger Point Lighthouse was an accomplishment for everyone. Seeing the Butterfly children waiting for everyone to and handing out medals was all worth it.

”I would strongly recommend anyone who wants to challenge themselves and raise money for a good cause it is definitely an experience you will never forget”.

So add it to your bucket list and I will see you next year!

CEO- Jessica Smit

Written by Jessica Smit
CEO White Shark Projects

Published 4th May 2022

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