The Seru Kommandant (mountain of the commander) is a 130 meter high mountain between the bays of Lagun and St. Crus. As such a good place for an observation post overlooking a large coastal area with several fortifications. For us a challenge to find the remnants of such an observation post as well as trying to reach the top. So we gathered at 8:15 AM at the bay of Lagun where we parked our cars.
The first part of our trail was easy. There is a path from the bay in the direction of the mountain. That path connects to another path that is cleared and maintained by the electricity company. Via this path we reached the ridge of the mountain. That was the end of the easy part. From there we had to find our way uphill through large fields of Prickly pear cacti. Luckily there was also a dry stone wall that we could use as a pathway. Unfortunately this wall was frequently overgrown so that we had to struggle throug the dense vegetation next to the wall. On our way to the top we had nice views and lots of nice plants and mosses.
We all reached the top without major damage. From there we had a beautiful view over the mountains to the North-East, over the lagun of St. Crus to the South and the village of Lagun to the North-West. The view toward the bay of St. Crus is blocked by the vegetation.
Nothing of an observation post but we found a measuring point of Kadaster with an explicit warning that removing it would be punished by chastisement. So we left it where we found it. Fred dared to sit down on it by lack of a pillar. The others found others places to sit and eat an apple or boiled peanuts.
Because the trip to the top took us far longer than we had expected we looked for a quicker way to return. We decided to descend to the bay of St. Crus hoping to find a well-maintained path along the coast to Lagun. The way down was not without risk because we it was quite steap and the underground was not always stable. So several people in the group slipped and came in unpleasant contact with Prickly pear. Luckily enough not with the also present Bringamosa (Devil nettle).
During our trip down we found a part of a cellar bottle (square glass bottle); this could indicate that in the past this route was already used. Maybe there was no fixed observation post but the sentries went to the top each day.
The path along the coast was found but it was not very well-maintained. I made a small detour to two other measuring points (Kadaster VH 285 and a strange one with number 180) that the others had found during a previous trip. Carel waited for me and after a short while we reached the others again.
After finding another kadaster measuring point (with an unreadable number) further along the coast the path disappeared completely. There we split up in two groups; Fred and François would try to reach the path that we had used on the way uphill and the others continued along the coast. This last group got stuck pretty soon. Carel and I decided to go back to where we had seen some car wrecks. According to the GPS there should be a path that would lead to the path that we had used in the morning. Eddy and Hetty apparently decided to to continue along the coast (or didn't understand that Carel and I went back). We found indeed a connecting path and reached the cars where Fred and François were already waiting. So they had made the better choice. After a while also Eddy and Hetty arrived. It was already 1:30 PM; quite a long and strenuous trip.
The track that we walked (in blue)
Lagun bay
Our goal, the top of the Seru Kommandant
The end of the easy part; our first rest
Strange small plant between the stones
Orchids (no flowers) and Ball moss growing in a Candle cactus
A field of Bromelias, more than knee-deep as we found out
Nice moss on the rock
The dry stone wall helps but is not always clear
Nice views
One of the many Candle Cacti along the wall
Sometimes the climb is quite steep
Entrance of the St. Crus bay
Not there yet, the top
Interesting rock formations
Lots of Prickly pear cacti on the wall
Carel stays behind taking pictures
The bay of Lagun with appartments on both sides of the bay
Almost there
Beginning Ball moss
How do we proceed from here
A small snail on an old cactus
Several kinds of moss on the same cactus
The Prickly pear has not only thorns
Fragment of an earthenware jar
The lagun of St. Crus
The Kadaster measuring point 1304 with an explicit warning
The measuring point; this is the top of the Seru Kommandant
Time to take a rest
Hetty
A very small mushroom on a tree
Part of a cellar bottle; we are not the first here
Another place to take a rest; François is dangerously close to a Bringamosa
Moss on a tree
Fred takes a picture
A strange Prickly pear; better not to touch it; the fine thorns are the worst
The coast; view over the Bromelias towards the bay of St. Crus
Flowering Bromelia
Two measuring points
This one is a strange one with number 180
This one is a standard Kadaster measuring point; VH 285
Another Kadaster measuring point; number unreadable
Fred and Hetty look at the measuring point
An old car wreck in the bushes