At a very tender age, Val herself experienced a remarkable marriage to a World War II air-force colonel (who was one of the first to down a German Messerschmitt fighter plane). She then enjoyed a career in Johannesburg, before retiring to South Africa’s elite resort in Plettenberg Bay where she helped to inspire the whale-watching industry. At a time when men were at the zenith of their powers, Val’s own life speaks of a highly gregarious woman, who managed to carve out a high position through a delightful combination of intelligence and infectious enthusiasm.