interbasin transfer of water from the Thukela River in KwaZulu-Natal to boost the levels in the Vaal River System. Water from the Sterkfontein Dam is released once the Vaal Dam drops to below 16%. The dam has its own island some long. The island was used as a secret meeting place by the apartheid government but now hosts the annual Round the Island Yacht race, a Guinness Book of World Records title of the largest inland yacht race. On 4 May 1948 BOAC introduced Short Solent flying boats on the UK (Southampton) to South Africa (Vaaldam) service. The small village of Deneysville was used as a stop-over point by the old BOAC flying boats. Water sports The Vaal Dam is a world renowned fishing venue for freshwater carp and catfish. Its shores are filled with anglers throughout the year. Many world class water sport events are held here including the annual "Round The Island" yacht race organized by Lake Deneys Yacht Club— a race that has been in the Guinness Book of Records for being the "Most Yachts in an Inland Yacht Race in the World", in which 389 craft crossed the finish line. This race has entered the Guinness Book of Records for the most boats in an inland yacht race. Several large events take place here including Keelboat Week and the Bayshore 200 km jetski race, and now the Bayshore Marina Vaal Dam Treasure Hunt. Lake Deneys Yacht Club and Pennant Nine Yacht Club partnered the organisation of a fleet which participated in the inaugural 2014 and second 2015 international "Bart's Bash". Three provinces make up the Dam's shoreline - the Free State has the longest stretch, Mpumalanga has a beautiful and relatively unspoilt shoreline, while the most despoiled by far is that of Gauteng. The dam was commissioned in 1939, has a capacity of , and a surface area of , the dam wall is high. Due to the large lake size reservoir there is a problem with evaporation, see Sterkfontein Dam for more details. Deneysville is the largest town on the Vaal Dam and provides a shopping centre for the Dam. There are three yacht clubs and two marinas. Nature The main angling fish species of the Vaal dam are barbel, common carp, mirror carp, grass carp, smallmouth yellowfish, largemouth yellowfish and mudfish. Egyptian geese and blacksmith lapwing are abundant shore birds, and Caspian terns also