Day Tour

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Geo: -34.3568, 18.4733

A stunning 23 deg day, and we had a great day tour in a mini van with a Brit family and a US couple. Our driver Gerry (a black, 10 year veteran of the tourist industry) was charming and knowledgable and never stopped talking. Had another drive down the Atlantic Coast past all the beaches and beautiful peoples' mansions, a stop at Hout Bay, then down the Cape Peninsula. Stops at the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, the penguins at Boulders Beach then finished with a walk around the botanic gardens. A long day, and Gerry stopped briefly in town at a Tanzanite vendor so we could take a look at their wares.

Saw our first wild ostrich and a pair of eland in the Cape Reserve. There are huge numbers of painted and polished ostrich eggs for sale in the tourist areas. The eland is the largest antelope, much bigger than a cow, and it is a majestic looking animal. Got close to baboons and a curious ostrich that was very interested in the car's occupants. Also saw a little quokka-like animal called a 'dassie' that roam around Cape Point.

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Photos

Camps Bay, back side of Table Mtn
The little kundet on the top of the highest peak is the cable car station on Table Mtn. Then tapering off to the right are the Twelve Apostles. The waters here affected by a cold current and the water temp varies from 8 to 14 deg! We still saw some hardy souls frolicking in the low surf.

Seals at Hout Bay
Good markets here that Rob and I browsed while the others went on a short boat trip, seal watching.

At the Cape!
A bit silly. It's not the most western point, nor is it the most southern point of Africa. But I guess they felt compelled to claim something!

Ostriches
Didn't expect to see wild ostriches with an ocean backdrop!

Close encounter
This guy is not much more than a glass thickness away! Apparently their eyeballs are bigger than their brain - a very stupid bird.

African Penguins
Cute little fellas... They make a strange braying sound, hence their local name of 'jackass' penguins.

Gerry's temporary "family"
In Kirstenbosch Gardens

Comments

[John Lowe]

Sel, Rob, Alas, too late. Trivial Question: What is the closest living relative of the dassie? I got bitten by a dassie when we were hiking out the back of Table Mountain. Fortunately for me it did not have any bad diseases!Cheers,Lowie

[robselclark]

The guides are thorough! Elephant we were told, in the face of some skepticism.