Table Mountain is such an iconic image here in Cape Town, one has to get to the top and see the grand view. We decided to forego the cable car, and climb up.
Just over 3000 feet; cable car visible.Lion’s Head in the background; another climb for another day.We made several friends as we passed and re passed each other; lots of rest stops; intense sun; didn’t bring enough water; Liam had the good sense to turn back.
Made it!
Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned) in the distanceTook the cable car back down…
Next up was a three day tour of the Western Cape Region, with Greg — the same guide who led our expedition from Durban. (He gets around!)
Sunrise start…Seals at play in Haut Bay…heading south toward the Cape of Good Hope (Cape Point)Haut Bay…note “castle” on the hill
At the spectacular Cape of Good Hope now, this is the old lighthouse — decommissioned because it was too high, and frequently could not be seen in the clouds.Looking down on the newer, lower, closer to the Point lighthouseFrom the Point looking backCape Point — very cool place to be!
Next stop a visit to a penguin colony…
And then to the interior…cool mountain passes…following the route of the Trekboers…into the semi-arid Karoo…into areas where some speak only Afrikaans…into vineyard country.
The inn where we stayed the second night.
Next morning we visit an ostrich farm. What amazing creatures! I had an experience similar to when we saw giraffes, that I must be at a Disney park, because these animals are too strange to be real…
Walking on eggshells…Klaudia has a twinge of uncertainty about this…Unfortunately (?) the men are too heavy to do this.The gray ones are females, and this one decides it is time to lay an egg.She will move it to join others she may have, and when she has a group she and her mate will take turns sitting on them.A single female can lay up to 60 eggs over the 3 month season, so there are plenty for the bushmen to carry water, and to decorate.
Time to visit some vineyards before we return to Cape Town. Huge and beautiful vineyards, tasty and relatively inexpensive wines.
Of course there has to be laborers to pick the grapes, and they don’t live in the gorgeous farms…
Long story short: here we are comfortably berthed at the Royal Cape Yacht Club. We were very, very lucky getting in here. Our reluctant starboard engine quit, but we arrived amid a rare occurrence…almost no wind…so we could maneuver in on one engine.Ceremonial tot off of Cape Agulhas, courtesy of Nora’s GoPro.And a tot for the sea(s). Indian Ocean on the right; Atlantic on the left!Yet another whale-in-the-distance photo. Tahawus reported a whale within 50 feet of their boat, but we had no such heart-stopping excitement.Plenty of seals as we neared Cape Town. They like to hold their flippers up in the air. It looks like they are soaking up the sunshine, but I read online they do it to cool themselves; I dunno.Nice sailing into a nice night.And the crew is feeling good!Table Mountain coming into view.
The Victoria & Alfred waterfront, nice but very touristy, a long walk from where we are.The V&A waterfront is a hoppin’ place.
ZekeTheSailor 