This past Friday (3rd September) I had the privilege of giving some of my oldest Mercy Ship friends a tour of the Cape Peninsula. The Cape Peninsula juts into the Atlantic Ocean, south of Cape Town and forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. It is also this landmark that has been called, alternatively, the Cape of Storms and the Cape of Good Hope. It has also been described as "the Fairest Cape in all the World." My quest on this trip was to show my friends that the Cape Peninsula is indeed one of the fairest capes in all the world. I would like to think that I did a good job in this! Photo here of Cape Point.
Phil and Ali,
Julle and Elliot came to my house at a little after 10h00 and we drove down towards Simon's Town, the picturesque seaside town that is the headquarters of the South African Navy. On the outskirts of Simon's Town is Boulder's Beach, one of the last remaining breeding colonies of the endangered African Penguin. We walked along the walkway and were able to view these special birds in the wild, as they lazed in the sun. On land these birds appear to be rather clumsy and ungainly, but at sea they are expert swimmers. Photo here of an inquisitive African Penguin.
From Boulder's Beach w
e drove down to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, part of the Table Mountain National Park. On the drive to the park gates, we passed a troop of baboons, lounging at a picnic site. Once in the nature reserve we headed down to Cape Point. Here we enjoyed the views from the lookout points and had lunch as we watched a herd of eland (a large South African antelope) browsing further down the slope. We then drove to the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-westerly point of the African continent (pictured here).
We then went out of the reserve and drove along the west coast of the Peninsula, through the conservation villages of Scarborough and Misty Cliffs. We passed the lighthouse at Kommetjie and drove over the twisting road of Chapman's Peak Drive (pictured here), one of South Africa's most scenic mountain passes, with sheer drops to the Atlantic Ocean on the one side and large imposing cliffs on the other side.
We eventually made it
home to my house at a little after 17h00. I also spent much time with these four Mercy Ships friends on Saturday (4th September) and ended their time in Cape Town by having a braai with my family. It was sad saying farewell to them, but it was also such a blessing to be able to see them here in my own hometown (which I speak about often on the ship). We have a rule amongst my friends on the ship - when any friend leaves and heads home we keep waving, no matter what, until their vehicle is out of sight. I kept waving until they had turned out of Norfolk Lane. Safe travels, friends!
Simon's Town.
Penguins on the rocks at Boulder's Beach.
A couple of African Penguins.
The beautiful waters of Boulder's Beach.
Baboons having a picnic!
A close-up shot of Cape Point and the new lighthouse to the left.
With Phil and Ali at Cape Point.
Looking across towards Cape Hangklip from Cape Point. The bay in-between is False Bay.
View towards the Cape of Good Hope.
An eland resting in the bush.
A bontebok in the park.
At the Cape of Good Hope.
On the road near Kommetjie.
The view from the top of Chapman's Peak Drive.
This is the lovely Hout Bay.
With the spring equinox just around the corner (22nd September), the flowers in Cape Town are beginning to bloom. This past Friday (17th September) I went with a couple of Mercy Ship friends to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, a mere ten minutes drive from my home. Here the indigenous vegetation, known as fynbos, has begun to show its true colours - as these photos show!
Yellow pincushions in the Protea family...
And orange pincushions too!
Close up of an orange pincushion.
One of the larger Protea species.
And the King of them all... The King Protea, the National Flower of South Africa, and the emblem worn on the South African national cricket, rugby, and soccer jerseys.
A plant that looks like a daisy, but is probably something else.
These are a form of daisy.
Another daisy-like plant.
This was one of my favourite shots of the day.
Pretty flowers...
And lovely reflections!
With my Mercy Ship friends at Kirstenbosch.
