Boulders Beach...

Boulders Beach in Simon's Town is the only beach in the Cape Town metropolitan area where you can swim with the endangered African Penguin! It forms part of the Table Mountain National Park, and we went there first-thing on Wednesday, 22nd December. 

We stopped at Olympia Cafe in Kalk Bay on the drive down, and enjoyed coffee and a mushroom and cheese-filled croissant. It was delicious! We arrived at Boulders Beach a little after 09h00 and were met there by my parents and my other sister, Debbie. 

We had a wonderful morning and early afternoon at this fantastic private beach. (Since it is part of the Table Mountain National Park and is located close to a penguin colony, you have to pay an entry fee to access the beach.)

Our children especially enjoyed this sheltered beach. As Eliza put it, "Yay. There are no waves!" She didn't like the far bigger waves at Clifton 4th. The kiddos had a blast and loved the boogie boards and inner tubes that Shirley had brought with them. 

We ended up leaving after 14h00 and drove up Red Hill to enjoy the view of Simon's Town before continuing our drive home. It was a great day and to be able to swim and play close to resting penguins was fantastic!

Entry sign at Boulders.

African penguin and rock hyrax (dassie) enjoy the sun.

Dassie surveys the scene.

African penguins at the beach.

Penguins resting on the huge granite boulders.

Riaan meets an African penguin!

Anya enjoys time with her grandparents.

Eliza on the rocks.

Our lovely spot in the sand.

Granny and Anya.

Jesse helps Debbie across the rocks.

I pull Riaan on the boogie board.

Candace enjoys the water.

Sand castle fun.

Shirley and Jesse on the tubes.

Eliza, Debbie and Granny.

Rhyenn and Montassir.

Boulders Beach is lovely!

Candace (with Anya) and Debs (with Eliza) await Shirl, Jesse and Riaan's return.

Grandad even had a turn on the tube...

As did Rhyenn, who had been feeling a little under-the-weather earlier.

Riaan grew in confidence with his cousin Jesse alongside him.

Eliza made a friend on the beach.

Big starfish.

Roman Rock Lighthouse out in False Bay. The sea was quite choppy today. So thankful for a sheltered beach!

African penguin and a Cape Fur Seal on the rocks below the parking lot.

While we were at Boulders, we met up with friends from Indiana, Jesse and Emily Fuller, who now live in Cape Town.

Sign at the parking lot.

The view over Simon's Town from Red Hill is spectacular. Simon's Town is the headquarters of the South African Navy - hence the warships in port.

WWII gun emplacement on the hills above False Bay.