South Africa - Cape St Francis

 St Francis Bay 

Cape St Francis is slightly off the beaten track off the N2 in the Eastern Cape.

However, it offers quaintness in the various areas of St Francis Bay, Port St Francis and Cape St Francis.

The canals are picturesque and make one want to move in and buy a boat for leisurely cruising!

Houses are white with thatch roofs and there have been a number of disastrous fires in years gone by. But the tranquillity of the canals is most appealing to those of us living in the city suburbs!

The canals are bordered by the Kromme River which is navigable for 9km. Cruises are available on the canals.

There are numerous walking trails in the town - some easy, some slightly more difficult.

Try just one or try them all, depending how long your stay is in this rather unique part of the Eastern Cape.

The Two Harbours walk starts near the Community Garden in Harbour Road (Granny's Pool) and goes all the way to Port St Francis. The distance is 2.5km one way. With many restaurants in the harbour area, refreshments are available should you wish to walk back to your car!

"The Harbour 

Port St Francis, one of a few privately owned harbours in South Africa, is also home to a diversity of restaurants, retail outlets, commercial offices, residential property, self catering accommodation and guest houses.

A mere hour’s drive from Port Elizabeth on the eastern gateway to the Garden Route, Port St Francis is surrounded by the surfing mecca of Jeffreys Bay, the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area, the Gamtoos River Valley and the Tsitsikamma. The privately owned Port, together with the beautiful Cape St Francis, is part of St Francis Bay in a region known as the Kouga.

Port St Francis, a working harbour is home to a large fleet of squid, hake and pilchard vessels with more moorings filled by charter boats, deep sea fishing boats and yachts from all over the world. The moorings are surrounded by residential penthouses and apartments in a Mediterranean building style. A business centre with offices, restaurants and other retail outlets finishes the picture.

The launching of boats, loading and offloading of vessels, crew fixing large fishing nets and fishermen coming back with their daily catches are quite intriguing and fascinating to the visitor and holiday maker. This all contributes to the unique vibe of Port St Francis, giving the first time visitor enough reason to come back, again and again"

Courtesy www.portstfrancis.org

We walked around the harbour and residential complex, later enjoying a meal while watching the lights come on from the chukka boats just offshore. These boats can stay out for weeks, despite being so close to shore. We saw a crew returning after a stint at sea, all looking very much in need of a warm shower and a comfy bed! 

There are numerous restaurants in the harbour area so have a browse and decide which option looks promising to your taste buds!

Another area to explore, where there are also easy paths, is the Seal Point Nature Reserve, the Irma Booysen Nature Reserve and the Cape St Francis Nature Reserve.

The Seal Point Lighthouse was built between 1875 and 1878 and cost the grand sum of GBP 20,000.00. The air is fresh with the sea breezes and the walk goes in both directions.

Cape St Francis is known for incredible surfing spots. The village gained fame in the 1966 Documentary "The Endless Summer" 

The swell is caused by low pressure systems that form between Antarctica and the southern tip of Africa.

The South West swell wraps around Seal Point and, together with an offshore wind, the surfing becomes world class.

Cape St Francis also featured in the movie The Perfect Wave (2014) which starred Scott Eastwood.

So, if you love surfing, this is one of the spots in South Africa that should be on your bucket list!

Despite the fact that beaches were off limits during Covid 19, the surfers were still out on the waves.  This made headlines in the St Francis Chronicle in Jan 2021 as folk defied the ban. I suppose it is tough for surfers to stay out of the sea!

Thankfully, beaches are now all open.

There are many options and it is always best to explore and enjoy the local flavour!

Visit Bruce's Ocean Museum and Cafe at Granny's Pool, Harbour Road

Try and find the remains of the boiler from HMS Osprey, wrecked in 1867. This was a four-gun wooden steam naval battle-sloops built in Britain. Stick to the shoreline at low tide.

You can also try and spot the remains of the Cape Recife (1929). This lies west of the Seal Point Lighthouse and is only visible at low tide.

Try and find your own perfect wave at Bruce's Beauties!

SUP in the canals or just enjoy some craft beer together with seafood.

For a short excursion away from Cape St Francis, do the 22.5 km drive to Oyster Bay. This is a rather bumpy gravel road with many windfarms along the way. 

Stop the car and listen to the wind whistling through these giant wind turbines. They are truly huge when seen up close and personal!

Oyster Bay is a small hamlet with homes ranging from very small and basic to large and pretentious. The sea was very tough when we visited and it did not look safe for swimming but the beach is long and ideal for a brisk walk in the invigorating sea breezes.  

We loved the sand dunes and enjoyed walking to the top! Gritty sand got into the teeth and into the hair but, what the heck, it was well worth the slog uphill!

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South Africa - Addo Elephant Park

Addo Elephant Park South Africa

The National Parks of South Africa are such a delight. Be patient, don't expect to see all animals in one  day. These are places to chill out and truly enjoy nature at it's best.

Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape is a must visit for those who love elephants.

Whilst the main focus is on the many elephant herds, there are other animals to be seen.

"Natural & Cultural History

In the early centuries, when great herds of wild animals roamed the Addo region, the Khoesan of the Iqua, Damasqua and Gonaqua clans lived in the area.

They hunted and kept cattle but tragically were largely wiped out in the 1700s by the smallpox epidemic. Nomadic Xhosa tribes had kraals in the area, including Chief Cungwa of the Gqunukhwebe (near the Sundays River mouth and inland) and Chief Habana of the Dange (near the Wit River).

The Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) was proclaimed in 1931 to protect the remaining 11 Addo elephant. The great herds of elephant and other animal species had been all but decimated by hunters over the 1700s and 1800s. In the late 1800s, farmers began to colonise the area around the park, also taking their toll on the elephant population due to competition for water and crops.

This conflict reached a head in 1919 when farmers called on the government to exterminate the elephants. The government even appointed a Major Pretorius to shoot the remaining elephants - who killed 114 elephant between 1919 and 1920.

Public opinion then changed, leading to the proclamation of the park in 1931. The original size of the park was just over 2 000 hectares. Conflicts between elephants and farmers continued after proclamation as no adequate fence enclosed the park. Finally in 1954, Graham Armstrong (the park manager at the time) developed an elephant-proof fence constructed using tram rails and lift cables and an area of 2 270 hectares was fenced in. There were 22 elephant in the park at the time. This Armstrong fence, named after its developer, is still used around the park today. Although the park was originally proclaimed to protect a single species, priorities have now changed to conserve the rich biological diversity found in the area.

The Alexandria dunefield is home to many archeological sites - the middens of the nomadic 'Strandloper' or 'beach walker' people. These middens contain shells and bones of animals eaten by the people as well as fragments of pottery and stone implements. Interestingly, the white mussel shells found in these middens are also found in the caves of the Zuurberg Mountains, proving that these people journeyed and stored their food over vast distances.

The caves in the Zuurberg Mountains also contain rock art and stone implements.

The natural and cultural heritage of the park has been studied by the Albany Museum, recording hundreds of sites of significance."

The Speed Limit in the park is 40km per hour - this allows one to spot many smaller creatures such as the tortoise!

One may only exit your vehicle at designated spots - these are clearly marked and some have toilet facilities.

There are numerous "Look-Out" Points for game viewing

|"Domkrag

The Domkrag Dam in the game viewing area of the park is named after a giant mountain tortoise which once roamed the park. 'Domkrag' is the Afrikaans word for a 'jack', and this tortoise had a peculiar habit of walking underneath cars and lifting them up with enormous strength. Domkrag came to a sad end when he fell into an aardvark hole and couldn't get himself out. His shell is still on display in the Interpretive Centre".

"Hapoor

The magnificent elephant head which is mounted in the Interpretive Centre is that of Hapoor, the legendary dominant bull in the park for 24 years. The waterhole in the south western section of the game viewing area is named after him. 'Hap' means 'nick' in Afrikaans, while 'oor' means 'ear' and it is believed the distinctive nick in his ear was caused by a hunter's bullet. Hapoor retained a deep hatred of humans throughout his life. On more than one occasion park staff were forced to flee to safety when Hapoor made his appearance. His dominance stretched from 1944 to 1968. During the latter part of the 1960's a few younger bulls reached maturity and challenged Hapoor. These upstarts were unsuccessful until one bull named Lanky finally deposed Hapoor in 1968. Hapoor was driven from the heard and became a loner. Later that year he succeeded in climbing the park's 'Armstrong Fence', which for nearly 20 years had been elephant-proof. His freedom was to be short lived as due to his aggressive nature, it was determined he would have to be shot."

During the summer months, Hapoor Dam is one of the best viewing areas. We were totally blown away by the discipline shown by the various elephant herds. Standing in the blazing South African sun, they all waited patiently for their turn at the waterhole/dam. If one herd perhaps took just a tad too long, somebody would issue a warning rumble and they would all meekly start exiting the area and the next in line would move down. If only we, as humans, could exercise the same tolerance and patience, life would be much simpler and peaceful!

 

There were many babies when we visited in January - so, so special to see. It's incredible that they don't get squashed as they walk underneath the adults with their enormous bodies and legs. The playfulness and the family dynamics can keep one spellbound for hours.

We love the warthogs - those little tails and the way they kneel down to get the best food remains my favourite to watch. The babies were also special - feeding time for twins forced the mom to stand still for a short while as they are normally always on the move!

"Warthogs are day animals and spend most of their time looking for food. They are normally found in family groups. Warthogs have the peculiar habit of kneeling on the front knees while feeding and foraging in a localised area. They shelter in burrows at night, which they enter tail first. Socially, three main groups are encountered, namely solitary boars, bachelor groups and matriarchal groups."

Driving slowly one morning, we were forced to stop for a very large herd of buffalo. They were very cautious and stopped on the road to gaze at us curiously before crossing over to their next grazing spot. 

As their eyesight is not great, they use their incredible sense of smell to determine if the situation poses a treat or not.

Buffalo are good swimmers and we saw one, lone buffalo hogging a small waterhole every day that we drove past. He was mainly lying in the water and all on his own. 

Gestation periods in buffalo are roughly 11 months and a 2 year interval between breeding is common. A mother and calf bond is very strong as is the family bonds in the herd. They are large in size, thick bossed horns and tasseled looking ears. Their coats are thick and they range from reddish brown to black in colour, their faces, undersides and legs are often a paler shade. They have very serious looking faces and have been said to have a face “that you owe” money to. The reason for any animal being part of the African Big 5 is due to its difficulty and aggressiveness while being hunted. These are thus the most dangerous animals to hunt. 

Buffalo live up to 20 years and weigh between 550 - 800 kg with the females being on the slightly smaller side.

If you get tired of sitting in the car watching all those amazing animals, you can take some time out to go hiking in the Zuurberg Mountains. This is part of Addo national Park so the Wild Card can be used for entry. The road up the mountain is fun (!!) and the section to the gate is rather bumpy but we made it in our Mazda CX5. 

The trails are either a 1 hour (approx. 2.4 km)  or a 3 hour longer hike that should not be attempted during the heat of the day.  We chose the shorter hike due to time constraints and a later start. The trail is very scenic and heads down into the gorge, levels out for a short while and then climbs back up again. Do take care, in places the drop down is pretty steep!

It was rather dry being January and summer = even a lonely frog could not find water and he looked very forlorn and lost!

This is a fairly easy hike and well worth it for the tranquility, great views and being close to nature.

I am not sure whether this male ostrich was calling to another ostrich or whether I just happened to catch him with his mouth open between his grazing!

We enjoyed watching some black backed jackals near a water hole - they were very relaxed and obviously did not feel threatened by anything at all. Eventually, one trotted off up the hill while they others remained taking it easy.

Fossil deposits have revealed that the black-backed jackal is one of the oldest known dog species. It has remained pretty much unchanged since the Pleistocene epoch, up to 2.5 million years ago. Like all jackals, this species forms monogamous, life-long pair bonds. What’s more, youngsters from one year’s litter often act as ‘helpers’, suppressing their own breeding ambitions and remaining with their parents for a year or more in order to help them raise the next litter. This habit is known to have a greater bearing on pup survival rates in black-backed jackals, than in any other jackal species. 

With so much to see, Addo Elelphant Park is truly a magical place.

We also enjoyed the SpekBoom Hide - one can sit there for hours and just absorb the interaction between the various herds as they wander towards the water hole, enjoy a dust bath and chase away the warthogs when they come too close!

 

Please do plan your trip - the summer months are probably the best for lots of action, many young babies and animals on the move. We did once visit in winter (rainy season) when the elephants were lost in the dense bush and very rarely seen!! But perhaps that was just our bad luck.

Until next time....

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South Africa - Mossel Bay - A Must Do Vacation spot!

Mossel Bay has such an incredible history, plus amazing beaches and activities galore.

It is one of my favourite towns in South Africa!

Fishing and sailing are a major pastime among both residents and visitors.

"Mossel Bay Municipality partnered with Mossel Bay Tourism to rejuvenate the building that once served as the second municipal office (circa 1879). This initiative intends to unlock new potential in the tourism industry when the renovated centre will serve as the starting point for the exciting Tourism Route that will soon entice visitors and locals alike to meander through the historic core of Mossel Bay's 'Old Town'" 

"The Tourism Route is the result of a thorough consultative and collaborative process and the work is progressing well to develop the tourism potential through a focus on our history, while potentially creating jobs. The work done to re-energise the Tourism Centre will celebrate Mossel Bay’s heritage and what better way than to establish an arts and crafts centre in the town? In close collaboration with the chairperson of Mossel Bay Heritage, Carina Wiggle, and under the expert guidance of Lodewyk Coetzee of Coetzee Alberts Architects and LEAP Quantity Surveyors - who have offered their time and passionate professional involvement free of charge – both projects are progressing well. Mossel Bay Municipality values partnerships like these that are extremely valuable and benefit the town" 

"Eventually, the old municipal building will house, among others, a coffee shop and a beautiful garden and form the link between the Tourism Centre and the rejuvenated arts centre. The planned renovations will add to the renewed focus on the heritage of Mossel Bay" 

"The Tourism Route will unfold the story of Mossel Bay, taking in the history since 1488, but also telling the unique history of the Koi-San, the Strandlopers, the cave with its world-renowned history, and will integrate the World Heritage Status application that is in process. The story thus extends from the prehistoric, pre-colonial era to the later and modern history. Mossel Bay has a rich history and, according to archaeologists, this is where modern human behaviour developed more than 166,000 years ago. Therefore, the Tourist Route will offer new vistas to young and, and from far and wide, and new opportunities to many. This initiative, therefore, fits perfectly into the growing international tourism trend towards authentic experiences of local cultures and builds on an already well-established local arts and crafts community. In the July 2020 newsletter, Mossel Bay Municipality outlined our intent to optimise the tourism potential of our town and, in doing so, create employment. Empowering artists and crafters, in cooperation with the Tourism Office, is a high priority on the agenda". 

Santos Beach (Above) is a Blue Flag Beach and offers very safe swimming for all ages.

The Santos Pavillion is one of two beach pavillions still in use today from Colonial times. the other one is in Brighton, UK. Enjoy some craft beer, wine and food at Jackal on the Beach! 

"These renovations captured the opportunity to restore and repurpose two existing municipal buildings to house the refurbished arts and crafts centre. The first municipal building was built in 1858 and is a small white building with distinctive Karoo-style architecture. The plastered quoins around the front door and windows and at the corners are typical of this period. This was the town’s first municipal and community centre and was later used as a library, telegraph office, and dance hall. The mail coach also stopped here" 

For fun in the sun, try the zip line over the sea at the tidal pools - Point Mossel Bay.

Something not to be missed! It is an exhilarating experience!

Text of Article - Courtesy Mossel Bay Tourism Office

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South Africa - Waylands Wild Flower Reserve, Darling

The Wild Flower season along the West Coast and further inland, brings many visitors each year.

The Wild Flower season normally is August and September of each year.

The floral display does depend on good rains during winter so in the years of drought, the flowers are not at their best.

A beautiful farm to visit is Waylands Wild Flower Reserve, near to Darling, South Africa

The drive inside the reserve is circular and the flowers this year are spectacular - don't miss the window of opportunity!

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

"The Waylands wild flower reserve was started by Frederick Duckitt in the early 1900’s. Visitors have been allowed access to the spectacular spring display of approx 300 species of wild flowers every season since then. The road allowing visitors to drive through the reserve was built in 1938 by Wilferd Duckitt. The wild flowers are at their best from about the last week of August to the end of September, with the peak being in the first 2 weeks of September."

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

"The flower reserve forms an integral part of Waylands’ farming activities, and is actively grazed by cattle and sheep from the time the seed has set in late November to the end of April before winter sets in. This grazing strategy has been used by the local inhabitants of the Cape since time immemorial, and we have found that this practice, which allows the animals to actively spread the seed, in addition to occasional autumn burning of the veld every 15 years, is imperative in promoting the growth of the wild flowers"

We can testify to the fact that cattle graze these fields during the other months of the year - there were many dried cow pats around!

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

"Waylands has porcupines, caraculs, wild cats, genets, mongoose, red meerkats, bat eared foxes, Cape silver foxes, honey badgers, steen bok, duikers, Cape clawless otters, and many more"

As we visited on a busy Sunday, we did not see any animals - however, they have an amazing habitat to enjoy during the quiet months when there are no visitors!

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

.
One is allowed to get out of the car to view these beautiful flowers up close.
Please take care when parking and walking so that the flowers are not trampled.

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve 

Being a working farm  the owners also run 800 Merino sheep on Waylands. The first Merinos outside of Spain were brought to the Darling area in 1789.    Merinos are a dual purpose sheep with their wool and meat being of superior quality and are well adapted to the area.

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

"Waylands also have a herd of Nguni cattle This indigenous African breed is identified by their multiple patterns and colours. Each animal in the herd is individual in the combinations of its colour pattern, horn shape, gender, status and history.

The Ngunis are hardy, adaptable, fertile and able to survive in conditions inhospitable to other breeds. They are resistant to drought and tick-borne diseases. They are heat tolerant and, being non-selective browsers and grazers, can obtain optimal nutritional value from the available natural vegetation. They are also tame, yield good beef and their skins are highly sought after".

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

Waylands Wild Flower Reserve

Waylands  Wild Flower Reserve

Information on the farm is supplied by www.waylands.co.za

Photography: Judelle Drake

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Cape Town - Day Drives outside the City

Interesting Day Drives in the Western Cape 

Gordon's Bay

Theewaterskloof Dam

LLandudno

Muizenberg

Blouberg

The end of the road - Bikini Beach Gordon's Bay

Gordon's Bay: an interesting seaside village approx.30 mins drive from Cape Town. This village lies at the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains. Boasting beautiful beaches and calm waters, it's an ideal spot during both winter and summer. With a few quirky shops, restaurants and sunshine, it makes for an ideal day's outing from Cape Town. It is also a favourite with fishermen!

The last house on the Bikini Beach Road Gordon's Bay

A highly recommended, beautiful day drive is to the Theewaterskloof Dam on the outskirts of Villiersdorp offers stunning scenery and photographic opportunities.
Take the N2 out of Cape Town and carry on until you reach the Villiersdorp turn-off to the left. Approx. 90 mins from Cape Town and 30 mins from Franschhoek, this drive is well worth the effort of an early start.

Theewaterskloof Dam Villiersdorp

"Theewaterskloof Dam. Theewaterskloof Dam is a man-made earth-fill type dam located on the Sonderend River near Villiersdorp. It was established in 1978 and forms a major component of the Western Cape Water Supply System and is considered one of the major civil engineering feats of the 80's".

Theewaterskloof Dam Villiersdorp

Another shorter drive is to Llandudno - a small village between Camps Bay and Hout Bay.
The glorious beach offers surfing, just lazing about or walking to the huge boulders adjoining the beach.

Llandudno Cape Town

This area offers very expensive real estate - stunning sea views and a rather exclusive position! Take a picnic and enjoy the warmth on these huge boulders.

LLandudno Cape Town


Whether it's winter or summer, Muizenberg is normally packed and parking is at a premium. Don't let this put you off, the beach is glorious for a long walk, surfing is king here and surf shops abound. The wind can often be rather fresh and the temperature is usually lower than the rest of Cape Town. It's invigorating so do stop and enjoy. 

Muizenberg beach Cape Town

There are shark spotters on Boyes Drive, high above Muizenberg so don't worry about swimming here!

Muizenberg Beach Cape Town

And on the other side of the peninsula, offering miles and miles of beaches is Blouberg
This is a firm favourite with families, Stand-up Paddle guys and wind-surfers. The iconic views of Table Mountain make this an essential drive.

Table Mountain from Blouberg

There are many other drives - this is just a taste of what Cape Town and the Western Cape offers.


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