Cape Point

Saturday 24th September - Heritage Day

Hout Bay, Cape Town, Western Cape Province

Cape Point

Cape Point earns a living from being mistaken for the most southerly tip of Africa.  It is not.  That accolade lies a few hundred kilometres away at Cape Agulhas, but that doesn't stop the busloads of tourists showing up here and taking a selfie.  It is, though, the most south-westerly point of Africa and offers far more dramatic scenery than Agulhas.

As the rugged cliffs plunge into the sea, which appears calm on one side and stormy on the other, it does have a feeling of being at the very end of the earth.

Heritage Day singing

Except, that is, for the unending stream of coach tours, each bring a new bunch of tourists to jostle for the best picture-taking spot.  Just as the very limits of faith in humanity are being tested, along comes a throng of women wearing their traditional dress (as today is Heritage Day) singing hymns and freedom songs which touch every corner of the soul.  Their presence even drowns out the cries of the baboons who command control of these cliffs.  (Aside - these are the only baboons in the world that hunt for shellfish on the beach.)

The drive over Chapman's Peak to get down to the Cape Peninsula feels like being in a car advert, twisting and winding its way round the blue waters and rugged rock face.

Penguins, Boulders Beach

Returning up the other coast, we stopped at Boulder's Beach to visit another colony of African penguins, many of which had chicks.  On the neighbouring beach, we were able to get down into the water with a few of them.  They move at quite a speed as they fish through the kelp forests.

Heritage Day is also celebrated as National Braai Day, but the weather is somewhat damp and miserable, so we will postpone our celebrations until tomorrow.  For now, the local steakhouse will have to suffice...

Only in Africa...