Africa Day 7: Cape Point

In the afternoon on Day 7, after our shark dive, our guide Chris picked us up at the dock and we set off toward the South to explore the Cape Point Nature Reserve. Our first stop was Boulders Beach, home to thousands of African penguins. To access the beach, we needed to walk through a residential area and then pay an entry fee as the beach is part of Table Mountain National Park.

Once inside, we followed the boardwalk that had been built on the beach. Before long something caught Lisa's eye and we noticed a penguin walking along in a narrow alley between the boardwalk and the beach. We saw the first of hundreds of makeshift "igloos" that rangers at the park had half buried in the sand as shelters for the birds. Apparently a pair of penguins just showed up about 30 years ago, and each year they would return and the population would grow.

We hung around only for a short while, but were treated to many penguins a body surfing penguin, a couple of playful sea otters, and a penguin that appeared to be playing "keep away" from two younger penguins with something in its mouth. We walked back to the car and were amazed by the sheer number of penguins, hiding out in the thick bushes that ran along the boardwalk back to the car.

Our next stop was Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. After a relatively short, but beautiful drive along the coastline of False Bay, we arrived at the largely untouched most southwesterly point in Africa. It was news to both of us that the Cape of Good Hope was not the most southerly point in Africa, that distinction belongs to Cape Agulhas. So much for our geography classes.

We spent a bit of time up high above the water and sheer cliffs of Cape Point and took in the views of the Cape of Good Hope. We were treated to a bonus of a southern right whale that had moved into the inlet between Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope and stayed there for a while, just enjoying the blue water and beautiful day and showing off for us.

We then took off for the Cape of Good Hope. It was not too far of a hike, but the park was to close at 6pm and we were beyond the point where we could make it so we drove. We did take a short hike to the rocks above and were treated to some amazing views to the west as the sun began to set. On the way out of the park we were again treated to some great wildlife viewing, seeing two ostriches along the coastline, an eland (a new antelope that we hadn't yet seen, and a whole family of baboons with a mother carrying a very young one. We made our way back to the B&B and enjoyed a good dinner at Cape to Cuba, a Cuban/Hemingway-themed restaurant in St. James. Off to Cape Town tomorrow.