I just spent a few days in the Cape Agulhas / Struisbaai area at the southernmost tip of Africa, where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic. This part of the country is renowned for being unpredictable, with quick changes in the weather ,and wild seas, as evidenced by the many shipwrecked vessels littered along the rugged coastline. It is remote from the larger cities (a three hour drive from Cape Town, for example) and mainly comes alive during the summer, when holiday makers flock to its shores. Here are some photos that I took during my visit. What a beautiful place!
Tag: rocky
Driving the False Bay Coastline
There is so much to do and see in and around Cape Town that it is hard to narrow your choices. I chose to spend yesterday following the coast of False Bay and stopping off at the various beaches and fishing villages along the way. Long before GPS was invented, the sailors of old returning from long sea voyages to the east confused this picturesque bay with the more famous Table Bay a bit further along the coast, thus giving False Bay its name.
False Bay is an huge C-shaped curve in the coastline to the southeast of Table Mountain. At its widest point it is a staggering 20 miles across the bay! The bay is littered with small villages and numerous long sandy beaches, some of which have managed to escape any form of urban development. One of my favorite spots and a place I have visited numerous times over the years is the fishing village of Kalk Bay. As they have since the early 1900’s, the brightly colored boats ply the clear waters daily, bringing in fresh fish that is sold at the harbor upon their return. Seals await the scraps and compete with the seagulls for the choice portions.
The picturesque railway line that connects all the little towns along the coast is an important commuter link with the city of Cape Town.
The Quaint Fishing Village of Arniston
Life hasn’t changed much in Arniston over the years. It is quite remote so this has been a saving grace against over-development, a fate sadly experienced by many similar coastal villages. People still fish for a living and live quietly, unperturbed by the frenetic digital world surrounding them. Here are a couple of images from my 24 hour visit. When I retire, I will return and spend longer.