December 5, 2024
Our travels today took us along the Chapman’s Peak route, a road that hugs near vertical cliffs faces on one side and overlooks the beautiful Atlantic Ocean on the other. Carved out of the side of the mountain between 1915 and 1922, the road has experienced multiple closures over the years because of the danger of falling rocks. Fortunately for us the nets and barriers that have been erected in recent years to protect motorists appear to be holding up well and we were able to enjoy a beautiful scenic drive. We were even treated to a whale sighting but were unable to get photos to share.
Our first stop was Seal Island, so named for the large number (between 75,000-100,000) of Cape Fur seals that call the island home. It was a short boat ride from the parking area to the viewing area. Aunt Dori made some new friends while we waited for our boat to arrive.
On this day there was also a visiting Elephant Seal. He’s the big guy in the pictures below. He swims down from Antarctica every year, hangs out for six months or so and then heads back home. He’s just one of the many threats the baby seals born here each year face. Seal pups are born blind; it takes 2-4 weeks for their eyes to open. During those first two weeks they are able to rely on their mother’s milk, but after that she will go foraging for her own food and they are left to their own devices. They may starve learning how to fish for themselves, be trampled in seal stampedes as large numbers of adult seals scramble in or out of the water, or fall victim to any number of predators, including that visiting Elephant Seal. It’s so interesting that even though the Cape Fur Seals know they could be that Elephant Seals dinner tomorrow they’re happily sharing a rock with him today.
Africa is not well-known for its beaches, but it actually boasts some of the world’s most beautiful white sand beaches. Our drive along Chapman’s Peak took us past one of them, located in Morgantown.
Next up was Boulder Beach and the African Penguins, a severely endangered species. It was a bit of an uphill hike from the bus to the penguin viewing area, but Aunt Dori handled it like a champ and was well-rewarded for her efforts.
African Penguins are found only along the coast of South Africa and are the one penguin species that actually breeds here. When the first official census was taken there were approximately 150,000 breeding pairs; by 2009 that number had dwindled to 26,000. Today the population has decreased a full 95%, and it is anticipated African Penguins will be fully extinct from their natural habitats by 2026. It is startling to think that we are seeing something our children and grandchildren will never have the opportunity to experience for themselves.
The colony we visited was established in the 1980s. According to our guide there are half as many penguins in residence this year than there were last year. One of the challenges is that penguins mate for life; when one partner dies the other never attaches themselves to another and the opportunity for reproduction goes away. Anything bigger than them with teeth is a threat. At just 24-28” tall and a weight of only 5-8 lbs. there are a lot of things bigger than them! Humans also pose a great threat, from the environmental impacts of oil spills (there have been many) to the harvesting/removal of guano (the accumulated excrement of sea birds, which the penguins use to create their burrows) to the removal of the penguins food source by the fishing industry, we have done much to contribute to the extinction of these little guys.
Before making our final stop of the afternoon, we got to try something new for lunch…African Crayfish, It’s similar to our lobster, but a little smaller and not quite as sweet. It’s not much to look at it, but it’s tasty! Here are the “before” and “after” photos…
We passed beautiful valleys on our way to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, where we were scheduled to have an hour or so to explore. Unfortunately, a truck lost its load of gravel on one of those sharp turns, creating quite the traffic mess. We were left with a little less than half an hour to visit the 4500-acre park but were still able to get a sense of its beauty.
Kirstenbosch means “Kirsten’s Forest.” Its origin is unknown, but this is a more apt description of the property than what American’s might normally associate with a garden. There are not a tremendous number of flowering plants; instead, there are wide open spaces surrounded by native plants and lots and lots of trees. We saw several picnics and photo ops taking place. The Garden was established in 1913 by the South African government with the mission of championing the exploration, conservation, sustainable use, an appreciation and enjoyment of South Africa’s biodiversity. It took nearly fifty years to transform what was once a neglected, overgrown farm with a dilapidated homestead, hordes of pigs and a plethora of “alien” plants into the beauty we see today, but we think the founders would be pleased with the accomplishment and the impact the Garden has had and continues to have on future generations.
By the time we returned from the Garden we had less than half an hour to get cleaned up for dinner. It was a bit of rush to get to the restaurant ahead of other groups to ensure seats close to the stage, but it was worth it!
The Gold Restaurant offers a fully immersive African cultural dining experience, in a uniquely decorated atmosphere. The placement of mirrors and lighting made it difficult to get pictures of the dark interior, but it was really cool. If you view the first picture below on your computer screen as opposed to a phone, you might be able to tell there is a huge pipe organ surrounded by marionette puppets hanging from the ceiling is the first thing you see when you enter. The colors and fabric of Africa are visible at every turn.
Our evening began with drumming lessons, followed by praise songs of welcome, and face painting. After the face painting, women came around with basins and pitchers of rose water (it smelled soooo good!) so that we could wash our hands at the table.
The menu consisted of fourteen (!) different foods, representing all corners of Africa, not just South Africa, enjoyed while Mali puppets (tall, flat-faced puppets inhabited by humans on stilts), dancers and musicians filled the stage. It was a festive night!
In South African culture, traditional face painting is used for ceremonial and spiritual purposes. The colors have particular meaning and indicate rites of passage, such as from adolescence to adulthood or single status to marriage.
It was a full day, and we all fell into bed excited by the prospect of boarding our ship tomorrow!
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