Getting through Simon’s Town South Africa

I’m really not much of a city person so when I got to South Africa’s most Western Cape I didn’t head for Cape Town. Read more here...

 

Strandfontein Beach False Bay – Cape Peninsula South Africa

Another stop along False Bay with wonderful views and a beach to play on can be read about here...

False Bay drive – Western Cape South Africa

Even with the wind blowing I thoroughly enjoyed driving along False Bay from east to west with many stops along the way.  (Read more here.)

Coastal stops - Western Cape South Africa

Just one of many small towns I stopped at along the coast road.  Read more here...

A Day of rainbows – Western Cape South Africa

After a full day in Hermanus I drove the coast under rainbow filled skies... (read more here)

MWT - Sunset in Hermanus South Africa

After a full day exploring Hermanus I took a walk to the coast from... (read more here)

Grotto Beach Hermanus South Africa

After exploring the whale museum and shopping for my birthday until I knew I’d better stop I drove out of town a short ways and found a sign pointing toward Grotto Beach.

It was so peaceful to walk along the beach, very few others around.

Listening to the waves, smelling the sea, feeling a breeze, looking at life and gathering shells.

I’ve always considered birthdays to be special, a day to do whatever you choose. Definitely not work. I once had to quit a job  to get my birthday off, after a two week notice of course. Nice that I work summers now so I don’t have to do that again.

I returned to Anchors Rest via a grocery store where I bought dinner and sweet treats. Then walked to the coast trail and watched the sun set over Walker Bay.

My journey was way too quickly coming to an end and the next day I’d be heading to the Cape of Good Hope.

Sales and Whales in Hermanus South Africa

March 26, 2010, I woke up on my birthday ready for a South African adventure.

Anchors Rest B&B Hermanus South Africa

The drive through the Overberg region (thanks Jonker), what I thought was the Little Karoo, was pretty but I was ready to return to the coast. The road I choose was only paved partway winding through vineyards.

I’d gone online to find a B&B in Hermanus that offered the internet provider I’d paid for. Then I just had to find Anchors Rest, located in a residential area a block off the coast.

I stayed in a separate building…

…with my own private garden.

Come on in.

This was a nicely furnished and spacious place.

Plus, right outside in the garden was a picnic table where I sat while online chatting with my honey and enjoyed…

…this beautifully blooming bush. I looked forward to exploring Hermanus the next day. My host suggested the whaling museums.

Little Karoo South Africa

After a quick stop in Mossel Bay I returned to N2…

Mossel Bay South Africa

After a wonderful evening in Hartenbos I drove back to Mossel Bay. The southern shores of the bay are lined with awesome cliffs that loom above the thundering surf and the relentless force of the elements has cut out massive caverns.

The roof of Cape St. Blaize Cave, also known as Bat’s Cave, is over 32.8 feet (10 m) high, it is 39.3 feet (12 m) deep and 72 feet (22 m) wide at its mouth. During an archaeological dig in the 1880's artifacts of the Khoi-San dating back 80,000 years were discovered. Middens consisting mainly of shells indicate that early dwellers lived largely on a diet of shellfish.

The history of Mossel Bay is closely linked to maritime activities. The Cape St Blaize lighthouse was erected in 1864 and is the only rock lighthouse on the South African coast.

Seems as though people still enjoy what Mossel Bay and the Indian Ocean offer for food.

Hartenbos South Africa

I got to the coast and looked for a place to stay for the night, desperately wanting to find internet so I could post about my eventful day caving and ostrich riding.

I drove past Hartenbos to Mossel Bay and back thinking I’d spend a little extra tonight and get a room with a view.

But I settled with the Riveria in Hartenbos, with no internet.

And a very comfortable set up with front and back door.

I was the only guest in the dinning room (top floor).

Their loss as the meal was delicious.

And the view superb.

Of the setting sun.

Plus sweet dreams of exploring more of the coast.

Back to the coast South Africa

After an exciting day of caving and riding an ostrich (see previous post) I headed back though the Outeniqua Mountains to the coast to find a place to stay for the night.

The view from Robinson Pass drew my eye on to forever.

Perdeberg River Valley

I stopped and discovered a portion of the old road.

And picked a few blackberries.

Before continuing to the coast.

MWT - Cango Ostrich Farm South Africa

The Cango Ostrich Farm offers tours, and ostrich rides. Who can say no to that? Certainly not me.  Join me for an ostrich adventure here.

Cango Cave South Africa

Entering the Tunnel of Love

I really enjoy crawling around underground and sliding through small holes surrounded by mother earth. Call me crazy. And yea, I know caving isn’t for everybody, especially claustrophobics. Not my problem. Just don’t take me to a crowded shopping mall.

After a great night’s rest at The Red House B&B in George I headed inland towards Oudtshoorn, destination Cango Cave.

The drive over the Outeniqua Mountains was fabulous (see previous post).

And the Klein Karoo is rich in vineyards and ostriches (another story).

Cango Cave offers two tours, Standard and Adventure.

 

Not too hard to figure out which tour I went for.

 

I joined my tour group of about 20 people plus a very competent guide and we entered the 67F/18C degree cave for a 1 1/2 hour tour.

The cave formed in limestone deposited by an ancient sea about 800 million years ago followed by uplift 100s of millions years later.

Artifacts like pot fragments, bone and stone points and ostrich shell beads, pictographs and hearths found at the cave opening indicate early hunter/gatherers used the cave up to 80,000 years ago followed by more modern herders.

Walking over 200 steps on Jacob’s Ladder led us deeper into the cave beyond the typical “Standard” tour route and past some exquisite cave formations. Then the Tunnel of Love starts the challenge of squeeze as seen in the first photo.

But the Devil’s Chimney proved to be the trickiest. And some people didn’t do it and where fortunate that there as a loop back.

After squirming through the chimney into a larger chamber I confronted an even smaller opening at the Devil’s Postbox where I crawled on my belly a couple body lengths and finally slid on my butt…

…returning to The Coffin, which is the beginning and end of the final circular route.

This was an awesome cave and I saw a lot of places I wanted to crawl into, if it had been allowed. Yet the road called so I backtracked to the Cango Ostrich Farm where you’ll see me tangle with one of those bad boys in a future post.