Looking into the bay from Stony Point.
Stony Point lives up to its name!
On 30th October my family & I left Pearly Beach for a leisurely drive along the coast to Stony Point. This drive is a visual feast, as the road hugs the coast for most of the way. Our main purpose to visit this area was to get close up & personal with African Penguins. We had all seen them previously on Dyer Island, but the views were quite distant.
Nicci & Justin!
A young Rock Hyrax.
We all collected in the parking area to be greeted with a scattering of Rock Hyrax sunning themselves.
It wasn't long before we found them!
I don't know the number of pairs of African Penguin which actually breed here. Numbers vary tremendously throughout the year. Today we estimated around 200+ birds ashore & they gave us all great views. This is a rapidly declining species & of course it is a regional endemic, being only found in South Africa & Namibia.
Quite surprisingly Egyptian Geese also nest
on this rocky promontory
Cape (Kelp) Gull
Cape Cormorants
We estimated around 450 pairs
breeding on the rocks.
Crowned Cormorant also nests here
in small numbers.
Stony Point is one of the few places on the mainland where all four species of Cormorant breed. White-breasted; Cape; Brandt's & Crowned. Brandt's is another species in decline & today we didn't record any birds, which is both unusual & symptomatic of the times.
Gabe, Nicci & Justin
We then continued to Kalk Bay where we would stay for the next four nights. In the evening we all went out for a meal.
Kalk Bay
Looking towards the Cape Peninsula.
Cape Fur Seal on the harbour wall.
Notice the external ears!
Cape to Cuba Bar
This car was brought over from Cuba
to South Africa!
Justin & Nicci
Rowan & Gabe.
Kirsty
Peaches
Kalk Bay was once a small fishing village, along the coast from Cape Town. It was one of those sleepy little places where nothing much happened. However, this all changed with apartheid, as the municipality became the only place in South Africa which refused to implement this policy. This made the place infamous & also attracted the middle class bohemian set with money to spend! Today it is a busy spot on the map, with a host of bars & restaurants & many boutique type shops. Our family set out to enjoy themselves.
The iconic Cape Point Lighthouse.
The weather can change
in an instant here.
Next stop is Antarctica!
There are some terrific walks along the coast here.
Common Ostrich
Ostrich chicks.
The 1st of November saw us all going to Cape Point, which is just a short distance from where we were staying in Kalk Bay. It is a must visit on any tourists itinerary & so it proved today with hundreds of visitors thronging the place! We spent a few hours there, before heading back home, as we had a big night ahead!
Meal at the Harbour Heights Restaurant.
Rowan & her Daddy!
Kirsty & Peaches
Both my grand-daughter Peaches & my wife Delana share a birthday: 2nd November! It wasn't possible to have a shared celebration on the actual day, as the two young girls were jetting off to Sydney early in the morning. So the 1st it had to be! The girls are celebrating two Coldplay tickets in Sydney! A big surprise for them.
In the airport.
Off they go on their year long trip.
The next day was all about people leaving: Peaches & Kirsty were off at the crack of dawn, flying to Sydney & eventually meeting up with Toni in South Golden Beach.
Jonathan & Rowan
Later in the day Rowan & Jonathan flew back to the UK via Istanbul. Nicci & Justin flew out later that night.
Last girl standing!
By the 3rd November only Clare was left & she flew back to Abu Dhabi (Ahmed had flown back a couple of days earlier because of work commitments). It had been fantastic having all the family over & for such a long time. Toni you missed out on a blast!
The room had acacia thorn branches
all over the ceiling!
It had been a long, tiring drive!
In case you are wondering why we were wearing
our clothes in bed it was minus one celsius outside!
Delana & I returned to Pearly Beach & packed. We started the long drive north on 4th November. At the end of a very long days drive, we pulled up to a very funky, but comfortable hotel in Richmond, which is approximately half-way to Pretoria.
Jonathan & Rowan back in the UK.
Jackson, Peaches & Kirsty.
Meanwhile the girls had arrived in Sydney & Jackson (Peaches's cousin) was showing them around. It had been a wonderful few days in Kalk Bay & having all the family around us. Till the next time.....
