Two Capes, Two Oceans

As it turned out, the hotel Daddy Long Legs’ ER was unavailable, so we booked the room next to the girls’ called Palimpsest—a writers delight, designed by a poet. Once our bags were unloaded, we were off to explore the Cape of Good Hope (convergence of the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans) along with Cape Point. Weather today was dodgy at best with overhanging clouds and threats of rain. Thankful that we chose the brightest day for Table Mountain, the sea was equally visible from our vantage points today.

Rhino helped us navigate the cape route in a counter-clockwise fashion. Stopped for breakfast at Camps Bay where Sho and I ventured out to test the temps of the Atlantic in South Africa. The UCSB student from Santa Barbara CA thought it was COLD. From the perspective of a native Oregonian, it was actually quite warm. On our way to the capes we stopped at Hout Bay and wandered through a craft fair making our selected purchases. We then had the privilege of driving along one of the most scenic coast routes in South Africa, namely Chapman’s Peak Drive. Although a toll road, it was well worth the R22—spectacular views even with overhanging clouds. Made our way south through Noordhoek and Kommetjie. While we were in line to pay our passage into Cape of Good Hope (Table Mountain National Park), a group of baboons pranced beside the car. Soon we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope—situated at the junction of two of earth’s most contrasting water masses consisting of the cold Benguela current on the West Coast and the warm Agulhas current on the East Coast. The Cape of Good Hope is perceived as the meeting point of the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans. Here the cliffs tower more than 200 meters above the sea providing exquisite views even on overcast days. The converging currents are distinctly visible from the perch atop the towering cliffs.

From the Cape of Good Hope we drove to Cape Point where the clouds enshrouded the top. The historic lighthouse (1860-1919) at the top was a prefabricated cast iron tower erected at Cape Point Peak 249 meters above sea level. The white flashing light of 2000 candlepower could be seen by ships 67 kilometers out to sea. The lighthouse proved to be ineffective as it was often covered by cloud and mist. After the wreck of the Portuguese liner ‘Lusitania’ in 1911, it was decided to erect the present lighthouse on Dias Point only 87m above sea level. Don and I rode the Cape Point Funicular (tram) to the top where the historic lighthouse was again in the clouds and visibility was poor—oh well, at least the view from Table Mountain the day before more than made up for it.

Next stop was Simonstown to see the penguins. Yes, there are penguins frolicking along the beaches in South Africa—at the Boulders. Nestled in a sheltered cove between Simon’s Town and Cape Point, the Boulders host a thriving colony of African Penguins. A bit shorter than their cousins in the Antarctic, they are equally as vocal. We ventured along the rocky shore where both Lindsay and Sho experienced close encounters.

Traveled north along the east side of the cape, and stopped for dinner at The Brass Bell in Kelp Bay. This restaurant is said to be run by the wives of fisherman who prepared the catch of the day for townfolk. Here we reminisced about our days’ journey. After all, it was only after seeing the penguins close-up that we had walked to the major viewing area. Here we paid a fee for the brochure which said, “Penguins have very sharp beaks and can cause serious injury if they bite or lunge.” Sho definitely understood “lunge.”