2012 - OCEAN PRINCESS - CAPE of GOOD HOPE

THIS WAS A BLUSTERY DAY OUT WITH ONE OF THE BEST GUIDES EVER ON A TOUR. PERFECT PACE, GREAT DIRECTIONS & KEPT US ALL ON TIME. THERE IS NOTHING WORSE ON A TOUR THAN WAITING ON A TOUR BUS FOR THAT TOURIST TO BE LATE GETTING BACK ON - AGAIN!

STARTED OUT FROM CAPE TOWN & HEADED SOUTH TOWARDS THE CAPE.

PASS A BEACH & A SEAL OR TWO. THE SIGN SAYS DOLPHIN BUT THAT IS A SEAL....

THIS INVOLVES A RIDE ALONG THE SPECTACULAR CHAPMANS PEAK ROAD OVERLOOKING THE OCEAN..

THE PEE BREAK IS AT A STORE SELLING LOTS & LOTS OF CARVINGS,,,,

A TROOP OF BABOONS ALONG THE ROAD. ONE HAS A BABY ON HER BACK....

ANOTHER STOP AT AN OSTRICH FARM.....

AND WE GET OT THE CAPE & I AM GLAD I HAVE MY EAR MUFFS TODAY....

I EXPECT MOST PEOPLE, IF THEY THINK ABOUT IT AT ALL, THINK THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE IS THE SOUTHERN MOST POINT IN AFRICA.
NOT SO.
AND IT'S ALSO NOT SO, THAT CAPE POINT WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR & UP THE HILL A BIT, IS EITHER.

IT'S CAPE AGULHAS - A WAYS AWAY TO THE EAST OF HERE. I SHOULD HAVE GONE THERE BUT WILL GO ROUND IT IN A SHIP IN A YEAR OR TWO, SO NO MATTER.

THIS IS CAPE POINT....

WE HAD TIME FOR A SANDWICH HERE. I SAT ON A BENCH, OUT OF THE WIND. LOTS OF THESE BIRDS CAME TO LOOK AT ME. MORE AND MORE. THEN ONE OF THEM JUMPED FROM BEHIND AND SNATCHED MY SANDWICH RIGHT OUT OF MY HAND.

SCARED THE BEJESUS OUT OF ME. THESE WOULD TOO....

THE GUIDE HAD WARNED US TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR BABOONS WHICH CAN BE VERY AGGRESSIVE, BUT NEVER MENTIONED THE BIRDS...

I HAD TAKEN THIS LITTLE FUNICULAR ON THE WAY UP TO THE LIGHTHOUSE & WALKED BACK DOWN

THEN IT WAS TIME TO SEE THE PENGUINS AT BOULDERS BEACH.

HANDS UP. WHO KNEW THERE WERE PENGUINS IN AFRICA.

BOULDERS?

AT BOULDERS BEACH....

AND A STOP AT THE LOVELY BOTANICAL GARDEN BEHIND TABLE MOUNTAIN.