We were glad we did it, as the weather broke and the sun came out, but only after a couple of hours.
Our first stop was a visit to an ostrich farm. Wasn't anything exceptional, no tour or anything. Just a couple of guys working and ostriches in pens. But we got to see our first-ever, real ostrich in Africa. We had no idea we would see them later - wild ostriches roaming the countryside.
There were baboon warnings everywhere when we entered the park so we were very reluctant to get out of the vehicle to take photos. Beth watched for baboons, ready to shout to me, as I left the vehicle.
We drove through the park directly to Cape Point, to beat the tourists. We took the Flying Dutchman funicular to the top of Cape Point. The funicular was named for an 18th century ship, the Flying Dutchman, that has become a myth. The ship, according to myth, will never be able to dock so it keeps sailing and sailing in search of a port. If sailors see it, it is a portent of doom.
We reached the top, then climbed up steps even further up to the lighthouse on Cape Point. You could see the Cape of Good Hope as well as everything looking back toward the north. And, don't' cha know, we saw our first baboons! There was a troop of them - a couple of females, a large male and at least one young one. They were just roaming amongst the tourists, probably looking for lunch. We stayed our distance, although one appeared just feet from us. Yikes!
They were Chacma Baboons of the Cape Point, and they are the most southerly primate in the world. The troop we saw is one of +-11 troops on the Cape Peninsula and is the only protected population of the species in the world.
The current lighthouse on Cape Point was built to replace the original lighthouse because of its location flaws. The new 9m high square masonry lighthouse with a white lantern house was commissioned in 1919 and built 87m above sea level on Diaz Point. The light as a composite group flashes three times every 30 seconds. The light has a 62-nautical-mile range, making it the brightest light on the South African coast at 10-million candelas.
After we came down from Cape Point, we took off and ate lunch at the Cape of Good Hope before driving every accessible road in the park.
We were happy to be on our own, as tons of tourist buses - with tourists - starting showing up.
The peninsula is very harsh, and the wind blows all the time, I suspect. There are areas in which there are large rocks with very little vegetation but then there is some very interesting vegetation in other areas, vegetation that we suppose can withstand the harsh conditions.
We are not geologists but I would imagine a geologist would have a heyday here. About the only thing I can understand when researching the geology is that the Cape Peninsula is underlain by the oldest rocks in the area, the Maimesbury Group (mudstones and lighter sandstones but also includes volcanic rock that are reddish-brown rocks), and there is granite among the rocks. Let's just say the rocks are very old - about 560 million years old). If you're interested in the geology (and you can understand it), you might want to visit:
https://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2010/01/the-cape-peninsula
We got an eye-full of beauty while it was very desolate and harsh at other times.
But it was the banner day for seeing wildlife, so far. As I mentioned earlier, we saw several ostriches just roaming around. In fact, two of them came truckin' up the road right to our car before taking a right-hand turn into the landscape.
Ostriches are flightless and are the largest bird in the world. They can grow to 9 feet and can weigh up to 320 lbs. The ostriches we saw today were probably almost 9 feet tall. I didn't get out of the car to see how much taller they were than my 5'9" frame. Ha! The ostrich is the only bird that has two toes on each foot (all other birds have three or four toes). They are omnivores but they also eat sand and pebbles to help grind up their food inside their gizzard. The ostrich's thin legs can keep its large body upright because they are perfectly placed so the body's center of gravity balances on top of its legs. Their thin legs give them great speed and maneuverability, and they can run up to 40 mph for sustained periods of time. We did not want to test this fact.
We also got to see two kinds of antelopes: the common eland, the second largest antelope in the world after the giant eland. The second kind of antelope we saw was a bontebok antelope. They were nearly relegated to history in 1837 when colonists hunted them so severely that only 22 remained in the world. A sheep farmer in the Overberg area brought their numbers back, and with the establishment of the Bontebok National Park they have flourished. The Bontebok National Park was proclaimed in 1931 and the population of the antelope grew to 2000 in 1992. The park is located northeast of here, half-way to Mossel Bay on the south coast. The Bontebok name stems from the coloring and originates from the Dutch settlers who arrived in the 1600s.
The common eland is native to South Africa and while the antelope's population is decreasing, it is classified as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. We, humans, used it for leather, meat and rich, nutritious milk. The name eland is Dutch for "elk" or "moose." Apparently, there actually are moose in the northern boreal forests of southern Africa, because the Dutch call it "Eland antelope" to distinguish it from the moose.
It has been domesticated in many areas, as has the ostrich for its meat (see Ostrich Farm).
We're pooped and glad to be moving on to Hermanus, where we hope to see whales!
This is Paulsberg, which is the highest point on the peninsula - about 368 meters above sea level. It is framed by a Monterey Cypress.
Heading up the Flying Dutchman funicular to Cape Point and the lighthouse. It is believed to be the only commercial funicular of its type in Africa, and takes its name from the local legend of the Flying Dutchman ghost ship.
This is Cape Point. The cape is located 1.4 miles east and a little north of the Cape of Good Hope. Although these two rocky capes are very well known, neither cape is actually the southernmost point of the mainland of Africa; that is Cape Agulhas, approximately 93 miles to the east-southeast. We will be at Cape Agulhas next week. It actually is where the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean meet.
This is the Cape of Good Hope from Cape Point.
Here we are at the Cape of Good Hope.
This is the male baboon that visited us while we were at the top of Cape Point.
This is looking north from Cape Point to Smitswinkel Bay.
This is looking south toward Cape Point.
This is Judas Peak and Smitswinkel Bay.
This is from Bordjiesdrif, looking at Judas and Paulsberg peaks.
This is at Bordjiesdrif looking toward Cape Point.
These are common eland antelopes we spotted.
A couple of fisher people. Those are the Platboom Dunes in the distance.
A live, wild ostrich we encountered (among many)!
This is some form of protea.
Have no idea what this is but it's an example of some of the plants on the cape. Many look to be succulents.
Some kind of bush with small yellow berries or berry-like blossoms.
This is a Bontebok antelope, which is different than the common eland antelope pictured previously.
An example of a wind-swept tree on the cape.
Some pretty purple flowers.
The Olifantsbos marine sanctuary.
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