Travel Report: Boulders Beach in close up
Follow-up to Travel Report: Big skies into Cape Town from Transversality - Robert O'Toole
The Cape Peninsula curves out into the Atlantic Ocean like a great arm, catching passing marine life in its grasp. To its east, False Bay provides shelter and a few vital degrees of warmth. Dolphins, whales, sharks, sea-birds and humans enjoy its waters and beaches. Of the many settlements along the mild coast of the bay, Simon's Town stands out for a unique combination of reasons. As a finale to my trip, I planned to stay for a couple of days, renting a small rondavel (thatched hut) in the well kept Caravan and Camping park.
If that sounds like rather humble accomodation, consider the views available within just a one minute walk…
And the neighbours, who employ rather unusual security guards to man their gates…
For the southern end of town is home to one of the world's most famous beaches, Boulders…
During the hours of darkness, I discovered, the penguins roam freely. I seemed to be surrounded with them and their strange braying calls. You may recogise them as of the sub-species Jackass, a most appropriate name. That is now considered by the penguin-naming authorities to be some kind of insult. And so as with many things in South Africa, they are renamed: the African Penguin. The birds themselves don't care. They know who is in charge in this town, and neither nomanclature nor penguin-proof fences will stop them.
Besides, we humans get our own back, both through overfishing and through the less serious persecution of the tourist camera…
The reward for us may be that perfect souvenir snapshot…
Or the childhood memory of a game of penguin netting…
But remember these are sensitive creatures, and if you try to walk like a penguin…
They may well confront you for your mockery…
Signs dotted around this National Parks Board managed beach warn that penguins can bite, but more usually they just retreat into the sea…
They do, after all, have a much nicer beach reserved for their own use…
What a marvellous place for both penguins and people.
Robert O'Toole
12 Feb 2006 10:17
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Tags: Bmw Gs Motorcycle Travel South Africa Travel Travel And Motorcycles Travel Writing Writing
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Comments (2)
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That seems like such an amazing place, would love to visit some day. I have never been to South Africa, when is the best time to go?
12 Feb 2006, 12:13
Dries Venter
Udayan, SA is a year-round tourist country: you will always find somewhere warm and pleasant. Cape Town and the Southern Cape coast ar best around March/April (but as you have probably read here, the weather is a bit erratic at the moment)
21 Apr 2006, 20:48
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