Day 108: Cape of Good Hope
So we were planning to get an early start, since we were planning to drive out to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, but as we were having breakfast a little law & order incident occurred to cause a significant delay. While we were enjoying our coffee and tea on the third floor balcony, chatting about our plans with a South African couple sitting next to us, all of sudden two cop cars pulled over a red sedan. The drama unfolded: a third police car arrived and the officers started to search the car. After they pulled out a gun from the glove compartment, the driver was handcuffed and the cops started searching the trunk, pulling out a woman’s purse and a child’s backpack, which had a laptop in it. Now, we weren’t within earshot, so it could very well be these items belonged to his wife & daughter…but we wouldn’t bet our money on it.
While this was very entertaining during our meal, we soon realized that the cop car was blocking us in. Since we didn’t want to obstruct justice, we had to wait it out in our room. Hey, beats cable!
Watching a guy get arrested after cops pull a gun and stolen goods out of his car
When we finally got out of the hotel, we drove out to visit the Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point, both a part of Table Mountain National Park. We didn’t have enough time for any hikes, but it we still have a beautiful day for driving around the coast.
The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
Igor admiring the view from the cliffs of the Cape of Good Hope
Seals and ostrich hanging out at the Cape of Good Hope
Baboons and birds looking handouts at Cape Point
The birds were so ballsy – they started eating out of our hands!
Riding the funicular up to Cape Point
Funicular fun at Cape Point!
The two Cape Point Lighthouses
View from the first Cape Point Lighthouse – still a long way from home
The Da Gama Cross (actually, it’s a replica – the original was torn down by the Dutch)
Igor trying to play with a wild ostrich
We left the park in the late afternoon in order to reach Boulder Bay – another hotspot for viewing Jackass Penguins – in time for sunset. When we arrived, we discovered that the penguins here are even bolder than the ones in Betty’s Bay (pun intented)! The beach where the penguins exit the water doubles as a swimming beach – the penguins couldn’t care less if a little kid was splashing in the water – he would walk right on by! At one point, we saw two kids follow a penguin that was hopping up the staircase leading out of the beach…second later one of them starts to cry, and the other says, “MOM! He got bitten by the penguin!” Humph. That’ll learn ’em.
Boulder Beach – where the Jackass Penguins are literally coming out of the boulders!
Igor getting some great close-ups of the penguins
South African “Jackass” Penguins
Jackass Penguins are not shy, and will walk right past a human standing in its way
Lindsay was able to get right in the penguin’s face for a GoPro video!
We were planning to stay until sunset, but as we already had 100+ pictures by 4PM, we headed back early – making sure to check under our car before driving off
Feeling very satisfied with our day of sightseeing, we headed back to Cape Town via the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive along the coastal cliffs. We got back to the guesthouse just in time for sunset. We popped open the bottle of bubbly we had picked up in Stellenbosch, and raised a glass to our last night in South Africa.
Driving the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive back to Cape Town
View of Cape Town from Chapman’s Peak
Despite a bit of traffic coming into town, we make it back to the guesthouse in time for the sunset
Raising a toast of fine South African bubbly to a great day, and freshly laundered clothes!
Well — love the drama. Glad you had a great day. Can’t believe those Jackass Penguins!!