Well it has certainly been a while since we last wrote an insert for our blog!
It's been over a year since we last
took a little time out for ourselves and did some exploring, so this past
weekend we did just that and skipped town for a night to take in some silky
sun, fill up on fine foods, eek out an adventure and let Big Red stretch his
legs a little.
Our trip out took us along the
coastal road, over Sir Lowry's Pass, past Botrivier (Bot River) and in to
Hermanus (old whaling town) for a quick smoke stop. We then trundled along the
coastline following the R43 through Stanford and in to Gansbaai (Dutch: Bay of
Geese)) where Big Red turned 170000 kilometers old.
This trip saw Big Red turning 170k... (1of2)
This trip saw Big Red turning 170k... (2of2)
Celebrations were brief as we had
much to do, so on we went, cruising along the rather boring straight of the R43
between Gansbaai and Die Dam. Once we hit the signage for Die Dam our route
took a sharp left, and with it a welcomed change in visual delights and road
type as we finally hit some long desired gravel...
The Goose and I needed to stop for a quick puff and a little leg stretching...
Big Red absolutely loved being back on the dirt again
Looking back...
The Agulhas National Park is situated
on the southern most stretch of land between Die Dam, Wolvengat, Aasfontein
(no, get your mind out of the gutter!) and Struisbaai (from the word 'Struys',
possibly 'Ostrich Bay', 'Straw Bay', 'Huge Bay", unconfirmed). We got to
experience just a small part of it by riding along the dirt road that connects
the town of Elim to the town of Struisbaai, which cuts across the eastern-most
section of the park.There wasn't much going on here,
apart from a couple tortoises scurrying for their lives as we scooted by. The
rains have been scarce, the land is pretty dry, the dams are dangerously low,
but the bird-life seems to be flourishing.
The Goose gets acquainted with one of the locals...
The locals are pretty shy around these parts.
Big Red in his natural environment
Once we got in to Struisbaai we
hurried to over to the Cape Agulhas Backpackers lodge to check in. This place,
like most of the backpackers we've stayed at, is killer cool, colourfully
vibrant, and flowing with cool people, be it locals or foreign visitors. It
kinda reminded us of our stay in Mozambique, with its colourful walls and
furniture, beach-styled bar, free-spirited vibe, and warm hospitality.The food was great, and the bed was
comfortable and cosy, and the ablutions were clean and well kept.
Hitting the bar upon arrival at the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers. It's all about priorities.
The super comfy common area of the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers
The courtyard of the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers, with a crystal clear pool, vibrant colour scheme, and comfy loungers for soaking in the sun
Fraser's Folly Pale Ale was a superb beverage to get us settled in at CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Local flora & craft beer
Having downed a quick drink and
adapted to our new home for the night, we scootched down the road to do the
tourist thing and see the Southernmost Tip of Africa monument. The day was
perfect for this!
The Goose takes in the horizon
Big Red gets his pose on
Selfie Time - Sneaky Selfie
Selfie Time - The Halo Soldier Look
The beach at L'Agulhas
Doing the "I've-been-to-the-Southernmost-Tip-of-Africa" photograph
Zoom in to read the inscription
The Goose snaps some pics of this gorgeous yet highly dangerous coastline
The 2nd oldest lighthouse in South Africa, and the third one built in the country. Completed in December 1848.
We then went to grab a spot of lunch
from the highly recommended 'Seagulls Restaurant' where we wolfed down a
variety of locally sourced seafood before heading over to check out one of the
visible shipwrecks on the area, the 'Meisho Maru No.38' Japanese fishing
trawler that wrecked in 1982. It was pretty windy here, and it was getting
pretty chilly pretty fast so we hopped it up to the Struisbaai Harbour to see
if we could get a glimpse of the stringrays that we'd hear so much about.
Lunch at Seagulls Restaurant in L'Agulhas - Peri-Peri Mussel Pot
Lunch at Seagulls Restaurant in L'Agulhas - Crispy Tentacles
Lunch at Seagulls Restaurant in L'Agulhas - Garlic & Lemon Butter Prawns
Lunch at Seagulls Restaurant in L'Agulhas - Garlic Snails (escargot)
The Goose tries snails for the first time ever - Here we go!
The Goose tries snails for the first time ever - The "I'm-not-so-sure-about-this" look
The Goose tries snails for the first time ever - She loved the snails!
The Goose and Big Red take in the stunning views
Big Red checks out the wreck of the Meisho Maru No. 38 fishing trawler that ran aground in 1982
And we were in luck! Upon arriving in
the harbour we immediately saw the shadows of these graceful gliders just
beneath the torquise waters. So we dashed for the jetty to get a closer look,
and what a treat it was to see these incredible creatures up close.
'Parrie the Stingray' frolics in the shallow waters of the Struisbaai Harbour
Zoom in for more info on 'Parrie the Stingray' at Struisbaai Harbour
The Goose and I were thrilled to be in the presence of these graceful stingray
Big Red in Dry Dock
Fisherman at the end of the Struisbaai Harbour pier
The Struisbaai Harbour lighthouse
Sunset at Struisbaai Harbour
Dry Dock
Dry Dock
Footprints of an unknown duck-like creature that frequents the Struisbaai Harbour
Having walked around the harbour
snapping up a pile of photographs we decided to head back to the backpackers
for dinner. We love nothing more than to enjoy a braai with lekker people
whilst sipping on an ice-cold ale, and this is exactly what was laid out for
us. After this superb meal we hung out and chatted with our new friend Julian,
a young German guy from Cologne who was touring the east coast of SA with his
girlfriend. We eventually got to bed around 1am (or so)...
Lounging on the pool deck at the Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Relax and re-energise in the pool area of Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Sundowners at the pool deck of the Cape Agulhas Backpackers
The comfy and cosy outside area of the epic Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Preparing for dinner at the Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Dinner preparations begin at Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Pot Bread baking on the fire at Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Dinner is served at Cape Agulhas Backpackers, consisting of spiced chicked, salted pork rashers and farm-syle boerewors sausage, along with fire baked bread and a summer salad. You can't beat a local braai, and certainly not at R85 for the lot!
Many strategies and policies have been conjured up in this facility at Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Local Flora and craft beer at Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Local flora and Fraser's Folly 'Soutie' pilsner
One of the regulars at the bar of Cape Agulhas Backpackers
We were up at 08h00 in order to get
our kick-ass breakfast in time before packing up and heading out for another
action-packed day.
A key spot at any good backpackers is a bar, and the Cape Agulhas Backpackers bar is well stocked, fair priced, and super chilled
The mellow common areas of the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers lends itself to a relaxed environment
The dining nook at the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers
The dining nook at the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers
The colourful furniture, walls, and decor gives CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers a quirky beach paradise feel, and it's a superb place to relax, read the paper or a good book, grab a chow, or just lie back in the sun with a cold beer
The Goose wolfs down her 'Struis Breakfast' on the breakfast bar at the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers
Breakfast of champions at CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers. The 'Struis Breakfast' consists of creamy scrambled eggs, mouth-watering rashers of bacon, toast (with butter and jam), and grilled cherry tomatoes, all washed down with a pretty decent cup of filter coffee (R10 per cup). You can't go wrong!
Vibrantly painted walls with thoughtful decor makes the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers such a warm and cheerful place to relax
The garden chalets at the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers
A cool calming spot to chill out with some local beers, in the back garden of the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers
The pond in the garden of the CAB Cape Agulhas Backpackers, where one can pitch a tent for the night
Before we knew it we were once again
on a dirt road, scooting around some farm land in the direction of Arniston/
Waenshuiskrans. We were hoping to check out the famous caves before the tide
came in, but it wasn't the tide that prevented us from experiencing the caves,
it was the sand, prohibited motorcycle access, and the long sandy walk in full
bike gear. We weren't too perturbed by this as we got to experience so much
already just walking along the sparkling light blue sea water beach...
Agulhas has some kick-ass dirt roads through some quaint farm areas
The Goose and Big Red inspect the local flora along the farm roads between Struisbaai, Western Cape and Arniston, Western Cape
Big Red looks across the beach at Arniston / Waenhuiskrans
The beach at Arniston / Waenhuiskrans, to the right you can see the coastline of the Agulhas National Park, and just over that is the Arniston Caves
The jagged rock formations along the Agulhas coastline at Arniston / Waenhuiskrans
Arniston / Waenhuiskrans
The Goose takes in the gorgeous view at Arniston / Waenhuiskrans, with it's crystal clear turquoise waters and jagged rock formations
The stunning lines of the worn rock along the Agulhas National Park coastline
We'd like to think that this bone is a tooth from a deep-sea monster, any thoughts on where it's from?
Even our helmets got to enjoy the view at Arniston / Waenhuiskrans
Arniston / Waenhuiskrans
Arniston / Waenhuiskrans
Back on the bike, we trekked west to
Bredasdorp to try get in to the shipwreck museum before it closed. We did this
in good time and spent a couple hours walking around the grounds of the old
church in which the museum is located. We were absolutely amazed by all the
information that is in this museum; it's really quite impressive.
In the Shipwreck Museum:
(Situated in the Old Church)
Ships figurehead
Zoom in for info on plate money
The Birkenhead Galley, more reknowned for the use of the name for pubs and bars, and less for it being wrecked along our coastline.
The HMS Arniston, wrecked at Arniston / Waenhuiskrans on the 31st of May 1815
Zoom in to read more on the HMS Arniston
Zoom in to read a full account of the wrecking of the HMS Arniston by one of the survivors of the tragedy
Zoom in to read the inscription on the memorial stone
A replica of the memorial for those who perished in the wrecking of the HMS Arniston
Old maps of Africa
Ships cannon
Ships figurehead
Unknown ships figurehead
In the Old Church Gardens:
(on which the museum is situated)
A history of anchors, on display in the old church grounds, on which the Shipwreck Museum is located
The gorgeous gardens of the old church and rectory, now occupied by the exquisite displays of the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
In the Old Church Barn:
Family horse-drawn buggy at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Another horse-drawn hearse at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Old farming tools at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Voortrekker Oxwagon at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Another horse-drawn hearse at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
We've no idea what this intriguing machine is, but we suspect that it may have been used to make shoes? Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Old wool press at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Old City of Cape Town Dennis fire engine, circa 1932/33, at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Old typewriter and office supplies, at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
The very first LP records cut by record producers 'His Masters Voice', of Handels 'The Messiah', at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
In the Old Church Rectory:
The kitchen stove at the old church rectory at the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
A bible belonging to the old church in which the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp now stands, printed in 1756.
Information on the old church in which the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp is now situated
The L'Agulhas Lighthouse, circa 1930, on the wall of the old church in which the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp is now situated
Every church rectory should have a selection of rifles at the ready... Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
When times got tough the folk would simply slip this bed pan in for easier ablutions. Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
An old hearing aid for use in the church since 1912. At the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp
Come 1pm we were starving and pretty
tired too, so we continued west to the town of Napier where we checked in at
the delightful 'Pascal's of Napier' restaurant for what was meant to be a light
lunch...
This all changed when we reviewed the
menu!
A starter of garlic snails smothered
in blue cheese, followed by a taste-bud tantalising homemade beef burger,
finished off with a pot of creme brulee, all washed down with locally produced
beverages. A fine way to wrap up a spectacular and far more productive weekend
than we'd anticipated!
The front view of Pascal's of Napier, a fantastic place to stop for some exquisite homemade food...
Locally produced beverages, 'Weekend Lager' from the Hermanus Brewery in Old Harbour, and 'All Apple Juice Dry Cider' from the Birkenhead Brewery in Stanford.
The Goose just can't get enough of these garlic snails! This one from Pascal's of Napier was the best we'd tried, as they used blue cheese in their version, and what a difference it makes!
Pascal's of Napier made the best burger EVER! this monstrosity consists of a massive all-beef burger patty grilled medium rare (read: perfection!), layered with lettuce, tomato, brie cheese, bacon and a sweet chutney, with a side of perfectly fried chips. It was truly mouth-wateringly glorious!
The Goose tucking in to her Pascal's of Napier Mega-Burger. She also had the Mega Burger, only hers was with chicken, and it was just as good as the beef version.
Interesting flora in one of the gardens at Pascal's of Napier
Interesting flora in one of the gardens at Pascal's of Napier
What better way to end a trip than to finish off your last holiday meal with a pot of Pascal's of Napier Creme Brulee...
At 3pm we rolled down the steps of
Pascal's, dragged ourselves on to Big Red and chuffed homeward bound. We
cruised comfortably for some time until the wind picked up and started blowing
us around a bit. Now full to the brim, wind-swept and even more tired we opted
to pull in to a farm stall for a quick pit-stop consisting of a smoke and an
iced-coffee. This went down famously and revived us perfectly, ready to take on
the balance of the trip home.
We finally returned to the
comfortable (and rather messy) embrace of our home just after 6pm, and the
reality of being back made this whirlwind adventure feel as if it were all a
dream...
