Thanks to Jeremy for organizing - and of course, to farmer Candace de Jong for granting us access.
Had a great group hike up to the intake for the old Willie Searle furrow on a hot day today. Despite a bit of bushwacking, we were rewarded by spectacular scenery and a dip in the pools (especially the larger natural pool with the waterfall). Unfortunately, the battery on my mobile phone ran out, so no photos after we reached the intake (the swimming came after that about 500 meters back on the way down).
Thanks to Jeremy for organizing - and of course, to farmer Candace de Jong for granting us access.
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Unfortunately, I have a previous commitment to do a hike this morning (and, as it turns out, I have a nasty cold), so I can't do the Grabadoo - despite the peer pressure! :)
Good luck guys/gals - I'll be there with you in spirit, especially on the uphills and back in the fun stuff in Jonkersberg for those that are doing the 71K. Glad you have a cooler day today (and maybe a bit of mist/light rain). So what do you do on a windy day? Well, you grab your kite & harness and strap on your board if you're anything like the three guys who were out on the lagoon today (better the lagoon than the sea, especially with gusty, erratic wind conditions if you're not into becoming shark bait, IMHO). Well, the skies cleared this morning but it became rather blustery. So, what to do when there's 15 knot (~28 km/hr) winds? Grab your kite & board and go kite surfing, of course. At least that's what 9 guys decided to do this afternoon - here are some pics (slideshow, so choose the image to display or scroll through). Just don't lose your kite past the breakers, kids, or you might come face-to-face with the Great White sharks who move to this area from Mossel Bay's Seal Island during the summer. I guess that's why you don't often see kite surfing here, especially off the mouth... :) So, bike with flat tires and jumpy derailleurs, means a trip to Johnnie Koen Cycles on Louis Fourie Road in the Voorbaai section of Mossel Bay - but I have strict orders: bring back fish for dinner! Specifically, bring back 4 XL Mossel Bay soles and some filleted kingkip. Got it.
I don't have the patience to wade all the way into Mossel Bay during the holiday season, so why not hit Catchalot which is right next door to the bike shop at the same time? I was there shortly after 8:00 a.m. and no one else was there - perfect! Incidentally, they now have a location on York Street (at Wellington) in George. If do want to join the crowds, then of course, there's also "the original", Viking Fisheries on Bland Street in Mossel Bay proper... see these older posts from 2013 and 2015 (of course I go more regularly than that!). But Catchalot is giving them an honest run for their money in my books - both are great options for the freshest fish you'll find anywhere other than on the end of your own line! Our good friends at WESSA sent me the invitation to this tour earlier in the week. It's since been published on the Mossel Bay Advertiser website (incidentally, the photo used in the article was taken at Southern Cross, showing "our" Cave Rock in the background - the guide is pointing towards The Island). If you fancy a bit of a roadtrip and education all rolled into one, it might be worth doing. Here are the details from the newspaper article: Coastal geology tour Enjoy a self-drive geological day trip from Mossel Bay to Hoekwil in the company of experts on 25 April. GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The Garden Route, apart from being beautiful, has a fascinating coastal geology and land-forming process that the untrained eye may not spot. Join experts Paul Rixom, Peter Ginn and Colin Ralston on a self-drive geological day trip from Mossel Bay to Hoekwil on 25 April. The evidence of the changing position of the South African coastline and the power of erosion over millions of years will be explained. Certain sediments were formed during the early break-up of Gondwana and the evolution of the first South African coastline. The development of the modern coastal dunes and their fossil predecessors will give a greater appreciation of the natural beauty of the area. The palaeontological treasure of the area as well as mineral (gold and offshore gas) will be discussed. The entire drive is a wonderful illustration of a range of sedimentary and coastal erosion processes with some igneous granite intrusions adding spice to the mix. The tour is well-organised with route directions giving the stops (Great Brak River, Herold's Bay, Victoria Bay etc.) where each small group (max 20 persons) will stop and perhaps walk a short distance. Bring refreshments, a picnic lunch and camping chairs. The tour starts in Mossel Bay at 08:30 and ends in the afternoon at the viewpoint on the road up to Hoekwil. The tour is organised by Wessa Eden to raise funds for their Education Fund. Booking is essential and cost per adult is R80 and donations are most welcome. wessageorge@isat.co.za / 044 873 4203 'We bring you the latest Garden Route news' 08:00 (GMT+2), Sat, 11 April 2015 I took this photo of the Diaz Express going by while waiting in the roadworks queue.
We've had spectacular weather - and what better way to enjoy it than walking around the golf course, taking in the amazing Outeniqua mountains?
There are obviously plenty of options, but we had to play our own George Golf Club on Sunday. Rather bad golf (on my part), but excellent company. So much so, that the 3rd who joined us, a South African expat visiting from Colorado, and I decided to play another round the following day before his flight out. "Pack your bags, I'll pick you up at 6:15 and we'll get a round in!" So, where to play? hmmm, he'd already played the Outeniqua at Fancourt and the first available time on the Montagu was 3:00 p.m. (!!). Scratch that one off the list. Okay, how about Kingswood which we could see from the George course? Nope, they don't open until 10:30 a.m. on Mondays. Darn, we're not doing well here. But wait, what about Oubaai? Repeated calls the Pro Shop go to voice mail. That's odd. Okay, make a provisional booking at George for 7:35 a.m. and hope someone from Oubaai calls back. Brainwave: the missus and I decide to swing by Oubaai on the way back home and pop into Dutton's Cove for a drink and the Golfer's Platter. We get to Oubaai but due to load shedding, they weren't able to tell which tee times were available (hint guys: print out your tee times in advance of the scheduled load shedding time!). They'll call me back when the power comes on at 5:00 p.m. Okay, but we need an early tee time so we can get to the airport. No problem, we'll call you back, they say. Sure, sure, I think. Over to Dutton's Cove (it was either that or an ice cream cone at the beach, but it was a zoo down there). Sadly, no Golfer's Platter as the power is out - just a few of the mains are available (anything that can be pan-fried). Okay, fine, we'll have the grilled calamari and a side order of "the view", leaving room for tonight's braai. Guess who calls at 4:20? Oubaai, the power is back on and they have the morning's first slot available for us. I call my South African expat playing partner, who had tried calling me while I was at Dutton's Cove. Turns out, he, too, had been to Oubaai's Pro Shop and drove around - he's keen to play it. Perfect, we're on for a 6:15 a.m. pick-up - we have the day's first tee time at 7:30 a.m. And what a fantastic day it was - the views were amazing - it's not often both the sea views and the George mountains are crystal clear. Even the golf was good. And we had the whole course to ourselves - though to be fair, a 2-ball did finally catch up to us on the 16th hole (we were still 18 minutes ahead of schedule). Thanks for the convivial round, Pine - looking forward to seeing you back and seriously training for the Seniors' Tour! After the flooding in 2006, the famous Outeniqua Choo Tjoe which ran along the coast was halted - the tracks near Herold's Bay and Wilderness were badly damaged. Unfortunately, despite many attempts to resurrect the line (or turn it into a cycleway), it still remains out of commission. But.... If you're looking for the next best thing, there's the Diaz Express which launched this year (as an extension to the even smaller run the Outeniqua Power Van operator did between Hartenbos & Mossel Bay in 2013 and 2014). Each Wednesday, assuming there are a minimum 21 passengers, it runs from Mossel Bay to Great Brak and return (after a stop at the Transkaroo restaurant). Perfect for enjoying amazing view of the coastline! Here's their schedule for February 2015: Booking is absolutely essential for the Great Brak leg (otherwise it only runs between Mossel Bay and Hartenbos). For more information, check out their Facebook page or read this article in the Mossel Bay Advertiser.
We dropped by The Blue Shed Coffee Roastery on Bland Street in Mossey Bay earlier in the month, but I didn't get a chance to load the pics. The coffee is pretty darn good - they have about half a dozen varieties - and price-wise, they are on par with what you'd pay at the Spar if you buy the beans or have them ground. You can also grab a small bite to eat (quiches, pastries) if you're feeling peckish.
Not a bad thing to do after you've picked up your fresh fish at Viking Fisheries (one block further as you head towards The Point) |
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