Visit The Cape Of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, is where the Atlantic Ocean (cold water) and Indian Ocean (warm water) merge.

The Cape is also famous to many sailors, who often call it "The Cape."

The Cape itself is beautiful, but the thing that will take your breath away is the drive down the Cape Peninsula.

Before heading to the Cape we visited the Cape Fur Seals on Diuker Island and watched a seal take a piece of a fish from a man's mouth.  No big deal.

The drive down the Peninsula will make you want to relocate there.  If you have driven the California Coast, I guarantee that portions of the drive will remind you of it.

Our next stop was a small naval town called Simonstown off the shores of False Bay.  Right before hitting the town's main strip we spotted Southern Right Whales!  We pulled over, ran through some train tracks, and watched the spectacle in front of us.  Some of the whales were mere FEET from where we were standing.  It was incredible.

We had some time to spend in Simonstown, and I took that time to find an ATM Machine, and walk into some of the cute shops along the main road.  Just a short drive from Simonstown was Boulder Beach, home of the Jackass Penguins.

Once we arrived at Cape Point I had a bite to eat, but I ate my meal with extra caution.  There were several warning signs about keeping an eye on your food because of the baboons.  The baboons can cause havoc in the Cape, and they don't appear fearful of humans at all.  They climb onto cars, try to sneak into open windows, and they show no mercy.  If you Youtube "Baboons in Cape Point" you will see an endless amount of videos of recorded baboon attacks.

Once I finished my baboon-less lunch I took the funicular up to Cape Point.   I recommend this option if you are on a time constraint, otherwise you can hike up to the top.  I wanted to spend as much time at Cape Point as possible.  From the drop off point, there is short hike up a few flights of stairs to get to the lighthouse, and from the lighthouse you have a 360 view of the entire area.

I must warn you about one thing......

It gets mighty windy up there, so get ready to take some attractive combover shots.  I'm sure I am making all balding men jealous.

After visiting Cape Point we headed down the hill to visit the Cape of Good Hope.  While driving down we saw wild ostriches, and more baboons causing havoc. 

The drive back reminded me a lot of Big Sur in California, especially the large coastal cliffs with roads etched onto the sides of the mountains.

If I ever make it back to Cape Town (and one day I sure hope I do), I'd love to make it back down to the Cape!   I didn't think it was possible to see so much nature, animals, and breathtaking views in ONE day!

Date Accomplished:  September 3rd, 2010

Disclaimer: I used them to make the trek down the Peninsula, and I paid for it with my own hard earned money.