We had a large visitor to our backyard this lunchtime:
This one was ever so edgy, so was quite difficult to photograph. His skittishness is probably how he’s managed to get so big.
Despite using a really decent camera, to be honest, I don’t think that this compares with some of my other photos of mantises (mantii?) such as this one on a football, this one on a wall and – infamously – this one devouring a gecko:
Ah, happy days (though obviously not for the gecko).
Nothing good comes from things going critical. Nuclear power plants are probably highest up the list of things which are bad when they go critical, with toddler tantrums pretty close behind.
Critical isn’t good situation to be in. Critical is… well… critical.
Unless something rather remarkable occurs very shortly, when their capacities are measured again on Monday, Cape Town’s dams will have fallen below the “critical” level of 30%.
It’s obviously an arbitrary level that they’ve chosen to call “critical”, and quite what happens when we cross that threshold is unclear, although we have been told that we shouldn’t panic. But then, that begs the question, why bother having a “critical” level in the first place if nothing changes once you find yourself below it?
After all, very little happened when we crossed the legendary “careful now” 70% margin, nor the distinctly worrying “er… guys…?” 50% line.
I do hope that the city council have got this all in hand…
Barry Wood, the city’s manager of bulk water supply, told the council’s portfolio committee “We don’t have to be too concerned, provided that it starts to rain.”
Ah. That’s all ok then.
Colour me completely reassured.
Oh, I laughed.
Something’s got to give…
What a day.
Several hours on this beautiful beach in Struisbaai, under dramatic skies:
And then the drive home, any negative feelings about leaving Agulhas expunged by having almost the entirety of the newly-resurfaced R316 to ourselves.
Other photos will have to wait, I want red wine and football this evening. Priorities, ne?
But if you find yourself desperate for some 6000 imagey goodness, firstly, have a word with yourself, and then secondly, head to my Instagram.
I’ve been after this photo for a while. And then, yesterday evening, as we headed down the dirt road from Agulhas to Suiderstrand, I finally got it.
It was one of those few moments that was worth halting the journey for, albeit that it was only for a few moments.
This is posted unadulterated and raw. No filters, no cropping. As it was. Lovely. Try it with the lights off for an even better view. That thing poking towards the bottom right hand corner of the sun is the forecastle mast of the wreck of the Meisho Maru 38, and on top of that is a cormorant, wings unfurled.
All planned, obviously. Obviously.
Sadly for you, I’ve been taking quite a few photographs since we’ve been down here, and you can look forward to them late tomorrow or on Monday.