Tag: cape agulhas

Maintenance visit in progress

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Unable to play footy tonight due to mild injury, I made the best of a bad situation and headed down to Agulhas to do a few jobs. A clean and tidy, sort out the electricity, meet the builder and get stuff ready for a proper family visit a bit later this month.

You don’t want to be faffing about making up beds and stuff when you arrive. You want to dive straight into the holiday frame of mind with a beer and some sunshine.

But it’s not all work, work, work. I went for a 4km wander along the beach in the chilly (14oC, feels like 8, apparently) Westerly breeze (32kph, gusting 40, apparently) and I saw… no-one. Not a soul. Amazing.

I’ve always been a fan of the off-season seaside resort (not quite what this place is, but it has the same sort of vibe), but it’s always a special privilege to have an entire beach to yourself.

Didn’t take the camera out today, so that’s a phone image above, but I’m very happy to report that Murphy’s Law did not come into play today, and so I didn’t miss that shot, because there was no that shot to be had anyway.

Phew.

And now it’s back to the cottage before the night really sets in, open a bottle of Roy Vane, and make a very small braai on which to place a bit of sirloin, which has been soaking up some Hendo’s since my arrival here.

Meat, bread, salad, wine. The four staples of a perfect, simple diet.

Early night, hoping for enough recovery to do a little jog in the morning in the new trail running shoes. If not: photo walk, I think.

But more of that if it happens. Right now, that steak needs cooking.

Bon appétit!

Another photographic triumph

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Back out to the lagoon in search of a repeat performance from yesterday’s whales.

Sadly, they didn’t show up today. However, we did spot a Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus), which was a first for me. Small wins.

This guy isn’t a Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus). He’s a White-Breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax lucidus). Fairly common on the coast here.
But it takes a special sort of talent to catch him like this:

Perfect timing. Just lovely.
I thank you.

Local art

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Yay. We’re heading down to Agulhas this week for the first time in a while. Looking forward to a bit of a break and some sea air. More from there when it happens. But also, I was reminded this morning of a local shop there which caters to the more… mmm… Afrikaans end of the tourist market.
What do I mean by that? I mean lots of Bible verses, lots of crosses, lots of every sort of item made from MDF and with an Afrikaans saying on them.

It’s like Live, Laugh, Love on steroids.

As jy weet, jy weet.

Amongst that is a selection of art, possibly done by the owner of the shop, we think? Now, I’m really not one to poke fun at other people’s creativity, so I’m going to just give three quick T&Cs for the rest of this blog post.
Firstly, you might not agree with my opinions on this. It’s not microbiology, after all. And indeed, this might be art that you like. And that’s fine.
Secondly, you put your stuff out there, you open it up for people to look at, judge and critique. Which I am doing.
And thirdly, it’s very difficult to not look at some of the stuff on offer and not giggle a bit. Because, well…

OK. I’m just going to limit it to two photos. Let’s be fair. Here’s the first:

That one is going for R850 and it’s entitled “You Gave Me Back My Joy”.

Presumably, this title is directed to the plastic surgery team. And guessing that we’re looking at the lady in question post surgical intervention, one can only imagine that it must have been a really bad accident and a tough job if this final outcome brings her joy. I’m guessing that the initial impact came from her right, and comprehensively stoved that side of her head in (as they say up in Newcastle).

Still, it’s great that she’s happy again, despite having to have a skin-coloured strut holding that side of the back of her head on for the rest of her life.

But of course, reconstructive surgery isn’t the only way of bringing joy.

Should you find yourself looking like a crossdressing Mick Jagger whilst in a strange, grey wasteland, then leapfrogging a young child whose head seems to be amongst some really, really tiny chickens, is clearly good for gettin’ you satisfaction.

And, in the unlikely event that you don’t have a surgical team or a young child nearby, you could always twiddle your nipple with your left hand, while giving a Nazi salute with your right… er… claw.

This last one is niche. Very niche. But it’s been depicted so perfectly clearly here that I really can’t imagine that the artist was trying to show us anything else. And presumably, someone will wander into the shop, spot this painting and think:

“It’s so me. I simply HAVE to have it.”

(But in Afrikaans.)

These images were taken a few months ago. But I’m very tempted to (carefully, now I’ve written this), pop back in and see if these have been sold (but if so, to whom?!?), and also see what other delights have been created in the intervening period.

Please watch out for my report over the coming days.

Mistakes were made…

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One of the lovely things about being down in Agulhas is the chance to reconnect with a bit of nature. Especially without the constant concern of being mugged.

And so last night, I planned a run for this morning. A run in all of the nature.

But then there was a win, and a braai, and there was food and drink, and a bit of a late night. And by the time I got out of bed this morning, it was a bit late to start running. It is, after all, rather summery here.

Still, I went and did it anyway. And I’ll be honest: it wasn’t great. Hot, windy, burning sun, some very challenging, unforgiving and technical terrain on the Agulhas Escarpment near the Southernmost Point.
And yes: all of that braai stuff from last night.

Still, there were positives. I did get out there and do it. I appear to have survived, and, at the halfway point, there was the opportunity for a few minutes pause looking down on a Black Harrier hunting over the fynbos below.

Reconnection complete.

Tonight, we do it all again, but I think it’s unlikely that there will be a repeat of this morning’s efforts tomorrow. Still, you never say never.

BTG

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Britain’s Talent Got.

No. Bar-Tailed Godwit – a nice spot at the lagoon in Agulhas yesterday.

Unedited (aside from the crop) pic, because we’ve been busy walking, cleaning, gardening and generally doing a quick spring clean on the cottage ahead of the upcoming summer season, where I’m hoping for a lot more trips down here.

That is going to be problematic as far as journeys are concerned, though. The washed away roads from the recent floods are pushing all the traffic onto smaller (and sometimes also damaged) routes, which simply aren’t going to be able to handle it in holiday season. It was already iffy yesterday.

It will be horrible. But it will be worth it.

Just bring snacks and patience.