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Somerset East’s beautiful Beaufort Street

I spent a day in Somerset East recently just driving around town and visiting some of the historic building and attractions.  At first I thought about just doing one post featuring it all, but because there wasn't really a story to my visit (other than the fact that I was actually there for a Karoo Heartland meeting but couldn't help but going sightseeing) I decided to rather do a series on Somerset East featuring a different place or view every…

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09/03/2016
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Refreshing rain

I've done a lot of travelling over the last two weeks but aren't complaining.  I love to road trip for work cause it also gives me the chance to sight see and Geocache while I'm at it.  I had to dash up to East London yesterday and drove back this afternoon.  It's been a hot and humid morning and just after Alexandria I encountered the first drops.  Had rain all the way back and it hasn't really stopped raining.  As…

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07/03/2016
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The Noordhoek dune field

Standing at the view point on Marine Drive close to Noordhoek looking back at Cape Recife you can see a section of sand dunes in the middle of the coastline.  These dunes form part of the Noordhoek dune field, one of three driftsand bypass systems that used to take sand into Algoa Bay.  The other two are the Drifsands and Cape Recife dune systems.The main sand bypass, known as Dritsands, covered the whole area between Schoenmakerskop and Summerstrand.  In the…

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06/03/2016
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Wildside’s rocky coastline

Port Elizabeth's southern coastline is generally referred to as the Wildside.  The coastline is stunning on the best of days, but if the prevailing south-westerly really pumps and the rollers break white water on the mostly rocky coastline, then it's no surprise why it's called the Wildside.

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05/03/2016
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You better not come any closer

My yard seems to be a bit of a magnet for paper wasps (South African Paper Wasp - Polistes marginalis) with about three or four nests all around the house.  I know a couple of Geocachers who would be able to tell you all about the fact that unlike honey bees that only sting once, the paper wasp can inflict multiple stings.  The nest is built by a queen who lays the first eggs.  As these hatch and grow up…

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05/03/2016
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Snorkeling at Humewood Slipway

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCzHbEcB_U4&w=500&h=400]Check out this awesome video Keith Hamilton shot while snorkeling around the six pillars of the old Humewood slipway.  Just shows that we have some stunning snorkeling spots along our coastline with this one being right here on the main beachfront.

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04/03/2016
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Off the beaten track

Everybody should head off the beaten track at some stage or another. Stop in the middle of a Karoo dirt road and switch off the engine. Get out and stand in the middle of the road.  Feel the sun on your face and the breeze in your hair.  Listen to the cecadas with no car noise in ear shot. Smell the Karoo vegetation.  Watch the clouds move across the blue sky.  Can you taste it? What can it be?  Freedom.…

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03/03/2016
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Then and Now: St Peters Church (ruins)

When the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship was in the PE Harbour a few weeks ago I took a drive to the St Peters Church ruins in South End as it has a great view of the harbour.  It's been a year or two since I've last been there so I took a walk around the ruins and snapped a few pictures.  I found this old picture of St Peters with the Fishermen's Cross in front of it and decided to…

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02/03/2016