Skip to content
Firefly the Travel Guy
  • About
  • Travel Blog
  • Info Letters
    • July 2026
    • June 2026
    • May 2026
    • April 2026
    • March 2026
    • February 2026
    • January 2026
    • September 2025
    • June 2025
    • May 2025
    • March 2025
    • January 2025
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • August 2023
    • July 2023
    • June 2023
    • May 2023
    • April 2023
    • March 2023
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
  • Insta Gallery
  • Contact
    • Accolades
  • Toggle website search
Menu Close
  • About
  • Travel Blog
  • Info Letters
    • July 2026
    • June 2026
    • May 2026
    • April 2026
    • March 2026
    • February 2026
    • January 2026
    • September 2025
    • June 2025
    • May 2025
    • March 2025
    • January 2025
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • August 2023
    • July 2023
    • June 2023
    • May 2023
    • April 2023
    • March 2023
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
  • Insta Gallery
  • Contact
    • Accolades
  • Toggle website search
  • About
  • Travel Blog
  • Info Letters
    • July 2026
    • June 2026
    • May 2026
    • April 2026
    • March 2026
    • February 2026
    • January 2026
    • September 2025
    • June 2025
    • May 2025
    • March 2025
    • January 2025
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • August 2023
    • July 2023
    • June 2023
    • May 2023
    • April 2023
    • March 2023
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
  • Insta Gallery
  • Contact
    • Accolades

Insta Gallery

  1. Home>
  2. Insta Gallery

fireflyafrica

Tourism marketer, Geocacher, wannabe traveller and cricket dad

Port Elizabeth has several well-known war memorial Port Elizabeth has several well-known war memorials commemorating the lives lost during the two World Wars. The Cenotaph at St George's Park and the Walmer War Memorial are probably the two main ones. One that very few people know about is the war memorial located on the Walmer Golf Course.  It was here that I was heading to on a beautiful sunny Saturday morning to get a photo of one of the few historic attractions in town I haven't actually been to.When the township of Walmer was laid out in 1852, it was surrounded by a “green belt” referred to as the commonage.  It was on this commonage, where the locals were entitled to graze their animals, that the Walmer Golf Course was first laid out in 1897 and the Walmer Golf Club formed.Even before the armistice ending the First World War was signed on 11 November 1918, the locals formed a peace celebrations committee which was responsible for the construction of the obelisk and the brushwood fortress that surrounded it. The fortress measured 106 feet in diameter and the brushwood was stacked up to 12 feet in height. In the centre, reaching 27 feet total height was a brushwood effigy of a German soldier holding a sword in one hand and a torch in the other. On either side was a brushwood long-range gun and behind was a large howitzer. The whole complex was the brainchild of William John McWilliams.The peace treaty was finally signed and on the evening of Saturday, 19 July 1919, a crowd gathered around the brushwood fortress. The Mayor of Walmer, John Syme Neave, addressed the crowd and the fortress was set alight. The only writing on the obelisk is the word PAX (the Latin noun for "peace") and the year the war ended: 1918. As I walked along watching golfers tee off and putt on the greens, I actually wondered how many of them know what the monument stands for, or even notice it. And yes, I did a corny putting my finger on the top of the monument selfie.  #portelizabeth #gqeberha #nelsonmandelabay #sharethebay #easterncape #encountereastcape
With the cost of petrol and business being tough, With the cost of petrol and business being tough, I haven't had much chance to travel lately. It means I'm very quickly running out of new stuff to post. While going through photo folders tonight, I came across something I haven't shared with you yet.Being Port Elizabeth-based means that the majority of my posts feature the Eastern Cape.  It's nice though to show off something from a little further away every now and then.On our last visit to my daughter in Cape Town, we popped down to Camps Bay to have a look around and I was very surprised to find a war memorial.The Camps Bay War Memorial is a World War I monument located at the junction of Victoria Road and Link Street close to the beach. The stone memorial was erected in 1920, and the central stone plaque reads: "1914 – Great War – 1918Erected by the Residents – Camps Bay – In Honour of their Comrades Who Answered The Call of Duty". Alongside are two plaques listing the names of fallen local residents. Interestingly, in April 1990, the Desert Shellhole of the Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTH) Camps Bay added a "Tin hat and Light of Remembrance" to wooden beams at the top of the memorial. #capetown #campsbay #westerncape #warmemorial
The Groot Kerk, proudly standing tall at the top o The Groot Kerk, proudly standing tall at the top of the main drag through Graaff-Reinet since 1887, is probably the most famous church in the Karoo. I just can't help myself and end up standing in the middle of the street for a photo every time I'm in town.#karooheartland #karoo #karooroadtrip #karoolife #karoochurch #easterncape #encountereastcape
When I took over the @karooheartland brand last ye When I took over the @karooheartland brand last year, one of my Visions I set down was to create the ultimate reference guide for visitors to the region. One of the difficulties I have encountered has been finding relevant information online about a lot of the historic sites around the region.One such site is the Tarkastad Presbyterian Church. Over the last year or so, we've visited my son, who is the history teacher at Tarka High School, a couple of times, and I've taken a few photos of the church. I haven't had a chance to see the inside yet, and the amount of history I have found online was absolutely zero.Last week, my son got his hands on the Tarkastad Centenary Celebrations booklet that was brought out in 1962. He sent me photos of all the pages and I put them together in a PDF for future reference. And man, did I find a lot of history about the town I didn't know.The Presbyterian Church was conceived in the early days of 1878. After unsuccessfully trying to recruit a minister from Scotland, they called on Rev. John Dewar, a missionary.Divine Worship in the late 1870’s was held in the Wesleyan Chapel. It was only later that the Presbyterians decided to build a church of their own. Even though the Wheatlands Presbyterian Church, also serviced by Ref Dewar, was situated about 27 km from Tarkastad on the road to Bedford, a church was needed in town. In 1880, it was resolved to build a Presbyterian Church in Tarkastad as the Methodists took ownership of the Chapel and needed it for their own use. On 16 April 1881, the cornerstone was laid, and a year later, the new church was opened.For thirty-six years, Ref John Dewar served his congregation and his Lord. He is seen as the father of Presbyterianism in this district and when he was laid to rest in Tarkastad in 1916, he had left a Church free of debt.On our next visit, I really need to see if I can get inside the building. I will probably have to swing by on a Sunday morning and hope there is going to be a service so that I can have a look around.#tarkastad #karooheartland #encountereastcape #easterncape #karoo #presbytarianchurch #karoochurch
I get as excited spotting Cape Buffalo in the Addo I get as excited spotting Cape Buffalo in the Addo Elephant National Park as I do seeing elephants. On my last visit, I found them emerging out of the fog in a valley in the southern section of the park. What a sight!When the park was proclaimed in 1931, only about 30 buffalo were left in the area. Today, the park is home to over 400 Cape Buffalo. What makes the Addo herd extra special is that they are disease-free, carrying no foot-and-mouth, corridor disease, or bovine tuberculosis.When I started going to the park as a tourist guide 28 years ago, the buffalo in Addo were mainly nocturnal. In the late 1800s, relentless hunting pressure across the Eastern Cape made buffalo extremely wary of people. To improve their chances of survival, they gradually adopted largely nocturnal habits, feeding and moving under the cover of darkness while spending much of the day hidden in dense thickets. This changed in 2003 when lions were introduced. Lions hunt mostly during the early mornings and late afternoons, so the Buffalo had to change their habit and started coming out during the day, finding shelter in the bush later in the day.As we were leaving, I spotted a Dagga boy. ‘Dagga boys’ is a term used to describe old and usually solitary bulls who have been forced out of the herd by young bulls.These males have adopted the nickname of ‘dagga boys’, which mainly refers to the thick black clay that coats their skin; ‘dagga’ is another word for mud. They tend to move from one wallow to the next, preferring these swampy areas as they not only guarantee fresh, soft grass for their worn teeth to feed on, but also a constant supply of oozy slush in which they can loll. #addoelephantnationalpark #capebuffalo #easterncape #encountereastcape #addo #amazingaddo
The Rothschild name is globally linked to money an The Rothschild name is globally linked to money and wealth, but did you know that there were Rothschilds in the @karooheartland town of Tarkastad in the late 1800s, and that they're not buried in a consecrated Jewish cemetery?Andile Bhali pointed me to the information and I see Chris Boyle posted about it in 2019. I immediately asked my son, who's a history teacher in Tarkastad, to go and take some photos for me.There are two Jewish graves enclosed with a low wrought iron fence in the Christian section of the Tarkastad Cemetery. ‎ The two headstones have been cemented horizontally on the graves, like most of the other Jewish graves in the cemetery, to prevent any further damage. ‎Michealis Rothschild and family arrived in SA in 1876 and were resident in Tarkastad around 1883. Their sons, Louis, a corporal in the Anglo-Boer War, and Bernard, were born there.  It is unclear when the cemetery land was consecrated, but it had not been established when the 7-month-old Margarita Rothschild passed in 1900, nor when  Michealis (aged 54) and his two very young children (13 months and 8 days) all died in 1902. I haven't been able to find any information on what they would have died of. They were all buried in the gentile cemetery. ‎The first Jewish grave in Tarkastad cemetery was that of Feiga Steinhard who died in 1908. In 1929 there were 12 members of the congregation and in 1930 purchased a Torah. In 1929 there were 12 members of the congregation and they purchased a Torah in 1930. The congregation was never big enough to have its own synagogue, so they used a small addition to the local White Hope Masonic Lodge (established 1881) as a gathering place for services and high holy days.‎In 1964, Rabbi Duschinsky reported that there were 11 Jewish graves in the cemetery.#tarkastad #karoo #karooheartland #easterncape #encountereastcape #jewishgraves
I was taking a drive around Cradock and my eye cau I was taking a drive around Cradock and my eye caught sight of the St. Peter's Anglican Church. A friendly gentleman sitting by the gate waved at me and called over that I'm welcome to come and have a look.I hopped out of the car and was met by Joseph, the caretaker of the church grounds. We headed straight to the church building and Joseph fished the key out of his pocket."Welcome to St Peter's," he said as my mouth hung open at the beautiful interior of the church. Stained glass windows, wooden panels, brass plaques, all typical of these historic Anglican churches around South Africa.Joseph even showed me a plaque with a line pointing out how high the flood waters rose when the Great Fish River broke its banks in 1974.The church is one of over 40 Anglican churches across South Africa designed by Sophia Gray (often called Sophy) between 1848 and 1871. She was the wife of Bishop Robert Gray, the first Anglican Bishop of the Cape of Good Hope, and a trailblazing Victorian-era designer, recognised as South Africa’s first female architect. Bishop Gray first visited Cradock in 1848. He wrote, “I find here a Dutch Church, Wesleyan and Independent Chapels, but no English Church.” On the Sunday, Gray conducted a service in the Dutch Church, whereafter memorials drawn up for a church were sent to the Governor, Sir Harry Smith. On 5 September 1849, a site was granted to the church. The Bishop returned to Cradock in October 1850 and plans were made for the building of the church. Bishop Gray said, “My wife will furnish you with plans & working drawings for your church.”The foundation stone of the church was laid on 19 March 1857, and St Peter’s Church was completed in 1858, ” … of random rubble with a steeply gothic roof, originally of slate, at a cost of £1000.”Back outside Joseph showed me around the old churchyard. A number of family crypts were built underground in the churchyard.At the entrance to the churchyard stands a lychgate and stone wall, built to commemorate the parishioners who fell in WW2.What a find! And what a gem Joseph is, willing and enthusiastic to show visitors around.#cradock #visitcradock #karooheartland #encountereastcape
What comes to mind when you think of the @karoohea What comes to mind when you think of the @karooheartland? Karoo koppies, interesting towns, lamb chops, dirt roads, donkey carts and windpompe. Before electricity reached the wide open spaces of the Karoo, the humble windpomp was already hard at work. They pump much-needed underground water to the surface to sustain the life of humans, animals and plants. The first record of a windpump in South Africa is from a painting drawn in 1848, while the first import on record was a wooden Standard Halliday windpump erected on P.J. du Toit's farm in the Hopetown District in 1874. The windpomp was originally developed in America in the late 1800s, while the first all-steel windpomp was patented in England in 1855. These wind-driven water pumps found a perfect home in the dry Karoo landscape, where underground water means survival, pumping life-giving water to livestock and remote homesteads. Over time, their creaking wheels became more than just machinery; they became a symbol of resilience, endurance, and true Karoo spirit.#karoo #karooheartland #easterncape #encountereastcape #windpomp
It's nothing strange for people to mistake a mongo It's nothing strange for people to mistake a mongoose for a meerkat in the @karooheartland, and it gets even more confusing when you throw ground squirrels into the mix as well. Three little creatures, one big case of mistaken identity! The Mongoose or Muishond (in this case, the Yellow Mongoose) is the fearless hunter of the bunch. Fast, clever, and always on the move, mongooses are famous for taking on snakes and winning. Think of them as the action heroes of the Karoo. And the one always darting across the road in front of you with his ears tucked back.The Meerkat (probably best known as Timon in The Lion King) is the dramatic little lookout. Meerkats are actually part of the mongoose family, but they’re the social butterflies of the Karoo. One stands guard with his eyes on the sky, while the others snack and dig underground cities. Those upright poses? To better see the raptor circling. The Cape Ground Squirrel is the fluffy-tailed sun lover. Unlike the other two, this one is a rodent, more closely related to squirrels than mongooses. Their giant tails work like built-in umbrellas against the African sun as they sit in front of their burrows. Stylish and practical!Next time you spot one standing upright in the veld, take a closer look. It might not be who you think it is.#karoo #karooheartland #easterncape #encountereastcape #critters
The Karoo Heartland region has so many graves, mem The Karoo Heartland region has so many graves, memorials, and monuments linked to the Anglo-Boer War, each with its own often heartbreaking story.One of these is the Stoel Monument on the Richmond Road just outside of Middelburg Karoo, and I seem to find myself here every time I get to visit Middelburg. But why is it called the Stoel (Chair) Monument? If you know the history, you'll know why. And if you don't, here it is. One of the top commandants in the Cape, Commandant J. C. Lötter was known for his daring “hit and run” tactics. Earlier in the war, after the British had introduced their shocking scorched-earth and concentration camp policies, Lötter and the commandos had been allowed to retaliate.Having burnt houses belonging to loyalists, executed spies and whipped those he considered traitors, Lötter stood accused of “murder, marauding and disgraceful conduct of a cruel nature” and was charged with human rights violations and war crimes. Lötter’s right-hand man, Lieutenant Pieter Wolfaardt, was accused of shooting two troopers at point-blank range and wounding another. On 4 September 1901, the famed British army rebel hunter Colonel Harry Scobell trapped and captured Lötter, Wolfaardt and most of the members of their commando south of Graaff-Reinet. Fourteen men were killed and 126 were captured. The men had been betrayed by Lewies van Niekerk, who’d given Scobell the precise location of the camp.Lötter and Wolfaardt were charged with murder as Cape Rebels and found guilty. The two men were sent to Middelburg, and on 11 October, in a street adjoining the town square, death sentences were read out to both. The following day, Lötter was taken to a spot next to the Richmond Road where he was tied to a chair and shot. He was buried there and this is where the “Stoel Monument” still stands.Three days later, Wolfaardt was taken to the same place, where he shared Lötter’s fate. The two were buried in the same grave. Six years later, the remains of both men were dug up, placed in one coffin, and reburied in the Middelburg cemetery.#middelburgkaroo #karooheartland #easterncape #encountereastcape #karoo #angloboerwar
I've been wanting to stop at the war memorial next I've been wanting to stop at the war memorial next to Da Gama Road in Jeffreys Bay for a while now, but every time I pass it, I put it off to the next visit. "Next time" finally became this time.Turns out the war memorial is in fact a MOTH memorial. The Memorable Order of Tin Hats (M.O.T.H.) was founded in 1927 by Charles Evenden as a brotherhood of South African former front-line soldiers. Its stated purpose is to help comrades in need, either financially or physically; and to remember all servicemen who have answered the Sunset Call, both in war and peacetime.Based on “True Comradeship, Mutual Help, Sound Memory, MOTH grew to thousands internationally, but as old age catches up with those who fought in the Second World War, numbers are declining. Although MOTH is open to those soldiers who fought in the Bush War, the majority of those who also wore the “Staaldak” haven’t chosen to join organisations.These memorials serve as places of remembrance for fallen soldiers and often feature plaques to honour deceased members. The MOTH Memorial in Jeffreys Bay is no different.The plaque in front of the memorial reads:FROM AIR, LAND AND SEA CAME TWO LIVINGSTREAMS. THE LIVING HERE AND THE LIVINGWHO WON VICTORY OVER DEATH. HERE ABOVEALL DISTINCTION WE STAND TOGETHER THESEEN AND THE UNSEEN. IN TRUE COMRADESHIPWE FIND THE TRUE NEIGHBOUR. IN MUTUALHELP WE FIND THE JOY OF GIVING. IN SOUNDMEMORY WE EXPRESS THESE THINGS FOR THOSEWE SERVE, AND FOR WHOM, AS THEY PASSEDOVER THE TRUMPETS SOUNDED.REUNION IN REVEILLETHEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD AS WE THAT ARELEFT GROW OLD. AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEMNOR THE YEARS CONDEMN. AT THE GOINGDOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNINGWE WILL REMEMBER THEMTHEY GAVE THEIR LIVES, IN THEIR NAMEWE GIVE OUR SERVICE#jeffreysbay #jeffreysbaytourism #jbay #kouga #easterncape #encountereastcape #warmemorial #mothmemorial
I found myself in the Mountain Zebra National Park I found myself in the Mountain Zebra National Park outside Cradock on a crisp autumn morning. The previous afternoon, I spent some time with Lisa Kerr of Die Tuishuise and Victoria Manor, and when she heard I had never done cheetah tracking in the park, she was on the phone in a jiffy making arrangements.I joined a group made up of both South African and international visitors on the back of the game cruiser and off we went in search of cheetah. After a while, the ranger got his television aerial out and looked like he was searching for the best signal to watch Etv before getting back behind the wheel and driving on. After another two or three stops, there was a sound on his little handheld device. Turned out he picked up one of the cheetahs and not an Etv signal.A quick drive later and it was time for us to disembark and head out on foot. Cameras and binoculars clasped tightly, we followed the ranger like baby ducks behind their mother. "There she is!" Damn, this guy has eyes like a hawk. But yes, there she was. What a sighting. Following his lead, we got a little closer for an unforgettable sighting. Cameras clicking away. whispered oohs and aahs, followed by just taking in the moment.Seeing a wild cheetah like this in her natural environment was definitely a privilege.The outing departs from the reception area at 07:30, so if you're staying in town, make sure you leave for the park early. Advance bookings are essential and the tour takes about 3 to 4 hours.#cradock #visitcradock #karoo #karooheartland #mountainzebranationalpark #cheetahtracking #easterncape #encountereastcape #cheetah
I was taking a walk along the JBay beachfront to t I was taking a walk along the JBay beachfront to take pictures of the Jeffreys Bay Dorp van Drome cement sculptures and heritage sites when I spotted these four youngsters playing a little two-on-two basketball. In a country where race has become such an obsession, it was interesting to see four boys of four different races having fun together. This kind of thing will definitely give all those who fuel race hate on platforms like Twitter some proper chest pains.#jbay #jeffreysbay #jeffreysbaytourism #easterncape #encountereastcape #basketball
On my last visit to Cradock, I decided to pull int On my last visit to Cradock, I decided to pull into Trim Park to have a closer look at the heritage sites within the park. It's one thing to drive past and know it's there, but curiosity to have a closer look always gets the better of me.The first of the three sites is the Great Trek Monument. It was erected in 1988 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Great Trek. Like in 1938, the 1988 celebration involved replica wagons doing the trek to the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria. The monument actually takes the shape of the Voortrekker Monument, and next to it is a slab of cement through which the replica wagon was pulled. The tracks of the wheels and the shoe prints of those leading the oxen can be seen in the cement.Very close to the Great Trek Monument stands the Flame of Hope and Liberation Monument. Cradock has very close links to the Struggle moment, and this is a memorial of those who died in the anti-apartheid struggle. In addition to the Cradock Four, activists Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlawuli, the monument also contains the names of others from the region who died during the struggle.A short walk brought me to a white square building. The Jurie Lombaard Watermill was built by Hendrik Petrus Lombard of the farm "Lombardsrus" around 1864. He used stone that was quarried on the farm and yellowwood from Cradock's first Dutch Reformed Church, demolished in 1863. In August 1972, Jurie Lombard, Hendrik's great-grandson, donated the mill to the Cradock Foundation and in 1982 work started to dismantle and move the mill building to town. Now if somebody could just tell me where Trim Park gets its name from.#cradock #visitcradock #karooheartland #encountereastcape #karoo #easterncape
Fishermen and the fishing industry make up a large Fishermen and the fishing industry make up a large part of Jeffreys Bay's early history. Long before it became a holiday town or world-famous surf destination.Standing proudly near the shoreline of Jeffreys Bay's main beach, the Geelstert is more than just a weathered fishing boat—it’s a symbol of the town’s rich fishing heritage.Dating back to the 1960s, Geelstert was originally built in Knysna and formed part of a small but hardworking fishing fleet that once operated along this stretch of coastline. Over the years, the boat changed hands, was renamed, restored, and even abandoned more than once—yet its story never faded.Painted bright yellow and given the name “Geelstert,” the boat became a familiar sight in Jeffreys Bay, with local fishermen and captains leaving their mark on its history. Along with “Poormansfriend”, Geelstert was one of the last two of the original 20 working fishing boats in Jeffreys Bay.In the late 1990s, a passionate group of locals came together to preserve this piece of history. Their efforts saw the boat retrieved from where it was abandoned amongst the dunes, restored and moved to its current position, where it now serves as a tribute to the generations of fishermen who once worked these waters.Today, Geelstert offers visitors a glimpse into the past—a simple yet powerful reminder of Jeffreys Bay’s humble beginnings, its resilient community, and its deep connection to the sea. Plus its another example that a memorial doesn't have to be a massive bronze or marble statue.#jeffreysbay #jeffreysbaytourism #jbay #kouga #kougatourism #easterncape #encountereastcape
If you take a walk along the Dolphin Beach promena If you take a walk along the Dolphin Beach promenade in Jeffreys Bay, you will come across a statue of a dog. Simonstown has the statue of Just Nuisance and there is one of Jock of the Bushveld in Barberton, but this dog called Brag is a very special one, and this is his story.During the 1940’s, when Jeffreys Bay was still mainly a fishing village, Charles Hammond served as the captain of the rowing boat “Poor man’s friend”. Hammond had a dog named Brag who was his best friend. Every day when Hammond and his crew of eight took to the waves to do the day’s fishing, Brag was seen on the beach with them. He would run up and down the beach watching their progress until they were out of sight. Brag would then position himself at the high-water mark, resting his head on his paws, whilst keeping a watchful eye on the horizon in anticipation of their return.He would maintain this position until sighting them on their return, usually at about 14:00. Brag would again be running up and down the beach, barking and howling excitedly, with nothing or nobody able to draw his attention away from the crew returning home. One day, however, during inclement weather, the crew got caught in a strong current and had to row very hard to reach the shore. A huge wave capsized the boat, and the captain and his crew were tossed into the stormy sea. They were fortunate as they all made to shore alive.Upon sighting the disaster unfolding, Brag, without hesitation, rushed into the water, confident of going to rescue his master. Regrettably, the same current that caught them off-guard gripped the brave Brag and ripped him out to sea. Captain Hammond had to watch as his beloved friend Brag was pulled under, never to be seen again.The statue was put up in 2022 and is another of the projects spearheaded by Jeffreys Bay Dorp van Drome in conjunction with Jeffreys Bay Tourism and the Kouga Municipality.  It's just more proof that you don't have to spend millions and put up huge statues or monuments to create new heritage sites.#jeffreysbay #jeffreysbaytourism #jbay #kouga #encountereastcape #easterncape #kougatourism
When Pumba gets thirsty, he drinks from above and When Pumba gets thirsty, he drinks from above and upside down#addo #amazingaddo #sundaysrivervalley #addoelephantnationalpark #addopark #easterncape #encountereastcape #pumba #warthog
The hill next to Cradock was used as a lookout spo The hill next to Cradock was used as a lookout spot by the British during the Anglo-Boer War, as it has a great view of the town and the surrounding area.This panoramic view of Cradock and the Great Fish River is superb, but getting to the top means leaving your car at the bottom and walking up the washed-away dirt road. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as locals used to party at the top and I remember the first time I was there, you could still drive up and there was a lot of glass and rubbish around.Except for the view, Oukop is also known for the various edgings carved in the ironstone made by the British soldiers stationed on the hill.That first time I was on Oukop, I didn't know where to find the edgings, so it was still pretty high up on my Karoo Heartland to-do list.I left my car at the bottom and took a leisurely stroll up the hill. This Firefly is anything but fit, so I huffed and I puffed without blowing any piggy houses down, but I got to the top. With the right instructions, I found the main edging about 20 meters below the road.The edging reads, “What avail a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul”.What I didn't know then, but I do know now, is that there is another edging about 20 meters to the west of this one that reads, “For God so loved the world”-John3/16. I'm going to have to go back next time I'm in town again. #cradock #visitcradock #karooheartland #karoo #karooroadtrip #karoolife #angloboerwar #easterncape #encountereastcape
Is a Zebra black with white stripes, or white with Is a Zebra black with white stripes, or white with black stripes? I think most tourist guides and game rangers ask their guests this.  I sure did back when I was a guide.So why do donkeys in pyjamas have stripes? There are several theories, and I thought I'd share them with you.Each zebra’s stripe pattern is unique, like a human fingerprint. This helps members of a herd recognise one another and is especially useful for mother-offspring recognition.One theory is that zebra stripes serve as a type of camouflage and make them harder to spot in the open savannas and bushy areas where they roam. Predators often rely on the ability to single out an animal from a group when they hunt and the zebras’ stripes create a “motion dazzle” effect that can make the herd appear as a single, indistinct mass, confusing predators.Some scientists believe zebra stripes might aid in thermoregulation. The concept is that the alternating black and white stripes might create small air currents across the zebra’s body. Black stripes absorb heat, while white stripes reflect it, creating a temperature gradient that causes air to flow across the skin, producing a cooling effect.Another theory is that stripes deter biting flies and other parasites, which are often attracted to large mammals. Studies have shown that biting flies are less likely to land on striped surfaces. The visual perception of the stripes may confuse these insects, deterring them from landing on zebras as frequently as they do on other animals.#addo #addotourism #amazingaddo #sundaysrivervalley #easterncape #encountereastcape #addoelephantnationalpark #zebra #gamereserve
The Dalebrook tidal pool at Kalk Bay in Cape Town The Dalebrook tidal pool at Kalk Bay in Cape Town #capetown #westerncape #kalkbay #capetownsouthafrica
Follow on Instagram
Copyright - WordPress Theme by OceanWP