Eastern Cape

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Eersterivier – the Tsitsikamma’s hidden gem

Hidden on the rugged eastern coastline of the Tsitsikamma is a little gem that not a lot of people know of.  Somewhere you can get away from it all and enjoy stunning scenic coastal landscapes bordered by cliffs and lush vegetation.  Somewhere you can take in a bit of beach life and lots of vitaminSea without being trampled underfoot by crowds.  This little hidden corner on the Garden Route is Eersterivier. One can't really call Eersterivier a town or a village.  Its…

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21/10/2014
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Supertubes on a calm day

Jeffreys Bay is famous as a surf destination and one of the reasons is Supertubes.  Supertubes is said to be the best right hand point breaks in the entire world both in consistency and quality.  Generally Supertubes break for about 300m or more but if conditions are right and the surf is big enough then it links up with the surrounding surf spots and result in a ride of about a kilometer in length.  I'm not a surfer and have never had the opportunity to…

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20/10/2014
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A thousand years in the making -The Tsitsikamma Big Tree

One of the best know attractions in the Tsitsikamma is The Big Tree, one of the giants of the forest and thought to be up to 1000 years old.  The Garden Route from the Tsitsikamma through Knysna to Wilderness is famous for its indigenous forests and precious trees, amongst them the Yellowwood.  The Outeniqua Yellowwood tree is also South Africa's national tree which makes this particular Outeniqua Yellowwood even more special. Getting to the Big Tree is very easy.  First of all…

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17/10/2014
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A Tsitsikamma Sho’t Left

We really don't need much motivation to pack our bags and head somewhere for a Sho't Left weekend.  Not at all.  Even more so when the invitation for that Sho't Left comes from the Tsitsikamma which is only an hour and a half from our home base in Port Elizabeth. A call from Penny of Tsitsikamma Seaside Accommodation along with an earlier invitation by Anneline of Storms River Adventures had us planning a weekend that included some beach time, nature time, family time and ultimately,…

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16/10/2014
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The JBay Shell Museum

Jeffreys Bay has always been know for two things.  Surfing and shells.  These days surfing in the town is bigger than ever but unfortunately shells aren't.  I remember when I was small we always visited my grandparents at Paradise Beach close by over school holidays.  You could go out early morning just after high tide and pic up the most beautiful shells.  These days there are very few left.  Lots of small ones but no more big and beautiful ones…

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15/10/2014
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Sunset in Eersterivier

I have never been disappointed with sunsets at Eersterivier.  We recently spent a weekend in this part of the Tsitsikamma courtesy of Tsitsikamma Seaside Accommodation and even though most of the weekend was a bit on the grey side, the cloud did open enough on our first evening to get this beautiful sunset enhanced with a couple of gulls strolling around on the wet sand.

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14/10/2014
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The Gariep Dam – South Africa’s biggest dam

Returning from Gauteng on a recent road trip I decided to make a little detour via the Gariep Dam and take the Steynsburg and Hofmeyr road through the Karoo to Cradock.  I made a lunch and leg stretch stop at the lookout overlooking the Gariep Dam wall.  The Gariep Dam was opened in 1071 and initially called the Hendrik Verwoerd Dam after the first prime minister of the Republic of South Africa.  After the end of Apartheid it was decided to change the…

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06/10/2014
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The 2014 Gamtoos Tourism Adventure Drive – undignified fun

On Saturday we headed into the Gamtoos Valley for the annual Gamtoos Tourism Adventure Drive.  This year the event took place around the towns of Loerie and Hankey and it was a heck of a lot of fun, to say the least.  The Adventure Drive takes the form of a 60km round trip which gets completed by following directions given at the start of the race.  Along the way there are 9 stops with challenges that need to be completed. …

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05/10/2014
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Spending a weekend at the 150 year old Ann’s Villa

Its a hot day in the southern Karoo just north of the Zuurberg in the Eastern Cape.  Not a breath of air moving.  Cicadas are chirping away in the surrounding veld.  Its been four days since you left the small port town of Port Elizabeth and after struggling up the rough Zuurberg Pass the previous day and camping out near the Zuurberg Inn, the day is spent making your way down the pass and into the dry and flat area beyond. …

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03/10/2014
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Waterfall reflection

The Tsitsikamma is a world of indigenous forests bordered by mountains and a rugged coastline.  One of the most beautiful places there is.  At the heart of it lies the Tsitsikamma National Park.  The Mouth Trail takes visitors from the park's restaurant area to the Storms River Mouth with its three suspension bridges.  Just after you start off on the trail there is a little waterfall on the left hand side flowing into a pool.  A tranquil spot even with tourists…

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01/10/2014