Two more views of the wonderful pristine coastline at the Maitlands River mouth. This one looking West towards Blue Horizon Bay, with miles and miles of unspoilt white sandy beaches and dunes..... ..... And this one looking back along the rocky section of coastline to the East, towards Beachview, Sardinia Bay and Schoenmakerskop
In response to yesterdays post of the beach at Maitlands River mouth, Richie requested some views of the dune and surroundings. Here it is from the beach, and in the foreground is the lagoon formed when the river mouth when it is closed by sandbars. The pipeline that feeds water to Port Elizabeth from the Churchill Dam is seen crossing the river. The little building to the right is a rather tatty ablution block on the edge of the carpark.…
The Maitland River Mouth must have one of the nicest unspoilt beaches in the country. This is a view looking toward the coastal suburb of Blue Horizon Bay, taken yesterday evening with oyster catchers feeding in the foreground. Judging from the signage at the parking lot this is about to change with some planned development. There are some places along our coastline that would be better served by leaving them unspoilt by development - this is one of them.
................. with one of the rusting steam engines at the Apple Express train graveyard.
Last week I went with a bunch of artist friends to the old Apple Express Depot which overlooks the harbour and "tank farm" along the beachfront. We had a ball rumaging around the steam train graveyard, and I could probably bore you into a coma for WEEKS with the pix I took of rusty old trains from every conceivable angle! Looking through the driver's window of one, the Donkin Lighthouse and Campanile can be seen peeping over the distant horizon.…
Staying with the airshow, there were two parachute drops at the airshow, in the course of the morning.The first team was the golden eagles, of the Police special task force. They jumped from a Spanish Casa, landing with pinpoint accuracy, right in front of the crowd.Later another team from EP Skydivers in Grahamstown jumped, and amongst their group was a tandem jump, with Crystal Watson. She is an amazing lady, director of the MTR Smit Childrens Haven, who care for…
.... for us, the highlight of any airshow is always the formation flying. Here the Silver Falcons in their Pilatus PC7 Mk11 Astras perform the final salute to end a stunning display of skill and teamwork.
Yesterday was the day that aircraft fans in PE have been waiting for for the last 2 years. and big and little boys alike (and a fair smattering of girls too!!) descended on the airport to gasp and admire the big boys toys, and the skill of their operators. The magic of the airshow is looking up and seeing a plane hurtling at you upside down......
Well today is the PE airshow, and I am sure we will regale you with pix from that next week, but to set the scene, here is the tail and winglet livery of a South African Airways jet, taken as it taxied past at the last airshow in 2007.
I wonder how many City Centres are so laid back that a dad can stroll with his son down the street like this! The houses running down the steep hill, to their right, are the back of the famous Donkin Terrace, which we have featured quite regularly. In front is the harbour breakwater with its warning beacon on the end.