the coast

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Bluewater Bay Forward Observation Post

In 1942 during the Second World War a set of harbour defences was put up around Port Elizabeth to keep a constant lookout for approaching ships, submarines and planes.  The defences consisted of Algoa Battery in Humewood, the Battery Observation Post on Brookes Hill and three Fortress Observation Posts at Amsterdam Hoek (Bluewater Bay), Seahill (Cape Recife) and Schoenmakerskop.  I've been to the FOP's at Cape Recife and Schoemakerskop before and have decided that I want to check them all out even if its only to…

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15/07/2013
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Bluewater Bay Beach

Bluewater Bay Beach stretching away towards the Coega Harbour hidden somewhere in the haze on the horizon.  I made a quick stop to snap a picture or two while on my way elsewhere but have to make a plan to return some time soon for a walk along the beach.  The beach is great for land based whale watching as the whales are often spotted not very far behind the surf line.

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13/07/2013
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Rocky coastline

I took Chaos Boy for a morning of geocaching along Marine Drive the other day, picking up about 15 caches along the Wildside.  It meant that we stopped quite often to go boulder hopping in search of caches.  The Wildside between Cape Recife and Schoenmakerskop (and further) is a rugged coastline and when the south-westerly wind starts pumping it truly becomes wild out there.  But when there is no wind its a stunning area to explore with many little trails,…

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09/07/2013
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Looking towards Kings Beach

Standing next to Shark Rock Pier at Hobie Beach, this is the view towards Kings Beach and the harbour.  We've had rain for the last couple of days but the sun's been sticking its head out from behind the clouds a little bit today.  After all the rain we had last year, this year has been pretty dry so the rain is very welcome.

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03/07/2013
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Denville’s

The little beach on the south side of the McArthur Swimming pool complex is generally part of Kings Beach, but amongst the local surfing community its known as  Denville's.  The name came from a couple of guys, Dennis Buchman and Neville Mandy, that used to surf here around the 60's.  Its still a favourite surfing spot, specially with beginners. 

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24/05/2013
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Dolosse

Harbour walls and breakwaters all over the world make use of dolosse to create that barrier between the ocean and land.  A dolos (plural dolosse) is a concrete block in a complex geometric shape weighing up to 30 tons.  The new Coega Harbour in Port Elizabeth made use of 28 000 dolosse in the construction of its breakwater.  The dolos is named after the knucklebone of a sheep.Dolosse were developed in East London in 1963 by one-time East London Harbour Engineer Eric Mowbray…

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11/05/2013
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Breakwater view

One of the first views of the city that many visitors see as they approach is the one from the freeway with Port Elizabeth in the background.  Very few people realise that at that moment they are driving on what used to be the beach and the ocean is being kept back with the use of a breakwater consisting of dolosse and big rocks. 

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10/05/2013
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Harbour wall view

Bet you've never seen the harbour wall from this angle (unless you saw the other post I did of the harbour wall a month or so ago).  The Port Elizabeth Harbour wall is supposed to be off limits to the public, but there were no signage nor fencing up when I walked right onto it the other day.  Even the nearby security guard just looked at me and didn't ask me to leave.  So picture taken specially to share with you. 

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02/05/2013
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Oceanos Lifeboat

4 August 1991 was a dramatic and fateful day on the Eastern Cape coastline with the sinking of the MTS Oceanos on the Wild Coast close to Coffee Bay, east of East London.  What does this have to do with Port Elizabeth, you ask?  After all 571 passengers on board was rescued, some of the lifeboats floated south-west along the ocean currents with one of them washing up on the coastline at Schoenmakerskop.  I got to visit the lifeboat for…

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23/04/2013
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Television crew at Cape Recife

I'm usually behind the camera taking pictures for my blogs or occasionally assisting visiting television crews with info about the city, but on Pasella's last visit I actually got to be in front of the camera as well.  Here the crew is filming the presenter asking questions at the Cape Recife Lighthouse before I got my turn to tell them more about the history of the lighthouse and surrounding area.

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18/04/2013