A trip to the Southern tip of Africa

Struisbaai and Cape Agulhas

(THE SOUTHERN TIP OF AFRICA)

DAY TRIP FROM MOORING HOUSE GUEST HOUSE IN SOMERSET WEST 01/03/2008

We served breakfast as per the morning ritual to those of our guests who were not self catering and were at the Guest House on a B&B basis. As soon as the breakfast run had been attended too, my wife, kids and myself together with a Scottish couple (Kathleen and Barclay who have been visiting our guest house in Somerset West for the past 3 consecutive years and have become family rather than guests) clambered into my car and we set off for the Southern tip of Africa. Cape Agulhas is roughly one hour and 45 minutes from Somerset West and the drive would take us along the N2 over Sir Lowry's Pass on to the town of Caledon. Leaving the N2 highway, we would drive through the town of Caledon, pass Napier then Bredasdorp where one would have the choice of either going straight on to Arniston or veering off right and going to Struisbaai and a little further Cape Agulhas.

Our first stop was at the Moerse Farmstall found just as one enters Napier. We have on occassions stopped here for coffee whilst en-route to Struisbaai, but this time it was purely a toilet stop and to buy cooldrinks for the kids.














From there we headed off to Bredasdorp and had coffee and toated sandwiches at another one of our favourites - a guest house and coffee shop at Bredasdorp Square Guest House



Here we lingered a little, the ladies browsed through the gift shop and clothing shop within the Guest House until the food arrived. We walked back to our car and headed for Struisbaai.

On entering the town of Struisbaai we found it to be a hive of activity and only later found out that it was the 2008 Yellowtail Festival. Whe we reached the boardwalk and the Nostra Restuarant we were amazed at all the cars in the parking area.


We found parking on the sidewalk and walked towards the restuarant hoping there would be a table. The deck of the restuarant was filling up quickly but we managed to find a table. Unfortuantely it was a hot day and our table had no umbrella. We ordered drinks, watching the many people and the beautiful sea and beach scenery, but our eyes were constantly scouting for a table with an umbrella who's patrons were ready to leave and as luck would have it, such a table became available about 30 minutes later.


With the warm weather, the calling of the ocean and the vibey beat of music and atmosphere at hte restuarant, Barclay (our adopted Scottish guests/family) could not resist the temptation to go swimming in the sea. He took Vaughn (our youngest) with him and Cameron (2nd eldest son) joined them shortly afterwards.





We ordered lunch and after that we had ice cream with chocolate flake in cones and then headed towards Cape Agullas - the southern most tip of Africa where the 2 oceans meet ( Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean). It was windy as usual at the point, but Kathleen and Barclay could now say that they had stood on the tip of Africa.

We left the chilly southern point (which is thanks to the Benguela Current) and headed back home. We past the Cape Agulhas Light House, but having already climbed to the top on a previous occassion, we decided to give this a skip.

En-route home we made a slight detour into the Caledon Hotel and Casino where we had a leisurely coffee and the kids went to play coin operated game machines. Having had a full daywe finally reached Somerset West and the Guest House where the beds looked so inviting.