Holiday in Stilbaai

What a privilege - being on holiday in the beautiful Southern Cape seaside village, Stilbaai (translated from Afrikaans - "quiet or still bay"). We come here roughly every two years with whichever family members can make it. It's like being in another country; relaxed and practically no crime (the locals know why). A few years ago the town briefly made news when it became known that the police were using a donkey cart to patrol the streets.

It's winter now and the weather varies from balmy winter sunshine to cold and wet. Southern Right whales have arrived for their breeding season and can be seen blowing in the bay.

Although the past few days have been too cold, my son (Dieter) and I had our first experiences of sea kayaking just before the cold spell. My next purchase will be wetsuits so that we can become all-weather kayakers! The whales have arrived just after our last outing two days ago, but we did see dolphins playing in the waves.

Here are two holiday scenes from Stilbaai:


Skulpiesbaai ("Shell Bay"). Stone age tidal fish traps used by the San and Khoisan peoples are visible in the foreground. The area is rich in archeological sites; the well-known Blombos Cave archeological dig is near Stilbaai.


Dieter and I entering the bay through the mouth of the Goukou River.