• Silvermine nature reserve is located around a pass on the Old Kaapse weg (old Cape Town road). It's an ideal place for a hike with magnificent view on the peninsula.

    Despite its name, silver was never found there and the water from the reservoir is now only used for the Golf course (a huge waste if you'd ask me). The water is so rich in tanins from the Fynbos that it's red!! It's totally safe to swim in, just a bit surprising! At least there the water is way warmer than the Ocean!

    Silvermine reservoir with Table Mountain and Lion's Head in the background

    Hout Bay

    Hike in Silvermine

    Long beach along Kommetje and Noordhoek


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  • The Cape gaunt colony at Lambeerts Bay is one of the last remaining 6 breeding  colonies in South Africa. It is located on Bird Island Cape Nature Reserve (free for WildCard members).

    It's a great place to spend a couple hours watching these noisy birds interacting and flying around.

    Cape gannet colony at bird Island (Lamberts Bay)

     

    Full flight

     

    Cape gannet colony at bird Island (Lamberts Bay)

     

    Preparing to land

     

     

    Cape gannet colony at bird Island (Lamberts Bay)

     

    Beak scissoring

    Cape gannet colony at bird Island (Lamberts Bay)

    One among hundreds...

    Cape gannet colony at bird Island (Lamberts Bay)

     

    You saying??


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  • Mid December 2016, my best friend Sam and I left the farm on the Free State for a long journey of 1 300km across the country... Our destination?? The West Coast!!

    You could say we have the Indian ocean just 3 hours East from us but no, we wanted to see the Atlantic ocean, on the other side of the country and contient!

    so we drove for 1.5 days across the Karoo and reached our gaol at Doring Baai. Charming little fisherman village, with is lighthouse, fish shop and abalone farming business.

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    Where the ocean meets the land..

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    During Baai lighthouse

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    Atlantic waves...

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    Our kitchen for the night...

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    Hell of a sunset

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    West Coast, Doring Baai section

    West Coast, Doring Baai section


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  • After a wondefull 3 weeks trip down the West Coast and Cape Town with my dearest friend Sam, I'm back in the Free State for the last 2 months of my post-doc contract with UFS.

    It's gonna be tough time with heaps of things to do...

     

    For whats it's coming next year, stay tuned, I'll tell you more soon!

    Last stretch in SA


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  • Camdeboo NP is also divided into 2 sections. The Game area (with the campsites) spread along the shores of the dam and is some to elands, mountains zebras, black wildebeest, springbok, blesboks...

    The Valley of Desolation is in the otters section and is quite impressive. A short trail of 1km allow you to walks to the edge of the cliffs and around on the plateau with a lovely sight (when the weather is with you...)

    Camdeboo NP, Valley of Desolation

    Valley of Desolation, in the fog...

    Camdeboo NP, Valley of Desolation

    Camdeboo NP, Valley of Desolation

    On the plateau

    Camdeboo NP, Valley of Desolation

    It's clearing up a little

    Camdeboo NP, Valley of Desolation

    Camdeboo NP, Valley of Desolation

    Camdeboo NP, Valley of Desolation

    Sitting on the edge...

    Camdeboo NP, Valley of Desolation

    A a bit of sun, at last!!


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