Smitswinkel Bay

Smitswinkel Bay

Unfortunately these photos don't do the place justice. It is absolutely gorgeous. It is quite a steep climb and not accessible by car. No Tv, No electricity, probably no phones, didn't see any lines, and Cell reception also non-existent. But what it doesn't have in mod-cons it more than makes up for in wild, exquisite beauty. 

This picture is the path that leads down to the hamlet.

A picture of the bay from sort of half way down

The veld is dotted with these flame lilies

The beach with cottages

More of the bay

The disturbance in the middle of the picture is a school of dolphins having a feeding frenzy.

We saw these dolphins on our way back driving over the pass.

We had ice cream in Simonstown, yuck!.

My dad used to make ice cream. Simonstown yacht club ice cream definitely wasn't up to scratch. If you want ice cream, the place in Kalk Bay is better, the best is in Hout Bay, and St Marco's on the waterfront for gelato.

Canon Camera

I used a Canon 400D Camera with a Canon 300mm Lens

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Sardine run in Kommetjie

Kommetjie sardine run

We had a sardine run the last week in Kommetjie.  I heard the gulls squabbling like mad.  Thought I was teletransported back to Sea Point where the gulls are much more raucus than here...usually.  I went outside to see what was going on and it looked as if all the gulls of the planet were here, taking the sardines that the cormorants had caught, right out of their gullets, real opportunitsts.  I wrote a sms poem about it.

Nov 29, 2011
yesterday kugel gulls flocked
to Kommetjie
in droves
squabbled with locals
over sardines
stealing cormorants' catch
too lazy to dive for their own
opportunists

Today kugulls move upcoast
follow sardine run
only stragglers cause runmpus
peace returns to kom
grim clouds squal in from the south
foreboding foul weather


I went out into the kom. The water was wonderful.  I thought it would be freezing, but it wasn't cold at all.  It was extremely difficult to catch the sardines with my bare hands.  The ones I caught were trapped in the seaweed. Someone said "catch them behind the gills".  This helped as they would slip away before I could put them in the bag.  It was fun.  I fell in the water at one stage because the rocks are incredibly slippery and I wasn't looking where I was going so landed on my... you know what.  Some people were catching with nets and pulling in hundredds of them.  They have the most exquisite colours; gold, teal, metallic silver, all the irridescent green and blue hues you can imagine, with pink, orange, and brown marks too. I was so intent on catching the sardines that I got very few pictures. Wherever you looked the sky was filled with birds. I was hoping we would get a sardine run here so that I could experience it.  There was one in Houtbay the weekend before.

Check out some Sardine Recipes in my recipe blog

Geoffrey Haresnape poetry book launch

Geoffrey Haresnape launched his new poetry book at Book Lounge in Cape Town last night.  He read some favourites.  He seems to have either three alter egos or three characters that speak to him through his poetry.  They all have a fabulous sense of humour.

Below are some pictures.  The books are available at Book Lounge.

Introduced by Hugh Hodge, editor of New Contrast, The South African Literary Journal

Published by Jim Phelps of Echoing Green Press

The star of the show, author Geoffrey Haresnape

Geoff's wife, Lez

Patricia Schonstein launches latest book Banquet at Brabazan

Patricia Schonstein telling us about her latest book called Banquet at Brabazan.  A delightful story of illicit love, batrayal, living out your fantasy, creating magic in life.

The drama unfolds mostly in Long Street,Cape Town.

A rich feast of food, romance, surprising characters, both real and imagined, mild eroticism, art, poetry and music to tantalize the mind.

The novel skips along at a joyful pace.  Its like some chocolates.  You can't stop till its finished.

For more pictures of the launch see my web album at
Patricia Schonstein - Banquet at Brabazan launch

There were some rather strange characters there.... have a look for yourself. http://picasaweb.google.com/sonja.wilker/SpiritLatexAtBookLaunch  

Beacon Isle Hotel Plettenberg Bay

Beacon Isle Hotel Bliss

We left Cape Town at 11 pm and arrived there at 6 am the next morning. We encountered minimal traffic. Most of the big trucks pull off the road at about 3 for some shut-eye. Our little Honda Jazz did itself proud, it ate up the miles/kilometers no problem

It was a treat to stay in the Beacon Isle Hotel. We were on the first floor. Our sliding door opened up onto a huge balcony that we shared with the rest of the first floor. From there we had a 300 degree view. We saw whales sprouting and cavorting and a 5km school of dolphins passing just beyond the breakers. We could hardly believe our eyes. As soon as we thought this must be the last of them, more would come past, and more, and more.

I tried out the gym, but only once. It was fully air conditioned with no fresh air coming in. It felt like I was exercising in an aeroplane. Gross.

I did not try out the beauty salon, game rooms, nor sport facilities. It was still too cold to swim for my liking. I must have been a feline in my previous life. I am not much of a water lover, unless it is snugly body temperature.

We had some lovely sundowners on the deck. The hotel suppers were reasonably priced, and a handsome portion of very palatable food, not gourmet fare, but definately edible. We licked our platters clean (figuratively speaking). We did not try the restaurant.

We drove back at a more reasonable hour.

On the way back near strand we saw these birds flocking towards a spot. It must have been a shoal of fish.

We got back safe and sound.

Looking for accommodation in Plettenberg Bay follow this link

Thupelo "Found Objects" Art exhibition at Greatmore Studios

Greatmore Studios in Woodstock, Cape Town hosted Thupelo "Found Objects" Workshop

A group of us worked from 8 in the morning till 8 at night creating.
WOW! What a pleasure.

Getting out of my comfort zone with Thupelo “Found Objects” workshop 26 Sept 2008 – 11 Oct 2008
I have been surprised, fascinated and inspired by the variety of mark making and transforming rubbish, discarded by humanity (even hobos), into functional and/or pieces of beauty and art.

I have moved from mark making materials, paper, canvas and sculpture into a new world of creation using whatever I can find in my environment and changing it into something virtually unrecognisable from the source.

Click on the links below to see

my art Blog

my web album