Don't be a Jackass!



Cape of Good Hope, 21st of August 2018 – On the southern tip of Table Mountain National Park is Cape of Good Hope. Ever since primary school, this name has mysteriously attracted me. Before we go to that mythical spot, we drive to Boulders Beach, home to a penguin colony. These birds are great fun to watch, the way they clumsily come out of the water, changing from top-level swimmers to helpless walkers. For a moment, I doubt if I am in Disneyworld or in a nature reserve. Tourists from all over the world want to see a glimpse of these ‘Jackass’ penguins. Yes, that is their name! Italians elbow their way through the crowd to reach the best photo spot, the Japanese politely wait their turn and nod their heads off if you let them pass. Further down the beach there is a spot where you can ‘swim with the penguins’… I remember a ranger who told me that tourists are not that bad. Without them, endangered species would never get any attention, nor the money to set up conservation programs. Fair enough! When we walk back to the car we see the Italians and realise that they are the ones we already met twice during our tour. The redhead Italian, looking like Mick Hucknall from Simply Red, smiles and says: ‘Hey, you again!’ I reply: ‘You are not supposed to see me; I am from the CIA and I am shadowing you’. He seems to like my line. We are just in time to get into the tip of the peninsula and park close to Cape of Good Hope. Home to many a shipwreck, this point is also the home to a colony of ostriches. With the low sun and the salty sea mist over the land, this gives unforgettable views. We decide not to go to Cape Point, the southernmost part of the Cape, expecting the scenery to be identical to this one. Sorry to all Cape Point baboons, who will now have to steal from someone else.

Dress to impress! (FDC)

Ostrich of Cape of Good Hope (FDC)


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