At the Tip of the World

The shark tour operators must know a little something about the weather, because the next morning the wind was rattling the window panes overlooking the harbor at breakfast (They told us the next day the weather varies drastically on opposite sides of the bay). The sun was shining, though, and we took a leisurely drive south down the coast to the Cape of Good Hope, the place where two oceans meet. It turns out the currents actually mix at Cape Agulthas east of there, and the Cape is not the most southerly point in Africa, but there’s no need to let some science nerds ruin a good time.

Also inside the park are monuments to Portuguese explorers Diaz and Da Gama, which align to point towards Whittle Rock, a submerged rock threatening to ships. There are apparently dozens of shipwrecks littered along either side of the Cape, but we must not have looked in the right direction, because we failed to spot any. What we did spot were numerous ostriches feeding on grass in the sandy dunes. Beach ostriches—that’s just weird.

On the way back into town, we stopped at Boulders Beach. Simon’s Town is home to one of only two penguin colonies in Africa, though you have to pay to access the beach where they swim. Though tempting, the cold waters, the hordes of Japanese tourists and the earthy smell of penguin poo left us watching from the safety of the boardwalk. There is admittedly something hilarious about watching them waddle around in single file--the penguins, not the Japanese tourists.

We had an early dinner and retired for the night, given our shark tour departed at seven sharp the next morning, and as the brochure said, boats don't wait. We were both nervous that night; Marnie hoping she wouldn't be seasick, and me hoping I wouldn't freak out being in the water with a fourteen foot killing machine.