Wed, Aug 26 - Birding De Hoop

We awoke to a overcast which eventually turned into a day in the 70s, partly sunny and humid.  From our balcony I watched the fisherman take off in their colorful boats from the beach next to the hotel, and Bob spotted whales  spouting in the distance.  We had a delicious breakfast of eggs and spicy mince (ground beef with spices and onions) which seems to be a So. African tradition, or maybe just new to us.

Bob wanted to check out several farm roads that are supposed to have various birds he wants to see.   We drove on long well-graded gravel roads past flocks of lambs and their mothers, past green wheat fields and acres of brilliant lemon-yellow canola.

 

Blue Crane

Finally we entered  the large De Hoop Nature Preserve, a World Heritage Site, and passed some Cape Mountain Zebra and a group of Bontebok, one with a tiny tan calf.  

We signed in at the Postberg entrance kiosk and drove to the Klipspringer trailhead.  You can take a five-day hike here from hut to hut ending up on the ocean, but we just wanted to hike in a ways and see the  birds and plants.  The trail took off through blooming proteas and climbed upwards through many fynbos flowers.  We started to do some rock scrambling and could see that we would be spending the rest of the afternoon completing the 6.5 km circular route and decided to turn back.

We drove along the Breede River to the hamlet of Malagas and came to the only remaining river-crossing car raft in South Africa that runs on human pulling power (!) and, as it was just inching across, decided not to go that way.  Instead we drove way out to the mouth of the Breede to the trim village of Infanta which appeared to be completely deserted - maybe it's only a summer community?

Malaga Pont

Infanta

We returned to the Arniston at 5 and had a great dinner of sesame shrimp salad, cheese and tomato tart, lamb shank and duck, completed with a pavlova. 

               

Helmeted Guinea Fowl,  AKA Chobe Chicken