Of shoes and ships...

Somewhat unseasonably hot weather in Cape Town at the moment. We have been over 30 degrees every day since last week and there is no sign of it abating. And today we have a galeforce southeaster worthy of a November ten-day blow! The house is turning inside out and the poor garden is being battered and dehydrated at the same time. Two proteas have decided to kick the bucket, so I think that is the last time I will waste money on them. From now on it will be petunias, petunias and petunias, interspersed with rocks.

I had to go to the mall this morning for the usual bread and milk (turned out to be somewhat more, rather a restocking of the spice cupboard - coconut milk, Thai green curry paste, soy sauce - I can see what will be for dinner tomorrow night!). The wind blows up and down the Fish Hoek valley like the clappers, no matter what direction it's coming from and not for nothing is Noordhoek nicknamed Tornado Alley. My Crocs nearly blew off my feet as I made my way back to the car, clinging valiantly to my trolley which wanted to take its own route across the car park. I suppose that was the fashion police making a statement about the wearing of Crocs anywhere except at home!

Yesterday, before the wind came up, the sea was like a mirror off Kommetjie and I picked up the binoculars to see what was happening out to sea. What a treat! A small school of dolphins was passing by, with a number of seals leaping around them. They were all heading towards Cape Point, along with a flotilla of skiboats, so obviously had the same shoal of fish as their target. The skiboats would have been there first, but as soon as the seals arrive, they start to bite the fish that have been hooked and cause plenty of ill-feeling between man and beast.

And suddenly, just beyond all this activity, a whale's tail rose gracefully from the water and then flopped down with a tremendous splash before slipping below the surface. Water spouts appeared all over the place and four whales frolicked just off the shoreline for some hours, breaching and sounding and rolling in one of the best displays I have seen in years. They are humpback whales and move up and down the coast all year round, so if you keep binoculars handy, you will see them often. It's always worth a look.