Milnerton beach walk

Living in the Deep South, as the Fish Hoek valley and beyond towards Cape Point is fondly referred to, I seldom get near Milnerton beach except to go to the excellent fleamarket on an occasional Sunday morning, or when passing by on my way to another adventure up the West Coast. Today was just perfect for the area, a blue, blue sky overhead with a warm southeaster keeping us cool as we walked around Woodbridge Island and then for a substantial distance towards Bloubergstrand and Big Bay.
The unparalleled view of the Mother City across the bay, nestled in the arms of those wonders of nature, Devil's Peak, Table Mountain, Lion's Head and Signal Hill, accompanied our walk (not a hike, as just along the beach really, although a good 6km was covered), and I doubt whether anyone who walks there regularly grows jaded through familiarity. I certainly wouldn't. I recall as a child, when we lived overseas for a few years, yearning to see that mountain again, and how excited I was to arrive back in Table Bay on the good ship Pendennis Castle on my 9th birthday. The best present I have ever had!
The walk was enhanced by a receding tide which stretched far down the beach, making walking easy on the hard sand. I took the opportunity to wade along the shoreline in water that was cool and refreshing and crystal clear. My only regret was that I had left my dog, Cleo, at home. She would have run herself to a standstill!
The Milnerton Links golf course runs parallel to the beach, and every so often a golf cart would crest the dunes and the occupants would point out to sea, pretending to admire the view of distant Robben Island and the huge ships waiting in the roadstead, but we knew they had lost their balls!
Small groups were jiving in the shallows, digging out white mussels with their feet, and I was tempted to join them. It is many years since I musseled down at the crayfish factory near Kommetjie and it was always fun, but in reality it wasn't necessary today as I wouldn't have eaten them anyway.
By the time we got back to the cars, the parking lot had filled up and families were making their way down  to enjoy the last of summer on this vast and most hospitable of beaches.