Walk on the wild side

After some quite uphill climbs over the last few weeks, we did a completely flat beach walk yesterday down at the Cape of Good Hope. This is the promontory to the right of Cape Point and can be reached via a boardwalk trail from the upper Cape Point parking area, or by road winding down from the plateau. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, based on the misbelief that the Cape was the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Today, geographic knowledge confirms that the southernmost point of Africa is Cape Agulhas, about 150km to the east/southeast. The  currents of the two oceans meet at that point. 
We set off from the bottom parking area and headed up the coastline towards Platboom, an unchallenging but very pleasant walk along shelly beaches among dune vegetation that has adapted to the harsh growing conditions in this part of the world. We walked in the fresh footsteps of the eland, the largest antelope species, but they must have passed much earlier and wandered up onto the grassy slopes above us, as they were nowhere to be seen. 
Hundreds of cormorants passed in straggling trails of flight, and a pair of oystercatchers enjoyed a bath in a rock pool - nice to see a different aspect of behaviour. Sacred ibis pecked purposefully on the sand, and it was soon apparent why. The sandhoppers that feed on washed up kelp live in their millions just under the surface, creating a porous expanse of spongy sand for those huge curved beaks to dip into and feast. 
The wind was blowing offshore and the day was warm - hopefully the promised rain on Friday will materialise - and the flat slabs of rock provided good seating for our coffee break, as we enjoyed the spectacle of the huge swells rising over the reefs and crashing into snow white spume along the rocky shoreline. Heaps of kelp stranded high up the beach were testimony to last week's heavy seas.
A real treat was the arrival of a small troop of baboons, many with small babies clinging to their bellies. They came to do what all good baboons do - forage down at the beach for the food. They showed no interest in us as a source of food (not us, but the contents of our backpacks) and we all passed through the troop as we would any passersby on the beach. Proof that mutual respect allows for harmonious living.
The other common resident of the reserve, the ostrich, was observed displaying his beautiful feathers to an interested female. It was an impressive show and the female responded very favourably by lifting her wings and shaking her feathers as she led him off to a more secluded spot. We will keep a lookout for their chicks on another visit!

A short hike on a beautiful day next to the sea. Who could ask for more?