This morning we went to the Beacon Isle hotel for breakfast. This iconic hotel was built in 1972 but it's history goes a lot further back. In 1771 a navigational beacon was erected on the island with the lines of latitude and longitude etched on a block of stinkwood for mariners to check their instruments. The whaling industry was started in 1834 but it wasn't the boom they thought it would be ( fortunately for the whales) and was halted in 1916.
The breakfast was yummy and the view was magnificent and the mandatory photos were taken. The old whaling oil pot as well as the harpoon can be found in the gardens as a reminder to the distant past.
I reluctantly left the beautiful bay and headed eastwards for Port Elizabeth. The road is in great condition and I was amazed at the beautiful hills and mountains. Some huge bridges traversed gorges and I recognised the one from my bungy jump in the early nineties. The Bloukrans Bridge Bungy is one of the world's highest bridge bungy at 216 metres above the Bloukrans River. I can't believe that I am now so scared of heights!
There's a huge wind farm near Humansdorp and the windmills are surprisingly close the National road, I had to slow down to look. I was wondering how they affect bird life when right in the foreground was a huge bird of prey gliding around and hovering about it's impending lunch. The vegetation got noticeably dry once I passed the Eastern Cape border sign and there's a serious water shortage happening due to the rain not falling in the catchment dam area.
I drove past the shops and areas where my dad had lived and I felt really sad. Although he'd lived in Durban since 2018, it was in this city where he was truly conscious of who I was. At least I have happy memories of his big birthdays, and at his 70th in 2004, it was the last time we were all together as the extended clan.
Sigh.
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