postaday

The Final WPC: flowers

| Nature on the Edge

Recently I was fortunate to attend the Chelsea flower show in London.  In support of the event the local shops around Sloane Square and King’s Road decorate their windows in sumptuous displays of floral arrangements – the theme this year is Summer Love.  It fits well with a gesture of thanks to the WP team for building a wide supportive community platform through the Daily Post and the weekly photo challenges.  It opened up the opportunity of discovering other bloggers from all corners of the globe.  To have the encouragement and lively interest of fellow bloggers through weekly support really makes the blogging experience.   I was lucky too to meet with fellow ‘urban wildlife’ blogger Melissa Cooper while visiting New York and also stopping in Honnevag, Norway on the way to North Cape through reading Erica Haugli’s experiences.

The WPC has been a most worthwhile experience.  Hope to continue seeing fellow bloggers through the ether.

WPC: Final Favourites

The Octopus’s Garden

| Nature on the Edge
The tranquil sea beckons.
Perfect conditions for scuba diving.
Imagine the kelp forests, so cool and inviting.
A place of awe and wonder.
The octopus is a cunning camouflage artist and skilful hunter.

 

Krista poses the question this week: “If given the choice, what would you rather be doing, right now?”   Imagine a place – a “Stop-the-world-I-want-to-get-off” kind of a place where you can escape the hurley-burley and be amazed and awed by a completely different world.  False Bay here in the southern peninsula of Cape Town is a wondrous place, where the influence of two ocean currents – the warm Agulhas and the cold Benguela mingle and create a flourishing ecosystem.

It’s been a while since i dipped below the waters, but recently my interest is inspired through the marvellous Blue Planet II series where the episode the ” Green Seas” features the extraordinary creatures living in the kelp forest including the cunning behaviour of a smart octopus.

WPC: Rather

 

WPC: Tour Guide – Let’s find the penguins

| Nature on the Edge

Playing tour guide, my first stop is this vantage point overlooking the splendid vista of False Bay.  Simon’s Town lays at the foothills, and way in the distance on the opposite side is Cape Hangklip.  The small town bustles with a distinct naval ‘air’ having been established as a naval base by the British in 1799 and where today the SA Navy is stationed.  We’ll pass through it, as we’re on our way to visit Boulders to see the African penguin colony.

The Boulders area is dotted with impressively sculpted granite rocks sheltering discreetly placed sandy coves.  Here a colony of African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) have found a comfortable nesting area.   From just two breeding pairs in 1982 the population numbers have increased to about 2200 in recent years.

We will venture down the boardwalk to see the main nursery.

As you will note the houses are quite nearby – this is as close to an ‘urban’ colony as can be imagined.  The area is fenced off, but often the penguins stray beyond the boundaries and care must be taken driving or parking to check if all is clear.

Sadly the African penguin is listed in the Red Data Book as an endangered species, and the birds are in considerably more trouble than rhinos.   With the decline in shoal fish such as pilchards and anchovy they could be heading for extinction in the not too distant future.

To end the tour, a nod to the eminent granite Rock Stars, all of 540 million year old. A pathway follows along the coast for a nice leisurely stroll and swim to top off the experience.

WPC: Tour Guide