Cape Coast Road Tripping: Betty's Bay to Gordon's Bay

From Hermanus, we set off towards Pringle Bay, home to colleagues Michael and Jane, and Betty's Bay, home to a fabulous colony of tiny penguins.

The route to both destinations took us down a well-worn path colloquially known as the Garden Route. This 300km road trip through one of South Africa's best national parks meanders between ocean and mountain and was something we didn't have time to do in its entirety. But the Hermanus to Cape Coast leg was very, very beautiful and we stopped the car often to take it all in. 

Our first stop before lunch at Michael's was to Betty's Bay Marine Protected Area. Signage indicates that you're there before you're even close to any penguins. 

(Side note for apology: I spent over an hour trying to get these photos to line up and Blogger has decided they SHALL NOT. I am not okay with this but I am sick of fighting with IT.) 

                           

              

Consider yourself warned. It costs roughly $1.50 to take boardwalks through the conversation area and it's $1.50 well spent. Because we were there out of season, we had the area largely to ourselves.

These tiny little penguins are the world's smallest weighing, at most, 7 lbs. For their size, they create an awful lot of poo and an awful lot of noise. They've even earned themselves the nickname of the jackass penguin for the distinctly donkey-like braying they make.

This guy is clearly in charge: 

Dotted along the rocks, penguins and chicks chilled in the South African winter sun. 

The ocean loomed in the distance.

And the mountains behind that.

Horrible place to spend an hour or two. But leave we did and made our way to Pringle Bay for lunch with wine and friends. Jane kicked us out before sunset because she said we NEEDED to have sun for the ride home. She wasn't wrong. 

You know those moments where your heart hurts a little bit because you're that happy? There needs to be a word for that feeling. And then we arrived in Gordon's Bay, our home away from home for the evening. This little enclave is home to a naval college, a smattering of shops and a beach. 

We ate dinner and ended the day on another beautiful sunset looking towards Cape Town. 

I'd expect nothing less.