Otter poo

Although I haven't had the opportunity to spot them, there are otters that live along the coastline around Schoenmakerskop.  Walking along the first section of the Sacramento Trail the other day, we came across what looked like dry otter excrement.  In other words, poo.  Well, I think it was, judging from the amount of crab shell in there. 

Water is tempting, but still too cold

Today I'm posting the last of the pictures I took at Sardinia Bay the other day.  I just couldn't resist snapping this pic of Chaos Boy standing on the rocks looking at the gully.  It looked like he wondering if he should jump in or not.

On the rocks

Choas Boy climbing around on the rocks at Sardinia Bay.  The weather is starting to change, spring is in the air and we have been having more and more nice days. 

Cormorants

A couple of cormorants sunning themselves on the rocks at Sardinia Bay

Tropical beach? No, Sardinia Bay on a late winter day

Now here is one to rub salt into some of my friends in the northern hemisphere that often comment on how a warm winters day over here is on par, if not better, than their summer days.  Walking along Sardinia Bay on a stunning late winters morning with the water looking like its should be somewhere on a tropical island.  Only problem is that the water isn't quite swimable yet.  It did look very inviting though.

Sardinia Bay Beach

With the huge moving sand dune now blocking the road, the only acess to Sardinia Bay beach is over the top of said dune.  This does lead to a lot of huffing and puffing getting to the top.  The view from up there is magnificent though as you look westward along the beach.

Tri-Nations Rugby scenes

Today is the last post in the series featuring last Saturday's Springboks vs All Blacks test at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.  I was at the rugby to enjoy the game, so I didn't sit snapping away with my camera catching all kinds of action shots.  I did get a couple of photos though showing key rugby actions from the game that I am posting today.

One of the most respected and feared New Zealand rugby traditions is the Haka that is performed before a match.  The Haka is a traditional Maori war dance that are performed by various tribes and cultural groups throughout New Zealand.  The best known Haka of them all is called "KA MATE" and has been performed by countless New Zealand teams both locally and internationally.  The first time the Haka (and there are various versions that do get performed) was done by a New Zealand rugby team was in 1884.  Saturday's haka can been seen after the national anthems here, while this video shows the haka performed at a match last year.

Kickoff

Lineout

Scrum

Full house at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

It was fantastic to see a fully packed (like they say, to the rafters) Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium for last Saturdays Springboks vs All Blacks match.  As I have posted before, an absolutely amazing experience.  The majority of the South African supporters were dressed in green while there were patches of black in the crowd wearing the traditional New Zealand colours.

From what I have been able to get off the internet it seems that the official crowd attendance for the match was 45478 people.  After this match I hope this the South African Rugby Union sees how hungry Port Elizabeth is for top class and international rugby and that we will hopefully get more international test matches right here at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The National Anthem

The most amazing moment I experienced at Saturday's Tri-Nations game between the Springboks and the All Blacks wasn't when South Africa scored points or even the fact that we won, it was singing the national anthem along with 45000 people and raising the roof doing so.  Even the television commentators commented afterwards that they didn't think they have ever heard the anthem sung like that.  A close second was when the South African supporters drowned out the feared  All Black Haka singing "Olé olé olé!"  Yesterday I picked up a clip on YouTube featuring both the national anthems and the haka and it is really worth watching.

The South African National Anthem

Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika (Xhosa)

Maluphakanyisw’ uphondo lwayo, (Xhosa)

Yizwa imithandazo yethu, (Zulu)

Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.(Zulu)

 

Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,

O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,

O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,

Setjhaba sa, South Afrika.

(Entire verse is performed in Sesotho)

 

South Afrika!

 

Uit die blou van onse hemel,

Uit die diepte van ons see,

Oor ons ewige gebergtes,

Waar die kranse antwoord gee,

(Entire verse is performed in Afrikaans)

Sounds the call to come together,

And united we shall stand,

Let us live and strive for freedom,

In South Africa our land.

(Entire verse is performed in English)

Arriving for the big game

The buzz around town in the week up to the Springboks vs All Blacks Tri-Nations test has been amazing, but it went into overdrive on Saturday morning.  People were getting together all over town in anticipation of the game having pre-game drinks and braai's before heading to the stadium.  I went to the game with a couple of friends and we parked a short distance from the stadium on a school field.  The closer we got to the stadium to more the excitement built.  Most of the people were dressed in green and you saw Springbok flags all over.  Entering the gates we realised that the wait over the last couple of months was going to be worth it.  The big game was finally on hand.

An unforgetable night at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Last night (20 August 2011) was a historic night at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.  The Springboks, South Africa's national rugby team for those visitors from non rugby playing countries, played against  the All Blacks (New Zealand's national team) in Port Elizabeth for the first time since 1970.  It was also the very first Tri Nations game in the city which just shows how hungry we are for international rugby in PE.  A capacity 45000 crowd came out in anticipation to watch the Boks, who has had a terrible season so far, take on the world's number 1 rugby team.  And the boys did not disappoint, winning 18 - 5 in a tough and physical match.  The atmosphere, as WWE wrestler The Rock would have said if he was here, was ELECTRIC and stayed that way for the entire 80 minutes.  Experiencing my first live international rugby game was something I will always remember and  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Canon EC for the invite to be able to have this phenomenal experience.

Over the next few days I'll share a couple of the pics I took at the game last night.  GO BOKKE!!!

Slipway

The old Slipway at Humewood Beach is one of my favorite landmarks on the Port Elizabeth beachfront and I find it very hard to pass it without snapping a photo.  Hence you get to see it quite often. 

The view from Brookes-on-the-Bay

The fantastic view of Kings Beach and the Port Elizabeth coastline from the newly revamped and upgraded Brookes-on-the-Bay complex in Humewood.  Who wouldn't want to sit and enjoy a meal with a view like this?

The Prince of Wales Obelisk

The Obelisk standing outside the entrance to Bayworld has a very interesting history and is probably the only "second hand" royal memorial in the world.  The obelisk was carved in France out of stone similar to granite for the London World Exhibition in 1862.  It was then acquired by John Paterson, who started the Eastern Province Herald, to be put on the grave of his brother-in-law and partner George Kemp.  Kemp's family weren't very impressed with the idea but excepted it as it was already at sea on its way to Algoa Bay.  On its arrival in the city it was donated to the town council.  The obelisk was erected in front of the Port Elizabeth City Hall in 1863 to commemorate the wedding of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, to Princess Alexandra of Denmark.  Around the obelisk four granite water troughs were also constructed.  The obelisk were replaced by a Howitzer gun (cannon) in 1921 after which it was put into storage until 1975 when it was erected outside the entrance to Bayworld where it still stands today.

I got the above information off Afrikaans Wikipedia, and further investigation told me that it was researched and written by Roché Petersen who is a regular visitor to PE Daily Photo.

Rays of light through a grey sky

Sunlight spilling through a grey sky onto Algoa Bay as seen from Mount Croix

Bayworld cannons

A couple of cannons, salvaged from shipwrecks in the past if I'm correct, and an anchor on display outside the entrance to Bayworld.  The Port Elizabeth Museum at Bayworld has a great display on shipwrecks and artifacts salvaged wrecks in Algoa Bay

Aloe on Walmer Boulevard

I recently posted a picture of the flowering coral on Marine Drive, but I can't resist posting one I took last week of the coral aloe on Walmer Boulevard in South End.

Brookes Hill from the beach

Brookes Hill in Humewood is one of the very upmarket and sought after areas on the Port Elizabeth beachfront and offers residents and guests a fantastic view of Kings Beach and the coastline.  The white buildings on the right are the very larney Kings Terrace apartments.  The building in the middle of the pic is the newly refurbished and upgraded Brookes-on-the-Bay (previously Brookes Hill Pavilion) with the Brookes Hill Suites Hotel to the left of it.  Brookes-on-the-Bay recently opened again to the public with Ocean Basket and Primi Piatti being the first two new tenants already trading in the centre.

Historic spires

The historic Public Library along with the St Mary's Anglican Cathedral in the city centre has a very nice collection of interesting spires and little towers.

Muddy Sundays River

After spending the morning at Addo Gateway Lodge in Cannonville (Colchester) learning about bonsai, I wandered down to the Sundays River across the road for a look.  I noticed that it was still quite muddy due to the runoff after all the rain we had.

Bonsai at Addo Gateway Lodge

For a couple of years now I've had an interest in bonsai trees, but have never actually gotten to the point to start training (which is apparently what the bonsai folk call it when you grow a bonsai) one myself.  Not long ago I received an invitation from Maggie Mann and Les Kingma of Addo Gateway Lodge out in Colchester to attend a Bonsai Day at their guest house.  Les is an expert (although he's quite modest about it) in the art of bonsai and I marveled at some of the trees outside the reception area.  Just to add, with Les' help and input I'm now the proud owner (trainer?) of a Spekboom bonsai tree.

Sunday morning on the beachfront

Sunday morning was a summers winter morning.  The sun was out with not a cloud in the sky and barely a whisper of wind.  What more can one ask for except perhaps for winter to come to an end now?  We walked around Art in the Park at St Georges Park before heading down to the Kings Beach flea market, both which were packed with people enjoying the glorious weather.

Ships on silver Algoa Bay

A couple of ships out on Algoa Bay waiting their turn to enter the Port Elizabeth harbour

St Georges 150th Anniversary

The past Saturday, 6 August 2011, marked the 150th anniversary of St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth.  I picked the following up on the community website MyPE which is information contained in the book "Port Elizabeth in Bygone Years" as well as on the St Georges Park history website.

“Flags and streamers were flying in every direction, all shops were shut, people dressed in holiday attire, and expectation stood on tiptoe. By a sort of instinct the Market Square seemed to be the centre of attraction. Here the naval brigade all dressed in blue and white stood mustered under Captain Chapman and Lieut. Wheatland. The worshipful councillors in ‘tails and gloves’ began to assemble at the Town Hall and looked most grave and dignified. Presently the band struck up and matched smartly down Main Street and up Donkin Street past the Scotch Church. The councillors then proceeded to the Hill and by the time the brigade had reached the spot, a good crowd of people had assembled to witness the ceremony of planting the first tree in the newly-named St Georges Park. A fellow townsman, Mr Birt, had presented the Mayor with a young oak and this was to be the tree.

The Mayor, Mr William Smith, then explained to the assembled crowd the purpose of the meeting, after which he called upon Mr Pearson, the originator of the idea, to address those present. In brief, it was to the effect that for some time a public playground had been needed in Port Elizabeth and that the Mayor was about to plant the first tree in what it had been decided to name ‘Prince Alfred’s Grove’. In later years when people would assemble in St Georges Park they would point to the Prince’s Grove and say; ‘for that and for this spacious playground we are indebted to the foresight and kindness of a former Municipal body who commemorated the first anniversary of a Royal Prince’s visit in inaugurating for the comfort, health, and recreation of their fellow-townsmen for all time these shady walks and extensive beautifully laid-out grounds.’ After this, champagne was produced and amid a volley of popping corks and several repartees, healths innumerable were drunk, and success to St. Georges Park and to the Prince’s Grove pledged over and over again.”

Happy birthday St Georges Park.  Official celebrations for this occasion is being planned for Heritage Day on 24 September 2011.

Pavement cooking

Taking a walk through Richmond Hill a little while ago, I passed the cook of one of the restaurants cooking on the pavement.  The smell of the grilling hamburger patties left my mouth watering.

Guinea Fowl Steps

Hiking along the Guinea Fowl Trail down the Baakens Valley one drops down towards Dodds Farm along these steps.  From here you head towards Target Kloof and eventually Settlers Park.

Wezandla Craft Gallery

Anybody visiting Port Elizabeth and wanting to buy African craft to take home as gifts or souvenirs has to make a stop at Wezandla.  The shop is situated next to the central business district and close to the beachfront and airport and is difficult to miss with its bright facade.  As soon as you walk into the shop its like walking into a craft wonderland with over 325 suppliers  and artists from all over Africa represented.  Next time I visit I will ask them if I can take a picture inside to show you what it looks like.

Coastal flowers

Driving around Port Elizabeth to get pictures of some of the trails the other day, I naturally stopped at the Sacramento Trail as well.  Time was very limited so we just did the first couple of hundred meters for some shots and this is one of the pics that came out of that.

Penguin nurses

A couple of the staff at the South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SAMREC) busy treating one of the penguins in their care.  This little guy had a bad wound on his wing and they were unsure how he got it.  Doesn't matter anyway.  What matters is that he is in good hands and will hopefully be ready to be released into Algoa Bay again. 

Teenage gannet

Alien bird? No, its got nothing to do with the lights that have apparently been spotted around town lately.  Its a teenage Gannet on rehabilitation at the South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SAMREC) in Cape Recife.

Victoria Park Crematorium

I have a fascination with cemeteries.  You can find the most interesting information, grave stones and monuments browsing through old grave yards and although I may look over my shoulder every now and then, I'm quite fine exploring them.  The Victoria Park Crematorium, built in 1953, on the other hand I just find creepy.  Don't ask me why. I just do.  Perhaps its the black smoke that you see rising up from it every now and then.  I don't know.  *shiver down my spine*