Highlights of the 2016 Ironman African Champs in PE

This Sunday its time for the 2017 Ironman African Championship here in Port Elizabeth.  The excitement is building up and the vibe is especially evident on the beachfront.  To get you in the spirit of the event, here is the highlights package from last year's event.

Ironman is coming

Preparations for this weekend's Ironman African Championship along with the related events, Ironkids and the Corporate Challenge, taking place on Saturday is in full swing on the beachfront. 

Beachfront Mussels

I took a break on the beachfront yesterday at low tide and walked out on the little wall between Deville and Humewood Beach.  Out at the end there are loads of mussels on the wall and it made a nice different foreground for a picture looking towards Kings Beach in the back.

A silver morning

This morning on the way to work I just had to stop below Brookes Hill and enjoy the sight of the silver ocean sparkling all the way to the horizon

Tidal pool overflow

Everybody loves a waterfall.  Imagine my surprise when I spotted this unusual waterfall at Willows Resort on Saturday afternoon.  It's the overflow out of the tidal pool at high(ish) tide.

Willows view

Miggie was invited to a party at Willows this afternoon and when we went to pick her up I took a walk up to the corner next to the top of their water worm.  A beautiful on a stunning Saturday afternoon.  Actually very sorry that we're not camping there this weekend because the weather was perfect.

Orcas off Port Elizabeth with Expert Tours

Usually this time of the year the sardines start to gather off the Port Elizabeth coastline before they start their run up the east coast.  It gives divers and film crews the ideal opportunity to observe the bait balls along with all the dolphin, whale, shark and bird activity that accompanies it.  Expert Tours based here in Port Elizabeth does a number of tours out to see this phenomenon and a week or two ago they had the most amazing encounter with orcas off the coast.  Their footage have now been broadcast on international television and I got hold of the footage on YouTube to share with you today. 

Seaview coastline

A hazy late afternoon on the coast at Seaview with an approaching thunderstorm

Landman's Lake is a little on the low side

I drove past Landman's Lake (the lake on Lakeside Road) today and could not believe my eyes how low the water level currently is because of the ongoing drought.  PE's biggest fresh water lake is but a shadow of its former self.  It is so low in fact that there is a beach all around the lake now.

Coming from Kragga Kamma side the whole section that panhandles out towards Like Farm Centre is dry.  It just shows how badly we need some big rains to come our way.

Car wash waiting room

With the drought and accompanying water restrictions I have refrained from washing my car in my support for saving water.  Unfortunately it got to the point where my car started becoming an embarrassment so I popped by Soapy Joe car wash in Circular Drive.  While they returned my car to respectability I had look around and was very impressed with the facility they have at Soapy Joe's.  In addition to the standard outside benches, they also have a little coffee shop with inside seating and a basic menu offering things like roosterkoek for you to enjoy while reading the paper. Plus they were cheaper than the petrol station I normally have my car washed at. 

Cooling down at Supertube

I love spending time at the Supertube at Kings Beach.  Once I get going I just can't stop.  Yes, I slow down a bit after an hour or so but I'm like a tank.  I keep going long after the kids have stopped to look for something to eat or to warm up a bit under a towel.  Last weekend we spent a day at the Supertube with Miggie's EP Indoor Cricket team as part of a team building day and believe me, I felt it for a couple of day after.  But who need a gym if you can Supertube?  Unfortunately I didn't take my camera along but I did grab this pic of Chaosboy coming down the slide with my phone.

Low tide next to Hobie Beach

At high tide the rocky stretch of beach between Hobie Beach and Pollok Beach is mostly covered by water, but at low tide it's all exposed and looks rather barren.  Bird Rock can be seen on the horizon in the middle of the picture and Chop Rock to the left.

The Volkswagen plant in Uitenhage

Have you ever wondered what it looks like inside the Volsawagen plant in Uitenhage but have never had a chance to go and do the factory tour?  Let me show you through this video I discovered on the Rivista Automobilismo channel on YouTube this morning.

Bottom of Russell Road

I know today's photo isn't the typical touristy photo nor one anybody would use to promote the city with.  It's still one I would like to share with you.  I was at a meeting at Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism in Donkin Street the other day and ventured down to Chapel Street and over to the cul-de-sac overlooking the bottom of Russell Road.  Not an angle of the road one get's to see often and hence the share.

A little surprise from SA Tourism

I received a little surprise from SA Tourism in the mail this week.  A pair of coffee mugs with the SA Tourim"Welcome" figure on one side and "FireflyAfrica" on the other.  I don't get to deal directly with SA Tourism often, probably because I'm not based in Cape Town of Johannesburg where they do a lot of their media activities.  It's great though to know that somebody over there notices what I'm doing on this side as a travel blogger and it motivates me to continue doing what I'm doing on both my blogs, Port Elizabeth Daily Photo and Firefly the Travel Guy. 

Tee off at PE Golf Club

I'm not a golfer.  Not really by choice, more by the fact that I just don't still have time for it as well.  I'd rather be out looking for Geocaches somewhere.  It's not that I've never tried though.  I played the 9 hole Kragga Kamma course probably three times and twice at Sardinia Bay's 9 holes but I don't think anybody who knows how to plat would want to play a round with me.  Perhaps one day.  Last week I spent a little time with Stefan of Fish River Sun manning a sponsored tee box at a golf day at the Port Elizabeth Golf Club.  Yeh, perhaps one day.

Looking down on Walmer

In yesterday's post I showed you a photo I took while out on a bit of a Geocaching adventure looking down at Target Kloof.  Today's pic was taken from exactly the same spot but this time looking down on Walmer.  The Baakens Valley leading up towards Dodd's Farm is on the left with the river visible right in the centre of the picture.

Looking down on Target Kloof

On Saturday morning I went on a little Geocaching expedition at the bottom of Target Kloof.  I had to follow a path to the top of the cliffs overlooking the surrounding suburb and river below and ended up snapping this pic from close to the cache location.  Now I would never have seen this view if it wasn't for the cache.  #justsaying  

The Baakens River still has water

I went to pick up a few Geocaches this morning, one which was next to the Baakens River close to Target Kloof.  It's good to see that there is still water in the river even though we are struggling through a severe drought at the moment and levels are quite low.

An invitation to discover the Eastern Cape

We truly live in a magnificent province with so much to offer in scenery and experiences.  

Why not explore it a little bit more? #ExperienceEastCape   

The waterfall at InniKloof

Two weekends ago we got to do the waterfall hike at Innikloof outside Hankey and I was amazed that even though we are in a severe drought situation, the river and waterfall still had a decent flow to it.

Looking down the Baakens Valley

At had a meeting with Nadine of Passing the Open Window, a fellow travel blogger, yesterday and got to take this photo from their balcony looking down the Baakens Valley towards the harbour.  Nice!

Tramways Building mural

On passing through Lower Valley Road today I decided to sop and have a closer look at the new mural that has been put up at the Tramways Building.  The mural, in black and white, depicts scenes and items linked to the harbour, South End and Central.  Included are lots of harbour cranes, trams, city scapes, the Donkin Reserve with the Great Flag and the Grey Institute, birds, a boat and even the St Peter's Church ruins.

Sunday afternoon on Main Road

If you sit in traffic on Main Road through Walmer every day then it would be hard to think its the same road when you look at it on a Sunday afternoon

America First, South Africa Second

Everybody has been making America First, whatever country Second videos so why should South Africa be left behind.  I think we've all been waiting for it and now KFM radio station in the Western Cape has done it.  An America First, South Africa Second video.  I know it's not a Port Elizabeth related video this week, but its just too good not to share.

Shooting arrows like a boss

Robin Hood does it.  Legolas killed orcs doing it, Princess Merida did it in Brave, Hawkeye and Green Arrow are seen as superheroes for doing it,  Katniss Everdeen has been doing it and Rambo even took down a helicopter doing it.  Did you know there is an archery club at Londt Park?  Well, on the SAACI Amazing Race a few weeks ago we got to shoot arrows like all the characters above.  It's not as easy as it seems though...

No better way to explore PE than with an Amazing Race

A couple of weeks ago I participated in the annual SAACI Amazing Race along with my friend Stefan of Fish River Sun.  These Amazing Race type fundraisers is a great way to explore the city and take participants to places they've never been to or haven't been to for a while.  It does also bring out a very competitive streak in people and once the race gets going the adrenaline literally pumps the whole time.

Selfies made up a big part of the race requirements and the first picture was taken at the first stop at Pine Lodge when were were still fresh and bright eyed and bushy tailed.  I'm only posting some of the selfies taken at recognisable locations.   

A quick stop at the South African Airforce Museum behind the airport

The Horse Memorial

Exhausted after a run through St George's Park to visit various spots in the park

Mandela at the Athenaeum building 

Castle Hill Nr 7 after a dash down the road from the Athenaeum

Sucking in lungs full of air after another dash for answers at Fort Frederick.

After starting in about 8th or 9th after the first task we maintained a position varying between 4th and 6th most of the way before jumping into second spot at the second last Road Block.  A position we retained to the end.