The PE to East London Surfski Challenge

The Port Elizabeth to East London Surfski Challenge takes place every two years and this year about 80 paddlers participated.  This week's Video Friday post is one by Mark Roach showing a couple of highlights of the 2016 challenge. 

British Settler John Parkin's farm

This morning a quick Geocaching outing took me to a small park in Fernglen where I found an equally small monument located to the one side of the park.  The monument stated:

IN MEMORY OF 

JOHN PARKIN

1787 - 1856

LEADER OF A PARTY OF SETTLERS

FROM DEVON TO SOUTH AFRICA IN 1820,

AND PROMINENT IN THE EARLY 

DEVELOPMENT OF PORT ELIZABETH

THE SUBURBS IN THIS AREA

STAND ON WHAT WAS ONCE

JOHN PARKIN'S FARM OF 1421 H.A.

WHICH HE ACQUIRED IN 1826.

I never knew this little monument was here not that the suburbs in the area (probably Fernglen, Sunridge Park and Framesby) is located on what was once a Settler farm.  Just shows once again that there are still things in Port Elizabeth even I haven't discovered and how big a role Geocaching can play in discovering these places.

You can see how dry it is in Port Elizabeth at the moment by looking at the grass.  Brown and dry.

Upper Seaview

Driving from Mount Pleasant to Seaview most people always seem to be in a hurry and fly down Seaview Road.  I enjoy taking the slower more scenic option and drive along the Old and Upper Seaview roads.  There are much better views from up there.

Lovemore Heights view

I have always thought that the view from the top of Melsetter Road on Lovemore Heights are one of the best panoramic views of the city.  I passed through the suburb again yesterday and tried to take a photo to share with you.  It's impossible to show the view properly by using the camera.  Your eye just zoom in automatically and if you zoom in with the camera you loose the rest of the view.  So for this one those of you who live in PE and have never been there will have to go and check it out yourselves.

The lazy days of Summer

Oh the lazy days of Summer.  There is about a week left before school starts, some people are back at work tomorrow and most will be back by Monday so make the most of these beautiful summer days we have.  Love the rain that fell this afternoon though.  We really need it badly.

Happy New Year from PE Daily Photo

As I'm typing this post the first day of the new year is nearly over.  Although I didn't do much today, I really did not have the time to do this post.  Pretty much sums up my 2016.  Too much to do and not enough time to do it in.  It also means that often my blogs were the ones that pulled on the short end of the stick either through the quality of the post, the quality of the photos, the timing of the posts or just sometimes no post at all which meant a later post dated post.  Makes sense?  So here I sit on the first day of 2017 and, well, I'm nearly late and have no photo of PE to post.  Mainly because we spent the last two weeks away on holiday, most of it up in the stunningly beautiful Drakensberg.  So I am starting off the year posting a selfie taken on one of the hikes I took in the Berg.  I chose it because of the significance of the moment.  The 2000 on my hand doesn't mean it's an old photo from 17 years ago.  Not at all.  By now most of you know I'm an avid Geocacher and during our stay at Mahai in the Royal Natal National Park in the Northern Drakensberg I found my 2000th Geocache.  A milestone I'm very proud of and one I decided to share with you today.

2016 was a tough year.  Not all bad but definitely not all moonshine and roses.  I decided not to use this post to highlight the highs, mention the lows, draw up my New Years's resolutions or list things I want to achieve or places I want to go in 2017. I just want to take this opportunity to wish all my friends and loyal Port Elizabeth Daily Photos followers as well as those who occationally stumble on my blog posts a Happy New Year.  May 2017 be your year.  I'm sure going to try hard to make it mine.  Here's also to hoping that you will all continue to support Port Elizabeth Daily Photo through you visits, reading the posts and sharing the photos and posts on this wonderful city I call home on social media.  Have a great 2017!!!!

Dolphins of Port Elizabeth video

Port Elizabeth and Algoa Bay isn't called the Bottlenose Dolphin Capital of the World for nothing.  I picked up on this video posted by Judy Venter on YouTube which Judy filmed off the pier from her kayak.  Amazing seeing these animals so close up in the wild.  

PE food trucks

The food truck culture has definitely reached Port Elizabeth and Food Truck Friday down in the Baakens Valley (once a month at this stage) has proved it.  The Makoy Food Truck, one of PE's originals, did the catering at a function I attended in November and if that is the food that comes from food trucks then who needs to go to a restaurant?  Now if we can just find a place in PE where food trucks can have a semi permanent spot with enough foot traffic to stand and we can have Food Truck Friday every day or at least every weekend.

St George's Wild Fig Trees

There are a number of giant Wild Fig Trees in and around St George's Park, all well over 100 years old.  The one in the centre of the park next to the Pearson Conservatory must be one of my favorite trees around Port Elizabeth.  I always marvel at it's size and love walking over the sleeper bridge underneath it imagining that it could be the city's Mother Tree.

Richmond Hill Brewing Co

I got to peek into the new Richmond Hill Brewing Co undercover beer yard and brewery in the Baakens Valley the other day.  Unfortunately it was literally just a peek in as I was attending an event next door so I didn't get to try the beers or check out the brewery, but I'm sure this spot is going to become a very popular spot here in the Port Elizabeth.  The recent Craft Brew and Food Fest also took place between here and the adjacent Chicky's Yard and looking at the photos on social media I really missed something.