Winters walk on the pier

Taking a Sunday afternoon winters walk along Shark Rock Pier

Paddle skiers off the pier

I've always wanted to try paddle skiing but just never had the chance.  Very much like surfing actually.  Something I really need to try.  But back to paddle skiing.  On Sunday while standing on the pier, in perfect conditions, no wind, flat seas and clear waters, three paddle skiers came padding past below.  Looked blissful. All the needed was a pod of dolphins to surround them.  

The King Edward Hotel by the Donkin Reserve

My fondest memory of the Edward Hotel was having our matric farewell dance in the back hall.  And eating there a couple of times.  The hotel has been closed for a number of years now and have undergone a revamp and upgrade with plans to reopen later this year.  Since the announcement the management group has pulled out again and we're yet to hear what will happen next.  But regardless of what is going on behind the scenes, the majestic old gent still stands overlooking the Donkin Reserve.

The King Edward's Mansions was built in 1903 by Rochelle & Smith and was owned by Palace Buildings, Ltd. in the early days.  There were 120 bedrooms and sitting rooms and while the ground floor contained suites for doctors and dentists as well as restaurant.  The hotel was first called the King Edward's Mansions, later the King Edward Hotel and Edward Hotel.  Now i's back to King Edward Hotel.  

Celebrating 3000 posts on Port Elizabeth Daily Photo

Today is a milestone day for me here on Port Elizabeth Daily Photo.  This day marks the 3000th post I've done on this here blog.  When I started blogging on Firefly the Travel Guy (then known as The Firefly Photo Files) on 9 July 2008 I did so because I wanted to share with people the places around me.  At the time I was a staunch follower of Port Elizabeth Daily Photo while Sue and Max Hoppe (then known online as SAM) was doing it and I really wanted to do what they were doing and achieving with their blog.  Then the day came where I received an email from Sue asking me if I would be interested in adopting their baby.  They were closing in on 500 posts and felt that it was time to hand it over to somebody else.  I said yes without a second thought and did my first post (post #501) on 15 March 2009.  I know I've missed a couple of posts due to work / no internet / laptop problems, but I have persisted with Port Elizabeth Daily Photo for over 8 years making today my 3000th posts (and a PEDP post total of 3500 posts).  Add to that the 1790 posts I've done on Firefly the Travel Guy and it means I'm closing in on 5000 blog posts.  

I have to be very honest with you today though.  Doing Port Elizabeth Daily Photo isn't easy.  Between work and family responsibilities there often isn't much time to blog or even just to go and take photos.  Building an audience is hard work and then to keep them interested even harder.  This job is made even tougher these days by the amount of people who just post their photos on Port Elizabeth Facebook groups where the audience already exists and that means that audience don't really need to visit PE Daily Photo for a photo fix.  What does count in the blog's favour is the fact that a photo post on social media is fairly fleeting while the photos as well as the info I post along with it on the blog get's referenced by Google.  That definitely is the reason I haven't just moved PE Daily Photo from a blog to a Facebook page.  Something that also counts against PEDP though is that I don't have the money to buy a drone while those who do have drones and are able to show very different angles and videos from what I can get a lot of shares and comments on social media.  I, on the best of days, still struggle to be recognised as a blogger here in Port Elizabeth.  Go figure.  

This all means that there is honestly not a day that goes by where I don't think about giving blogging on PE Daily Photo up.  Is it worth my while?  Is it worth all the effort?  But then I attend an event and somebody realises that I am Firefly and they get all excited about the fact that they follow one or both of my blogs.  Or I receive an email or comment on social media from somebody who has discovered something new, was reminded of a childhood memory because of something I photographed or wrote or just enjoy my posts.  I may not make money from blogging, but those are the things that make it worth it for me. 

Is Port Elizabeth Daily Photo going to continue?  Definitely.  Am I going to continue thinking about calling it quits?  Definitely as well, but that day hasn't arrived yet.  I do think that at some stage in the near future I may stop posting every day and cut back to four or five posts a week to make it more manageable, but PE Daily Photo will continue on.

Thank you all for enjoying PE Daily Photo, for coming back every day to see what I'm posting and for all the support.  I am doing it for you and as long as you are enjoying it, I will continue.

Shark Rock Pier on a Sunday afternoon

Yesterday afternoon I found myself on the beach without my camera.  Perfect weather, emerald green great visibility ocean, clear air... What more could a guy ask for other than to have your camera.  Luckily I had my phone and I perched myself on a rock next to the pier for a picture.  Seconds later that little wave came and submerged my rock, soaking my shoes and tracksuit pants.  Didn't mind though. 

Enjoying the view from the pier

We headed down to the beachfront this afternoon to pop in at the Homemakers Expo at the Boardwalk and afterwards went for a walk along the pier to enjoy the glorious winters weather.  Standing out on the pier I realised how long its been since we've done this as a family.  Have you been to the beachfront for a walk lately?

Sand Sledding at Sundays River Mouth video

The guys from Chasing the Rainbow went cruising on the Sundays River Ferry and topped off the trip sand sledding on the Colchester dunes near the river mouth with Captain Les.  Check the video they made doing this awesome activity right here on our doorstep. 

History on the mind

Port Elizabeth is really fortunate to have a lot of different cultures and heritages come together here over the years and if you have history on your mind, then it's just the place to be.  In this case the Donkin Street Houses behind one of the Route 72 Voting Line figures.

Schoenies Centenary Garden

Last year (2016) saw Schoenmakerskop, or as we refer to it, Schoenies, celebrate its centenary year.  As part of the celebrations a Centenary Garden has been established in front of the Sacramento Restaurant.

The plaque in front of the garden says: 

"There's not 

a day when I don't 

think about 

how privileged 

I am to 

live here

1916 - 2016

A Port Elizabeth Winter Sunset

Winter sunsets are the best