Cape of Good Hope - the sadness and joy of sailors. South Africa

The Cape of Good Hope is a popular attraction for tourists traveling to Cape Town, South Africa. It is a wonderful place with unpredictable weather, baboons and adorable penguins playing in the ocean. Here you can fully enjoy the stunning landscapes and the wealth of wildlife.

Description and location

Upland on the Cape Peninsula, located on the world map near Cape Town. It is mistakenly considered the southernmost point of the mainland and the place where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. In fact, the tip is located at Cape Agulhas (Agulhas), located on the South African Gardens Road, 200 km from the capital of South Africa.

The cold Bengal Current on the west coast and the warm Agulhas Current merge at the foot of one of Africa's top attractions, which, along with nearby Cape Point, offers breathtaking scenery.

The summit is located 70 km from Cape Town... You can get from the city by car in an hour and a half. Legend has it that the ghosts of the Flying Dutchman's crew inhabit the promontory and its waters, although visiting tourists are much more likely to see penguins, antelopes and possibly a southern whale.

The geographical coordinates of the cape are 54 ° 31'08 ″ north latitude and 42 ° 04′15 ″ east longitude. Elevation: 93 m

origin of name

The historical fact why the Cape of Good Hope is so called is quite interesting. It dates from the time of exploration in the 15th century, when the European powers - Spain and Portugal, sent sailors to unknown places in search of wealth. The first European to see and discover the cape was the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeo Dias, who was looking for the southern borders of the African continent. The date of the expedition headed by him is 1486.

According to some historical sources, Dias called his discovery "Cape of Storms" (Cabo das Tormentas), but later changed it to the current name of the cape (Cabo da Boa Esperança), named after the proposal of King John II of Portugal because of the trade opportunities that brought this place. According to other sources, Diash himself came up with this name. He was from a family of hereditary sailors. His older brothers, moving south along the coast of West Africa, discovered the Bohador and Green capes.

Cape history

It took 9 years before Vasco da Gama, another Portuguese sailor, also attempted to travel to the southern tip of Africa on his way to India. The sailors met with people from the Khoya tribe, and several of Vasco da Gama's crew were injured in the collision with them. Other important facts in the history of this area are:

1. Although the Portuguese were the first to travel the cape, they were not seriously interested in southern Africa. They feared the indigenous population, and the weather was sometimes treacherous and dangerous.
2. Some early Portuguese sailors chose not to sail around the area. In addition, when it comes to trade, South Africa had very little to offer: gold had not yet been discovered, and the land seemed desolate and hopeless.
3. In June 1580, nearly 100 years later, Sir Francis Drake sailed past the Cape. He was on a trip around the world commissioned by Elizabeth I of England. The weather was calm and the landscape was serene. This view inspired Sir Francis Drake to utter the following words: "This cape is the most magnificent thing and the fairest cape that we have seen in the entire circumference of the earth." More British expeditions followed, and soon other European countries followed in their footsteps.
4. In the first half of the 17th century, the British and Dutch used the route, which was supposed to go around the cape, for trade purposes. Danish and French ships made stops to replenish water supplies and stock up on fresh food.
5. Although English, French and Dutch East Indian companies played with the idea of ​​establishing a base on the Cape in the 17th century, it was the Dutch who finally took the first step.

On December 31, 1687, a group of Huguenots was sent to the cape from the Netherlands. They fled France to avoid religious persecution. The Dutch East India Company needed skilled farmers on the Cape, and the Dutch government saw opportunities for the Huguenots by sending them there.

Cape of Good Hope plays an important role in South African history as a stopping point for merchant ships sailing between Europe and the European colonies to the east. Initially, Europeans traded with locals for food and water, but in April 6, 1652, the Dutch East India Company, led by merchant Jan van Riebeck, established a small supply station in a sheltered bay beyond the Cape Peninsula, forming the first European settlement in the region.

On January 19, 1806, Great Britain occupied the extreme point of the peninsula. It was ceded to Great Britain in the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1814 and was henceforth administered as Cape Colonia.

Today, the small station that provided food for tired sailors has become the bustling city of Cape Town.

Vegetable world

The Cape Peninsula is one of eight protected areas in the region jointly recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its rich flora. Although the 553,000 hectares of the Cape Flower Region account for only 0.5% of Africa's area, it contains almost 20% of the continent's plant life. Finbosch, or "beautiful bush", is the most common type of plant found here, and many species are unique to the peninsula.

The promontory is part of Table Mountain National Park, and park rangers can be seen working to remove invasive species such as wattle, pine and blue gum that threaten the survival of native plants.

wild nature

The peninsula is rich in wildlife, especially birds. The gannet, the African black oyster hunter and 4 species of cormorants live on its shores. But the most famous feathered creatures are the penguins on Boulders Beach. Tourists can see up close one of the few colonies on the mainland in False Bay. There are special paths that lead through the natural habitat of penguins, and if you visit this place between February and August, you can see fluffy chicks.

Cape Mountain Zebra is rare in these areas... But the more common inhabitants are baboons, several species of antelope and the little furry dassi, the closest relative of the elephant. You can also watch whales and dolphins here.

Activities and activities

One of the main attractions of South Africa is a narrow peninsula overlooking the ocean. But this location implies the presence of wind and unpredictable weather. However, the landscape that opens to visitors will not leave anyone indifferent:

1. The coastline, against the backdrop of clouds with occasional glimpses of the sun, creates a dramatic landscape. While here, you can look at the roaming zebras. It is also a great spot for whale watching between June and November.
2. Climb the lighthouse for the best views of the cape. There are 3 ways to get to the top. There is a path with long stone stairs along the coastline. This route offers the best views of the coast. There is a road from the car park all the way to the top. The ascent is fairly easy and not very strenuous. For those who do not want or do not have the opportunity to walk, there is the Flying Dutchman funicular, which will take you to the observation deck in 3 minutes for a small fee.
3. A drive along the Cape Peninsula is one of the favorite additions to the tourist route in Cape Town. Highlights of the day trip are the southern points of the headland, and the stunning sea cliffs and ocean views will make tourists feel like they are on the edge of the earth.

The best places

Muizenberg Beach. Muisenberg is a beachfront suburb of Cape Town known for its white sandy shores and the very colorful houses that adorn it. The warm waters of the Indian Ocean are an added bonus and attract surfers to this place.

Simons Town and Boulders Beach. Simons Town is a historic and charming naval town on False Bay, and Boulders Beach is famous for its African penguin colony. Thousands of individuals go about their daily activities: cleaning their wings, looking after their children. Walking through Boulders Beach takes place on a wooden plank. If you want to get closer to the penguins, you need to go further along the sand dunes to Foxy Beach, but keep in mind that penguins can be aggressive, and if you get too close, you can experience how sharp their beaks are.

Cape Point. This summit can be reached by driving just over 1 km east of the main promontory. It is here that the Flying Dutchman funicular is located, overlooking the lighthouse.

Chapman's Peak Drive. Nothing beats the windswept Atlantic coastline, and Chapman's Peak provides the ocean road with the most breathtaking views. This toll freeway is carved into the rock, and has nearly vertical inclines and blind bends. It starts at the fishing village of Hout Bay and continues to Cape Chapman and then ends at Nordhoek. The ocean views are incredible along the route, but the best from Cape Chapman, the highest point on the road.

It is the embodiment of the hopes of Portuguese sailors who were looking for a way to India in the 15th century. It was originally nicknamed the Cape of Tempests, but King João II was very superstitious and issued a decree to rename it.

Today the cape is the most important strategic site of the region. Previously, it was a reference point for merchant ships traveling from Europe to the Far East. Now it is a popular tourist destination, and millions of travelers from all over the world come to admire its landscapes every year.

Cape of Good Hope: description, photo, video

Despite the euphonious name, this section of the African coastal zone cannot be called calm. Severe sea storms and hurricanes are frequent at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, aided by two deep currents colliding in the vicinity of the peninsula. For many centuries, these places were dangerous for navigation, just like in, even modern ships pass this section very difficult. Only experienced sailors could cope with the power of the elements.

Quite often, the Cape of Good Hope is called the extreme point of Africa in the south, but this is not entirely true. Geographically, a similar status belongs to Cape Agolny, which stretches 200 kilometers to the southeast. The Cape of Good Hope is rather a "psychological" mark, crossing which, the traveler moves more eastward than southward. It rises 250 meters above sea level, making it one of the largest coastal cliffs in the world.

The Cape of Good Hope in South Africa has dense vegetation with low shrubs. Its entire territory, as well as the main part of the Cape Peninsula, are part of the Table Mountain National Park. The climate here is harsh, wild and practically untouched by man. It is with this feature that it attracts tourists.

The total area of ​​the protected area covers more than 7 thousand hectares. There are fantastic deserted beaches and majestic cliffs that gaze into the vast expanses of the ocean. The amazing landscapes of Cape Dobroi Nadezhny, as they fascinate in the photo, but it is better to see them in reality. A huge number of seabirds live on the coast, among which penguins are especially interesting. As for the vegetation, among the great variety, it is full of endemics that are not found anywhere else in the world.

Where is the Cape of Good Hope

This attraction is located on the territory of the Republic of South Africa in the Western Cape. To be more precise, where the Cape of Good Hope is located, it is located 50 kilometers from Cape Town, in the area of ​​another cape called Cape Point. This territory is remarkable in that the so-called passage between the two oceans - the Indian and the Atlantic - is located here.

Distance from major cities:

• Pretoria - 1,340 kilometers;
• Johannesburg - 1,397 kilometers

The coordinates of the Cape of Good Hope on the map:

• Latitude - 34 ° 21 ′ 32 ″
• Longitude - 18 ° 28 ′ 21 ″

Cape of Good Hope on the map

How to get to the Cape of Good Hope

The natural landmark is far enough away from civilization. You can get here from Cape Town, where there are many flights from Johannesburg and other cities. It should be noted that different airlines operate flights only on certain days. The cost of a ticket depends on the distance - from major cities in South Africa it varies between $ 50-200, from other countries, respectively, more expensive.

How to get from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope:

The first option is suitable for those who have a driver's license, in the city you can rent a car for up to $ 120 per day, travel time is about 1.5 hours. You can also take a bus, there are two daily departures to the cape - in the morning and at lunchtime. The landing place in Cape Town is Green Market Square, the buses leave at 13:00 and 17:15, the price of a one-way ticket is 7-8 dollars.

When is the best time to visit

Since the territory is under protection, the Cape of Good Hope has a certain working schedule. In summer it is open to visitors until 6 pm, in winter - until 5. There are practically no days off. There are several beaches on the coast where you can come to relax and sunbathe. Many beaches are wild, so here you can get away from tourists. The cape is great for families.

The swimming season here begins in September and lasts until May. At this time, the weather is warm and sunny. In winter, and here it lasts from June to the end of July, it is cool here and strong winds blow. This time is suitable only for true extreme lovers who cannot be scared by huge waves.

Features of visiting the Cape of Good Hope

Has an official website where you can find a lot of useful information. The cost of visiting the park is approximately $ 11. Children under 11 have a 50% discount. The Flying Dutchman funicular operates on the territory. It received this name due to the fact that the mysterious ship of the same name is most often visible from it.

According to legend, in the 17th century, a captain sold his soul to the devil to get out of the storm. As a result, the ship and crew members were cursed and forced to sail forever in the ocean, appearing in front of the sailors with whom misfortune should have happened. The one-way fare on the funicular is $ 4, and for children under 16 - $ 1.5.

Cape of Good Hope how to get there on your own

Vehicles that do not have time to leave the parking lot before the park closes are subject to a fine. Littering is also prohibited in the park. There is a restaurant in the park where you can have a bite to eat with local dishes, as well as several outlets where you can buy souvenirs and other products. However, it is better to stock up on food and water in advance. You should also take a camera with you - beautiful pictures are guaranteed.

What to see in the vicinity

One of the main attractions of the cape is the lighthouse. It was built in the second half of the 19th century. The lighthouse rises 240 meters, so it can be seen from almost anywhere in the neighborhood. It is the largest in South Africa. Today it does not function and is more valuable from an aesthetic point of view, being an excellent observation deck. You can get here on foot or by cable car.

From the observation deck, you can simultaneously admire the waters of the two oceans, which, by the way, differ from each other in color. On the coast of False Bay, there is a winding trail in the mountains that leads to the small town of Simonstown. Once upon a time, the Royal Navy of Britain was stationed here.

Another must-see is the island of fur seals. On 4 square kilometers there is a closed military base and a prison in which Nelson Mandela was serving his sentence. Now there is a museum here, where you can learn the history of South Africa. Also, tourists are given the opportunity to visit the prison cells and the courtyard.

The Cape of Good Hope is one of the most famous places in Africa. For a long time it was considered the extreme southern point of the continent, until it became clear that the neighboring Cape Agulhas was several meters to the south. But by that time, the Cape of Good Hope had gained worldwide fame, and is still popular among tourists.

In the first part of the post I will talk about him, and in the second - about the most unusual inhabitants of Africa. Oddly enough, penguins live on the black continent and, we went to the coast, where their colonies nest (or rather even burrow) ...

These stones in the water are the end of the Cape of Good Hope:

3.

There is a parking lot on the shore nearby, which can be accessed by car. What we did:

4.

After it was discovered that there was a mistake with the southern point, the Cape of Good Hope was assigned a different honorary category, calling it the most southwestern point of the continent. This is indicated by the inscription on the plate, next to which everyone is photographed.

For the first time, I saw a large group of tourists taking pictures: everyone put their cameras in a line in front of the guide, and he takes turns taking pictures with each camera. It turns out such a photographic conveyor for fifteen minutes:

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Nearby there is a walking path to the cape itself:

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Somewhere the path goes along the ground, and somewhere there are wooden stairs. They have many black lizards that look like miniature crocodiles:

View from Cape of Hope on the coast of South Africa:

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The most fearless tourists are photographed with their legs dangling from a cliff:

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And I just took off my legs against the background of the cliff to show how steep it is:

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Regular readers know that I love to be photographed in different places, bouncing a star. The Cape of Good Hope is no exception:

11.

The neighboring mountain, Cape Point, is significantly higher than the Cape of Good Hope and can be climbed by funicular. Our random fellow travelers in the carriage turned out to be Russian-speaking too:

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There are three lighthouses on this mountain - at the highest point, somewhere in the middle and below by the sea. Only the latter works, since both upper ones are poorly visible in foggy weather:

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Nevertheless, the tall lighthouse is popular with tourists, as it offers an excellent view of the Cape of Good Hope:

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On the observation deck, there is a traditional indicator of distances to major cities in the world. I did not find Moscow there:

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A beautiful view of the meeting of two oceans - the Atlantic (right) and Indian (left). Their currents are so strong that not far from the coast they collide with each other and form a white seething seam on the calm water surface. Before the Cape was given the name of Good Hope, the first European navigator named it the Cape of Streams:

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The water element is also raging at the foot:

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I took this picture of Cape and Cape Point a day later from Table Mountain - another famous hill in South Africa (I will talk about it in detail in one of the following posts):

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After the Cape of Good Hope, we went for a bite to eat not far from the penguin beach. Street performers danced near its entrance:

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On the coast, where penguins live, there is something like a small nature reserve. Having paid five euros for the entrance, you find yourself on long bridges, behind which birds walk:

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There are enough people who want to see African penguins:

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There are also a lot of penguins. They live in burrows, go to sea for fish and come back to feed their offspring:

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This type of penguin is called spectacled or donkey. Why the donkey is understandable: it makes sounds similar to a donkey's mooing. Why spectacled is not clear:

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Spectacled penguins are listed in the International Red Book and Red Book of South Africa. This is due to the uncontrolled consumption of penguin eggs by the inhabitants of Africa. Initially, the population of the species numbered two million individuals, but in the twentieth century, when 450 thousand eggs were collected per year for fried eggs, about twenty thousand of them remained:

24.

It is not the southernmost point of Africa, since the southernmost point of the continent is Cape Agulhas, which is located 155 km from the Cape of Good Hope. But the coastline of the African continent here for the first time turns to the east, opening a passage from the Atlantic Ocean towards the Indian. The Cape of Good Hope is the most extreme southwestern point of Africa, which is confirmed by the inscription with the exact coordinates installed on the site in front of the cape. The Cape Peninsula, having reached its southernmost point in this place, then bends slightly to the north and drops off into the ocean with a high and steep rocky cape - Cape Point, the coordinates of which give its position 45 meters (1.5 ") north of the Cape of Good Hope, although it is on Cape Point that a lighthouse called “The Cape of Good Hope” is installed. This is where a well-known misunderstanding arises, which can be easily explained when looking at the terrain, where it can be seen that the ships “go around” Cape Point, beyond which Falsby Bay opens (English), where the warm current from the Indian Ocean enters. For this reason, the water temperature on the eastern coast of the Cape Peninsula is always several degrees higher than on its western coast, washed by the waters of the cold Benguela Current from Antarctica.

History

Travels of Eudoxus

For the first time the navigator Eudoxus of Kyzikos (130 BC -?) Tried to make a round-the-world trip within the framework of the African continent. And it all started when Eudoxus was returning from his second expedition from India, the wind threw his ship to the east coast of Africa, where he discovered the wreckage of the ship. From the stories of the local population, he concluded that the ship sailed from Hades (now this city is called Cadiz, Spain), namely, that it sailed counterclockwise around Africa, past the cape and entered the Indian Ocean. This prompted him to repeat the voyage and sail around the world on the continent. Having organized an expedition at his own expense, he sailed from Hades and began sailing along the east coast of Africa. However, the difficulties were too great, and he had to return to Europe.

After this failure, Eudoxus again went on a round-the-world trip to Africa. His further fate is unknown, but some, such as Pliny, have argued that Eudoxus did indeed achieve his goal. However, the most likely conclusion is that he died on his journey.

Fra Mauro and his map

Fra Mauro Map (inverted)

“Around 1420, a ship from India crossed the Indian Sea towards the island of men and women, at Cape Diab, between green islands and shadows. He swam for 40 days southwestward, finding nothing but wind and water. According to the crew, the ship sailed about 2,000 miles ahead and their luck left them. When the storm subsided, they returned to Cape Diab within seventy days. "

“Ships called junks travel these seas, carry four masts or more, some of which can be raised or lowered, and have 40-60 merchant cabins and only one tiller. They can move without a compass because they have an astrologer who, with an astrolabe in hand, gives orders to the navigator. " (Text from Fra Mauro card)

Vasco da Gama expedition

Geologically, the sandstone rocks that make up the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point and Table Mountain are the same.

Excursion to the ends of the earth! Isn't this a dream!

For a long time it was believed that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern point of Africa. It was discovered in 1488 by the Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias de Novais. In search of a sea route to India, Bartolomeu and his team skirted Africa. Having got into a violent storm, the ships wandered in the ocean for several days, and then stumbled upon a cape. In memory of the storm, the navigator named it Cape of Tempests.

Soon, thanks to King João II of Portugal, the cape received a different name - the Cape of Good Hope.

The Cape of Good Hope is the extreme point of the southwestern part of Africa. Its exact coordinates are indicated on a plate installed in front of the cape. Tourists constantly gather near it.

A little further from it is Cape Point - a favorite place for visitors due to the powerful, 240 m above sea level, lighthouse. The Cape of Good Hope lighthouse was built on Cape Point back in 1857. It is currently not operational, but tourists can take a funicular or walk to the observation deck, located at an altitude of 200 m, from where a beautiful panoramic view opens up.

If you look closely, from a height you can see how the waters of the Indian and Atlantic oceans are connected at the cape. Water of different shades merges together. There are sandy beaches on the coast, where you can relax with a large company or retire.

Not far from the Cape of Good Hope is the famous Diaz Beach. Surfers are attracted by high waves, divers are attracted by numerous sunken ships, and adventurers hope to catch a glimpse of the legendary Flying Dutchman.

On the way to the Cape of Good Hope from Cape Town, on the territory of more than 7 thousand hectares, there is a nature reserve of the same name with the cape. More than 1,000 plant species, including endemic ones, are found here. In the impenetrable thickets of the reserve, artichoke protea grows, the flower of which is a symbol of South Africa.

More than 250 species of birds and many animals live here: eland antelopes, zebras, bear baboons, cheetahs, lynxes, mongoose, crocodile-like lizards. And next to them live penguins and fur seals. In winter and spring, southern whales swim near the Cape of Good Hope.

How to get to the Cape of Good Hope:

• from Moscow to Cape Town with a transfer in Munich, London or Dubai, from where it takes 4 hours to get to the cape by car. The road by car runs through an area filled with wonderful landscapes, so time flies by.

For your convenience, the Excelens company organizes individual tours to the Cape of Good Hope with a flight from Moscow.