Submitted by SafariADV on Thu, 2017-10-19
After taking a ride around the streets of Clanwilliam center we took our car and left for exploring this part of the Western Cape province.
We take the R 364 from Clanwilliam leading us to the Atlantic Ocean, that, though not from the mountainous landscape, it is just a few tens of kilometers away.
The road climbs on a couple of promontories, to then falls down in the midst of cultivated fields and wilderness bushes that spring in a thousand colors with bloom.
Our first stop today is Lambert's Bay, or Lambertsbaai.
Lambert's Bay is a small town overlooking a bay of the Altanic Ocean, where there is an immense white sandy beach where some wild shrubs grow; the waters are quiet, if there is no wind and the day is as serene as today, there are few waves and you can swim, the water is cold but there are still people bathing.
We take a stroll on the beach and it's nice to breathe the brackish ocean air; it is hot and, after the cold weather suffered last night in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, we are happy with this temperature.
From Lambert's Bay we take the coastal road that goes South, as soon as we leave the village the road seems to have been paved recently, in fact our map still indicates it as dirt; we arrive to Leipoldville and from here we turn on the R 365 that takes us to Eland's Bay or Elandsbaai.
According to the Clanwilliam Tourism Office here we would still find some blooming wildflowers, in fact on the road there are wonderful yellow flowers, many white daisies, some orange florals and bushes with tiny purple flowers; a real show.
The road climbs up for a uphill and then gives us a spectacular view of the Eland's Bay Creek; the road goes downhill right in the direction of the bay where there are several larger pink flamingos.
We turn right and reach Eland's Bay.
The town in practice does not exist, there are only a few buildings built near the big bay with the immense white sandy beach, there are some beautiful villas and other somewhat more "common" buildings.
We take a ride on the beach, here the Atlantic Ocean has a bit bigger waves, despite the bay being closed, on the left, from a very scenic rocky promontory.
This is one of the places to surf, and in fact, here and there among the buildings, you can see surfboards; but our attention was captured by a small restaurant that has painted on the facade an immense ocean wave and we decide to stop there.
It has some wooden tables outdoors but we prefer to stay in because we like how it as it has been furnished; it has a marine style, with objects made with recovery materials and with several surfboards, some of which are on sale, such as other items including t-shirts, sweatshirts, after-surfing similar to UGG, swimwear made in crochet and others very little African and very much Californian objects.
The guy who runs the place is friendly though he says only a few words, then he confesses that last night he had a night out and he is still a little stunned but he is interested in us, on our trip and on our project and tells us "come back again so we can chat "; we will definitely be back, we do not know when, but we loved Eland's Bay and also having lunch here at Wit Mussel’s Pot.
We also asked this guy if he knows where we can find the flowering and he gives us some indications, he tells us that he went to Hopefield and Koperfontein a few days ago and the flowering was there; tomorrow, coming down to Cape Town, we go and see and then we will go ahead to Langebaan, Postberg, and the West Coast National Park, that was indicated to us by the head of the Clanwilliam tourism office.
It is time to return to Clanwilliam, it is relatively early because it is 3:30 pm but we want to enjoy the sight and the sunset, that is reflected in the lake, from our terrace, drinking a spritz.
Another day is over and we're ready to start tomorrow morning with our car exploring the Western Cape.
