Walk Report

Remoteness, tranquillity, a slow walk, sunny and mild weather, pristine Cape seashore vegetation, sweeping beaches, rock pools, sea shell strewn coves, good humour, birds and a spot to have tea and watch the whale out at sea. It doesn’t get better.

Six members and guests set off on the 21st October to ramble along the sea shore from Betty’s Bay’s beautiful Silversands beach towards Cape Hangklip in perfect weather. Having no fixed destination set us free to take our time. We would stop for tea when we felt like it and then retrace our steps.

Cape sea shore vegetation is notable for its dwarf and succulent plants. At this time of year, it is also notable for its flowers. We congratulated ourselves that we didn’t have to trek up the Cape West Coast to see masses of flowers which may or may not be there. They were here.

White Dimorphotheca fruticosa, rankbietou, on the hillsides, yellow Osteospermum species on the path – reminiscent of ‘the yellow brick road’.
White Dimorphotheca fruticosa, rankbietou, on the hillsides, yellow Osteospermum species on the path – reminiscent of ‘the yellow brick road’.

Tiny copper coloured Indigofera of a species unknown to us caught our eye, almost unnoticeable until we paused to have a closer look.

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Indigofera sp. You wouldn’t see it if you were in a rush

Easier to spot were bright Ruschia macowanii. Restricted to rocky shores of the South Western Cape, they are ice plants of the family Aizoaceae. With their bright shine they redefine what we think of as the colour purple. Or are they pink? It depends what angle you look at them.

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Ruschia macowanii

We had to hand it to the property owners of the Sea Farm conservancy. There is no sign of the alien invasive plants that have all but extinguished the natural vegetation on the far side of Maasbaai surrounding the Hangklip lighthouse, public land to the west of Sea Farm. This land has been lovingly conserved.

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Felicia species colour the pristine Cape Sea Shore vegetation, not an invasive alien in sight.

Another plant we would have missed if we had been in a rush, and almost trampled but for a startled warning cry from Yvonne Greeff, was the fascinating and bizarrely beautiful Ferraria crispa, otherwise known as ‘Inkpotjie’ or, more descriptively, ‘krulletjie’

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Ferraria crispa, ‘inkpotjie’ or ‘krulletjie’

A grey heron expressed the mood well, standing motionless and gazing out to sea, reminding us that the best way to celebrate this timeless sea shore is in slowness and stillness.

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Grey heron, Ardea cinerea

Then we had tea and sandwiches, happy conversation and ambled back the way we came.

Tim Attwell.