Wednesday, June 2, 2010

The Seals of Cape Town



Thought it would be kewl to see the Cape Fur Seal colony in Cape Town, so I hopped on a boat and headed out to Duiker Island.


We pulled slowly out of the harbor.



Enroute, I was surprised to see so much sea foam!





20 min. later, my boat neared the cluster of rocks known as "Duiker Island," and saw the delightful mammals that are indigenous to Southern Africa.



The colony of seals were cute and lazy, as they slept undeterred under the warm wintry sun.



My visit was marred when I found out that they were the reason why the Horn of Africa was a reputed draw for Great Whites.



Despite their vulnerabilities, life for the Cape Fur Seals appeared prettttty gooood.


And then it was time to head back to the harbor.





Upon arrival, the harbor was alive with all sorts of activities. These entertainers were performing as we pulled in... such fun!



When I alighted, I had fun shopping at the various booths along the docks.



All sorts of African art and handiwork were readily available for a "special price."



FIFA fever was 10 days away and these "football" (a.k.a. soccer) horns were sold everywhere!





I especially liked these hand carved painted bowls.



Before I left I caught another street performance, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And then, I was off to my next Cape Town exploration!