From the guest house where we were staying to the beach was just a short walk across the road and through this walkway under the railway line.
Emerging on the other side of the walkway, this was the sight that greeted me.
Not a soul to disturb my early morning perambulations along this stretch of Western Cape coastline. The beach is relatively sheltered from the southeaster making it popular with locals and tourists alike.
An excerpt from Sail Away by Rabindranath Tagore.
Early in the day it was whispered that we should sail in a boat,
only thou and I, and never a soul in the world would know of this our
pilgrimage to no country and to no end.
 An excerpt from The Ocean by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
The Ocean has its silent caves,
Deep, quiet, and alone;
Though there be fury on the waves,
Beneath them there is none.
A walkway along the sea wall allows for pleasant seaside strolls.
Take a moment, rest and enjoy the changing vista.
A verse from the famous poem by John Mansfield…
This tidal pool at St James, not to be confused with the Dalebrook Tidal Pool which is closer to Kalk Bay.
This pool was built in 1903 using convict labour and is busy from before sunrise to after sunset.
FYI…
St James Beach is one of the iconic beach destinations along the False Bay coastline with visitors flocking to this tourist area over weekends and public holidays. The iconic bathing boxes are synonymous with this beach and it’s heritage.
In addition, given the derelict state of the existing bathing boxes, the municipality decided to replace the old boxes with new ones made in similar style, but out of recycled and repurposed materials that should stand the test of time.
Looking past the tidal pool to St James and beyond.
Did you know?
The “Great Bath” at the site of Mohenjo-Daro in modern-day Pakistan was most likely the first swimming pool, dug during the 3rd millennium BC.
St James is a seaside village on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, situated on the False Bay coast between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay.
This building, situated near the tidal pool has the signage “Law Enforcement” on its façade. Is it still used for that purpose? There was no one there for me to ask.
The lights of Kalk Bay seen in the early morning glow.
My favourite time of day…Just before
Before both the arrival of other bathers and the sun.
Sunrise over the ocean. Just before the sun reveals itself from below the horizon must be one of the best moments for those who live at the coast.
For me, these few minutes are special and allow me to connect in a way that is totally different to when I witness sun rises in the bush.
Looking for a reliable shuttle service while you are in Cape Town? Looking for someone who is reasonably priced and ahead of schedule? The I have done your homework for you! Check out this company that used when I was in Cape Town recently to get me back to the airport. Click on the logo to be directed to their website.
For those that were not aware, there is an extension to the Travel & Things Blog in the form of ‘In conversation with‘ a YouTube channel hosted by David Batzofin and filled with a plethora of interesting interviews with a variety of people.
To visit the channel, click on the ‘In conversation with’ image above.
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