Keep Calm and Explore

Exploring new places has always been one of my favourite things to do. So often we think that we need to go beyond our borders to discover a favourite new place, when so often we're living within a 2 hours radius of the most interesting destinations.


St Helena Bay - Fishing Boat



My boo and I will often just go for a drive "to no where" and see where the road takes us. This past weekend we did just that and headed up the West Coast. Both not being from the Western Cape, there are many spots in this direction that we've not yet been to but rather than hit the more touristy places, we tried to find the "off the beaten track" places.

Our first discovery definitely fit that brief. St Helena Bay must be one of the more random places I've visited in my life! With many fishing industry related businesses there, the coastline is not particularly "untouched" but that in itself gives it it's own charm. It's clear to see that the community revolves around the income that the industry brings in although they are clearly trying to increase the tourism industry with plenty of estates with nice roads and street lights, but not too many houses build yet.

Vasco de Gama Monument


St Helena Bay is also the place that Vasco de Gama first set foot in South Africa in 1497. We visited the monument erected to commemorate this only to find plenty of smashed beer bottles on the ground - either it's a popular drinking spot, or the locals don't think much of old Mr de Gama!

After a little drive around there we headed back in the direction of home and stopped off for some "slap" chips in Paternoster. Not entirely non-touristy, Paternoster is just a place that neither of us had been to yet. It's quainty white washed fisherman cottages reminded me a bit of how I imagine Greece to look. It's would definitely be the prefered weekend destination choice for me over it's neighbour St Helena!

Last up was Saldanha Bay, which at my request, we just drove through and didn't stop in. I was too afraid of getting attacked by the millions of sea gulls swirling overhead as a result of the many fishing boats that had just brought in their hauls. That and the fact that the Steel Factory there made everything an unhealthy red colour which had me a little concerned! Let's just say that I'm very glad that my life has taken the path that it has and that this is not a place that I call home!