Entry 12.

Mr. Ostrich, out for his morning stroll.

Road trip! We spent the day driving along the waterline and through the adorable coastal towns of the Western Cape.

Penguins are native here. This little guy was pondering life with a long walk on the beach.

Their official name used to be 'Jackass Penguins', but apparently the penguins took offense to that. It was recently changed to the 'African Penguin' - boring! In San Diego you have Seal Beach. Here they have Penguin Beach.

The Cape of Good Hope's fearsome reputation is justified by the abundance of ships that met their end here. As early back as the 1400's the sailors of large trade vessels most feared traversing this point of Africa. The waters just off the cape are extremely treacherous, with an estimated 450 wrecks lying at the bottom of the ocean. Most famous is the legend of the Flying Dutchman; thought to be based upon the 1641 sinking of a Dutch ship just off the cape. It is said the captain, not ready to die, shouted into the gail "I will round this Cape even if I sail until doomsday!" Since then, many people have reported sightings of a phantom ghost ship while sailing in these waters - even in the 20th century, the crew of a German WWII submarine saw the ship, as did sunbathers on the beach in 1942.

This desolate, rugged area is now a National Park. We decided to take the hiking trail to the end...

When I dressed this morning, I didn't realize we would be hiking here and was ill-prepared in the footwear department. Determined to get to the end of Africa, I managed the 3 mile hike over some tough terrain in these flats. Ouch.

Standing at the tip of the Cape of Good Hope, the end of Africa. Nothing but ocean between me and Antarctica. There is some debate as to where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Some say it is at the geographic southernmost point of Africa, Cape Agulhas. Other science-types contest that it is here, where the two unique currents mesh.

The clear blue sky and warm sunshine were magnificent today. I honestly think God is hookin' me up with some spectacular weather. These pictures don't do the views justice.

That hike worked up our appetites. If I wasn't going to see the Flying Dutchman in person, I figured a drink by the same name was the second best thing. It also helped to numb my aching feet!

With my cocktail lunch and a couple bandaids from the first aid station for my blisters, I was ready to head up the other hill to the lighthouse.

A picture perfect day.