After a good breakfast and a final stroll through the vineyard, we were ready to embark on the next leg of our journey. We had booked our next destination the night before, quite by chance. Rachel had painted me a picture of what she envisioned for our final stop, and since these adventures are all about living our best lives, we try not to compromise. With that said, we were close to having to compromise when, mysteriously, the perfect place appeared on Airbnb. After a tense booking process, standing on furniture and pleading with our sketchy WiFi to work, we finally secured the reservation.
Our next stop didn’t have the great fresh fruit, veg, and yoghurts that we had become so accustomed to, so we headed to Paarl, a place we had stopped at yesterday for some excellent coffee under the shade of a generous yellowwood tree. It was to be our final “Farmers Market” shop before making our way northwest to St Helena Bay. After about 160 km and just under 2 hours, we pulled up to our last 5-night stay.
Armed with detailed instructions, we arrived at our high-tech beach cottage, and I’m happy to say it was better than we had both imagined. The uninterrupted view across the Atlantic coastline was simply stunning—each time we looked out, there was something new to see. We planned to use our time here to unwind, as Rachel had been juggling a busy work schedule. Being early risers, getting up to meet the sunrise wasn’t an issue, and we were delighted to learn that this is the only place on the west coast of Africa where both the sun and the moon rise over the sea. We also seemed to be on the cormorant food run, where we were treated to thousands of these incredible birds flying just a couple of feet above the ocean early in the morning, returning at dusk each day. It’s a mesmerizing sight, watching them glide effortlessly over the water, hunting for their next meal.
Our host also has another property in a gated community on the beautiful Britannia Beach, with its flat, white sands. We chose it for our early morning walk, an 8 km round trip. What made it even more special was that it seemed to be a favorite spot for dolphins too. When the tide was out in the shallow bay, it felt like the dolphins were swimming alongside us.
We also took a trip into nearby Paternoster for lunch, where Rachel sampled the locally famed crawfish. Paternoster is one of the oldest fishing villages on the west coast of South Africa, known for its collection of whitewashed fishermen’s cottages and a lovely beach, though there isn’t much else. Despite its simplicity, it remains a big draw for visitors.
We haven’t done too much else, but it’s been a fantastic way to end our South African adventure.
Dream Chasers 