From Port Elizabeth we drive west on the N-2 which ends in Cape Town. We make a small detour into Jeffrey’s Bay—previously a deserted spot made for seashell collectors—. Now houses scar the landscape, and it carries the distinct air of “summer resort” as it’s very quiet. We pass through singularly unattractive Humansdorp and swing back to the coast at the small upscale—albeit empty—town of St. Francis Bay, and then down to Cape St. Francis. Here the wind blows wildly off the ocean’s white caps, and the waves beat savagely against the rocky coast. There is a penguin rehab center which we give a miss. A lone lighthouse breaks the horizon.
Back to the N-2 which cuts a ribbon through long green and yellow meadows on extensive mountain slopes, drenched in extraordinary light. We arrive in the Tsitsikamma Forest area, and stay the night in cabins at the edge of the forest where we meet up with my parents once again. The following morning we all cross the legendary Storm’s River bridge over the deeply carved river gorge, and then down to the coast where the river meets the turbulent sea.
The waves dance wildly, and the wind is unrelenting The air is hazy with sea spray. As we walk the path to the suspension bridge over the river mouth, we are protected from the wind and violent sea, able instead to concentrate on the dense tapestry of plant life, which occasionally opens a window on the river mouth. The suspension bridge hangs high over the roiling meeting of sea and river. On the far side is a stone beach piled high with driftwood. The smooth rocks rattle and roar with a loud sucking noise as the waves move up and down.
After a snack at the restaurant we decide to spend an additional night on the park grounds, and we book a waterfront “chalet” for the following night. On our return the next day we first stop to visit the “Big Tree”, a gargantuan yellowwood tree that is about 1000 years old now—a stunning giant in the midst of a younger forest. We spend several hours hiking along the coast on what is the first leg of the Otter Trail. It’s a beautifully laid trail that combines a dirt track through dense steep forests with rocky bays. We even meet a seal who’s luxuriously sunning itself on the rocks. For the remainder of the afternoon we enjoy the oceanfront view from our little chalet . The rock dassies and seagulls come close in the expectation of food. After a simple dinner we marvel at the infinity of stars overhead. Sleep comes with the relentless rhythm of pounding waves, and sunrise shines straight into our bedroom early the next morning.
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