CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

Description

Essentials about the Cape of Good Hope in brief

A trip to the Cape of Good Hope is an absolute must during a visit to Cape Town. After all, the cape, located about 45 kilometers south of the city, is the southwesternmost point of the African continent and you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Geographical details of the Cape of Good Hope

Right at the beginning, a few widespread misconceptions and prejudices must be prevented at this point. First, the Cape of Good Hope is not the southernmost point of Africa. That title belongs to Cape Agulhas, which lies about 150 kilometers to the east. Second, Cape of Good Hope is often confused with Cape Point, about two kilometers to the east, which is actually the more spectacular vantage point due to its higher rocky elevation and its two lighthouses. And thirdly: Whether the Cape of Good Hope is actually the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet cannot be clearly determined. However, since the cold Atlantic Benguela Current and the warm Agulhas Current from the Indian Ocean meet at the Cape (at a distance of 200 kilometers from the mainland), this argument has some justification.

The discovery of the Cape of Good Hope

In April 1488, the Cape was sighted by the Portuguese navigator and explorer Bartolomeu Diaz for the first time by a European, when he had already circumnavigated the southern tip of Africa far from the coast and was on his way back north. Diaz had set out with two caravels and a supply ship on a top-secret voyage of discovery in the summer of 1487. Because of the decreed secrecy of the voyage of discovery, no written records exist. Therefore, it is not clear whether Diaz surveyed the Cape of Good Hope or the actual southern cape – Cape Agulhas – with his astrolabe.

The name “Cape of Good Hope”

Even the origin of the name Cape of Good Hope can no longer be clearly explained today. Bartolomeo Diaz named the rocky promontory jutting more than 20 kilometers into the sea Cabo das Tormentas (Eng. “Cape of Storms”). The Portuguese King John II is said to have given it the new name because he rightly hoped that the sea route to India had now been discovered. After examining the few documents that still exist, historians today disagree as to whether Diaz had not already used the name Cabo da Boa Esperança (Eng. “Cape of Good Hope”).

Another reason for the name can be found in the strong change of the coastal direction, which gave rise to the – ultimately correct – assumption that the southern end of the continent was no longer far away. Also, the sailors sailing southward in the Atlantic recognized a rising water temperature as they rounded the cape, since they now entered the current of the warmer Agulhas Current from the Indian Ocean. This indicated to them that this water came from warmer regions and that the southern tip of Africa could not be far away.

The dangers of the Cape of Good Hope

Since its discovery, the Cape of Good Hope has been feared by sailors. This is because immediately along the coast is a rocky landscape that extends underwater to the sea as far as the eye can see. Most of the rocks are only 0.5 to 3 meters below the surface of the water, and at low tide their tops sometimes rise more, sometimes not at all, out of the water.

In addition to the rocks, another danger comes from the strong winds at the cape, which push sailing ships back toward the coast even when they sail far around the cape and run into the rocks. The dangers of the Cape are documented by the at least 23 shipwrecks that lie on the seabed here, making it the largest ship graveyard off the coast of South Africa.

The flora and fauna of the Cape of Good Hope

The main attraction of the Cape of Good Hope is a large wooden sign with the inscription that one has reached the most southwestern point of the African continent. You can consider yourself lucky if you manage to take a snapshot of the sign without any other people in the picture. Much more interesting than this sign, however, are the flora and fauna at the southwestern tip of Africa. The Cape of Good Hope is part of Table Mountain National Park and has unique and diverse fynbos vegetation with orchids, proteas and ericaceae spreading across the hilly landscape. With over 1,300 plant species, there is more plant diversity here than in all of Great Britain.

The wildlife of the Cape is also quite interesting. With a little luck, you may encounter eland, mountain zebra, bontebok, dassies and ostrich. Most likely, however, you will come into contact with the Cape’s resident baboons. Although the monkeys make a very funny impression, one should meet them with caution. They are not only curious, but also hungry and aggressive. So you should definitely not feed them.

The hike from the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Point

And last but not least, a note to all those who have brought a little more time and a little stamina to the Cape of Good Hope. If you want to continue from the Cape to the nearby Cape Point, you can leave the car in the parking lot and alternatively follow the narrow hiking trail, which leads you partly over wooden planks through the beautiful nature at the southwestern tip of South Africa. Along sloping cliffs and craggy rock faces, the path repeatedly offers great views of the white sand of Diaz Beach, located between Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. If you need to cool off, you can also walk down to the beach and put your feet in the cold water. However, due to the water temperature and the dangerous currents, you should not go further into the water.