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Things to do Near Graafwater
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Wildflowers - R364 (in season - Between August - October)
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Heerenlogement (Gentlemen’s lodgings) Cave is a national monument on the R363 near Graafwater. It sheltered and bears the signatures of explorers (Francois le Vaillant), bandits, government officials (Simon van der Stel), artists and miners. Archaeological findings and elephants’ marks date back about 8000 years (Coordinates -31.961775,18.549685).
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Rooibos Factory - Clanwilliam, Museum and White Church
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Elands Bay Beach & Bushman Rock Art Cave
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Vensterklip Farm Pub
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Strandfontein Beach
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Lambert's Bay Bird Island
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Die Plaaskombuis (The Farm Kitchen) on the farm Steenbokfontein, nine kilometres from Lamberts Bay serves Sandveld cuisine and shares the love story related to the HMS Sybille shipwreck (the only British ship to sink during the Second Anglo-Boer War), which is visible from the farm at low tide. There is also a labyrinth, Bushman rock art and an art gallery. Booking is essential.
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Sandveld Museum - exhibits Lamberts Bay’s archaeological, natural, Anglo-Boer War, fishing, farming and community history, including the HMS Sybille’s propeller.
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Whale and dolphin watching - southern right and humpback whales (August to October), Haviside’s dolphins (endemic to the Cape West and Namibian coasts) and dusky dolphins.
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Bird-watching - Verlorenvlei (Lost Marsh) near Eland’s Bay is an important Western Cape estuarine system, with 232 recorded bird species, including black egret, goliath heron and palmnut vulture; and northern hemisphere waders in summer. Vanputtensvlei and Jakkals River Mouth on the way to Bosduifkip (flamingos) are worth a visit too.
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Spring Flowers - Lamberts Bay blossoms with west coast floral brilliance in spring at Dassiepoort Reserve and the Arend De Waal Flower Route (best from August to October).
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Between K'Taaibos and Lamberts Bay the traveller experiences the beauty of the estuarine channel of the lost marsh of the Sandveld.
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In 1681 Governor Simon van der Stel on his expedition to the copper mountains in Namaqualand called the place 'Zeekoejen-valey', referring to the many hippopotami observed in the valley. Later Dutch explorers translated the San name for the river, 'Quaecoma' (a lost or forlorn marsh), and called it 'Verloren Vallei'.
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Francis Masson, a collector for Kew Gardens, marvelled at the Cape's embarrassment of natural riches, "We came to Verloren Valley… a narrow extent of marshy ground, enclosed by hills on each side, with a small river, frequented by a variety of water fowl, which afforded good sport….we saw hundreds of pelicans and wild geese".
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The waterway is 'birders' paradise. One traveller described the place as a "Heathrow for birds: some were stacking on ordered flight paths, others were landing, refuelling or taxiing through reed channels. Islands in the stream were crowded with Egyptian geese, yellow-billed ducks and coots, while reed cormorants and grey herons flew nest-building sorties overhead. A lone fish eagle played air-traffic controller from his perch".
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Imagine this wonderful part of the world in spring - carpeted with amazing kaleidoscopic fields of flowers.
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Definitely worth a visit!
- South Africa West Coast - West Coast Fossil Park
Five Million years ago...
A riverside scene at Langebaanweg 5 million years ago.
The West Coast Fossil Park, a component of Iziko: Museums of Cape Town, offers students, school children and the general public an opportunity to have an on-site fossil experience. People can learn about ancient environments; the animal life and the climatic changes that occurred in this region 5 million years ago. You can even become a volunteer guide/fossil preparator/assistant curator or clerical assistant.
The many thousands of fossil bones have attracted world-wide interest and a fascinating range of extinct animals are displayed.
There are tours once a day during the week, starting at 11:30. The coffee shop is open from 10AM to 4PM during the week.
Location: The Fossil Park is located 110kms north of Cape Town, only one and a half hour's drive along the R27. Turn off on the R45 towards Hopefield.
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Contact details: West Coast Fossil Park: Tel: +27 (022) 766 1606/Fax: +27 (022) 766 1765 Project Co-ordinator: Pippa Haarhoff -pippah@iafrica.com Iziko: Museums of Cape Town: Tel: +27 (021) 424 3330/Fax: +27 (021) 424 6716 Website: www.museums.org.za/iziko Public Relations Officer: Medee Rall - mrall@samuseum.ac.za
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