2nd attempt at the rumored pirate treasure caves on the south Cape coast of Africa

Big news guys, here on The Shape of The Cape with your host Julescape, exploring the rugged shoreline of the south Cape coast of Africa. Today was an awesome summer’s day and the conditions were just ideal for another hike to the hidden caves down on the shoreline along the Garden Route coast.

With my head still full of the rumors of Captain Kidd’s buried treasure lying hidden somewhere in one of the caves along the shoreline here, I have found what I think may be a possible sighting of the cave in which the fabled but also historic pirate hid his troves of treasure.

In the late 1690s he sailed these shores and having hijacked many a ship for their bounty in places like the Caribbean, he probably needed to stash it somewhere, while he was being pursued by the central government of the day – the British Empire. Britannia ruled the waves and Captain Kidd was perhaps a fine man once, even a gentlemen, educated, and may have actually served the British Empire as a Captain in their fleet.

He may have even been sent out by them as a mercenary to hijack the Dutch or Spanish of their lot, particularly gold which the Spanish had stolen from South America. That’s another story of course, which may require some further research, suffice to say that gold and silver and much more was in his possession back then. Perhaps there was a fallout with the old Empire, and Captain Kidd became persona non grata. Perhaps he was cheated or whatever, who knows for sure? But perhaps at some point he went from Captain to pirate in the eyes of the Empire and had to flee.

Well, one place that is a known place of passage for the Captain was the south Cape coast of Africa. And the history and rumor in this town regarding caves of stashed pirate treasure still abound. It was already about 2 hours after low tide by the time I made it to the shoreline, so I was a bit late already, but overall the timing is good. And the weather is just ideal, with hot sunshine and no wind. Hot means 29C so it’s not at all overbearing. One of the mildest places in the world.

Having made it to the rocky outcrop across from the caves, I see that my hopes for a calm setting were dismayed. The sea is as rough as ever, as you can see in some of the photos or the video clip today. And the risk level is still too high for me to attempt a crossing to the cave mouth itself. I won’t be deterred though. There will be other opportunities, and I will be more equipped. Today I only managed to bring one or two extra tools like a torch, but I need much more kit, which I haven’t accessed yet. Things run slowly here in Africa. It’s very island style.

And there is no rush, the treasure is not going anywhere. So as a consolation I decided it was an ideal spot for a more gentle bathe in one or two of the rock pools at this point near the crashing waves. And what a contrast. The wild and tumultuous smashing of the waves is so juxtaposed by the calm and motionless pool right beside it.

Nature is so multifaceted even though she only uses four elements – earth, water, fire and air. And of those four elements she mixes the most diverse palette of colors, moods and ultimately life itself. From the wildest to the gentlest, hottest to coldest, nature weaves a complex and rich tapestry of our organic world, and all the inhabitants with their requirements for a full life experience, for millennia. Who can even speculate at how long earth has been here with these crashing waves against these weathered rocks?

Anyway, the zone certainly facilitates a sense of awe and exhilaration when surrounded by the raw, wild ocean waves crashing up against the continent. And so the still, unmoving bathtub in the center of the scene was like the still center in a raging hurricane or typhoon, I would presume. Taking a dip today felt just right. Anyone would love this place as a destination for a little day hike. And so far I may be the only person to be experiencing it...

It’s enough to take my mind off the yet-to-be-discovered treasure trove. At least I have found this pool to add to the list of new discoveries on the endless journey across the surface of the globe. But I will be back, if I may quote a famous scriptwriter whose name is lost behind his long-remembered creation. So stay tuned for the next exciting episode, when I make the next breakthrough on the hunt for lost pirate treasure. Or indeed any of the further travel gems on this particular coastline, where every day is a holiday.

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