Swimming in the clear pools of paradise on the south Cape coast of Africa

One of the most awesome discoveries on my adventurous hiking trail along the south Cape coast of Africa is this pool that I want to share with you today. There’s nothing more refreshing than taking a dip in the cool clear waters of the Indian Ocean as it meets the African continent at the southernmost shores.

Africa is hot but the southern coastline is really tolerable, even in summer, since it’s already at 34 degrees south latitude. There’s only Antarctica to the south of here. Still, on a summer day, after a long hike of several kilometers, or three hours, I found this ideal rock pool for a magical and refreshing swim.

The Indian Ocean is warm here, compared to the Atlantic, which meets the Cape of Good Hope 550 kilometers to the west. But along this shoreline it is really rough and rugged, with steep slopes and massive boulders. So it’s actually impossible to safely jump into the sea without the risk of being washed against the rocks. Thus the only way to swim in the relatively warm and refreshing ocean is if you find a sheltered rock pool.

Today’s discovery is just such an ideal place for a dip. The water is so clear and the pool is fed by the occasional wave that spills over the rocky wall into its calm waters. There are, of course, more suitable pristine white sandy beaches a few kilometers further along the coastline, near the town of Plettenberg Bay. That’s where the tourists and locals mostly go to swim, but I enjoy exploring and adventuring so I am on these rocky cliffs discovering new pools of pleasure.

As you can see, the access route to this particular stretch of the shoreline is so precarious that probably no more than a handful of people actually come here. At most I occasionally see one or two fishermen in this general region, from a local village above on the cliff tops. These subsistence fishermen are from a humbler background and come here to catch food to eat.

Other than that no tourists or wealthier locals in the upmarket town know about this place or care to discover it. It’s a hidden gem and I am sharing it with you today. Perhaps you too may appreciate this kind of natural treasure. We intrepid travellers and explorers appreciate this kind of place that is off the beaten track and on the road less travelled.

This little stretch of the southern African coastline is so remote and unknown that it makes a real gem of a discovery. You can see how steep the cliffs are that come sloping down so steeply to this particular pool. It’s hard to believe that there are still such remote and unexplored parts of the planet in this day and age, but here they are.

Such photos will go down in my collection as a way to remind me of some of the fondest memories of my adventurous years as an explorer. In a few years from now I may be too old to actually even access such places as my body becomes incapable of the arduous and risky climb to get here. At that point I will look back nostalgically but with appreciation and joy at these photos and remember the pleasure of bathing in these precious pools of paradise on my journey along the wild and rugged coastline of Africa’s southernmost shoreline.

That’s what photos are for – to keep the memories alive of all the things we did and places we discovered on our travels. Thanks to the blockchain and this marvelous blog site these photos are preserved not only for myself but for all travelers to appreciate since the planet is huge and we can’t make it to all the hidden treasure spots ourselves.

Just looking at the photos of these beautiful rock pools is already cooling and refreshing for the mind. We can take a mental swim and get the same benefit. Such is the joy of photography and this travel blog site. We can all see all of the world together by sharing our experiences with our fellow travelers.

(photos my own)

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