Hooked?

Hooked on football or hooked on fishing!? Whilst most South Africans, and without doubt our visiting fans, are completely hooked on football, there are some fans who have become hooked on fishing!

Wednesday and Thursday are rest days in the tournament. The next soccer feast starts on Friday 2 July 2010 when the Quarter finals kick off:
Holland meet Brazil in PE at 16:00
Uruguay meet Ghana in JHb, (Soccer City) at 20h30

Saturday 3 July 2010:
Argentina meet Germany at 16:00 in Cape Town
Paraguay meet Spain at 20:30 in Jhb (Ellis Park)

We recommended grabbing a rod and trying to catch some fish while the weather holds and you can have your own feast caught with your own hand. Forecast for Cape Town is rain free for the next 7 days (subject to change of course!) so conditions look excellent for getting out on the water. Why not try your hand at deep sea fishing or perhaps inshore fishing with Hooked on Africa Fishing Charters.

Hooked on Africa have been catching some BIG yellowfin tuna (75- 95kg). The tuna season usually runs from September to June but the great news is that the tuna are still running and the end of the season can be the best time to bag a big one! Most trips are headed out past Cape Point – so a great opportunity to see this famous natural landmark from the water and at a new angle!

A day out in the deep will long be remembered as it brings you in contact with one of the world’s toughest fighting fish as well as a diverse eco-system. It’s likely that in the warm water current you will see Albatross, Killer Whales (Orca) and Dusky Dolphins. Whale season has just begun so a good chance of seeing Southern Right Whales as well.

Snoek are the predominant fish available in winter and the snoek are running big time for the inshore trips. Snoek are an underrated game fish which move in huge quantities during the months of May – September so we can almost guarantee a catch. They are usually 15 – 20 meters deep and weigh about 5 – 7 kg. Even a novice can manage this!

Daiwa stand up rods with both Penn International and Shimano reels are supplied for conventional fishing.

Hooked on Africa are based in Hout Bay and their World Cup special is a per person rate at R1350 for the day. That’s great news as you don’t need a group to charter the boat!

Fishing Trips and Bookings can be made through Cape Point Route: info@capepointroute.co.za and as always subject to availability. Tel: 021 782 9356.

There are alternative options for fishing charters running from Simon’s Town so contact Cape Point Route for assistance or look at the Cape Point Route website for more details and other activity suggestions.

Cape Point Route offers a wide range of Accommodation, Activities, Attractions, Restaurants, Venues, Shops, Tours and Packages on the CAPE PENINSULA, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Fishing Article Posted on Cape Point Route blogspot - July 2009

Images courtesy of Hooked on Africa (from their Facebook group)
1. Sean and Mike with some MASSIVE tuna- taken this June 2010
2. Beautiful Snoek Specimen- June 2010
3. More tuna fishing in June 2010
4. Dorado - all 13kg of it! June 2010

Cape Point Shark Adventure Tour

Some teams go home, some fans stay to explore.

After Friday 25 June, teams from Switzerland, Honduras, Denmark and Cameroon packed their bags and headed home as the Group stages of the World Cup came to a conclusion. We are now in the middle of the Round of 16 and the Korea Republic, USA, Mexico and England are joining the exodus from South Africa as they were elminated by Uruguay, Ghana, Mexico and Germany respectively. Despite the teams leaving South Africa we hope the fans decide to stay and play a little longer and take the opportunity to explore Cape Town and South Africa.

The Netherlands take on Slovakia in Durban today at 16:00 and Brazil face Chile at Ellis Park in Johannesburg in a South American clash at 20:30. Portuguese and Spanish fans are descending on Cape Town ahead of the European clash at Cape Town stadium tomorow evening and in the other Round of 16 Match, Paraguay take on Japan at 16:00 in Pretoria.

There are literally hundreds of things to do in Cape Town and it can be very difficult to select which tour or activity best suits the time you have available. Cape Point Route is always available to offer suggestions and give recommendations to enhance your experience in Cape Town. One of the most popular excursions is the visit to the most south-western tip of the African continent - Cape Point. One of the most popular activities is Shark Cage Diving. Now you can combine a visit to Cape Point and Boulders Penguin colony with an adventure of a lifetime - shark cage diving...

See details and itinerary below.

1 day Cape Point Shark Adventure Tour:
A full day adventure tour in Simon's Town, South Africa.

Experience It
08:30 Pick up from your hotel

09:30 Arrive Cape Point –Witness the majestic meeting of the two oceans. Breathe in the cleanest air and see the cleanest ocean. The area is of rich cultural and historical significance and includes monuments to early explorers such as Vasco da Gama and Bartholomeu Dias. Visit the curio shops and restaurants or relax.

11:30 Arrive Boulders Beach Penguin Colony – Home to 3000 Jackass penguins, so called for their hilarious braying. See these delightful creatures up close and personal in their own inhabitant.

12:30 Arrive Simons Town – Apex Shark Expeditions shop – Afternoon Shark trip
The sole focus of this afternoon trip is cage diving and surface viewing. Although you stand a chance of seeing the natural predation and breaching, this behavior mostly takes place in the early morning. We do on most days observe good numbers of sharks around the boat and this is a great opportunity for cage diving and surface viewing.

13:00: Meet crew at Simon’s Town Pier.
Guests are welcomed aboard and a full safety and weather briefing is given before departure.

13:15: Depart for Seal Island. (25 to 35 minute boat ride)

13:30 to 16:30: We decide the best spot to anchor up based on weather conditions and we attract sharks to our vessel. Once a shark approaches our boat, a bait is placed in the water to keep the sharks interested and around the boat for identification and viewing purposes. At no point are the sharks purposefully fed or handled. We do not use shark livers or any other attractants that have a negative impact on the environment and all efforts are made to avoid the sharks coming into contact with our vessel. If the weather conditions are favourable, i.e. good visibility and workable seas, the cage is lowered into the water for cage diving.

Safety precautions and operational procedures are then explained to the diver wishing to enter the cage. It is important to know that the sharks come very close to the boat so it is not necessary to dive in order to see them. So for those not wishing to dive they will still have excellent views of the Great White Shark.
Snacks accompanied by soft drinks, fruit juice, bottled water are available throughout the course of the afternoon.

17:00: Boat will arrive back in Simon’s Town Harbour depending on the weather conditions and shark activity.

18:00 Arrive at your hotel

Price
R1999 per person

Includes
Transport
Cape Point entrance fees
Boulders Penguin Colony entrance fees
Great White Afternoon trip

Terms & Conditions
Price is quoted in South African Rands
Price is subject to availability
Full payment required 7 days prior to booking
Full cancellation fee applicable 7 days prior to booking.

BOOK NOW

Cape Point Route offers a wide range of Accommodation, Activities,
Attractions, Restaurants, Venues, Shops, Tours and Packages on the
CAPE PENINSULA, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA including Hout Bay, Noordhoek, Kommetjie, Scarborough, Cape of Good Hope, Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay, St. James, Muizenberg.

Can't find what you are looking for? Please complete our Personal Planner form and we will advise you on Accommodation and Venues, as well as Activities and other Things to Do in on the Cape Point Route based on your interests.

Cape Town in Orange

WOW! Cape Town definitely turned orange last night (24 June 2010) with Dutch fans dominating the crowd and the city as thousands flocked to the stadium and surrounds for the Netherlands versus Cameroon match at Cape Town stadium! Cape Point Route has officially recruited the entire Dutch nation as CPR representatives!

As with the rest of the tournament so far I continue to be awed and amazed at the spirit in Cape Town and am so proudly South African. In our quest as hosts we have tried to meet and interact with as many nationalities as possible to welcome them and share the spirit of Ubuntu. It is heart warming to hear every single person enthuse about their experience and without hesitation declare their intent on returning to our city and our country, bringing back family and friends.

Netherlands beat Cameroon 2:1 in a match that wasn’t going to change the standings in Group E despite a gutsy performance from the colourfully clad Cameroon team – and their enthusiastic supporters. Japan beat Denmark 3:1 in the other Group E match and that result sees the Danes heading home with Cameroon.

Group E: Final standings
Netherlands – 9
Japan – 6
Denmark – 3
Cameroon – 0

Group F: Final standings
Paraguay – 5
Slovakia – 4
New Zealand – 3
Italy – 2

So with only Group G and Group H left to play their final Group stage matches today (25 June 2010) the scene is set for the round of 16 which begins tomorrow Saturday 26 June 2010.

Kick off for Portugal – Brazil in Durban is at 16h00 today
Korea DPR – Ivory Coast also kicks off at 16h00 in Nelspruit today

Chile take on Spain at 20h30 in Pretoria this evening
Switzerland face Honduras at 20h30 in Bloemfontein this evening.

OTHER MATCHES THIS WEEKEND.

Saturday 26 June 2010

Uruguay – Korea Republic at 16h00 in Port Elizabeth
USA – Ghana at 20h30 in Rustenburg

Sunday 27 June 2010

Germany – England at 16h00 in Bloemfontein
Argentina – Mexico at 20h30 in Johannesburg (soccer city)

Cape Point Route goes Dutch

It’s MATCH Day in Cape Town and the city has gone Orange! Cape Point Route LOVES this as orange is our favourite colour. Cape Point Route welcomes all the Dutch & Cameroon supporters who are in Cape Town for the Netherlands- Cameroon game this evening at Cape Town stadium. The Dutch are dominating the fans with orange splashed all over the city and creating a “Koningingedag” in Cape Town. Kick off is at 08h30 pm at Cape Town Stadium.

The Group Stages of the World Cup are drawing to a close and we already know that 8 teams are headed home, sadly our very own Bafana Bafana amongst them. What we can verify is that the spirit of the South African national team has not been dampened by their exit from the tournament and the fans are cheering for the visitors!

Current Results:

Group A:
Uruguay – 7 (GD + 4)
Mexico – 4 (GD +1)
South Africa – 4 (GD -2)
France – 1 (GD -3)

Group B:
Argentina – 9 (GD+6)
Korea Republic 4 (GD +1)
Greece – 3 (GD -3)
Nigeria – 1 (GD -2)

Group C:
USA – 5 (GD +1)
England – 5 (GD +1)
Slovenia – 4 (GD 0)
Algeria – 1 (GD -2)

Group D:
Germany – 6 (GD +4)
Ghana – 4 (GD 0)
Australia – 4 (GD -3)
Serbia – 3 (GD -1)

In the remaining groups decisions will be determined in the next few days.

Group E:
Netherlands – 6
Japan – 3
Denmark – 3
Cameroon – 3

Group F:
Paraguay – 4
Italy – 2
New Zealand – 2
Slovakia – 2

Group G:
Brazil – 6
Portugal – 6
Côte d’Ivoire – 1
Korea DPR – 0

Group H:
Chile – 6
Spain – 3
Switzerland – 3
Honduras – 0

Upcoming matches are as follows:

Thursday 24 June 2010:
Slovakia vs Italy at 16h00 in Johanesburg – Ellis Park
Paraguay vs New Zealand at 16h00 in Polokwane

Denmark vs Japan at 20h30 in Rustenburg
Cameroon vs Netherlands at 20h30 in CAPE TOWN

Friday 25 June 2010:

Portugal vs Brazil at 16h00 in Durban
Korea DPR v Ivory Coast at 16h00 in Nelspruit

Chile vs Spain at 20h30 in Pretoria
Switzerland vs Honduras at 20h30 in Bloemfontein

Cape Point wishes everyone well and PAINT Cape Town orange tonight and all fans are welcome to paint Cape Point Route ORANGE from tomorrow!

Cape Point Route offers a wide range of Accommodation, Activities,
Attractions, Restaurants, Venues, Shops, Tours and Packages on the
CAPE PENINSULA, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

First whale spotted from CPR office!

It’s a gorgeous Cape Town day, the sea in False Bay is glassy and it was with great excitement that we saw our first whale from our office in Glencairn! So although some other whales have been spotted, this is our first sighting and it means that whale season has officially started.

Most of the whales that we spot are Southern Right Whales, though it is not uncommon to find humpback whales or occasionally Brydes whales. The Cape Point Route has some of the best land based whale watching in South Africa but it is a treat to take a boat into the bay to get up close and personal.

Whales are the giants of the sea and approximately the same size as 12 elephants! If you are lucky you may even experience some cool whale behaviour.
•Breaching – whale clears the surface with two-thirds or more of its body, often with a twisting motion! Amazing!
•Blowing – normal exhalation and inhalation pattern at the surface. Look for the spray!
•Spy hopping – whale rises vertically to a point where the eyes are above the water, then spins round to look at the area.
•Pectoral slap – whale rolls onto the side and slaps its pectoral (side) fins against the water.
•Lobtailing or tail slap - whale lifts its flukes (whale tail) out of the water and brings them down onto the water hard and fast. The sound can be heard for miles!

Whale watching boat trips leave Simon’s Town harbour daily at 09h00, 12h00 and 14h30 and the trip lasts for 2 hours. It is advisable to book in advance, but please be aware that all trips are subject to weather conditions. Trip costs R800 per adult and R550 for children under the age of 12.

You can book you whale watching trip with Cape Point Route.

Read about the "permanent" whale tail in Glencairn here or our 2007 boat trip to Cape Point where we saw a huge pod of humpback whales.

The longest night!

Today is the 21st June and the Winter Solstice – making it the shortest day and the longest night of the year in the Southern hemisphere. It could quite possibly feel like the longest night of their lives in the Bafana Bafana team camp.

The final games of the Group stages take place from tomorrow the 22nd June 2010 and it’s crunch time with half the 32 teams heading back to their home countries by the end of the round. The games kick off with Bafana Bafana playing against France at 4pm and Uruguay play Mexico at the same time in the Group A games. As most South Africans are well aware, Bafana Bafana has a mammoth task ahead to get through to the Round of 16 but we are confident that will put up the biggest fight of their lives, with the country behind them 100%!

The situation is not a positive one on paper for Bafana Bafana but there is a chance that they can still make the Round of 16. It will be tough for sure but this is the World Cup and there have been more surprises and upsets than it would have appeared on paper at the start of the tournament. Home crowd advantage, incredible guts and spirit and a whole lot of luck could see a miracle happen. I am not a football journalist and I am not a football analyst but I am a fan and I am copying an article on iafrica.com that helped me make sense of the situation that Bafana Bafana find themselves in and the chances that they have to progress further in the Tournament. Click here for the original article with thanks!

We need (six) Miracles
Bafana Bafana still have hope. It’s slim, hell it’s less than that, but no matter how small the chance, the World Cup hosts still have an opportunity to qualify for the second round of the tournament on Tuesday when they face France.

The 3-0 loss to Uruguay, however, did little to help their chances and unfortunately for South Africans, the team needs more than a win against France to qualify… they need a big victory. And even if they do win big, it may not be enough if the Mexico-Uruguay result does not go their way.

So what do they need to happen on Tuesday? We bring you a couple of scenarios.

How they stand:
Uruguay currently tops the group on four points. Mexico sits in second place on four points (they are behind on goal-difference). France is third on one point, just pipping South Africa (also on one) on goal-difference.

What Bafana need:
Effectively, Bafana Bafana are competing with Mexico for second place in the group. If Bafana beat France, the latter are out. If Bafana lose, they too are out of the tournament.
So, Bafana Bafana have to beat France. But they also need to beat them by a healthy margin to catch up on Mexico’s goal difference (GD) as a win will draw them level on points, but not on GD.
Bafana Bafana currently have a GD of -3, while Mexico have +2.
This effectively means that Bafana Bafana must make up a goal difference of six. For example, if they win 3-0, Mexico have to lose 3-0 to Uruguay. If Bafana Bafana only manage a 1-0 victory, Mexico would have to lose 5-0 for the World Cup hosts to go through…

You get the picture, South Africa need a miracle to qualify for the second round.

But then, when you consider the meltdown in the France camp at present, we may have just been handed one. Now if only Mexico and Uruguay play ball...

If you would like to spend the longest night (or any other night) on the Cape Point Route please contact Cape Point Route for suggestions on accommodation, activities, attractions, restaurants, shops, tours or packages in the south peninsula. We also offer assistance for Cape Town and Beyond!

Good luck Bafana Bafana - our nation is behind you, Cape Point Route is behind you and no matter what happens we are proud of your efforts and the spirit ("gees") you have generated in our nation. We hope that the phsyical length of the night does not reflect your spirits this evening!

Images:
All Bafana Bafana images found on Google images!...But we liked them - remember that dance after the Tsabalala goal, the joy on the players faces and their positive, confident body language, how proudly we sang the national anthem on 11 June 2010? And the final image is outside the Cape Point Route office with that glorious Vuvuzela moment on the 9 June 2010 when we united together to support our team. Let's not forget!

Father’s Day ... & More Football

Father’s Day is on Sunday 20 June 2010 and whilst it is a day to honour fathers and all they do for their children, Father’s Day in South Africa 2010 is being a little overshadowed by football fever. The idea is to express gratitude to your dad for all his love and support, be it through spending time with your dad, having a meal together and giving a card or a gift or a treat!

If your Dad is a football fan (or even if he is not) he’ll probably want to watch some football and it would probably a good idea to know that there are 3 matches being held on Sunday 20 June 2010. Plan your Father’s Day activities accordingly and be aware that most restaurants will be screening the games live.

1. 13h30 Slovakia play Paraguay in Bloemfontein
2. 16h00 Italy play New Zealand in Nelspruit
3. 20h30 Brazil play Ivory Coast in Johannesburg at Soccer City.

Saturday 19 June 2010 also features 3 matches if you were planning to make a weekend of it for your dad!

1. 13h30 Netherlands vs Japan in Durban
2. 16h00 Ghana vs Australia in Rustenburg
3. 20h30 Cameroon vs Denmark in Pretoria

There are many restaurants on the Cape Point Route offering Father’s Day specials, but it is worth bringing your Dad down to the Cape Peninsula for a great day out and hanging out with your Dad in Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, Simon’s Town, Scarborough; Kommetjie, Noordhoek or Hout Bay. The Cape Point Route is a great place for unique shopping so come south to look for a Fathers Day gift.

Thorfynns Restaurant at Monkey Valley Resort in Noordhoek has a Sunday Roast special for Fathers Day for R85 per person. Reservations are highly recommended! Tel 021 789 8006

Café Roux, one of the restaurants at Noordhoek Farm Village in Noordhoek invite everyone to appreciate the special men in your life with a hearty breakfast or a wholesome lunch for Fathers Day...On the specials board we are going to do our delicious Lamb Pie with creamy mash and salad. Finish off with Fundi's awesome Chocolate Croissant Bread & Butter pudding. This dessert sells out every time...SO good on a winter's day. Me and Mr Brown will provide the music to entertain us into the late afternoon. Call 021 789 2538

At Imhoff Farm in Kommetjie, both the Blue Water Cafe and Free Range Coffee have just a few tables left. We are offering our full menu and specials on our Board. They don’t know what the specials are yet as they try to get the freshest ingredients possible! Cape Point Route suggests you book soon! Blue Water Cafe 021 7832007. Free Range Coffee Shop 021 7835048

The Cape Farmhouse Restaurant in Scarborough have such delightful treats, we are putting the whole lot down for you to check out! Yum Yum. Bookings on 021 780 1246

STARTERS
•Spicy lentil soup with coriander & yoghurt -35
•Farmhouse salad with mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, olives, feta, egg, avocado and croutons - 52
•Mussels with lime, ginger, basil, lemon grass and coconut milk - 45
•Snoek samoosas with relish and fruit chutney -40

MAIN COURSE
•Cajun line fish with rocket, avocado and bean salad and minted yoghurt dressing - 110
•Chicken a la King in white wine, thyme and cream sauce with poached leeks, carrots and potatoes - 85
•Roast lamb with rosemary jus, skordalia potatoes, pan-fried aubergine, slow roast tomato, roast peppers and courgettes - 98
•Samp and sweet potato rosti with mushroom, roast butternut, seasonal vegetables, red pepper coulis and lemon tahini dressing -78

DESSERT
•Homemade Malva Pudding with cream or ice-cream -38
•Lemon Tart - 35
•Chocolate Cake – 32

Keep the World Cup Flags Flying high, we are still supporting Bafana Bafana and we are still supporting this incredible event and we are still supporting our Dads! Happy Father’s Day! Cape Point Route is looking forward to another huge weekend – check out the World Cup Activities on the Cape Point Route in a previous blog.

Cape Point Route offers a wide range of accommodation, activities, attractions, restaurants, venues, shops, tours and packages on the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, South Africa. Call us for ideas and suggestions at the information office +27 (0)21 782 9356.

IMAGES:
1. Sally and her Dad (1973)
2. Sally and her Dad (2009)
3. Dad's at Noordhoek Farm Village
4. Ijs and Ole - Dutch dad and his son
5. Christophe with his dad and his kids - 3 generations of Frenchmen