Sunrise and moody clouds on the softest beach in the African south

Today's exploration of the southernmost shoreline of Africa began really early, just after sunrise. It's mid summer here in the south, so it's easy to wake up really early and get out onto the beach in order to watch the sunrise.

The beaches here in this region, called the Garden Route, just stretch for miles like a thin white line in the sand hugging the southern shore where the Indian Ocean washes up to meet the African continent.

Despite the warm summer air, thick dark clouds act as overhead cover this morning, muting the normally dazzling sunshine that hits you from above, as well as from offshore visa the sharp reflecting rays that bounce off the sea water, especially when the sun is still so low in the sky just after sunrise.

The delicate variations in lighting really help to create a unique mood and atmosphere. Today the mood is more pensive, still and foreboding, as if waiting for the rain to start falling at any moment, yet never arrives. Then the cloud shifts and the mood along with it.

The soft white sand dunes on this Robberg beach, as it's called, are home not only to a prolific seagull colony, but also to some delicate indigenous flora, known as "fynbos". That's the name of the endemic plant kingdom found exclusively here on these particular southern shores of the Cape province.

The conditions here are unique, and the plant variety is the most prolific in the entire planet, with even more variety of species than what is to be found in the entire Amazon jungle. However, the flora here are far more delicate, subtle and unassuming in appearance, the opposite of the bright, flashy tropical climate flora, for example.

Here I also came across some newly constructed sets of stairs providing access over the small dunes and down onto the beach at the water's edge. Last year a particularly larger than usual storm surge and swell swamped the shoreline and the waves ended up smashing the previous wooden stairs to bits and strewing the bits all over the beach.

It's great to see that the stairs were newly replaced in time for the popular summer holiday season that brings masses of lucky visitors to these very beaches annually from December to March. However, in my opinion these new steps won't last much longer than until the next extreme tidal surge, which will probably just sweep away the soft sand and undermine the temporary looking stairway all over again.

The natural surroundings here are just beautiful and look so calm right now, but every year the Spring tide comes in September and March, and occasionally it's bigger than usual and some sort of storm damage occurs on the shoreline. It's nothing serious, though these stairs have been replaced more than once in recent years, so it's not too unusual.

If you love long empty stretches of beach made up of fine soft white beach sand, and beautiful sunrise over the Indian Ocean (as compared to the usual sunset), then this stretch of coastline will appeal to you. It's a fabulous family friendly place, and the climate is mild all year long. Any time is fine to visit, although summer now is the best time, with its long days and hotter weather, just right for the beach. So get on over here and share this epic treasure of nature with me. I'll be happy to show you around.

Photos my own. Uploaded and published from my mobile device for all intrepid travelers, nature lovers and explorers of our beautiful planet which we call home. 9pm

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