Klipgat

Which, imaginatively, translates to Stone-hole. Personally I would have chosen something more melodramatic. Like…. eh… the primordial domicile of… the ancients. And then added neon lights and a tuckshop.

The progenies were resistant, but I’ve been delegating too much parenting to the PS5 instead of taking on that particular burden fulltime and so I beguiled them into car with a trail of gummy-bears (the good German kind) and before they knew what was happening they were strapped into their car-seats and we were on our way.

Not that its far, but they have become skeptical to stuff that interests their old-man, but to them just seems like a pile of rocks. Which… in their defense, this kinda was.

Klipgat was home to Homo Sapiens about 80,000 years ago. When Neanderthals were still the predominant species in Europe. Before, you know, we went up there and took care of things. (With our pointy sticks and superior winning attitude)

You’re welcome.

Steps lead down to the beach from whence you can boulder to the caves (which you can just about make out in the rock-face).

Back when our Paleolithic forebears scooted around here was no safety railing. (I have it on good authority that this was added later. Also the sea was about 5km further back, and so not the beach front property it is now. But there was plenty of fresh water, and plenty to eat. So all-things-considered, pretty good digs.

… well until the sea retreated even further (about 35km) and a sea-food platter became a bit of burdensome undertaking and they moved on. The Khoisan moved in about 2000 years ago, and there is evidence that they had sheep, cattle (of a kind) and dogs with him. The sea was more-or-less back to where is now and fish was back on the menu.

Then about 500 years ago European settlers trundled along and small-poxed everyone to death, freeing up the real estate again for selfies.

Today there were a couple hundred Blue-bottles washed up here. Which I google to make sure is not a colloquialism. Oh… apparently these are called Portuguese man o’ wars… which is MUCH cooler sounding. Why don’t we call them that I wonder?

In any event, I’ve been stung by these a couple of times before and it hurts like an absolute mother#$&@er. I didn’t really want to try and thread the three year old through this particular minefield and then climb the boulders at the end to get to the caves, so we just built a sandcastle and collected shells instead.

And I pretended to to know what I’m doing with my DSLR and took pictures of plants, which might be my thing now. I’m not sure. In my own particular ancientness I feel a calling to take on strange pursuits.

In any event. Quite a good day. Vitamin D ftw.

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