Plettenberg Bay

Six minutes later than yesterday, I woke up this morning but managed to doze a little longer. Rich is hoping my ability to deliver tea will carry on in the UK, but I doubt it!

After a bit of bird watching and finding this beautiful turaco feeding on the tree fruit, breakfast on the decking with the monkeys was amusing. We hung on to all our food but they did manage to snaffle a slice of toast from someone. 

Nature continued as we went to get a coffee at Enrico's.  On the way, Rich spotted dolphins on the coastal route in. It was quite a large group that seemed to be swimming slowly in circles, dozing maybe. A couple of surfers had a very close encounter with them too which must have been lovely.

The cafe was shut so we headed back to a lookout point called Whale View. We timed it perfectly for a 200 or so pod of dolphins leaping and tail slapping as they sped on by. Looking at my pics, we think there were some spotted ones amongst the bottlenoses. No whales here, despite the name, but... 

Leaving the view of the sandy bay, we headed to the hotel where we were dropping the car, stopping one last time for an open coffee shop where, close to the beach a southern right whale and calf mooched on by, surfacing a few times with the odd dolphin. All of this was quite unexpected and so uplifting. 

The coffee shop guy was incredibly pleased we liked his coffee, telling us he made it himself with a wide and warming smile. It made me reflect, a little emotionally, on the enormous disparities here and on life fortunes generally. 

We spotted a ringed gull and questioned why they were ringed but Rich had the answer... An ASBO. Summed him up nicely really as he stood on the cafe railings expectantly. 

We dropped the car after watching a tree full of a new type of cattle egret and took our ride back without a hiccup. We spent the rest of the day relaxing on our balcony with a hot chocolate; sitting by the pool (me with my birding camera, Rich working out our latest new sightings); and enjoying a table for two in the restaurant where we've managed to escape for an early night with the frogs.