by Carel van der colff | Oct 20, 2015 | Dive Inn
Cape Canopy Tour
Cape Canopy Tour is outside of Elgin and about an hour’s drive from Cape Town. We at Dive Inn Cape Town decided it is time to dive into another adventure and we tried out zip lining with Cape Canopy Tour.
They are the 7th and youngest of the canopy tours branches in South Africa and which are all privately owned. Cape Canopy Tour is situated in the fynbos paradise of the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve and the cost of the tour covers the entry fee to the reserve as well. You will be treated on your way there already with views of the fruit trees in full bloom and lush green valleys.
Friendly staff welcomes you on arrival and will give you a quick tour of the ‘office’ area which includes a small coffee shop where you can buy zippucchino’s.
Sunbird cafe
We were called to the briefing room and were shown a video of what Cape Canopy tour is about, a bit of history and how the zip lining works. Safety is really a big thing with them and we felt safe all the way through. Lonely Planet stated they are the 2nd best new attraction in the world. Well done guys.
After briefing, signing affidavits, providing e-mail address for the certificate we were kitted out. First was to step into the harness and securing it around your body. Next were gloves (aka handbrake tool) and some helmets. This take a bit off time to ensure the harness fits comfortable and secure, from here we head of to the cruiser for the 30 minute trip up the mountain. For this trip they also renamed it from the boring 4×4 trip rather to the African massage trip as the dirt road is a bit bumpy.
Arriving on the top our 2 guides were waiting for us. A 5 minute walk got us to the first zip line and they briefed us on the process we will follow. Most of us were tentative at first especially about the idea that you have to break with your gloved hand BUT behind the slider and not in front as it will be painful. After the 2nd slide down into the valley we all got more comfortable and starting enjoying the scenery as we zipped over it. We had various lengths of lines crossing the valley down and even had a suspension bridge we needed to cross. Three quarters down we had an Elgin ice tea break with some choc chip cookies. (more…)
by Carel van der colff | Oct 6, 2015 | Dive Inn
White Shark diving & Whale Watching.
White Shark diving & Whale Watching with Dive Inn Cape Town plus an added extra of touring the scenic route of Clarence drive to or from Hermanus.
For these trips we have 2 options of departures. 1st one will be a very very early 4.30 am departure time out of Cape Town directly to Klein baai and the next option will be an 8am departure with a tour towards Klein baai and straight back to Cape Town afterwards.
Slashfin
Thus the 1st one is to get early into Kleinbaai at Marine Dynamics our preferred operator to go shark cage diving or Whale watching with their sister company Dyer Island Whale Cruises. After briefings, registering, indemnities and breakfast we get our life jackets with bright orange oilskins on and walk the short distance to the Harbour and get on the boats.
The new whale boat “Dream catcher” is stunning and this boat concentrate on the whale watching tours. On the tour you can see whales, Seals at Dyer and Geyser islands perhaps some dolphins, Penguins and of Course some Great white sharks next to Slashfin the Marine Dynamics shark boat. This unfortunately is limited to about 10 minutes just to get you hooked to do another trip on Slashfin and get into the cage. The crew, skipper and volunteers check up on you the whole time, providing information about the animals we see where to see them and ensure that all is safe. Really a well worth whale watching trip for about 3hours on Dream Catcher with Dyer Island Whale cruises.
Humpback whale
The top of the range trip is the Cage diving on Slashfin with Marine Dynamics. Included in the price is breakfast or lunch, snacks on the boat and after the trip you get soup and bread as well. With registration we provided the sizing charts and on the boat the wetsuits, booties, mask and weight belt appears in numbered bags and fits you quite well. The water can still be a chilly 12-14 degrees so the thick one piece suits are really great. (more…)
by Carel van der colff | Jun 10, 2012 | Dive Inn
Richard’s Supper Stage and Bistro
A brand new restaurant has been opened by Richard Loring and Roland Seidel in Sea point name Richard’s Supper Stage & bistro. It is boasting the fact that it has a direct view of Robben island.
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by Carel van der colff | Feb 18, 2012 | Uncategorized
Wine Tasting @ Graham Beck blogging is a new thing I get to today. So a slow start and hopefully later one when I get feedback/reviews I will be able to up my blogging/writing skills.
In the last week a trip was made to the Graham Beck wine farm outside of Franschoek for a wine and smells pairing/tasting.
On arrival we got a glass of Blanc de Blanc Cap classique and then were escorted up to a tasting “Boardroom”. Our wine guide started with the white wines. Where we 1st nosed the wines followed by a sniff of for example gooseberries, tinned asparagus, wood chippings, dark chocolate etc. and then tasted them.
So with all the wines we could smell the fragrances that has been picked up in the wine.
We also had some dark cappuccino chocolate, ham, and salmon bits for snack to pair with the wines.
This was my 1st experience of a sense tasting. As normally it is said yes you can smell the apple but now we had a comparison to confirm the smell.
The morning with Wine Tasting @ Graham Beck ended with us buying some wines. Also tasting some other wines which we had an interest in.
The tasting room and cellar is very modern with cheetah sculptures and other new age sculptures outside.
Unfortunately the farm has been sold we have been told that the tasting room will be closed in June. So go out and arrange a group to go and experience the wonders of smell and wine.
Or I can arrange it ;-). The Stellenbosch Wine route got everything to offer. Wines, Chocalate, Brandy and beers are up to taste. Even food pairings are also very popular.
All the farms upped their game and fun to go out and explore.
Wine tasting smelling
