January 25th, 2009 
Sheila Simkin Cape Point is part of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve situated at the junction of two of earth’s most contrasting water masses – the cold Benguela current on the West Coast and the warm Agulhas current on the East Coast. I had always thought (like most people) that the the Cape of Good Hope was the meeting point of the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans. Wrong. The Indian Ocean joins the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa.
There is a visitors center, refreshment and restaurant facilities, souvenir shops, and numerous walks and trails to spectacular viewing points. The reserve is open November to April and closes at Sunset. The easy way to take in both sights would be to join an organized Peninsula tour. This organized tour was part of our South Africa journey and we spent a few hours walking the trails and admiring the views.
The lighthouse (in background of photo above) at Cape Point is the most powerful on the South African coast and the rounding of the Cape in 1488 by the Portuguese was a major milestone in establishing trade with the Far East. The dramatic Cape Point has some of the highest sea cliffs in the world and many a ship attempted to round the Cape in strong headwinds and disappeared. One of these is the legendary “Flying Dutchman” ghost ship often sighted around Cape Point.
If you don’t want to walk the trail to the old Cape Point lighthouse, hop on the funicular. There is great whale watching between June and November. Look for the Southern right whale, Humpback whale, seals, Dusky Dolphins or Orca, the Killer Whales.
The Chacma Baboon troops on the Cape Peninsula are the only protected population of this species in Africa and there were big “DO NOT FEED…BABOONS ARE DANGEROUS” signs everywhere. We never saw any but have seen Baboons throughout the world and you don’t have to tell me twice! Once in Kenya, a troop chased a lone woman walking to the swimming pool and have you ever seen the size of their incisors? Long, sharp and dangerous. You do not want to mess with a Baboon. Baboons are also a big nuisance in the Cape Town area and will trash your house if they find a way in.
The other famous Cape is Cape Horn, the southernmost headland of Tierra del Fuego in southern Chile. Cape Horn marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage and was an accomplishment for sailing ships to round the “Horn” in this very hazardous area. The strong winds, large waves and currents along with icebergs made Cape Horn notorious as a sailors’ graveyard.
I’m pleased that ex-Marine and I have stepped foot on the southernmost ends of two continents, Africa and South America. One warm and the other frigid, setting off on an Antarctica cruise and am so glad that I was never one of the voyagers on those perilous journeys.
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I made the same mistake, and I excitedly e-mailed friends and family from Cape Point to say (wrongly) that I was standing at the southern-most point of Africa. Oh well. It was a breath-taking trip, like around other areas of SA.
Found your site b/c I’m reading Joel Comm’s Twitter book. He mentions your site and says to say “Hi!”