On today’s hike along the southernmost shores of Africa I managed to revisit an old favorite spot called The Island. It is situated on the Robberg peninsula in the beautiful Plettenberg Bay tourist hotspot. This is perhaps the most attractive location on the entire south coast of Africa and I highly recommend adding it to your travel itinerary.
If you want to see The Island, you can take the hiking trail on the Robberg peninsula marine reserve. It’s a protected nature reserve specifically for seals and other sea creatures and birds which inhabit this area. For a small fee you can do the 2-3 hour hike and get to see the seals in their natural environment.
Once you are on the peninsula itself, the trail leads along the shoreline until you reach a mid section, called The Gap, where there is a dip in the terrain. It’s possible to climb over the Gap to reach the lesser known western shore of this peninsula, and there you will encounter the most curious little secluded beach as well as the fascinating rock formation called The Island.
It’s not actually a full island because it’s connected to the peninsula landmass by a small sand dune. However, it appears like an island and makes for an interesting exploration. The Indian ocean waves wash up on both sides of the little sand bank that connects the island to the peninsula and the setting is quite surreal.
You can stand on the sand bank and observe the waves on both sides of you as you face The Island. There are regular visitors who do the hiking trail daily, though some days you might be lucky to time your hike in such a way that you have very few people around and then you can feel as if you have the place to yourself.
Naturally it gets busier in peak tourist season in summer, which is coming up in a few weeks, though any time of the year is fine for a visit since the climate is very mild throughout the rear.
One you are on The Island, you will notice a fairly new wooden plank pathway at the top of a steep flight of steps which take you onto the top of the rocky island outcrop. It looks like sandstone and the erosion from wind and waves has made some truly awesome rock formations which I managed to capture in today’s photos. It looks like a natural art gallery filled with modern art sculptures of the most intriguing and harmonious shapes.
From The Island itself you can look back at the Robberg peninsula and see how it connects to the mainland of the African continent. So in a sense you are indeed somewhat removed from the actual mainland and you feel as if you are surrounded by the sea, unless you notice the sandbank that keeps you connected, like a bridge back to the real world from this fantasy-like realm.
I love visiting this spot a few times a year when I’m passing through this area. It is a favorite and I’m sure you will love the setting too. The rock is quite different from that found on the mainland and it makes for a totally different landscape setting, despite the vegetation being the same as that on the mainland.
The erosion produces some fascinating caves which are totally inaccessible since they are on the steep seaward cliffs of The Island itself and on my first visits I didn’t actually notice them. It was only after several visits over the years that I eventually stumbles on these rare rock formations facing out to sea.
If I remember correctly, the wooden plank walkway was not fully completed until recently, which has enabled hikers to now gain access to the previously hidden side of this rocky island outcrop. In other words there are probably numerous epic sights dotted all over the planet still waiting to be discovered, despite us having mapped perhaps every inch of the globe from a distance.
So don’t stop exploring my fellow travelers. There are always new and exciting or inspiring majestic sights and places to rekindle your awe and appreciation for our beautiful planet which we call home.
(photos my own)