Want to see a penguin? Baby boomer travelers don’t have to sail to Antarctica to visit a colony of the flightless birds. Locations in South Africa, South America, Australia and the Galapagos Islands offer chances to observe and photograph the fascinating birds.
On a trip to South Africa, Alan and I added penguin sightings to our list of lions, elephants and giraffe. At Stony Point in Betty’s Bay, we walked the boardwalk that meandered along the shore for a close-up view of Jackass Penguins (also called African Penguins). We watched as they huddled in groups or waddled to the sea, becoming sleek swimmers once in the water. Our presence didn’t seem to disturb them. It was almost as if they were posing for us. And after hearing their braying calls, we understood why they are called Jackass Penguins.
Betty’s Bay is located on the Clarence Drive Route, a scenic coastal drive which we traveled from Hermanus to Cape Town. Although Alan and I didn’t see any whales on our visit, the area is known as prime land-based whale watching territory. In fact, walking from the parking area at Stony Point to access the boardwalk, visitors pass beside the remains of an old whaling station.
With hiking in Kogelberg Biosphere, garden walks at Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens plus scenic coastal walks, baby boomer adventurers will find plenty to do in this part of South Africa. Next time, we’ll stay longer.
