Living in Cape Town the very best weather is usually on a Monday (typical)... I had long been itching to try a flight to Hermanus and back along the coast during the whale season, but the weather kept my plans at bay. As it happened Monday the 3rd October 2011 dawned completely windless and looked perfect for flying. I sent out an sms to see who was keen to bunk work, and had two strikes. Len only had a student for a lesson later that afternoon and Patrick did an about turn halfway to work and headed straight for the hangars. Just as we were warming up the gyros, Weidie came trundling along the taxiway in Paul's gyro and we promptly coerced him to join us.
We flew from Morningstar to Fisantekraal, past Stellenbosch airfield, through the Lourensford Gap and over Sir Lowry's Pass. Then it was over the Kleinemond Lagoon, past Hawston, Vermont and Onrus, over Hermanus and then up the Hermanus Lagoon to have a look at Jonathan's dodgy strip. (100m long, long grass, undulating surface, crossed by a road and big trees on either end!) We decided not to land and routed back low along the coast, past Kleinemond, Betty's Bay, Pringle Bay, Rooi-Els and then on to Gordon's Bay. We landed at Stellenbosch for a quick coffee and then headed back to Morningstar. Total flight time was almost 3 hours and Len summed it up best when during the flight he made the comment, "I can't think of a better way to spend R250.00 per hour!"
They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words... Well then here are 75,000 words to describe the experience:
SWitching on cameras and ready to go.
Lining up on 02 Morningstar for pre-rotation and take-off.
ZU-RDL taking off on 02.
Taking pictures of the farmlands approaching Stellenbosch.
Beautiful farmlands.
Approaching the Louresford gap.
Approaching the Louresford gap.
Approaching the Louresford gap.
Approaching Sir Lowry's Pass.
Approaching Sir Lowry's Pass.
Approaching Sir Lowry's Pass.
The Steenbras Top Dam with the N2 bridge and Gordon's Bay just visible top right.
Dams on the Palmiet River.
Spectacular farmlands on the escarpment.
Spectacular farmlands on the escarpment.
Spectacular farmlands on the escarpment.
Last set of mountains, then on to the Kleinemond Lagoon.
Approaching the Kleinemond Lagoon.
Stitched panorama of the view looking back to Kleinemond.
Overhead the lagoon looking back to Kleinemond.
Overhead the lagoon looking towards Hawston.
Following the coast to Hawston Point.
Photographing the southern right whales in the shallows.
Mother and calf, southern right whales relax in the shallows.
Fisherhaven
Tail view as we head to Hawston.
Looking towards Vermont from Hawston Point.
Vermont.
Paradise... House right on the water's edge at Vermont.
Routing towards Hermanus at 1000ft.
Stictched panorama of Onrus and Sandbaai.
Perlemoen Farms and the New Harbour at Hermanus.
Hermanus Centre and the Old Harbour.
Hermanus Lookout point and the Old Harbour.
Voelklip and the entrance to the Hermanus Lagoon.
Flying up the lagoon.
The mouth to the Hermanus Lagoon is open.
Low level inspection of Jonathan's dodgy strip... Undulating surface, long grass, roads crossing halfway down, tall trees at either end and only 100m long!!!
Low level inspection of Jonathan's dodgy strip... Undulating surface, long grass, roads crossing halfway down, tall trees at either end and only 100m long!!!
Checking out the skiers on the lagoon.
Low level pass over the lagoon harbour.
Routing back coastwise for the Old Harbour.
Approach the Old Harbour and Lookout Point.
Overhead the New Harbour.
The 3 perlemoen farms at the New Harbour.
Low along the beach, what a great feeling.
Patrick enjoys some low level touring along the beach.
Patrick enjoys some low level touring along the beach.
Checking out the beach at low level.
Patrick enjoys some low level touring along the beach.
Checking out the beach at low level.
Patrick enjoys some low level touring along the beach.
The beach ends and we arrive at Kleinemond.
Checking out the beach at low level.
Kleinemond.
Closer to the sea you cannot get!
Patrick flies low over the water at Maanskynbaai.
Checking out the coast at Maanskynbaai.
Pringle Bay.
Patrick routes low-level for Rooi-Els.
Approaching Rooi-Els.
Rooi-Els.
The scenery between Rooi-Els and Gordon's Bay is dramatic with towering cliffs and stunning beaches, but not much place to land.
The scenery between Rooi-Els and Gordon's Bay is dramatic with towering cliffs and stunning beaches, but not much place to land.
The scenery between Rooi-Els and Gordon's Bay is dramatic with towering cliffs and stunning beaches, but not much place to land.
The scenery between Rooi-Els and Gordon's Bay is dramatic with towering cliffs and stunning beaches, but not much place to land.
Arriving at Gordon's Bay.
Arriving at Gordon's Bay.
Gordon's Bay Harbour and yacht club.
Gordon's Bay Harbour and yacht club.
Stitched panoramic of Gordon's Bay.
Looking back towards Gordon's Bay.
Strand and the False Bay coastline.
Lwandle Informal Settlement.
Landing at Stellebosch Airfield.
I also have about 9 hours of video from the flight, but it's gonna be a looooooong time before I get a gap to put it all together.
Regards
Jean.
Wag net as sy eers hier is vlieg ons SA plat 
Its not the runway thats Dodgy, its the owner.