Corrected Vision

Traveling is great, love it! Besides the education aspect and the excitement of seeing “new” places, every minute is a photo opp.

Whether I’m in the car up the West Coast of South Africa, driving along the Garden Route in the South or moving through the arid, seemingly endless Karoo landscape.

Camera at hand, bag of lenses alongside, always looking for “the shot”.

I never get bored. See something flashing past, U-turn and have a better look. The shot, or not?

Exotic is even better. Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Vietnam amongst others, and even the First World offerings of Australia (which we visit quite often -

18 times so far (as our children, grandchildren and some good friends live

on that continent).

I must admit, I was getting bit tired of the same old, same old of the False Bay coastline, Atlantic Seaboard and the usual sights of Table Mountain and the Mother City, ho hum … been looking at this view for more than 70 years.

And then it happened, one Sunday over a slow lunch, sitting at a seaside restaurant with friends - this could be anywhere in the world!

It’s False Bay.

The setting, the ambience, the food (except for the expected poor service). We could be on the Costa Del Sol or in the Mekong Delta.

Open your eyes boykie! Local can feel exotic too.

Look, I won’t say it was life-changing but my eyes were certainly opened to a different view.

Kalk Bay fishing harbour took on a whole new appeal. I’ve spent many hours there and at Hout Bay Harbour and was in fact getting bored seeing the same boats and the same people on each visit. But all of a sudden it was different! I was inspired, excited seeing many things for the first time.

Different aspects, different times of day, different lighting, different sea conditions, different skies, all have a bearing on light through the lens. Then comes composition.

Fresh Yellowtail on sale at the fish market

View of the fishing boats through the arches of the old railway bridge

Caulking the hull prevents potential leaks. Slow, laborious handwork.

Just Nuisance the Great Dane officially made an Able Seaman during WW2, stands proudly on

Jubilee Square in Simon’s Town with it’s souvenir sellers all with the same product, was

“re-opened” for me.

Muizenberg beachfront had new horizons, although the derelict bathing boxes are still falling apart, even they lend new opportunities to my lens.

Walking Darling Street on the edge of the city was an experience. Squatters moving onto a space left by a recently demolished “dangerous” building.

Morning flag-raising at The Castle of Good Hope in Darling Street.

Visited a country cemetery that I’ve been to many times before, the light, for some reason, was different … new vision!

Haven’t ventured to the Atlantic Ocean side yet but that will have to wait until next year - after a visit to Zanzibar in the middle of December … looking forward to Stone Town and white palm-fringed beaches with dhows floating slowly passed on a flat sea under a hot sun. Camera in one hand and perhaps a can of Kilimanjaro beer in the other?

Watch this space …