South Africa for Xmas?

[gone_phishin]

G'day all,

After some advice from our South African Ausfishers about places to stay and things to do around Xmas time over there. We can use our FF points to get to Capetown but don't have a clue from there. Any help please??

Can you either post here or PM me

Kind regards
Geoff

[catchy_fishy]

you and mates or the family, will it be a fishing trip or a tourist sight seeing holiday ? :-?

In true ausfish style "your post is rather vague" - can you be more specific

Glad to help if I can

Mike

[gone_phishin]

Sorry Mike :-[ Being vague comes soooo easy sometimes ;)

We (the family. Wife and young bloke) are looking at more of a sightseeing trip but would love to get into a bit of fishing! We will have about 3 weeks to spare and all we have been able to find are really pricey safaris and such. Being a bit vague 'cause we don't really know what to expect I guess.

Any help would be appreciated :)

Kind regards
Geoff

[sunny]

Hi Geoff,

Here’s some info from a Saffie who’s been living in Aus for a few years now. Some details might have changed. ;)

Christmas is a great time to go. It will be warm and sunny.

Fishing first – Of course 8-)
If you’re landing in Cape Town, you can either go up the West or East coasts. They are very different environments created by two very different oceans.

The West Coast is very cold water, rough sea and seriously good surf fishing for jew (called Kob over there) and local species such as Galjoen and Steenbras. It’s well known for the local crayfish. This is Atlantic Ocean water that comes straight up from Antarctica, so lots of sea birds, seals and Great Whites. The countryside is very lonely and sparse and there is nothing quite like roasting the strong flavoured Galjoen over open coals on a beach, miles from anywhere.

In Cape Town itself there are some charter boats that will take you out for Yellowtail Kings Geelbek(something like a Jew) and Barracouta (called Snoek locally).

The East Coast is Indian Ocean country with much warmer water, but still very rough by Queensland standards. Fishing here is reef, rock, surf and estuary. All of them can be very good, but rock fishing is definitely not for beginners in most locations. Estuary fishing features lots of Jew, Steenbras and another favourite local the Spotted Grunter which is nothing like the Queensland one. As the water is warmer Tailor can be common in the evenings.

Travelling up the East Coast is definitely the more scenic option, especially the Garden Route area.

If you are a serious fisho and get as far as Port Elizabeth, I can hook you up with a mate who can probably get you out for Yellowfin tuna.

If spending squillions on safaris is not in your plans, I’ll pm you some details on game watching along the coast.

[gone_phishin]

G'day Sunny

Thanks for that! The wife and I definately reckon the East Coast will be for us. Fishing is high on the agenda but the young bloke and the wife, and I guess me too, really would like to see the animals in the wild, so any info you have on that , like self drive game trails and accomodation, or anything else you can put us on to would be great as we don't want to spend squillions on safari's.

If this all comes together as we hope, I will ask if I can join your mate for a trip out if that's ok. From what I gather PE is only about 800k's away from Capetown and looks like it has the game reserves around as well. Is this right? How long would it take to go the Garden Route to PE by car? Is there enough time to see heaps in the 3 weeks ?

I've just started Googling PE and there's heaps of stuff but a bit of local knowledge would be great!!!

Thanks :) :)

Geoff

[sunny]

Check your PM mate ;)

I've just left you a brain dump. Happy to give you abit more detail if you need it.

[MulletMan]

There are some great fish varieties in SA.

Firstly we have the well known Lion Fish, the Leopard Shark, the notorious Tiger Shark, the freshwater Rhino and Giraffe fish, the Buffalo fish, Zebra fish, Monkey fish.................

Well I thought this was funny anway [smiley=happy.gif] [smiley=happy.gif] [smiley=happy.gif] .............. but have a great and a safe trip anyway!

[gone_phishin]

Thanks Pink Panther ;D ;D ;D

Geoff

[gone_phishin]

G'day sunny.

:o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

Have PM'd you back!

Thanks Mate!!!!

Geoff

[catchy_fishy]

Ok, sound like your fishing is being addressed

Touristy stuff

In Cape Town - most tourists like to take a cable car trip to the top of Table Mountain, visit the wine farms in Paarl, or Stellenbosch. I'd recommend Nederburg (for a big estate) and Fairview for a smaller one (and for the kids) www.fairview.co.za

Also think about visiting Robin Island (ferry trip to the former prison island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned). I wopuldn't but you could visit the castle in cape Town - former fort used by the british when we were under their control, way back. It does give a bit of war history, etc. Paarl / Stellenbosch can't remember but there's a lovely butterfly farm that is different.

A day's tour guided bus trip - always happening, could include a wine farm trip, nice as you don't have to drive home, always good for general tourist.

Lunch at the brass bell; visit to Simon's town, you must stop in at The Scratch Patch www.scratchpatch.co.za, for a few hours - your kid'll love it and so will you.

Do you do fly fishing ? If so let me know and I could hook you up with some guys I chat to on a local forum for info on trout in the cape. I also chat to one / two good guides (fly) for saltwater in the eastern cape. They could get you into a good few fish / two.

Check out www.flytalk.co.za (you have to register to see the forum) but the website might give you some good local info

I'm a little hesitant to offer but I might be able to ask a guy I know in Cape Town about taking you out for Yellow fin. Also check out guiding in SA, and make some enquiries about Charters.

If you do get up as far as PE, you will need to pass Jeffrey's bay, If you get there I know a guy that does charters, and can recommend him.

You will also travel the Garden route - Great opportubity to overnight in Knysna - book accommodation early as it is a sought after holiday destination. Knysna is famous for its oysters - if in Knysna you must have oysters, and you try and visit the forests - lovely walking trails (1-2 hour walks also to se ethe Knysna Loerie - a bird . Also if possible, but I haven't got contacts you should try and fish the knysna lagoon - large saltwater / brack water lake system with excellent Garrick (or Leeries), Skipjack; The elusive grunter; tailor at the right time of the year; and mullet year round. Many other species too.


You have to get to Storms river mouth http://www.places.co.za/cgib/plscripts/mapinfo?city=Storms%20River if you're in the area for the sheer beauty it has to offer. Most tourists get to knysna and say they've done the garden route - not so till you've seen the mouth.

Accommodation:

Good; Clean and affordable - my mom lives in a tiny town called Stilbaai just befopre Mossel Bay on the way to George / Knysna, and has a flat that she rents out during holiday season - I could check rates. Kitchenette, Double bed, and a single bed.

Stilbaai is a beach holiday Mecca in the E/Cape where all locals go. If you also want to get a bit of beaching and some basic holiday on your trip, I would recommend stopping over for a night
or three. She also is qualified in aromatherapy massage, indian head, reflexology and hot rock body massage. She runs a very small massage business for holiday makers from a room in her home, and is busiest in December. Nice way to treat your wife rather inexpensively (R250 for a full hour treatment) Maybe more by XMAS.

Pm me if you want more details in that regard.

Definate group charters available from Stilbaai harbour (affordable R250 per person / 5 = AUD) per person - leave mom on the beach and go to sea to chase jews. Only I would try and book exclusively, so you can "direct" the charter (R2500).

Also a bit of history in the town - The town is famous for a few things one being it's fishtraps. See this link for overview and more info http://www.pamgolding.co.za/areas/stilbaai/stilbaai.asp

This entire coast is good for Jews (known as Kob, or Kabeljou - pronounced Cubbalyoh; or Daga Salmon (in Natal) - Imagine my confusion when I started using Ausfish.

PS Tailor is called Elf in eastern Cape, or Shad in Natal.

I saw in Sunny's post he mentioned Galjoen (SA's national fish), without double checking I 'm almost sure the season is closed for them in December, either way in Winter they are far more prolific.

Galjoen is pronounced Ghalyuhn - if you can get your toungue around that.

If there's more I'll help where I can. I hope this gives you lots to go on to start with

[catchy_fishy]

[quote author=gone_phishin link=1142382986/0#0 date=1142382985]G'day all,

After some advice from our South African Ausfishers about places to stay and things to do around Xmas time over there. [quote]

You could also vist a mall in any of the majhor centres like Cape Town and PE and see Santa ;) ;)

I too have kids

[gone_phishin]

Geeeez! By the time I get through everything from Catchy-Fishy and Sunny, I'll have to book for 6 months ;D ;D ;D

Having a bit of trouble with a certain bank over reward points since yesterday (ba&*tards have ripped us of 70,000 points and didn't tell us >:( >:( ) but we will make it one way or another but may now have to be the following year, maybe even winter time. Its amazing how the banks just don't give a damn and take whatever they like and tell you "we sent the information 2 years ago and you should have read the fine print".

Thats beside the point though. Thanks for the info and I will keep asking questions if that's ok?

Kind regards
Geoff

[catchy_fishy]

pleasure. hope you come right