SOUTH AFRICA
Day Three: Whales, Seals and a Boatload of Food Day Three started with a bang! We headed to Knysna for a whale-watching experience with Ocean Odyssey, and this was one of those activities where you genuinely don’ t know what you are going to see. We zipped through the famous Knysna Heads on a speedboat, and the views alone were enough to make you understand why this part of the country is so special. Then came the close encounter. A whale. Out in the ocean. Right there.
There is something humbling about seeing an animal that enormous moving through the water. You suddenly feel very small, and for a moment, everything else disappears. But then, since apparently the Garden Route had decided I needed bragging rights, we also encountered a seal. And this wasn’ t just any seal. It felt like it was waving at me. If you think that’ s cool, have you ever had a seal wave at you? Exactly. I’ m not lucky. I’ m blessed. I will admit, though, that while nature was putting on a five-star show, my stomach was staging its own little protest. And the ocean won that round. Fortunately, we made our way back towards Thesen
Margaret’ s Viewpoint
The Knysna Lagoon
Ocean Odyssey Whale Watching
Island, where lunch at The Turbine Boutique Hotel & Spa was waiting. The historic setting, beautiful architecture and relaxed atmosphere made it the perfect place to recover from my battle with the ocean. And by“ recover”, I mean“ eat”. From there, we jumped into the Knysna Touring hop-on hop-off experience and headed towards Belvidere. The little village has a beautiful sense of history, and we visited a historic 19th-century Anglican church that added another layer to the story of the area. It’ s easy to drive past pretty buildings like these, but when you stop and hear about the history, you realise how much is hidden behind the facade.
Margaret’ s Viewpoint was our next stop, followed by Brenton-on-Sea. Brenton has that peaceful coastal energy that makes you want to linger. But the day was far from finished. That evening, we took things to another level with a braai aboard one of Ocean Sailing Charters’ yachts on the Knysna Lagoon. Yes. A braai. On a yacht. In Knysna. This is the kind of sentence that makes you realise you are having a pretty good week.
The wind was doing its absolute best to remind us who was in charge, but it had nothing on us. The owner, Neil, was the perfect host. Warm, welcoming and genuinely passionate about showing people the area, he made everyone feel at home. There was laughter, great food, conversation, and that unmistakable South African moment when strangers become friends over a braai: Another one for me, clink, clink. Here’ s to new beginnings and those beautiful moments when Capetonians meet the locals and suddenly it feels like everyone has known each other for years. And if you thought the feasting was over, think again. Because the night ended with an intimate dinner at Sirocco Restaurant. Naturally, I had oysters. I was in Knysna; what else was I supposed to do? Then came the catch of the day. Tuna. And judging by the way my taste buds were reacting, I was in the right place. Multiple foodgasms later, the day finally came to an end. We had a late-night check-in at Pezula Nature Retreat, with a good night’ s rest on the itinerary.
SPRING 2026 • rovesa. co. za | 61