Day 91 Cape Town. South Africa (Day 2)

Weather
Cooler, upper 60's and low 70's

Map

What we did
Overnight, our ship was relocated to a different dock to accommodate another vessel. We woke up and were happy with the different view it offered of Table Mountain from our balcony.

In the morning, we set off on an excursion to Duiker Island and the Groot Constantia vineyard. The journey began with a 45-minute bus ride, followed by a boat trip out to Duiker Island, home to a large colony of fur seals. Unfortunately, the experience with our operator, Drumbeat Charters, got off to a rocky start. There were delays due to a last-minute boat change and a late-arriving crew, setting us back by about 45 minutes. When we finally boarded, the boat was smaller and more crowded than expected, prompting some guests to opt out altogether. Still, Tom and Amy pressed on, navigating both the tight quarters and occasionally choppy seas. It proved worthwhile; the coastal scenery was stunning, and before long we were surrounded by dozens of seals. Historically, the island was home primarily to male seals due to its rugged terrain, but over time, it has become a breeding ground as well.

Next, we traveled about 25 minutes to Groot Constantia for a wine and chocolate tasting. Here, we sampled five different wines, each thoughtfully paired with a complementary chocolate. Despite our delayed arrival, we weren't rush and Tom especially enjoyed the white chocolate with biscotti and cinnamon flavoring that was paired with the first two wines we tasted. We were scheduled to return to the ship by 1:30 pm, but didn’t make it back until 2:55 pm; cutting it close, as all passengers needed to clear onboard immigration by 3:30 pm. before departure. Fortunately, everything worked out, and we were processed by the deadline.