Mossel Bay was a tender port…
In keeping with our nature theme, we booked a tour to Oudtshoorn and an ostrich farm. Our guide was Erika, who immigrated from Switzerland 40 years ago. The driver went by Accordion.
On our drive, Erika shared the following information…Mossel Bay was an important stop to Portuguese sailors, who first arrived in 1488. Those first sailors had stopped for water and noticed the indigenous people (Khoikhoi) eating mussels, so they called it Mussel Bay. Over the years, the pronunciation changed and it is now Mossel Bay. The Dutch claimed the area in 1737, and small farms were established. They established the practice of slavery to help with the new wine vineyards. The first European building was not built until 1787. It was a granary to store wheat for shipment. The British took possession of the area in 1814 and a town was officially established in 1848. The British imported grass from South America to use in pastures for horses, however, the grass contained many weed seeds, so the area has a large number of invasive plant species. The area was mostly populated by European citizens, or colonial workers from India and China until numerous droughts in the 1800s, caused a mass migration from the middle of the African continent. Independence from Britain was declared in 1934. Mossel Bay now has 100,000 residents. South Africa has an estimated 60 million residents, but exact number is not know due to unregistered citizens. Unemployment is high and the pay is low…a college professor makes 800 USD per month.
Local industries include fishing, the commercial harbor, and farming, which is mostly dairy farms. Due to the local milk, Nestle has a large factory that produces powder milk.
Lastly, there is tourism which is very ecological based. In December of each year, 300,000 summer visitors come to mostly camp. Shark cage diving is also a very popular activity.
The bay is sheltered with lots of seals. They have adapted to being nocturnal hunters to avoid the Great White Sharks that are day-time hunters. In recent years, the Great White population has decreased due to Orca attacks. A pod of Ocras will attack the shark and only eat it’s liver, but the liver is 30% of a shark’s weight and apparently very delicious to the Orcas.
To reach Oudtshoorn, we travelled what is known as the Magnificent Route, up and over the Outeniqua Mountain Pass. It was originally built in 1943, by 500 Italian World War II prisoners housed in South Africa by the British. In Khoikhoi, the name means “they who eat honey”. The road takes you from ocean beaches, through the mountains and into the arid desert known as Klein Karoo valley. (we did see wild baboons in a field coming into the valley)
Oudtshorrn is an oasis like location in the valley. In 1772, the Dutch government sent Baron van Oudtshorn to be the govenor of the Cape, but he died at sea. The town’s name was chosen to honor his legacy, at the urging of his widow. It is known for its exotic architecture, which reflects the area’s ostrich feather industry. Ostrich farming was started in the 1860s and due to Euorpean demand to adorn lady’s clothing, boomed until 1914.
We went to a working ostrich farm called Safari Farms and learned everything there is to know about ostriches, from eggs to feather duster. It was started in 1932 by 2 area families. Everything on the farm surrounds the ostrich
There was an interesting information board on the history of ostriches in Oudtshorn
The farm has 3 types of ostriches… South Africa Black, Kenya Red, and Zimbabwe Blue. Currently there are 1550 ostriches at the farm but it can accommodate up to 2000.
They are fed a locally produced pellet made from alfalfa, corn, and ground ostrich shells. Erika purchased cups of pellets for each guests, to feed the ostriches as we rode a tram pulled by a tractor, through the farm.
Jim tried to feed out of his hand, but they were very aggressive and he got nipped, so we let them eat out of the container instead.
Ostriches have extremely small brains and very short memories. Their eyes are very large, 2 inches across and weigh 1/4 of a pound. They have small wings that are only used to regulate their body temperature, so they flap their wings often to create a breeze.
A mature ostrich has a toe nail that is 3 inches long and extremely sharp.
Once we got off the tram, we were able to feed more ostriches…
Female ostriches are greyish/brown and breed for 8 months, 4-12 times per day. The female can lay up to 120 eggs during that time.
Ostrich eggs are rarely eaten as it is considered better to raise a chick. An ostrich egg is equal to 24 chicken eggs.
So that the female will continue to lay eggs, they are taken from the nest and placed in incubators. The female will not remember laying the egg so she will lay another one. The shell is very strong and almost impossible to crush. It can withstand someone/something stand on it. The male sits on the egg at night.
The egg is left in the incubator until it hatches, but it is rotated daily.
At 12 days old, the chick is placed in an outside “nursery” with other chicks.
All parts of an ostrich are used…80% of ostrich products come from meat. An ostrich is considered fully mature at 2 years, but the best meat is at 14 months.
14% of the ostrich goes to leather products from it’s hide.
6% of the ostrich goes to products made from it’s feathers. Today is for feather dusters, but it used to be for hats and women’s clothing.
There are also products made from the eggs shells…
We had a lady complain that she thought it is cruel to raise the ostriches just to harvest them for meat or their hides. We said, “where do you think chicken and beef comes from” She said, “oh I never thought of that”.
The farm also has Emus from Australia. The males have red beaks.
At the snack shop we had a South African ice cream bar and an ostrich cookie
On our return to Mossel Bay, we came down Robinson Pass, which is 1000 feet at the top. The road has been re-designed many times, but is named for the original engineer who designed and over-saw construction of the road in the 1860s. We made a short stop at an over-look, you just don’t imagine South Africa as having mountains!!
There were numerous fields of beer hops. They grow 10 cm or 4 inches per day and to aid with their growth, the fields are lit at night. Growing strawberries is also becoming a popular farming option.
Mossel Bay is a very nice area, for tourists and residents
Our ship anchored in the bay…
Back at the pier, we took pictures with our travel mascots, as well as the sea gulls…lol
Leaving Mossel Bay and heading to Cape Town
Later that night, we went out on deck to watch our ship pass the most southern point of Africa, Cape Agulhas. In Portugese it means “needles, which refers to the jagged cliffs and reefs found in the area.
