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Archive for the ‘Discover PE’ Category

http://www.mype.co.za/: The birth of a humpback whale was filmed this weekend by a German TV crew which travelled to Port Elizabeth at the invitation of Rainer Schimpf from Dive Expert-Tours. The crew is in Port Elizabeth to see and film the marine diversity of Algoa Bay.

Rainer says; “Traveling around Cape Receife, we saw a breaching Humpback whale, as we came closer with the boat we realized that there were five Humpback whales displaying great activity in this area. They were diving up and down and behaving very excited for quite some time and then, suddenly, a sixth Humpback whale – a newborn baby, grey in colour and a with a bent hump, broke the surface to take its first breath!”

With this historic event caught on camera by the TV crew and still photographers, we have conclusive photographic proof of Algoa Bay being the birth place of a Humpback whale. Shortly after the baby Humpback surfaced for it’s first breath, the afterbirth also surfaced and drifted away.

To read more on this historic event and to view the images captured please visit the article posted on MyPE

Port Elizabeth’s rich cultural heritage guarantees history lovers a unique insight into the Eastern Cape’s and the Metro’s diverse and remarkable past.
The nomadic San were the earliest group of indigenous people known to live in the Eastern Cape. The Khoi displaced the San into the mountains and semi-desert, early in the second millennium AD. The forefathers of the Xhosa speaking people arrived on the banks of the Kei River in about 800AD.
While on his epic voyage of discovery searching for a sea route to the East, the Portuguese, Bartolomeu Dias, rounded the “Cabo da Roca” in February 1488 and entered “Baia da Roca” – Cape and Bay of the Rock (now Cape Recife and Algoa Bay). Dias also gave the name “Ilheus Chaos” (Flat Islands) to the Bird Islands. In 1497, Vasco da Gama, successor to Dias, entered Algoa Bay and noted the Bird Islands on his voyage to India. His charts gave Cape Recife it’s name – “Cabo do Arricife” – Cape of the Reef. The “Bay” was later named “Baia de Lagoa”, by navigator and cartographer Manuel de Mesquita Perestrelo in 1576, which referred to the lagoon situated at the mouth of the Baakens River.

By the middle of the 18th century, the number of ships passing the “Bay” had increased and occasionally survivors of the shipwrecks were given hospitality by Dutch Trekboers (farmers) who had trekked from the Cape in search of good farmland.

 At the end of 1799 the English, fearing that the French would render military assistance to the Graaff Reinet rebels, decided to construct Fort Frederick, overlooking the mouth of the Baakens River as a permanent military post.
4 000 British Settlers arrived by sea in 1820, to become the first permanent British residents in the Albany District. On 6 June 1820, Sir Rufane Donkin, Acting Governor of the Cape Colony at the time, named the new sea port in memory of his late wife, Elizabeth.
Before the up-country gold and diamond booms, PE developed as one of the major commercial cities in SA, trading in wool, mohair and ostrich feathers. As a result, the harbour became a bustling port. People traveled to the city in search of trade and labour opportunities.

Early Port Elizabeth was characterized by the settlement of European, Cape Malay and immigrant communities. The diverse community lived together according to economic and social status, rather than on an ethnic basis. Some folk were already residing in New Brighton since 1903. However, when the Group Areas Act was legislated in 1960, this resulted in forced relocation under the “apartheid law” among the non-white population and the so-called townships came into being.
Port Elizabeth was the first city in SA to establish a fully integrated, democratic local authority and has long been a leader in the political transformation of the country.

 Presently, Port Elizabeth is fondly referred to as “Ibhayi” by Xhosa speakers, “Die Baai” by Afrikaners and “The Bay” by English speakers.

Homeleigh Halt Guest House is offering a magical special offer of a 4 night, 5 day getaway for R3500.00 for 2 sharing, in the friendly city of Port Elizabeth

 You get 4 nights luxury accommodation and a full English breakfast daily.

This offer also includes a trip to the world renowned Addo Elephant National Park, with a qualified field guide. The trip includes a light lunch. 

Other meals and refreshments are for your own account.

This incredible offer is also to be found on the official South African Tourism site under the exciting “Sho’t Left – Affordable Mzansi Holidays.”

Due to popular demand this offer is being extended to 31 August 2009.

See you soon!

Algoa Bay also offers a huge diversity of marine life that can be viewed all year round.

Each year the “gentle giants of the ocean”, are familiar sights along the coastline (and can easily be sighted from the shore in season.) these “not be missed” sightings include the Southern Right whale, which mates and calves between July and October each year in the large, sheltered Algoa Bay.

 The Bay’s calm conditions make it an ideal nursery for calving and feeding of the young.

Humpback whales pass by during June and July and again in November and December.

 The sardine-eating Bryde’s whale is present throughout the year while Bottlenose dolphins, Cape Fur seals, gannets and cormorants are also common sights througout the year.

Port Elizabeth is often overlooked as a destination on “The Whale Trail” but it in fact offers visitors the most unique viewing opportunies because they calve in our sheltered Algoa Bay. All too often the fact that these magnificent mammals are our regular visitors do not even receive a mention in the various articles on whale watching which tend to concentrate on areas further down the Garden Route and closer to Cape Town.

One of the most import bits of information that I can share with you is the fact that Port Elizabeth is the only place in the world where you can experience the “Big 7″ side by side!

We are more than happy to assist in making the necessary arrangements for you to view these magnificent animals up close.  Book your accommodation now.

Start your day by enjoying a scrumptious breakfast at Homeleigh Halt before heading off on an adventure filled day.

There are many wonderful charters which will take you out to view them from the permitted viewing distance.

This is just such a phenomenal event, the fact that Port Elizabeth’s stadium is the first one to be completed and ranks up there with the best in the world. It is indeed newsworthy. It is the most amazing and interesting phase that we are entering into with teams qualifying for the tournament. All South Africans should be swept up into the FIFA World Cup “Fever”.

With just over one year to the kickoff of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, this past weekend saw four major teams qualifying for the tournament, as well as the opening of South Africa’s first newly-built stadium for the event.

From the Asian zone Japan, Korea Republic and Australia became the first teams to qualify for Africa’s first World Cup next year, while the Netherlands became the first European team to qualify.

The Organising Committee’s CEO Dr Danny Jordaan was delighted at the calibre of the teams that qualified for the tournament this weekend.

The Netherlands, Japan, Korea Republic and Australia are big teams  on and off the field. Their qualification will begin to shape the great atmosphere we envisage for the event. The Dutch, clearly from a football point of view, have some of the most exciting players in the world. And off the field, Dutch fans “ dressed in their sea of orange ” are synonymous with bringing their special energy to any major event in the world. We’re looking forward to welcoming these exciting teams and their supporters, said Jordaan.

To cap a landmark weekend for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in the country’s Eastern Cape Province became the first newly-built stadium to be officially opened for the tournament -  a year ahead of the tournament.

For us the newly-built 2010 FIFA World Cup stadium is a huge boost. With the four stadiums about to host the FIFA Confederations Cup ready, this brings to five the number of 2010 FIFA World Cup stadiums now complete a year to go to the event. And all the other five new arenas are also shaping up nicely to be ready well ahead of  the event”, said Dr Jordaan, who attended the stadium’s opening which was  attended by 25 000 residents of the city.

Sunday 7 June 2009

History is made in Port Elizabeth. Local and national visitors celebrated our local landmark…when the Port Elizabeth 2010 Stadium was introduced to the world.

South Africa’s first newly-built 2010 World Cup stadium officially opened on Sunday in Port Elizabeth a year before kick-off next June.

“For us today’s first opening of a newly-built 2010 World Cup stadium is a huge boost,” said local organising committee chief Danny Jordaan.

Eight 2010 games will be played at 48,000 seat Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.

But the first game in the stadium will be a rugby match between the British and Irish Lions and the Southern Kings.

“It demonstrates the capacity of South Africa’s construction industry and our commitment to deliver on all our 2010 Fifa World Cup promises,” Jordaan added.

The Confederations Cup, seen as a test event for the World Cup, starts on Sunday at four refurbished stadiums in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Rustenburg.

The five additional new stadiums that will also be used in Africa’s first World Cup were “shaping up nicely” to be ready ahead of 2010, Jordaan said.

A night view of the Port Elizabeth 2010 FIFA World Cup Stadium

Every year, between the months of May and July, many millions of silvery sardines travel north from the cold southern oceans off South Africa’s Cape Point, hugging the shore as they make their way up along the coastlines of the former Transkei (northern Eastern Cape) and KwaZulu-Natal in what is commonly known as the annual Sardine Run.
After experiencing the incredible Sardine Run, extend your stay and enjoy an african safari in a malaria free environment. The Eastern Cape boasts the most concentrated elephant reserve in Africa. Home to a herd of 300 elephants, the ‘Addo Elephant National Park’ allows close quarter viewing. There are also black rhino, buffalo, eland, Kudu and other antelope species. More than 170 species of birds have been identified. Shamwari, a privately owned, luxury game reserve boasts the “big five”. Whether at the exclusive Shamwari Game Reserve, the large Addo Elephant Park or the Mountain Zebra National Parks, the East Cape offers unequalled game viewing in conditions suited to the traveler.

The 6th International Coastal & Marine Tourism Congress (CMT) is to be held in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa from 23 to  26 June, 2009.

International divers report viewing more marine species per dive in Algoa Bay than a weeks diving in some of the world’s most popular dive spots.

It was the legend of Prester John that brought Bartholomeu Dias to Algoa Bay more than 500 years ago. Prester John, so the legend said, founded a prosperous kingdom of great beauty and wealth in an unknown location where peace reigned and man lived in harmony with strange creatures alongside the fountain of youth.

We believe that this great beauty and wealth is not gold bullion or sunken treasure but rather a marine environment second to none just waiting to be discovered by every visitor with a desire to explore our silent world.

MyPE is Port Elizabeth’s Community Web Site. MyPE lists Port Elizabeth business in a searchable directory. See the Homeleigh Halt listing on MyPE.