Interesting facts about Cape Town, SAR
By Table Mountain National Park
9. THE SACRED CIRCLE
Cape Town is truly 'a world in one city' and home to peoples from every part of the
globe. Many did not come here of their own free will - even the first outpost was
begun out of necessity by those shipwrecked here.
Slaves from Africa and Asia, brought here in the 17th and 18th Centuries, as well as
political exiles from the Dutch colonies of the East Indies, bequeathed a rich culture
and faith that is central to many of this city's habits of language and custom.
Among luminary figures was Goan prince, Sheikh Yussuf, exiled here in 1693.
Enshrined on the False Bay coast, nis grave is the focal point of a ring of Muslim
kramats (saintly places) to holy men (Tuans) on and around the Peninsula. These
are perceived by many to protect her inhabitants from "fire, famine, plague,
earthquake and tidal wave".
Among those buried in the cemetery at the end of Signal Hill are Tuans Guru,
Sayeed Alawie and Nuruman (also known as 'Paai Schaapie") who was devoted to
the care and welfare of animals and is thought of as one of the city's first
conservationists.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF JAMES ROBERT BROWNING S
17 MAY 1963
INDECEMBER 2020
“I CAN’T CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND, BUT I CAN ADJUST MY
SAILS TO ALWAYS REACH MY DESTINATION”
14. TAPESTRY OF LIFE
The Mountain may appear to be a botanical paradise.. and a zoological desert! But
look closer. Beneath these shrubs a teeming world of small creatures thrive - many,
thanks to their unique partnerships with plants.
Some fynbos species, for example, rely on Pugnacious Ants to bury their seeds,
protecting them from fire and predators. In exchange, seeds reward ants with a
sweet, detachable snack' called an elaiosome. The celebrated Red Disa might not
exist were it not for the Mountain Pride Butterfly, which favours the nestar of red
flowers. Many ericas and proteas would not be pollinated without
the long, nectar-seeking beaks of sunbirds. Some
plants even offer specialised protection to their partners - beetles and flies enjoy a
sate haven on the Blister Bush, which is toxic and irritating to larger predators.
Many less visible inhabitants of this
mountain - frogs, rodents, snakes, birds and a staggering diversity of insect species live and interact in this world of stems, roots, rocks and crevices, each one a smal!
but vital part of this complex tapestry of life.
15. THE PENINSULA
Straight ahead, across the back of Table Mountain, you see the buttresses of the
Twelve Apostles (1) and, to your right, the Atlantic coastline (2). Follow the coastal
road past Oudekraal (3), below the highest point of the Twelve Apostles, Grootkop
(4).
Next comes Karbonkelberg (5) standing sentinel ver the hamlet and harbour of Hout
Bay (6).
The coastal road continues to your left across the precipitous Chapman's Peak (7).
Beyond this, on the headland jutting out into the sea, is the town of Kommetjie and
the Slangkop Lighthouse (8). To your left is the imposing Constantiaberg peak (9).
Some 50 km as the crow flies (but not visible from here) lies Cape Point (10) and,
just to the west of this, the actual south-westernmost point of the African continent the legendary Cape of Good Hope.
Further to your left you can also glimpse False Bay and the seaside resort of
Muizenberg, below Muizenberg peak (11), These mountains to Cape Point form the
spine of the Cape Peninsula National Park.
17. CAPE OF STORMS
The legendary 'Flying Dutchman' and countless other tales of shipwreck and storm,
remind sailors that Cabo da Boa Esperança can also be Cabo Tormentosa - Cape of
Storms!
Ships who hug the Cape, to avoid the infamous Roaring 40's latitudes (home to a
belt of winds that girdle the globe) are often confronted by equally hazardous
conditions on this. coast - dense mists, treacherous currents, hidden rocks and
shoals.
The perils of this 'chokepoint that must be passed to round the Cape have made this
one of the world's great marine graveyards.
This map shows a few of some 650 wrecks recorded on this coastline over the past
400 years.
Winds of change
What do we do here?
Together with other Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Stations, the Cape Point
station monitors the chemical composition of the earth's atmosphere, incident solar
radiation and meteorological parameters on a long-term basis in order to better
understand climate change.
The laboratory maintains equipment for collecting accurate information on
environmentally important trace gases such as carbon dioxide (CO,) and methane
(CH.) which can enhance global warming. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which
contribute towards depleting the ozone layer are also monitored. The ozone layer
shields life on earth from harmful UV radiation. Furthermore, this lab also studies the
physical properties of aerosol particles.
Climatology
◦ Average temperature 15,7 °C
◦ Average pressure 991 hPa
◦ Average wind speed 30,6 km/h
◦ Annual rainfall 353 mm
What happens to the data gathered?
The information is submitted regularly to local and international data centres where
the data is made available to scientists who make long-term modeling predictions of
future climates, sea-level rise and other environmental impacts. The GAW data is
also available to policy makers who strive to ensure the sustained well-being of our
planet for future generations.
Why here?
The unique geographic location of Cape Point allows measurements to be made
primarily in very clean air that has passed over the southern Atlantic Ocean thereby
providing more accurate insight into global trends devoid of local influences.
Network of Global Atmosphere
Watch Stations
Cape Point is one of 30 global air-chemical laboratories (the largest and oldest on
the African continent) within the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) GAW
network which tracks long-term chemical and physical changes in the atmosphere.
The entire network collectively provides a comprehensive global overview of the
atmosphere's changing chemical composition which can act as an early warning
system.