©Copyright  DAY21 Training Days, Kalk Bay, Cape Town


my pillow was pulling this morning... anxious to not let go of my sleepy sunday sense. so a little later than normal to rise, but still arriving early for the sunrise which didn't really happen, unless of course you count the train's slanting light...

its a sunday, so I have a few hours from the time I am standing to the time I need to be at work. hunting, browsing, plotting and spotting, potential future views to be stalked

a careful wander under the bridge, prowling the tiny harbour beach, seeing and sussing a shimmer on the false bay water. another day another dawn

...head to Olympia café, a famous little spot on a famous little corner of the thriving fishing village of Kalk Bay...      they have had an overhaul, new chairs, fresh paint and a tidy little hole in the wall that now serves as a window to the chefs below. just a touch too chilling to sit in the new window and be constantly brushed with the wind's icy fingers

its been a while since I was here... brings back many memories of moments worth remembering.... times gone by, times still to be had

window browsing at bob's bagels.... best bagels on the park and a tiny little handful of a stop worth having!                  a date for future day

its still early to head to work so I stop in at cest le vie again, comforting familiarity and fresh baguettes

©Copyright  DAY20 False Bay, Kalk Bay, Cape Town

there are ant people in their dark armour all over the Saturday roads, crawling and sprawling and acting as though the roads are their own. still I have got used to paying 100% attention to the army that dash across the streets, tackling their daily chores or heading to work, baggage and all

the weather is not for the faint hearted today - howling its windy powers around hats and scarves and making not apologies for the moodiness of a dawn on slow. I kinda thrive on that energy now. loving the passion of the erratic weather, changing in minutes, let alone days. my duvet jacket keeps the screaming winds from attacking my skin

staying warm and wild out in the not so warm and wild

I love this approaching storm, concentration and mayhem at the same time, even a bolt of lightening graces the skies. still a smiling miniature version of a human, out there with camera, sleep cleared head and a capture for my day

head off to cest le vie for a rewarding non-banter baguette and butter, steamy frothy bowl of cappuccino to warm my tingling finger tips.... bliss

©Copyright  DAY18 Kalk Bay Harbour, Cape Town

dawn patrol.... how could I resist this burnt orange mirage. I couldn't. the fishermen now smile when they see the little black getz pulling into the harbour parking

dashing with a light touch of non-speed speed this morning to swim in the luxury of this god's masterpiece. for only minutes later, I slyly smile at the disappearance of the magical horizon. only savoured for seconds but now captured forever

if you ever find yourself in a stodgy noughts and crosses time in your life, the routine of breaking and old habit, making a new one with the simplicity of mother nature, is a sure way to blow out the cobwebs. how could I stand in the midst of this and not feel the embrace of beauty all around me.... I did and I have not for a relatively easy 18days.... pureness

I prefer to air my dirty laundry in the magnificence of these real paintings, to bring my clean laundry back to the page

I still contemplate amending my own bendable rules to a 21daysunrise challenge, but still I take it a day at a time...

who knows, and it doesn't matter, they are my own rules to make or to break...

©Copyright  DAY17 Kalk Bay Harbour, Cape Town

there are road rules, then there are taxi no rules... some insane drivers out there this morning that even in the slow lane are in the fast lane. but again, they are just stories I collect rather than affect... on my way to my morning trauling

its a better one today, though the almond sliver of light again is more than a little challenging. two other photographers are out there too, claiming their space and their view of it all

I head to the end of the pier, where I knew from a few days ago I was again to appear. the friendly harbour seal, greets me with his groaning, swimming and lurking, playing and showing off. he is cool company and any who have visited this famous quaint little harbour, know of his antics, the harbour his home

it would be good to see what the others have captured, but my spirit is shy and reclusive this dawn and I merely greet them both and move on. we know we share a secret society - out here in awe of mother natures desirability. nothing more needs to be said....

©Copyright  DAY14 Brass Bell, Kalk Bay, Cape Town

...had more than my quota of morning yawning today. but off I head into the cold start of the day, wondering, as is now a habit, how to catch something when the light is generally so shy. pushing the sometimes nagging expectations from my mind...

wanting something close to home, as I was heading back there straight after to have breakfast at the foodbarn deli, then head to work. but no prizes for performing sunrises just over the mountain. only a smidgen of horizon and a glimpse of runners feet in the shadows.

trauling almost for this mornings pic, I head past a hidden Fishhoek Beach and on into the waking fishing village of Kalk Bay. listening to the quiet wisdom of my knowing little voice that I trust implicitly and which guides me daily to the destination of its choice.

there are royal options in the midst of my camera's range after all... but I settle on this one with  bird standing to attention, waiting for mine. not moving or charging, just being sprayed by the blue mist from every seventh wave, crashing its torrents into the tidal pool. it must be jonathan again, so how could I refuse his portrait...

my slightly grumpy spirit from earlier dissolves in the written stories all around me... a freshness of air, a soggy step and waves crashing, never cease to lighten my load... and I head back to the company of noordhoek trees and cosy farm cottage. breakfast at the deli, surprised deep hugs and valued moments... the day has begun but it begins again...

©Copyright  DAY10  Kalk Bay Harbour, Cape Town

I'm not fast food, not even minute steak... I am more like slow roast! I take time to settle in to get to know my surroundings and absorb what meaningful to me.

...and getting to know the fishermen is no different. third visit here now and we are slow roasting... becoming accustom to each others quirks and steady sun rising habits. they are a good group and I can see myself back here often in this challenge. they show me the birds, they point out possible pictures, they lean into the sun for me for silhouette company. coffee cups steam in the stealth of a new wait of their day... boats bobbing just a little too much to head out into the depths. I take in their friendly open weather beaten faces, soft eyes, hard lives

the light is exciting after yesterdays disappointing no show glow. its a feeling I needed after a bit of a grumpy start to my morning. only a few minutes from home and I am in another land, passing the harry potter fan club in one of those old original mini's, so close to the ground their feet are almost touching. sneaking into the harbour parking lot, already with a knowing smile on my face. am a little early for this morning's 7:29am sunrise. all is good with this moment of the world's world

an acquaintance banter with the strolling fishermen, a walk to the end of the pier and a synchronistic capture by Peter Haarhoff, met out on our missions at Cape Point on my 100days100beaches challenge in 2011. we exchange sunrise portraits, me by him on his phone and me from him on my camera. Peter runs a number of photographic courses, including photographic day tours in and around Cape Town and Western Cape  (http://www.capephotoco.co.za) good to meet you again out there Peter... see you again some other random time

a good morning spent, spirits lifted, ready for cuppacino and warmth...

©Copyright  DAY9  False Bay, Cape Town

bliss... being out with mother nature and her stormy erratic nature is both a blessing and a blasting, happily spent with her either way

dark mountains and mist blend with dark roads and haunting walkers, headlamps and footlights amongst the smarties of headlights of oncoming traffic

making my way to kalk bay harbour again, it beckons its sultry mood to my camera's eager features. just one solitary fisherman out casting his line, legs hanging over the wall and glimpsing his sense of time. it was a hope to capture is silhouette against the only beam of light, but the lack of enough casts its shadows on my light. we chat a little, I walk on some further, scoping the landscape and talking to the birds

Jonathon and company eye out my pacing, twitching and ready, a nervous flapping, a moment's escape. his human friend, the one who walks with me, Jonathon the seagull is a long time old friend. they flap and they hop along the hopscotch they spot, watching me cautiously, sensing my plot

kalk bay, some sleeping, the training huffing and creeping...

the smile of my face holding firmly my mornings simple stories...

©Copyright

DAY7 Brass Bell, Kalk Bay, Cape Town

... quiet and calm out there this Sunday morning while the world slowly wakes, while the surfers warm their hands on cold paper cups, waiting for a waves to make waves

its going to be brass bell this morning, that much I know when I wake. how or what or when is always under debate on these early morning pilgrimages. will the light behave, will the light be enough or too much.

...driving, warming, peering, then parking and skipping quickly over the lazy road of kalk bay's weekend locals. down through the famous brass bell tunnel and out to the ocean swirling satin smooth around the bay. no ripples, no sounds, no one near or far. the orange pink on the horizon just offering a slight mirror on the brass bell tidal pool as a lone bird stands by watching this lone human bird capturing a moment with her kalk bay world and its history

onwards, outwards, early even as one of the first at cest le vie, a steamy crispy just outta the oven baguette with butter and my usual cuppa in a bowl - on order for a sunday morning, mother's day before work

DAY1... Dalebrook Tidal Pool,                     Kalk Bay, Cape Town
.... It starts with an early morning rise in the dark. Driving thro the quiet streets of Noordhoek to an old long time favourite...... Cest le Vie in Kalk Bay. To await the sun...

No one around, not even the sun, just the baker (Jo) with her hot steamy bread, making mist on the bakery windows. Dark ominous clouds, with little bite, break between the horizon and the tidal pool wall.

Sunrise predicted as 7:20am but no one and nothing to be seen. So I pack my little frozen toes back over the road and into the cosy warmth of C'est le Vie...         Hi Jo - long time long time....sorry! great to be back...

After a hand-warming bowl of cuppacino, its time to head to work, but one more quick dash to the pool to capture a smidgen of sun teasing at the clouds

4 bobbing heads beckon my urge to respond. What could I do but ask them to repeat their bobbing swim against the crazy grey waves and a blimp of sunrise. Thanks Paula and swim buddies - takes me to the moment with face spread in an early morning smile