The Cape of Good Hope - what is it famous for, who discovered it, where is it located, how to get there.
Cape of Good Hope - (or Cabo de Boa Esperanca in Portuguese) a geographical point on the world map with the most romantic and beautiful name. Perhaps no other geographical landmark on the planet has such a poetic name.
What is the Cape of Good Hope famous for?
Cape of Good Hope (Cape of Good Hope) is famous for the fact that it has long been considered the southernmost tip of Africa. Then they calculated that the southernmost point of the continent is Cape Agulhas(Cape Agulhas), located one hundred and fifty miles to the southeast from the Cape of Good Hope.
But no one knows Cape Agulhas, but the Cape of Good Hope is included in all school geography textbooks; it is associated with the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries; hundreds of thousands of tourists and travelers from all over the world strive to see it.
The Cape of Good Hope is not the southernmost point of Africa
Who discovered the Cape of Good Hope. origin of name
It is known that the first European to see this African cape was Bartolomeo Dias, the famous Portuguese commander, in 1488.
Bartolomeo Dias first discovered the Cape of Storms in 1488
The expedition was given the task of finding a sea route to India around Africa. Dias did not reach India, but became the first European to circumnavigate Africa from the south. Indirectly, he was helped in this by the terrible storms that battered his ships for several days. When the storms subsided, the disorientated Dias headed north and on February 3, 1488 ran into the coast, which “turned” to the northeast. And so the way to the Indian Ocean was opened. Dias was forced to give in to the demands of the rebellious team and did not go further. On the way back, he saw this cape protruding into the sea, which he called the Cape of Storms, because severe storms were constantly raging in this place.
Storms rage near the Cape of Good Hope
Dias announced this “working” name upon his return to Portugal in his report to King João II. But His Majesty was wise and far-sighted. He decided that it would not be appropriate to leave such a harsh name for the turning point, beyond which a direct sea route to India opens. And he suggested calling this place the Cape of Good Hope. Or in Portuguese Cabo de Boa Esperanca. The cape lived up to its name. In 1497 she rounded the Cape of Good Hope and finally reached the treasured shores of India!
Where is the Cape of Good Hope
Today it is the territory of the Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa. The nearest big city is Cape Town. The Cape of Good Hope itself is the national pride and tourist attraction of South Africa. It is organically integrated into the national park or reserve with the same name “Cape of Good Hope” or in English “Cape of Good Hope”.
From Cape Town ) to the Cape of Good Hope approximately 4 hours by car
As already mentioned, the Cape of Good Hope is not only not the southernmost, but also not the most southwestern point of Africa. The most southwestern point is the completely inconspicuous ledge of Cape Point, located fifty meters to the north. And it is on it that a lighthouse with the name “Cape of Good Hope” is installed. And an observation deck from where all tourists take their memorable photos.
And at the Cape of Good Hope there is a shield with the name and exact coordinates and the inscription “the most southwestern point of Africa.”
How to get there to the Cape of Good Hope
I haven’t been to these parts myself yet, so I’ll use photographs, 
impressions and stories from various blogs of those who were lucky enough to visit here.
“Upon arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, all tourists rise from the buses using trailers, and then walk for quite a long time to a long, beautiful high cape stretching into the sea with a lighthouse and a panoramic view of the ocean surface, from which everyone takes pictures of “themselves in an embrace” with the very southwestern Africa." The journey by car from Cape Town will take about 4 hours. But the road will not tire the traveler, because it passes through a nature reserve in which ostriches, antelopes, baboons and a host of other living creatures roam.Here, next to monkeys, cheetahs and antelopes, penguins live.
Penguins in Africa
Yes, yes, it is penguins, which we consider exclusively Antarctic animals. Apparently in time immemorial they swam here and settled on these rocks.Or, on the contrary, did penguins penetrate into Antarctica from Africa?
Be that as it may, the Cape of Good Hope offers stunning views of the confluence of two great oceans, where sea and air currents collide. Therefore, the first name of this place - Cape of Storms - also has every right to exist.
Stunning views of the confluence of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans
More travelers era of great geographical discoveries
Marco Polo- a real character or a brilliant hoax
Cape of Good Hope. February 10th, 2017
Somehow, with my business and travels, I completely forgot to continue the story about my trip to South Africa.
I'm correcting myself.
So. Having climbed in the most roundabout way, swam with, and celebrated the New Year in a crowd of thousands on the embankment, early in the morning of January 1, we found the strength to load into the cars and set off to meet our hopes.
Or rather, one hope. But very kind.
Namely, to the Cape of Good Hope.
What were these heroic efforts for and why was it necessary to go early in the morning?
Yes, because during the day so many people rush there that all hopes can be wasted while standing in an endless traffic jam.
The Cape of Good Hope is located on the Cape Peninsula, just south of Cape Town.
And this is where a little confusion often arises. For there is a geographical point - the Cape of Good Hope itself.
Where there is nothing but hope.
And there is Cape Point, where there is a lighthouse called the Cape of Good Hope. There are also all sorts of souvenir shops, cafes and life in general. So many limit themselves to coming to this very place.
We, like real travelers, decided to land at the Cape of Good Hope. And then go to the lighthouse.
At first, the idea was to go to both places by car. But after looking at the map, I categorically stated that we had to go on foot.
Who would doubt that.
The Cape on the morning of January 1st was surprisingly deserted. And the ocean delighted the eye with its crazy color.
By the way, forgive my geographical criticism, I still don’t remember what kind of ocean it was.
However, the coastline of the continent here turns east for the first time, opening a passage from the Atlantic Ocean towards the Indian Ocean.
So let's consider it a mix of two oceans.
The Cape of Good Hope is not the southernmost point of Africa. But in order to give this place some status and meaning for tourists’ stay, it was designated the most southwestern point of the continent.
What a memorial plaque was installed about.
All. There is nothing else on the cape.
Therefore, without stopping for long, we followed the path along the coast past the bizarre rocks to Cape Point.
Wow, he can be seen in the distance.
Wind, rocks, waves beating against rocks - this place would be much more suited to its original name - Cape of Storms.
Because when a storm rages here, there is not much to hope for.
But history, as we know, is made by optimists. That's why the cape got this name.
From the Cape of Good Hope to the lighthouse you can walk in about forty minutes. But we weren’t chasing records.
They walked, turned their heads to the sides, and constantly stopped to take pictures or capture another impressive view.
So the walk lasted for two hours.
Approximately in the middle of the path there is an absolutely charming beach where you should definitely go down.
Of course we went down there and wandered around.
And Pasha, despite the icy water and huge waves, even seemed to take a swim.
Well, Pasha is completely crazy.
At the top of the Lion's Head mountain, literally buying into the "weak" approach, I stood in the plank position for five minutes.
Five minutes! Before that, he didn’t even know what a plank was.
However, I digress. We're on the beach.
On a very romantic beach. Someone even made a heart out of seaweed.
By the way, for me personally it was a discovery that one of the most terrible and romantic legends is associated with the Cape of Good Hope.
Do you know which one?
I didn’t know - the legend of the Flying Dutchman. Somewhere here he surfs the waves of the ocean.
However, when you walk along picturesque paths on a sunny day, the last thing you think about is all sorts of creepy stories.
You can take a small trailer from the parking lot to the lighthouse.
But then you can pass by the baboons.
It's not that I like baboons that much. Quite the opposite. Of all the representatives of the monkey family, they are the least attractive to me.
But, as you know, the tourist’s commandment is that if there is a baboon, you need to see it.
Or maybe it’s not necessary, I thought, seeing what the father of the family was doing while the mother was babysitting the children.
However, when he saw that I was photographing him, he somehow quickly became embarrassed, dropped what he was doing and covered himself with his paws.
But the impression of communicating with the beautiful animal world was somehow already spoiled.
I had to go straight to the lighthouse in order to offset the moral damage with natural beauty.
Lighthouse, like a lighthouse. Nothing special.
Nearby there is a traditional stand for tourist places with distances to different settlements.
They put up such things, apparently, to amaze the tourist - he has gone far. But for some reason this does not touch a single string of my tender soul.
After a long walk, it's time to eat.
So I passed the time while waiting for everyone to gather, eating pizza, which some very harmful birds blatantly tried to take away from me.
They behaved really arrogantly.
I also sent a postcard.
The postcard never arrived. Apparently I got lost :(
When I had done all my work and was almost bored, everyone else finally found me and joyfully informed me that plans had changed.
Our cunning plan, which was that Misha would come by car to the lighthouse, take a second driver with him, they would quickly drive to the cape for the second car, and we would all go home, failed miserably. As is usually the case with brilliant plans.
It turned out that there was such a traffic jam at the lighthouse that it would take about two hours. So Misha didn’t follow us.
Vika and Arseny left in a car that was foreign to us.
Well, we went back on foot to good hope. Just like the Flying Dutchman, wandering the seas without rest.
Apparently this hope wanted to let us go just like that.
But now, with a sense of accomplishment, we could definitely say that we had sailed the length and breadth of the Cape of Good Hope.
Well, what else do real tramps need?
The Cape of Storms cannot be found even on the most detailed modern geographical maps. This name no longer exists. The cape in question is now called the Cape of Good Hope. As you know, it is located on the southern tip of Africa and is a protrusion of a rocky peninsula jutting into the sea, at the base of which is the large African port of Cape Town.
The Cape of Good Hope was discovered in 1488 by the Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias. Heading in search of new lands, the Portuguese tried several times to go around this cape, but they were hampered by a strong storm. With great difficulty the ships passed this disastrous place. On the way back to their native shores, the Portuguese, in memory of the storm they experienced, named this harsh land the Cape of Storms.
After some time, the Portuguese king Juan II renamed it the Cape of Good Hope, since this discovery gave the Portuguese hope of reaching India by sea. If the name had not been changed, it would have perfectly characterized one of the most dangerous areas for navigation on the globe.
Storms off this cape are not a random occurrence. The west coast of South Africa is exposed to strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean, often developing into long and severe storms. In this area, the warm Needle Current meets the cold Cross Current, as a result of which fogs are formed here, as well as off the island of Newfoundland, which hide dangerous fogs in their shroud. seafaring rocky shores of the southern tip of Africa.
From the time of Dias until the advent of steam ships, the area of the Cape of Good Hope was considered extremely dangerous for navigation. For almost five centuries, the majestic rocky Cape of Storms has repeatedly been a silent witness to terrible human tragedies at sea. It is difficult to imagine how many human lives and ships were lost here during this time. Other capes of the southern tip of Africa are no less dangerous - Cape Agulhas, Cape Quoin, Cape Danger. In the days of the sailing fleet, almost every year a large ship perished in the area of one of these three capes, and with it dozens and hundreds of people.
The last major accident at Cape Cowin occurred on November 9, 1946, when the English cargo steamer City of Lincoln ran aground on rocks. The sunken cargo of this ship was estimated at one and a half million pounds sterling. The ship itself was saved with great difficulty.
One of the most dramatic shipwrecks in these waters was the sinking of the English steam-sailing frigate Birkenhead in 1852. She was one of the first English steamships, built in 1845 from iron, which was then converted into a military transport.
On February 26, 1852, with about five hundred soldiers on board, the Birkenhead made its next voyage to India. Near Cape Danger, the ship hit an unknown underwater reef. The captain hastily ordered to reverse, and when the ship left the reef, a huge hole was exposed. Water began to quickly fill the ship, which did not have watertight bulkheads. Suddenly it broke into two parts and began to sink quickly. In the three boats that managed to be lowered, only a few women and children were saved. The death of the steamer cost the lives of four hundred and fifty soldiers of the selected colonial troops of England. Along with the ship, cargo worth seven hundred and fifteen thousand pounds sterling was also lost...
It is generally accepted that the greatest danger to navigation is posed by rocky capes and cliffs protruding far into the sea. It is here that ships lost in the fog most often end up on their journey. A strong ocean surf or swell quickly decides the fate of a ship caught in the tenacious embrace of underwater reefs. But oddly enough, in the area of the Cape of Good Hope, the greatest danger to ships has long been posed not by numerous capes dotted with underwater reefs, but by Table Bay, open to northwestern storms. It can rightfully be called a ship graveyard! Ship-lifting specialists from the Union of South Africa were able to establish that at the bottom of the bay, to date, not counting countless wrecks, more than three hundred wooden hulls of sailing ships have been preserved.
The remains of shipwrecks... They rest at the bottom of this bay, and each has its own story, full of drama, a story that invariably goes back to a certain day, month and year.
Thus, in 1648, during a storm, the Dutch frigate Harlem was torn from its anchors and perished off the coast. Along with the ship, its entire crew and a cargo of gold worth eight hundred and seventy-five million francs sank. Now the hull of the frigate is crushed by the heavy bulk of the English steamer Taivengen, which sank in the same place at the end of the last century.
There were often days when several ships were lost at the same time in Table Bay. For example, in 1716, during a strong storm, forty-two Dutch frigates, which had previously found refuge here, sank in the bay. Together with the Dutch frigates, valuable cargo was lost, estimated at a huge amount - almost forty billion francs.
In 1799, a disaster similar to the previous one occurred in Table Bay. On November 4, the English sixty-four-gun battleship Scepter and the fifty-gun ship Jupiter, the Danish sixty-four-gun battleship Oldenburg and twelve merchant ships from different countries were anchored here.
The next day, in the morning, a strong northwest wind suddenly blew, which soon turned into a storm. The anchor ropes burst with a crash, and the ships began to drift toward the shore. The Scepter, Oldenburg and eight merchant ships were lost on the reefs. Only on the first of the four hundred and ninety-one crew members, almost four hundred sailors found their death among the coastal breakers. "Jupiter" managed to escape - it jumped onto a sandbank in time under storm sails.
Speaking about the cost of the cargo lost along with the ships in Table Bay, we can say that, according to English archives, this cargo is estimated at over thirty million pounds sterling. However, no successful attempts have yet been made to raise lost gold from the bottom of the bay.
The Cape of Good Hope is perhaps the most famous cape in Africa. Where is the Cape of Good Hope? On the territory of the Republic of South Africa, or more precisely, on the Cape Peninsula.
First mentions
A lot of swear words were said by the sailors about this place that was disastrous for them. The history of navigation tells of the exorbitant efforts many navigators and pioneers had to make to overcome the ocean currents, rounding this cape.
Who discovered the Cape of Good Hope? This question cannot be answered unambiguously. Now, based on information from historical sources, we can say with confidence that the first to visit this place were the inhabitants of Ancient Egypt back in 500 BC.
Egyptian sea voyage
This happened during the reign of Pharaoh Necho II, who set out to return economic stability to his state. To do this, it was necessary to find a way to deliver Egyptian goods to Europe, that is, find a workaround there. A delegation of hired Phoenicians was sent to the eastern side of Africa, where the sailors hoped to find workarounds. This journey lasted for three whole years, and several times the Phoenicians interrupted it by landing on Earth to grow something edible, since the supplies were not designed for such a long period. Africa turned out to be so vast. The Cape of Good Hope probably became their landing site, and then the travelers rounded it. Upon their return, the discouraged Phoenicians said that they were shocked by how one day “the sun suddenly appeared on the north side,” therefore, they crossed the equator.
The idea of finding a workaround was unsuccessful, and further travel was not profitable. Expenses exceeded income, and for more than two thousand years no one attempted to sail here.
Bartolomeo Dias: the one who discovered the Cape of Good Hope
At the end of the 15th century, many wealthy Europeans were ready to pay any money for pleasant and expensive luxury items from distant India. However, the path there was blocked by vast Muslim lands, because the followers of Muhammad’s teachings did not strive to improve relations with Europe and normalize trade relations. Consequently, it was necessary to look for another route - by sea.
The first attempts to find it were made by the Portuguese. Juan II sent an expedition to find a bypass route to the country of elephants. At the head of the expedition was who, possessing perseverance and endurance, nevertheless swam with his team to the Cape of Good Hope. But what work! Hellish currents, hostile attitude of the natives. Members of his crew mutinied on ships many times. They demanded to return to their homeland, because most of them had lost hope of finding a way to India. To the question “Where is the Cape of Good Hope?” None of the sailors, including Bartolomeo Dias, could answer. Since these were the first people to swim to it, they could not know its exact location relative to the continents. And it didn’t have a name either. Then B. Dias, impressed by the torment that this place brought them, called it “Cape of Storms.” This is how the Cape of Good Hope was discovered. The year in which this event occurred (1488) marked the beginning of the history of this mysterious and unusual place.
Return of the Portuguese sailors
Another surge of discontent among Dias’ team led to the expedition turning back. The sailors flatly refused to continue the journey, which seemed endless to them. They saw no point in further attempts to go to the East, because it was as if the elements themselves were against them and sent numerous storms. But, despite the fact that the sailors did not reach the coast of India, King Juan II was pleased with the results of the expedition, considering the “reconnaissance” successful. The only thing he didn’t like was the scary name given to the cape by Bartolomeo Dias. The king considered that the cape needed a different name, which would inspire travelers that the cape was not the main obstacle on the way to India, but the first step leading closer to it. Therefore he gave this place the name "Cape of Good Hope". Geographic coordinates: latitude: -34.358056; longitude: 18.471944
The Journey of Vasco da Gama
A few years later, another Portuguese, Vasco da Gama, was the first to sail along the route of the first expedition and made a corresponding note in his logbook. He wrote that as a result of lengthy and skillful maneuvers, his ship passed the Cape of Good Hope. The lyrical name really became the key to the luck of the Portuguese. The discovery of the Cape of Good Hope by Vasco da Gama dates back to 1497. This navigator reached the shores of India, which he reported to the king upon his return. Thus, Vasco da Gama fulfilled the main goal of his journey. But the development of the territory of South Africa was not included in it.
Discovery of the Cape of Good Hope by the Dutch as a transit point for the sea route
The founding of the port city of Cape Town (from the English “city on the cape”) is the merit of the Dutch. It was they who discovered the Cape of Good Hope as the first transshipment point between Rotterdam and India. It was here that the sick were treated and the ships of the Dutch East India were supplied with water and food supplies. The local native population initially welcomed the guests cordially. But in the late 60s of the 17th century, when Europeans began to intensively destroy Cape Town, the natives began to be forced out of their native lands and forced into slavery. On this basis, long bloody conflicts began.
Disputes over the Cape
The British knew who discovered the Cape of Good Hope and who founded Cape Town. But this did not stop them from taking away southern Africa from the Dutch in 1795. Now this territory began to be called the “colonial province of the Cape of Good Hope.” Among the population were the descendants of the first colonists - the Boers, which means “peasants” in Dutch. The new order caused them strong discontent, and then, overcoming the resistance of the Zulus on their way, they moved to the north of the continent.
Liberation from the colonial regime
Until the end of the 19th century, the Boers lived separately, and the territory inhabited by them received the unspoken name “Boer republics”. But when it was discovered that these lands contained large deposits of diamonds and gold, the British again turned their attention to the rebellious Boers. From 1899 to 1902, the brutal Anglo-Boer Wars continued, as a result of which Great Britain nevertheless captured the territory of the Boer republics. Now all of South Africa (including the Cape of Good Hope) was under the control of the British.
Only more than half a century later, in 1961, the period of long colonial dependence was completed. Now this territory was called as follows: Republic of South Africa.
The Legend of the Flying Dutchman
This legend is the most intriguing and famous story of the Cape of Good Hope. She has a great many variations. Sometimes the names of the main characters in it differ, but the plot in any case has the same meaning. It was in this place that the captain of one of the Dutch ships was cursed. His reputation was, to put it mildly, not very good. He was known as a foul-mouthed and blasphemous man. This captain's name was Van Stratten. He always had a whip with a lead plaque on the end in his hands, in case anyone got caught. The backs of many sailors were forever covered with scars from savage beatings with this whip. Van Stratten's ships often carried African slaves, who died by the dozens along the way. Dead bodies were usually thrown overboard. That is why there were sharks as escorts near the ships of this captain, waiting for the next “handout”. Well-fed and satisfied, they delighted the cruel captain with their presence; he jokingly called them “my little fish.” On one of the voyages, the ships were caught in a severe storm. Just then they were rounding the Cape of Good Hope, the coordinates showed exactly this, because it was impossible to see anything in such bad weather. All the sailors begged the captain to turn back in order to wait out the rampant elements.
It is not difficult to guess that Van Stratten responded with a nasty curse. He said: “No way! I'll still swim! I will not retreat even if the world ends. I will even give my soul to the devil, but I will survive this storm.” It was at that moment that the heavenly gates opened, and the voice of the Almighty was heard: “You said it! Now swim!” The devil took the captain's soul. Since then, Van Stratten's ship has been drifting restless and doomed off the coast of the cape. All the sailors and the foul-mouthed captain himself are now doomed to eternal life, to immortality in the expanses of water, without being able to land on shore. Meeting other ships, immortal seafarers strive to convey their letters to relatives who have long since died. Taking these letters is a very bad omen. If you do this, then the curse passes to the compassionate assistant.
Attractions
One of the most famous attractions is the National Nature Reserve, whose name coincides with the name of the cape. It is part of Table Mountain National Park.
A colony of a rare species of penguin called spectacled or black-footed penguin; Chacma bear baboon colony.
Of the geographical features, the most visited is the one that marks the southern tip of Africa.
South African Astronomical Observatory; the port city of Cape Town, where you can visit the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and the Two Oceans Aquarium; the territory of the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, founded in 1913; the Castle of Good Hope estate, which is the oldest building in South Africa; South African National Gallery.
The Cape of Good Hope is famous for these places. Photos of some of them are given below.
Cape of Good Hope as the personification of human hopes
The name of the cape truly inspires hope. And even people who despair of their troubles and misfortunes, having visited this mysterious place, begin to believe in the best. The Cape of Good Hope becomes a guiding star for those people who have never been there, illuminating the lives of sick children with its name.
The Cape of Good Hope SD is a community of parents all over the world whose children are suffering. They unite in the fight for the health and full life of their children, giving each other hope for the best.
So, the answer to the question “Who discovered the Cape of Good Hope” is the navigator Bartolomeo Dias, who first set foot on the land of this truly magical place. It was he and his three small ships who first rounded this cape. Nowadays, many myths, stunning nature and attractions attract many tourists to the Cape of Good Hope.
There are many places in the world worthy of attention and visiting. Among them there are so amazing and legendary that the flow of travelers there from all over the Earth has not dried up for centuries. The southern coast of Africa, washed by two currents at once, is one of these places, but everything is in order.
Where is the Cape of Good Hope
Without any reservations, southern Africa can be called a “land of wonders”. Agree, it’s hard to imagine any other place on Earth where fur seals and penguins feel great together with baboons and cheetahs! And all this is due to the fact that from the South the “Dark Continent” is washed by two ocean currents at once: one cold and one warm. The cold Benguela Current from the western side dries out a vast territory - Namibia, and the warm Agulhas Current makes the eastern part of Southern Africa a flourishing and multi-colored region. In the middle is the famous one, which for a long time was considered the southernmost point of the continent, until meticulous geographers found out that the neighboring Cape Agulhas is several kilometers “further south”.
The place where two oceans meet - the Atlantic and the Indian - attracts tourists with its uniqueness and beauty. On the surface of the water, the border between the oceans almost always appears; two currents stubbornly try to overcome each other. The difference in water temperature in the currents leads to constant fog, cloudiness, rough seas and strong winds. High rocky shores allow you to enjoy the delightful and grandiose landscape. Penguins and fur seals, who settled here a long time ago, feel great, having forgotten about their native Antarctica. Reserve Cape of Good Hope provides a safe and comfortable existence for animals and birds exotic to the African continent. Penguins are protected from cheetahs, or vice versa, because these birds are not at all friendly and peaceful. All these natural beauties frame the main site - the Cape of Good Hope.
Cape of Good Hope - photo
Story
No one knows how many swear words were addressed to this place, disastrous for sailors, throughout the history of navigation. Judging by the efforts brave sailors and pioneers had to make to overcome this cacophony of ocean currents, a lot... A few ancient sources provide very scanty information about the southern tip of Africa, but... they do! Today we can say with confidence that the Egyptians were the first to sail here 500 years before the birth of Christ. The tireless and very active Pharaoh Necho II hired the brave Phoenicians to find a workaround to Europe to deliver Egyptian goods (by this time Egypt had ceased to be the strongest power, and economic interests were still a priority at that time!). The Phoenicians went to look for the place where Africa ends on the eastern side. The voyage took about three years. Twice the sailors had to stop to grow something edible for themselves because supplies were running low. they probably went around (due to the passage of time it is impossible to say more precisely), since the documents contain a mention that the discouraged sailors noticed that at some point “the sun turned out to be on the north side,” which means they nevertheless crossed the equator. Having returned to Egypt and reporting their impressions of the voyage, the Phoenicians went about their usual trading affairs. The pharaoh also abandoned his idea, since Africa turned out to be too vast to use the roundabout route for trade. In other words, costs exceeded revenues. For the next two thousand years, no one sailed here from Europe. African penguins calmly basked in the sun and dived into one ocean or another for fish. Idyll.
Who discovered the Cape of Good Hope
By the end of the 15th century, Europe realized that it “had to go” to the sea. Vast Muslim lands tightly closed the entire Western world from spices, silk, precious stones and other pleasant and expensive luxuries. Relations with the followers of the teachings of Muhammad did not give any hope for improving relations and normalizing trade. Numerous crusades turned Muslims away from “friendship” with Christians for a long time. The first to rush desperately into the sea to meet India were the Portuguese. By order of King Juan II, he was sent to look for a way around the known routes to the country of elephants. With great difficulty, overcoming currents and the unfriendly attitude of Africans towards uninvited travelers, his squadron managed to reach Cape of Good Hope. However, in those days this cape did not have any name at all, and Bartolomeo Dias himself called it the Cape of Storms, since the Portuguese suffered through the roof here. Having sailed a little more, the expedition was forced to return home. The sailors refused to continue the journey, which had no end or edge, and it seemed that nature itself opposed their advance to the East.
The beginning, despite some incompleteness of the expedition, had been made. After listening to Dias' report, the king was satisfied with the "intelligence." One thing he didn’t like was the name of the treacherous cape. The monarch seriously feared that no one would want to go to India through such difficult and dangerous lands. It was decided to change the name to “Good Hope”. There was a hope for a successful completion of the expedition to India. No sooner said than done. And a few years later he noted in the ship’s log that after long and skillful maneuvers, his ship passed the Cape of Good Hope. The name really brought good luck to the Portuguese, and Gama, as you know, visited India.
Flying Dutchman
Perhaps this is the most important legend Cape of Good Hope. The legend has many variants, the names of the characters are given differently, but on the main thing they all agree - the captain of a Dutch ship was cursed here. It was like this... There was no more vile person in the world than Captain Van Stratten. Foul-mouthed and blasphemous. They said that he was on friendly terms with the devil himself. The captain never let go of the whip with lead plaques at the end. This whip walked over the backs of the sailors continuously. Van Stratten transported spices and African slaves in the holds of the ship. The unfortunate Africans died in dozens, so the ship of the terrible captain was constantly accompanied by well-fed and satisfied sharks, which the captain himself affectionately called “my little fish.” Once, when Van Stratten's ship found itself off the Cape of Good Hope in a storm, the sailors tried to persuade the captain to return back to wait out the bad weather. The captain, as usual, swore badly, added a couple of terrible blasphemies and swore that he would not retreat even if the end of the World came. At that moment, a thunderous voice opened the heavens: “You said it! Now swim!” Since then, Captain Stratten’s ship can be found off the southernmost cape of Africa. Restless and doomed to eternal swimming, he plows the oceans. The blasphemer himself and his crew, sentenced to immortality, are unable to land on shore. When meeting with other ships, they try to convey the news to their relatives and friends, who have long been in a better world. Woe to the one who takes a letter from them - the curse will pass on to the compassionate assistant.
This legend, in different variations and in detail, is told by all the guides on Cape of Good Hope. And tourists eagerly peer into the horizon in the hope of seeing the tops of the Flying Dutchman's masts. To make it more convenient to watch, there are now many convenient viewing platforms and hiking trails. In nearby restaurants, local aborigines sing and dance for visitors to the southern outskirts of Africa who are hungry for all sorts of exotic things. And the penguins on the coast walk around with such an important air, as if they know exactly everything about the “Flying Dutchman”, but never tell anyone about him. Intriguing.