Breathtaking sunrise this morning in Mossel Bay situated along the Garden Route of South Africa!

The images below were taken this morning (11 June 2026 @ 07:27) from my QTH in Mossel Bay, South Africa.  The images really do not capture the complete beauty of the sun rise because a two-dimensional photograph cannot convey lived experience, movement, atmospheric lighting, or the emotional depth of a moment. Real-world beauty engages all the senses, whereas an image flattens reality into a simple static frame.  None the less the images are better than no images at all.  

Garden Route was officially crowned the best road trip in the world.

South Africa's Garden Route was officially crowned the best road trip in the world by a global study. It achieved an impressive score of 90.6 out of 100, outperforming iconic drives like Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway due to its stellar visibility, low winds, and perfect driving weather. 

🗺️ The Route at a Glance

• The Stretch: Roughly 300km (about 185 miles) along the N2 highway.
• The Path: Runs directly through your area—stretching from Mossel Bay eastward to the Storms River Mouth.
• Key Highlights: The route is celebrated for seamlessly blending towering mountains, ancient indigenous forests, lagoons, and the rugged Indian Ocean coastline.

🌲 Core Attractions

At the heart of this global champion is the Garden Route National Park, which is divided into three main, unmissable sections: 

1. Wilderness Section: Famous for calm waterways, birdwatching, and outdoor activities like canoeing and mountain biking.
2. Knysna Section: Known for its lush forests, estuarine environments, and the chance to spot the endangered Knysna seahorse.
3. Tsitsikamma Section: Offers rugged coastal scenery, dramatic hiking trails, and the iconic suspension bridge at Storms River Mouth. 

🚗 Popular Towns to Stop and Explore

You don't just drive through this route; the stops are what make it special. Some of the top towns and villages along the way include: 

• Mossel Bay: The official starting/end point for the drive.
• Wilderness: Quiet, sweeping beaches and river estuaries.
• Sedgefield: Famous for its bustling Wild Oats Community Farmers' Market (go early to beat the crowds).
• Knysna: Great for oysters, lagoon cruises, and forest walks.
• Plettenberg Bay: Beautiful beaches, marine safaris, and upscale eaterie

Why not explore this world-renowned coastal drive over 3 to 7 days, discovering hidden gems and local wildlife along the way and as a bonus you might experience sun rises as seen in the image below.

Enjoy!

(Click in images for larger view.) 

 

Sad to see a decline in Amateur Radio during the Winter in South Africa?

Image:   AI  (Click on the image for larger view.) 

Having been in amateur radio for more than 30 years it is sad to notice that there is nowadays an enormous decline of amateur radio activities during the winter times.  Having said that let me just point out that this was not the case in the days gone by.  I have noticed that on-air activity is very low and in some instances exceed to exist during winter times.  Looks like radio amateurs move into hibernation.   Why this topic and what does it have to do with me? Well firstly it is just an observation on my part and secondly the decline in activity is not good for amateur radio.  I hear you say but there are ongoing activity.  Yep you correct and I did not say that in general nothing is happening in amateur radio but definitely on-air activity has declined. 

Image:   AI  (Click on the image for larger view.) 

Now tell us what was it like in the olden days during the winter.  Man-o-Man now you are talking.  Winter time was the time when radio amateurs get together on the air literally in their droves.  "Foot-warmers" nick name for tube amplifiers  and tubes of valve radios were working overtime in the Shack.  Another benefit was that the heat coming from the old valve equipment also heated the inside of the Shack.  You did not need an electric heater to heat the Shack.  With valve radios you kill two flies in the Shack at once.  O! ...  now I see what the problem is nowadays.  All the new transistor- and chip radios are cold and you need an external heater to warm the Shack if you lucky to have electrical power.

Enough!  I am not trying to say that things were better in the olden days.  I just found that there are less activity in the winter nowadays.  Are the days of spending times in a warm cosy Shack in winter now forever gone?  I hope I am wrong about all of this.

Hope to hear of more on the air and off the air (home brewing) activity during the long winter months.  If you do not want to sit in the Shack then sneak a radio into your bedroom but for Pete's Sake just be more active during the winter.  We have a saying here in the Southern Cape if nothing is heard on the air that -  "Dit is net dooie kole!"   In other words the coals that keep the "fire burning" (amateur radio going) is dead. 

To assist some of my fellow radio amateurs read more here:

Winter hibernation for your rig is a common choice, but you don't have to stay off the air! Discover warm-weather and cold-weather operating tips in the Winter Ham Radio Tips OH8STN video, or browse community perspectives on the Hibernating until spring due to cold weather - Facebook

Let's keep those "coals burning" and stop the radio hibernation!