Hello from Cape Point South Africa.

Boys and Girls, it's Pádraig your friendly bear!

Guess what? I decided to add some extra news from my stopover in Cape Town. I forgot to tell you how busy I was there with the Green Dragon Shore Support Team.  Perhaps you might have heard that some keel damage was suffered by Green Dragon on the way to the Cape, so needless to say, the Shore Support Team, and yours truly (me!) were very busy ashore. I got to drive a fork lift - what a cool thing to do.

The Shore Support team let me lend a helping hand - well, more like a good dose of encouragement - while the keel was being repaired. The final result was great.

Next on the work agenda was some sail making / repairing. There was a lot of sail and this bear has very small hands. At one stage, Theresa had to rescue me from being lost between all the folds of material. But it's impossible to misplace a good thing like me so I just kept resurfacing!!

Because I had worked so hard at the repair depot - the original yard belonging to the SA Admiral's Cup Team Shosholoza,   

I was allowed a bit of R ‘n R (rest and relaxation to you, landlubbers!). It was a bit hot so Theresa allowed me to take off my geansaí. She did insist that I wear factor 50 though! Mind you, I'm still waiting for my official Green Dragon T-shirt. Still, I can't complain as I did manage to find a race cap that fits.

A great treat for me was my trip to Cape Point. That's the most southerly point of South Africa and it was amazing there. To get the very best view I went to the highest point by cable car with Theresa.

At times I did get a bit tired so I hitched a ride in her knap sack. (She doesn't know this, but I often caught forty winks - some zzz's while she wasn't looking!)

Cape Point was great and I even managed to get close to the wildlife there. I met lots of Cape Penguins and too many baboons. Baboons are inclined to beg for food from visitors and they do get impatient if people refuse to give them something. Maybe this little bear could put some manners on them ...... or not?

Did I tell you I met "U2" at the Irish Pavilion? Well, I very nearly met them - they were a great group of guys and they didn't mind posing with me. I guess it's the closest I'll get to the real thing. (Unless of course Bono reads my blog and would like a photo opportunity with me?) Ah well, I can dream on, and on, and on........!

So sin a bhuil ó Cape Town. Táim ag súil go mbeidh Cochin thar bhárr freisin.

Déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall an blog seo a líonadh le nuacht agus tuairiscí ó Green Dragon.

Slán go foil       Pádraig.