Stock Car Racing in East London

In December 2010 I finally got to the East London stock car racing track.  I had not been to the oval racing stock car track in over 20 years!  I remembered a great atmosphere, watching stock car racing as a kid, and I wanted to take my boys to the track before they got too old.  In December they were just turned 13, and almost 12. Tony enjoyed visiting the East London stock car racing track too.

As a kid I would mostly play beneath the grandstands, while my parents sat above me, cheering for my brother who used to do a bit of stock car racing.  Basil Bosch.  I remember once that my brother crashed his little yellow datsun no.36 stock car right in front of the grandstands, and my mother freaked out, but he was fine.

I also remember the tinny music playing from the loudspeakers.  It's you it's you it's you was one song I often heard and remembered.  As well as Islands in the Stream, Hey Micky, and Barbara's Daughter.

I did not feel like a kid again when we watched the stock cars racing around the track, but I still enjoyed myself, and I get a feeling my boys did too, including Tony.  I think we'll be going back a few more times.

I cannot remember who took the stock car photo below.  Obviously it was either me,
or Tony
or Basti
or Zooty

© copyright Teresa Schultz

Jumping for joy on sand dunes at Igoda near East London

These two photos show Basti and Zooty jumping off (down?) sand dunes at Igoda beach, yesterday 23 June 2010. When their homemade sandboard didn't work, the boys took to running down sand dunes and jumping down sand dunes instead.  Even mom (me) and Tony had a turn.

Basti's Igoda story and photos

Zooty's Igoda story and photos

Basti flies up in the air down a sand dune at Igoda, near East London

Zooty flies up in the air down a sand dune at Igoda, near East London

Igoda beach near East London

Tony, the boys and I took a drive out to Igoda beach yesterday afternoon, just for fun. It was quite late in the afternoon already and we could not stay long, but we took our cameras, romped around on the sand dunes a bit, tried out a homemade sandboard that didn't work, and generally just had a "winter outing to the beach." I haven't been to Igoda in years, but used to go to Igoda with my parents often when I was a kid. My parents used to like fishing there, and I would run around on the sand dunes, or try catch a few fish in the rock pools - further along the beach, as the first bit of beach is just beautiful sand and ocean. My mother used to put red ribbons in my hair in case I wandered off a little too far, she would be able to spot me easily (and reel me back in) :)

The route seems to have changed somewhat, from what I remember. Obviously it's still leave East London and travel past the East London airport, but now it's straight down into Winterstrand, then turn right at the bottom, drive along the coast through the little Winterstrand residential village, then as you start to head away from the ocean again, turn left onto a little dirt road, that ends in a small parking area at Igoda beach.

Basti's Igoda story and photos

Zooty's Igoda story and photos

Igoda beach, near East London, and not far from Winterstrand

As you walk down onto the sand at Igoda beach,

this little village and lagoon is off to the right, a bit magical, like Brigadoon.

Zooty (11) and Basti (12) stand on rocks at Igoda Beach.  The beach itself is long and beautiful,

without any  rocks unless you walk pretty far along the beach, but these rocks (and ideal fishing area)

are immediately off to the left as one walks down from the little Igoda beach parking area.

East London's beautful Nahoon River

This short little video (about 13 seconds) of the Nahoon River in East London, was taken a little upstream from the Nahoon River mouth.

A little further upstream, one finds tranquil little picnic spots - pretty much in the middle of East London (if incorporating Gonubie too.)