I got to know my way around the University of Cape Town and some of the businesses downtown this week. There’s a number of programs at UCT devoted specifically to climate science, economic development, and renewable energies. They actually offer graduate programs for a masters or doctorate in Climate Change & Development. A new connection is going to put me in touch with someone to interview at UCT’s program the African Climate and Development Initiative as well.

Around once a week I get to sit in on meetings with Michael and a number of young filmmakers. He prefers to work with locals to focus his energy on the Cape Town film industry to keep the growth in South Africa. Over the past three weeks, meetings have included…

• Greg Abrahams of Sound Foundry
• Filipa and Brian Little at Fly on the Wall Productions
• Freelance filmmaker Monde Kawana

I’ve been making progress with setting up interviews as well. Enel Green Power has agreed to meet with me after I submitted a formal request for an interview. This week is riddled with public holidays, so I’m expecting details next week. I also reached out to Jinko Solar and Gestamp Wind in the hopes of finding someone to talk to on camera.

Everything moves more slowly in South Africa. Business hours are very informal, and meetings can be difficult to organize and execute. If it’s a hot day, people tend to relax a bit as well. Most Fridays the rush hour is around 1pm, as many people take half the day off most every week.

VAC took us to surf lessons in Muizenberg on Friday. It was my second time surfing, and I’m getting a little better. Muizenberg is a great place to learn because there’s consistent rideable waves, and it’s shallow enough to stand while you wait for the right one.

For my weekend adventure, I went camping again. This time just Tom and I planned to drive down to Hermanus along the Garden Route – a highway along the southern coast of Africa that runs east from Cape Town. We left pretty early, and got to spend most of the day walking around the dramatic coast near the downtown. The waves and rock formations were incredible, and since it was a relatively stormy day we got to see some massive waves break.

In the afternoon on Saturday we made our way further along to coast in search of a campsite or public lands we could use. A local recommended Prawn Flats, but it seemed a bit run down – like people were sleeping there every night. So instead we kept pushing further until we reached Die Dam – about twice as far down as we had planned. The campsite turned out to be beautiful and we set up as the sun set. The stars were incredible out there, where it gets so dark. I made a time lapse of the moon rising red over the ocean.

---

March 12th

Highlights

• Hitting the driving range with Jim
• The River Club in Obs

 

---

March 13th

Highlights

• Visiting the Blouberg Mall with Michael at work
• Setting up interviews with Enel Green Power and The Endangered Wildlife Trust
• Making contact with the REIPPP office
• Sunset at Clifton Beach

---

March 14th

Highlights

• Another meeting with Green Cape downtown
• Checking out the UCT campus
• Eating lunch with a view in the park above campus

---

March 15th

Highlights

---

March 17th

Highlights

---

March 18th

Highlights