Thursday 5 January 2017, Robben Island

Today we have booked a trip to Robben Island. We got the tickets online before we came. The boat leaves at 11.00 from the Waterfront. I washed my hair and then we had breakfast as usual. We are taking an Uber to the Aquarium.

Boarding the boat to Robben Island at the Waterfront

We arrived early at the Waterfront and walked through the shopping arcades. Lots of interesting things to buy, if I had the freedom to do so. We crossed over the swing bridge and waited to board the 11.00 boat to Robben Island. It was crowded.

Sipho Msomi had been imprisoned on Robben Island and now gives tours

We had seats on the Dias upstairs and had a good view of the sea crossing. On arrival our guide Lebu met us as we boarded buses to the prison buildings.


First we entered the dormitory block. A former inmate, Sipho Msomi, described prison conditions very graphically. He mentioned that his eyesight had been damaged by working without protection in the quarry. He said that life was very monotonous and hard there. We were very moved by his account.

Nelson Mandela's cell

He also showed us some of the cells including the one where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. It was tiny. Then we took a bus tour of the rest of the island where over 200 people still live and work. It was quite bleak.

After the island tour we had a long wait for a boat back to the Waterfront, and we also had to wait for the swing bridge to be replaced. We had a late lunch at Den Anker. I had kingclip and Chenin Blanc. We got a taxi back to our hotel.

Later we went up to the 11th floor bar but it was very windy and Table Mountain was covered in cloud.