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| Arniston Harbour |
South Africa boasts so many small towns and villages - this makes living in the Western Cape ideal for week-end get-aways. We based ourselves in Arniston for the week-end and explored both Struisbaai and Agulhas. Driving the gravel road from Arniston to Struisbaai was great fun - sheep, bales, windmills and a kindly farmer who allowed us to drive across his fields to get closer to a huge flock of pelicans. As usual, when getting closer to birds, most of the flock took off! They were so awesome to look at even though my photos don't really do them justice.
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| Pelicans on a farm near Arniston |
L'Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa, never disappoints. It is known as the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic oceans and tourists line up to have their photos taken at this point. The lighthouse is well worth a visit - climb the 71 steps to the top if you are brave enough to do that last ladder! The views are apparently stunning - I chickened out getting to the top. The lighthouse was completed in 1849 and remains the 2nd oldest lighthouse in South Africa. The oldest lighthouse in South Africa is the Green Point Lighthouse in Mouille Point, Cape Town. This was first lit on 12th April 1824.
The village of L'Agulhas was developed around the lighthouse and settlers arrived around 1920 with the first houses completed in 1936. Today, this is a bustling village and well worth exploring.
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| Wreck of the Meisho Maru 38 |
Do venture beyond the main point where the oceans meet to view the remains of the wreck of the Meisho Maru 38. This Japanese vessel ran aground on 16th November 1982. All 17 crew survived and swam ashore. The remains of the vessel are getting smaller and smaller as the storms and high seas take their toll. This is only one of around 140 ships that have met their end at the tip of Africa. This Japanese trawler was carrying 250 tons of tuna.
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| Rasperpunt Fish Traps |
After viewing the wreck we carried on down this road that leads to the small village of Suiderstrand.
There is a 5.5km hike from the wreck of the Meisho Maru 38 to Rasperpunt, where the ancient fish traps of the Khoi are still visible. Pick up a guide book at the Agulhas Lighthouse if you wish to do this hike. The story of the fish traps is most interesting. The ancient Khoi built these stone walls to trap the fish as they swam in with the high tide. At low tide, they became trapped. Fish were more plentiful in those days. This area is best viewed at low tide. From the road there is a long boardwalk down to the sea. There were a number of fishermen in the area so there must still be fish around! Sadly, there is also a marker for Wilhelm Schalk Baard 17/02/1987 - 23/12/2013
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| Wilhelm Baard Marker Rasperpunt |
Struisbaai boasts the longest natural beach in the Southern Hemisphere. This stretches for 14 km towards Arniston. There are boardwalks in both directions from the harbour - the one heading towards the beach is great for views and strong sea breezes! The fishing harbour is a great place to watch the fishing boats coming back from their fishing trips. The harbour was built in 1959 but enlarged in 1990. Its still small but worth a visit. We did not spot the stingray on this trip - however, the story goes back many years and the stingray is named Parrie. A visitor to the harbour when the fishing boats come in, Parrie has been a visitor to Struisbaai for over 30 years.
The name Arniston comes from the shipwreck "The Arniston" that sank in 1815. The ship was on its way from Ceylon to England, via Cape Town. The ship was carrying wounded soldiers. The ship broke up on the sharp rocks of the Arniston reef and only 6 out of 378 passengers survived.
The other official names is from the cave. The sea cave of Waenhuiskrans is only accessible at low tide and is approx. a 40 minute walk from the hotel or a 20 minute walk from Roman beach.
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| Roman Beach The main beach is a little way out of the village and a sign warns one of the dangerous stairway down to the beach! The water is warmer than either Hermanus or Cape Town and the locals as well as the holiday makers swim here regularly. The Hotel Beach is right in from of the Arniston Hotel and it was fun to watch the tourists wandering down for a swim in their hotel gowns after a hot day of touring. One of the most visited areas in Arniston is Kassiesbaai. The area is now a Grade 1 Heritage site and it is a pleasure to walk amongst the houses that retain so much charm. |
There are a few local eateries in the village - the one above is Willeens on the seaside. Outside seating is available plus there are tables inside the building that also sells arts and crafts.
We really loved Mien's Tea Garden - this is inside the village and the breakfast was superb. The owner is such a friendly lady with loads of local knowledge. Apparently, homes in this village can only be sold to those who were born in Kassiesbaai. Many of the younger generation, who have moved elsewhere for jobs, have renovated their homes and these are now available as holiday lets. Mien's Tea Garden has a tranquil veranda, filled with plants and quirky signs. Well worth a visit!
All in all a wonderful week-end escape from city life!
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| Paragliding above Roman Beach |
For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa
