Humble St. Helena Bay outshines Pretty Paternoster.

14 – 16 FEBRUARY 2022

After a glorious week on the West Coast, we were falling in love with this unpretentious region. We left Langebaan (https://www.silversurfer-sws.com/?p=668) after a lovely Valentine’s breakfast to head further north. Journey further with us to see if you agree that humble St. Helena Bay outshines pretty Paternoster.

REACHING HUMBLE ST. HELENA BAY

During one of his fishing expeditions to Spreeuwalle near Langebaan, Andre broke off the tip of his favourite fishing rod. He caught quite a big shark that put up a good fight. But that is not when he broke the rod! To his frustration, his hook and sinker got stuck amongst the rocks, but that is not when he broke his rod either! He broke his rod when he managed to dislodge his tackle and then, as he tugged backwards, hit the tip of his rod against a rock.

He hoped to find a tackle shop in Vredenburg where he could have his fishing rod repaired. We drove past Saldanha Steel and then turned right onto the R399 just past the Saldanha Airport to head to Vredenburg. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in locating any of the two possibilities that Google suggested for such repairs.

We continued on the R399 for another ten kilometres or so until we turned left on St. Helena Bay Road.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF ST. HELENA BAY

As we passed West Point Processors and Oranjevis (Pioneer Fishing), we realised that we were now entering the real West Coast. This area is still home to real fisherman – people who depend on the sea for their livelihood.

A long hill or ridge scattered with gigantic boulders form the backdrop to the town. Larger, modern homes perch here on the heights. But the real heart and soul of this fishing village lie on the ocean side of the main road. Humble fishermen and their families live here close to the fish factories and the main harbour at Sandy Point.

MIDWEST CARAVAN PARK, ST. HELENA BAY

We found Midwest Caravan Park towards the western end of St. Helena Bay bordering on Stompneus Bay. As we turned right out of Main Street into Bovenstrek Street, we were slightly hesitant about this location. The area looked unkept and dilapidated. Any concerns that we might have had evaporated after we drove through the gate of Midwest Caravan Park. (https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Interest/Midwest-Karavaan-Park-615341615543085/)

The setting is simply stunning. Right on the beach in a quiet cove.

Renette welcomed us warmly. She managed to find us a beachfront plot (no. 12) for two nights, even though we did not book beforehand. The secure, fenced-in campsite has 20 gravel plots divided by trees and hedges for shade and privacy. Each plot has electricity. Water taps are strategically placed around the campsite. It was a pleasure to use the neat, hygienic ablution facilities. And what a lovely surprise to find a small swop-library in the bathroom.

My only “complaint” about Midwest Caravan Park, is that the circuit breakers in the electrical boxes might be too weak. We have a small portable aircon unit in our caravan – an emergency remedy for those swelteringly hot summer nights. The only uncomfortably warm evening on this trip was our first night in St. Helena Bay. Yikes, and then the aircon kept on tripping the power!

To further prevent any possibility of a good night’s rest, the mosquitoes were dive-bombing us on this hot, humid evening.

ENJOYING THE OCEAN

After we set up camp, Andre and I were equally eager to test the water. For totally different reasons, of course…

We quickly made a detour to the OK MiniMark close-by in the St. Helena Centre. (https://www.facebook.com/okminimarksthelena) This really is your one-stop shop in St. Helena. Andre could buy bait and even hooks, sinkers, and nylon rope for a makeshift anchor for his kayak. We also stocked up on a few groceries.

Finally, I could dip my toes in the icy-cold West Coast waters. What a pleasant surprise – the water was amazing! In Langebaan I could understand that the water was not seriously cold, because the lagoon is sheltered from the ocean. But this was open West Coast waters. Whatever the reason, I had a lovely swim.

Andre set off on his kayak to do some fishing. He spent the first half-hour watching one of the Labradors of the ocean playing around his kayak. This seal was obviously used to getting fish-guts and off-cuts to eat from the fishing boats. While he was around, it was useless for Andre to try to fish though.

After the seal finally departed, Andre had lots of fun. He caught some rock cod and quite a few bronze breams. We even got the biggest two to braai for dinner. They were delicious. In no 5-star restaurant will you find fresher fish or a more beautiful view!

Andre enjoyed his fishing so much that he went fishing again early the next morning, with equal success.

ROADTRIP TO PRETTY PATERNOSTER

After the unbearable heat of the previous night, we woke up the next morning to cold and foggy weather. The best place would be inside Steve, our Landy.

We slowly meandered through Stompneus Bay to the security estate on the peninsula at Shelley Point. We were so intrigued by the building activity that we somehow missed the lighthouse. Travelling further west from Shelley Point, we were astounded by the development in Britannia Bay and along the 4,5km stretch of Golden Mile Beach. Frenetic building activity continued all the way to the gate of Groot Paternoster Private Nature Reserve.

GROOT PATERNOSTER PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE

We decided to take this scenic route through the Nature Reserve to Paternoster. Luckily, the gravel road was not in a bad condition. We stopped at a lookout-point where you have beach access. In the fog, the ocean appeared eerie and sinister.

Despite the weather, we were fortunate to see many interesting birds. These included European (barn) swallows, a common buzzard, black-shouldered kite, rock kestrels, and a regal lanner falcon. The latter could still be a juvenile, but this was my favourite spotting. I have never seen one of these gorgeous birds before.

However, the most intriguing sight was the fence posts which almost all had a collection of small snails decorating the top part of the pole. It looked like a weird arts-and-crafts project. Apparently, they do so to aestivate. Aestivation is a state of dormancy similar to a light hibernation, except animals do so in warm, arid climates to escape damage from over-heating. I don’t quite get why they climb up the posts though?!

We also took a short detour to look at the salt works a short distance from Paternoster.

TOURISTY, BUT PRETTY, PATERNOSTER

There is no doubt that Paternoster is an exceptionally beautiful town, but it no longer is a quaint little fishing village. As we entered Paternoster, blue dots indicating accommodation covered the Tracks4Africa-map on my tablet. Nearly every house is a guest house or to rent as a self-catering unit.

Even on a cold, foggy Tuesday in the middle of a school term the town was overrun with tourists. Old favourite shops like Oep-vi-koep (Open-to-buy), and the many restaurants and art galleries were all buzzing. We even saw Afrikaans actor and artist, At Botha, sitting outside his gallery. It is wonderful to see our tourist industry blooming again.

We drove past the fish market before heading to the Paternoster Waterfront. Here we wandered through an interesting collection of art studios in The Art Shed at the Wharf. The shed also houses the small Die Koelkamers Teater (the Cold Storage theatre), a coffee shop, and a fascinating antique toy shop.

Outside the shed, you can dine at a variety of restaurants on the beautifully restored, historic Crayfish Wharf. The colourful, old fishing boats resting above the small, sheltered bay is the perfect backdrop for any meal, even if you only want to indulge in homemade gelato or a decadent waffle.

CAPE COLUMBINE NATURE RESERVE

We headed to the most westerly point of the Western Cape on the gravel road out of Paternoster. At some stage we had contemplated camping at Tietiesbaai instead of in St Helena Bay. Boy, were we glad that we did not follow through with that! Miss Daisy would not have survived the corrugation on this road.

Just after you pass the old crafish factory on your right, you reach the entrance gate to the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve. The fee for day visitors is R29 per person. This reserve falls under the jurisdiction of the Swartland Municipality and as such we could not use our Wild Card. Their entry system is not effective. Everyone must stop at the gate, get out of their vehicle, and pay at a window next to the gate. This means that you block the gate. Campers who already have their permits are then stuck behind you in the queue. (https://sbm.gov.za/cape-columbine-nature-reserve-tietiesbaai/)

But the coastline here is incredibly beautiful and our frustration soon evaporated. We took every turn-off to explore the wild-camping spots scattered at the shore. You can choose between secluded spots with colloquial names such as Trappiesklip (Stepping Stone), Modderbaai (Mud Bay), Soldatebaai (Soldiers’ Bay) and Vleibank (Marsh Bank).

I was clicking away with my camera and each photo seemed more brilliant than the previous one. My fear that the limited visibility (due to the fog) would ruin my photos was totally unfounded. If anything, these photos are more special.

We also visited the relaxed, rustic Sea Shack Beach Camp. (https://www.seashack.co.za/ or https://www.facebook.com/seashackpaternoster/) This glamping camp with its small zinc huts is the perfect solution if you want to experience the West Coast but are not brave enough to camp without modern amenities.

We heard the electronic foghorn sounding from far away. When we drove past the big megaphones, Andre stopped the car. We opened our windows to listen to the foghorn. I think my ears are still vibrating from that intense sound.

TIETIESBAAI

Our last destination was Tietiesbaai (Boobies Bay). To me, this was such a nostalgic walk down memory lane. Exactly 40 years ago, when I was a young teenager, our family spent a week in the iconic Paternoster Hotel. My father and brothers went out to sea every day on our small boat, Suzy, to fish or collect crayfish. That left the whole day open for my mom and I to laze the time away at Tietiesbaai, sunbathing and reading.

Once just a wild-camping site like the others, the amenities at Tietiesbaai have been upgraded since it was placed on the map by humoristic Afrikaans writer, Pieter Pieterse. There still is no electricity, but at least solar heating and running water means you can have a hot shower.

In the foggy conditions, we only just managed to make out the small, round hill with its “nipple”-rock which, according to some sources, gave Tietiesbaai its name. Other theories include that Tietiesbaai was named after the same French merchant, Jacques Titius, after whom Jacobsbaai is named. Or some legends attribute the name to a Khoikhoi Captain, named Titus, who drowned here.

On our way back to Paternoster, we also drove past the Cape Columbine lighthouse standing proudly on Castle Rock. It is the last manually controlled lighthouse that was built in South Africa (1936). This usually is the first lighthouse visible to sailors from Europe. The strong beam of light can be seen from 50km away.

THE ICONIC PATERNOSTER HOTEL

Our last pitstop for the day, was at the famous Panty Bar in the Paternoster Hotel. (https://paternosterhotel.co.za/)

This brought back such wonderful memories of the entertaining and hospitable Johan Carosini who came to chat to my dad every night while we stayed in the Paternoster Hotel. He even allowed his chefs to cook the fresh fish or crayfish, that my dad and brothers caught, for our dinner. His family still runs the Hotel. Unfortunately, the unfriendly, impatient barman on duty did not do justice to the legacy of Johan Carosini.

I evaded the hawkers selling their illegal crayfish to run up the small dune in front of the hotel for a last glance over the pristine white beach of Paternoster. The fog had lifted and the white houses of Paternoster shimmered against the blue sky. It is easy to understand why Paternoster has become such a huge tourist attraction.

A LAST NIGHT IN ST. HELENA BAY

We headed back to St. Helena Bay on Stompneus Bay Road. Just before we reached Midwest Caravan Park, we stopped at the Vasco da Gama Monument. This monument was a gift from the Portuguese government to South Africa to commemorate five hundred years since the birth of the explorer, Vasco da Gama. Unfortunately, this site is not maintained well.

A statue of Vasco da Gama also guards over Golden Mile Boulevard in Shelley Point, our last point-of-call in St. Helena Bay. We spent a lovely evening there with old friends, Charles and Marionette. They pulled out all the stops and spoiled us with a terrific surf-and-turf braai at their home.

It was the perfect ending to a wonderful stay in St. Helena Bay. Despite the continuing development along the coastline, you can still experience the authentic West Coast here.