Gansbaai accommodation is today rather luxurious compared to its humble beginnings. Although archaeologists suggest that early accommodation in Gansbaai started long before the arrival of the young man in this story, with cave dwelling hunter gatherers many thousands of years ago, it is the story of Johannes Cornelis Wessels that truly lends Gansbaai much of its present day character and indeed much its current lineage.
Young Cornelis, just 18 at the time, walked from Stanford over the dunes to what was to become Gansbaai. This is a mere twenty minute car trip today but in 1881 when the journey was undertaken this was no doubt a more difficult by foot over the hot sand dunes with the relentless winds that savage the area. Now Corenlis was a keen fisherman, in fact it was all he did. He belonged to a group of nomadic fishermen that were common along that coast in the late 19th century. Young Cornelis arrived at this lonely bay with the clothes on his back and a fishing rod, so legend has it. There was no sign of any other inhabitants and certainly no inkling of the accommodation in Gansbaai that we see today. Despite this he did what any good fisherman would do when arriving at a new undiscovered spot and cast a line. Now I don't know much about fishing but what happened next is a clear indication in my mind that the fishing was good. Johannes Cornelis Wessels built himself a house and never left.
The fishing was so good in Gansbaai, accommodation was needed immediately. So it was all due to a good days fishing that the community this community was formed. A fisherman desperate for a private fishing spot and fishing so good it required instant accommodation. Gansbaai might not have been what it is today if young Cornelis had had a bad day of fishing back in 1882. Thankfully today the choice of accommodation consists of slightly more than the stone, daub and reed house he made for himself. In fact today for the modern traveller hoping to find that secret fishing spot that attracted Cornelis over a century ago there is no shortage of accommodation. The coastal waters around Gansbaai are still considered some the best fishing in the country.
Unwittingly Cornelis was also starting what was to become a fierce local fishing scene, which is understandable as the fishing is good and the town was built on a tradition of protecting your fishing spot.
At the time of Cornelis' discovery that costal region was part of a farm known as Strandfontein, meaning beach fountain, named for the fresh water fountain by the harbour which provided fresh drinking water to the community. A family of geese had taken up residents in this fountain and it wasn't long before the area became known as Gansgat which means "goose hole," -Only a fisherman- It didn't take long before it was changed to the more respectable Gansbaai, goose bay.
The following aquatic conversation is based (albeit very loosely) on true fictional tails. The names of the Great White Sharks have been concealed in order to protect their predatory identity.
Overheard on location in Gansbaai:
Shark 1: “Where are they? They know its winter and we’re practically lurking around in schools this time of year!”
Shark 2: “I don’t know but I didn’t floss my pearly whites on seaweed to impress the sardines, they better show up soon I’ve got some scaring to do” …
Shark 3, Shark 4, Shark 5, Shark 6 and Shark 7 appear from the shadows of the deep Indian Ocean.
Shark 1 (to group): “Hey! We’ve got the shotgun on the first shark-cage divers in Shark Alley”.
Shark 2 (to group): “Yeah, go find Nemo or something!”
Shark 3, Shark 4, Shark 5, Shark 6 and Shark 7 disappear back into the shadows of the deep Indian Ocean.
Great White Shark
Shark 1: “Don’t you love the part when the people think we’re gonna bite straight through the cage they’re submerged in”.
Shark 2: “I know, like we don’t realize they’re completely safe behind steel enforced bars! You know for mammals they’re not that smart”.
Shark 1: “That’s why they need the dive master with them at all times”.
Shark 2: “Some of them have never even snorkelled before!”
Shark 1: “They’re not as amusing to me as the ones who choose to breath from those tanks; haven’t they heard of gills?”
Shark 2: “The irony is they go out of their way to protect us“.
Shark 1: “As if we’re not in control in our own natural environment”.
Shark 2: “I bet the biggest guy in the group will pee in his wetsuit first”.
Shark 1: “How can they forget that we have the most heightened sense of smell in the animal kingdom?”
Shark 1 and Shark 2 chuckle.
Shark 2: “Ssssshhhh … I hear something”.
Distant sound of rotors.
Great White Shark
Shark 1: “Feed, fish, foe, fum; I smell the blood of tasty chum”.
Shark 1 and Shark 2 encircle the boat with daring displays of dorsal fin.
Shark 1: “I’ll meet you back at Dyer Island when the shows over, I’m in the mood for some yummy seal dessert”.
Shark 2: “OK cool, but don’t hog the underwater cameras this time I’m trying get an animal agent maybe do an ad for Colgate or something”.
Shark 1: “Deal; but attack with your good side in profile so they can admire your length”.
Shark 2: “I’ll do more than that; I’ll give them the experience of a lifetime”.
Shark 1: “Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about, a wild African adventure to tell their great grand kids about!”
* Note: No seals were harmed while overhearing this conversation *
Courtesy of SA-venues.
Plattekloof is one of the northern suburbs of Cape Town, just off the N1 highway about 20 km from the centre of the city. The suburb is part of the greater Bellville area and is within easy reach of the V&A Waterfront, Durbanville Wine Route, Blouberg beaches and Table Mountain.
Durbanville Hills wine estate is virtually on the doorstep of Plattekloof and the other farms on the wine route are easy to reach. A little further afield but still an easy day trip are the beautiful wine farms of Stellenbosch, Franschoek, Wellington, and Pniel.
Plattekloof is close to the beautiful beaches of Bloubergstrand with panoramic views of Table Mountain. The Tygerberg Nature Reserve is in Welgemoed, close to Plattekloof, where you can do a 7.5 km hike and, on a clear day, experience views over the entire peninsula from the top of the reserve. Plattekloof is also close to the Belville golf coursea and has its own shopping mall although Canal Walk is only about 10 minutes away.
