Beach walk Garden Route Archives

A CENTURY OLD WRECK

Shipwrecks always have some sort of mystical ambiance about them for me. If you are willing to take a more or less 6km round trip eastwards along the beach at Glentana you will reach the mossed skeleton of the floating Port Natal dry dock resting on the beach since 1902. —– oOo —– HISTORY OF THE WRECK: It was stranded after the tow rope from the steamer Baralong parted during a tow operation from Durban to Cape Town. The dock was a Clark Standsfield self-docking design and built at CS Swan & Hunter’s yard at Wallsend (Yard No. 279). It was oredered by the Natal Government for the Harbour Commissioners of the Port of Durban. It was to be the first floating dock introduced into South Africa. The dock was launched on the 6th of October 1902, and it was originally intended that the Dutch Smit Tugs, used to tow… Read more >

FOSSIL DUNES ON THE BEACH

Just up the coastal road, Knysna way, from George you will find South Africa’s highest fossil dune known as Gericke’s Punt (Point) near Sedgefield. Although going there for years I must admit that I never knew that it was a fossil dune, but thanks to Geocaching now I know! Take the easy walk to the point along the beach and marvel at all the patterns that the wind has carved over years in to the sand dunes. If you have an artistic eye there are really a couple of spots along the walk where you can spend a while taking really great pictures! Every time I go there I see some new patterns in mother nature that I have not noticed before – even a dragon if you use your imagination …….… Also keep an eye open for the endangered Black Oyster Catchers at the waters edge with their startling… Read more >

Tag Archive: Beach walk Garden Route

A CENTURY OLD WRECK

FOSSIL DUNES ON THE BEACH