Langebaan the new Hermanus

Located on the Cape West Coast and once a whaling station, Langebaan has evolved and firmly established itself as a tourist attraction to be reckoned with. While the town was officially founded in the early 1900’s, its history dates back hundreds years as an area once inhabited by the Khoi San people long before even the earliest Dutch and English explorers passed through.

Located as it is on the shores of a tranquil lagoon the town of course offers a wide variety of water sports and activities, including kayaking, windsurfing, kitesurfing, boat trips and fishing, as well as paddling in the shallows or simply enjoying the white sandy beaches. The lagoon itself forms a part of the West Coast National Park, a wildlife sanctuary and home to many indigenous and migratory bird species as well as small mammals, making it ideal for bird watchers and nature lovers alike.

Also for those who wish to view the raw, untamed natural beauty of the Cape West coast region and planning a visit during the spring, it is worth bearing in mind that the area like much of the surrounding countryside is carpeted with wildflowers in the months of July to September. A recent addition to the Langebaan landscape is the Langebaan Country Estate development, both a residential estate, and an old style country club, with a golf course, braai area, pro shop and other facilities, this genteel location will appeal to those who seek an upper class outlet for their energy.

Boasting fossil sites, fynbos and wildlife, the Elandsfontein Private Reserve offers as exclusive a getaway with a decidedly wilder theme. View the recently reintroduced antelope, zebra and Cape Buffalo on a game drive, and watch the sunset from the luxurious lodge.

A famed local mountain biking company, Live2Ride, who offer mountain bike tours of some of the most beautiful parts of the country, have chosen Langebaan to be a part of their West Coast experience and they are well worth contacting for those energetic enough to explore by pedal power. For a similarly close to nature opportunity to explore, albeit on a very different mode of transportation, Windstone offers horseback tours of the area, as well as various activates for families and children.

But Langebaan is not entirely devoted to the outdoors. For culture lovers, the Bay Gallery in Bree street showcases the work of local artists, in various media, including paintings, sculpture and textiles. If you crave the bright lights of the city, this town has something for you too, in the form of the Club Mykonos hotel complex, which boasts several entertainment options, including a casino for those who are feeling lucky.

With all of this activity, one is bound to work up an appetite, and Langebaan is glad to oblige. There are several fine restaurants, coffee shops and other eateries in town, but surely the most famous, and unique must be the Strandloper Restaurant. This legendary local restaurant is located on the beach at Langebaan lagoon, and serves exquisitely prepared seafood and other dishes .Patrons can take off their shoes and feel the sand and sea between their toes whilewatching the kids play on the beach.

Langabaan Lagoon is probably one of the best places in the world to learn to kitesurf, with plenty of wind and those shallow warm waters at shark bay it is just paradise.

Places to stay in langebaan
Things to do in Langebaan

Thanks to SAvenues for some of the copy.

lighthouses on the West Coast

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Red, white and blue: Cape Columbine is one of five South African lighthouses with guest accommodation

Seeing a SA lighthouse inspired a maker’s descendant to delve into their history, writes Sarah Hudleston.

There is something rather romantic about lighthouses. If you sit on the beach at night at Beira, as we did as children when we used to camp at the Club Nautico on sailing trips, you can see the Macuti lighthouse.

My 10-year-old sister and cousin were so inspired by it they wrote a 26-verse epic poem, which they managed to get published in their school magazine even though it ground along in the vein of Macuti by day, Macuti by night, its pulsing rays give ships a good light …

This and thousands of other lighthouses were built with lenses manufactured by one firm — Chance Brothers of Smethwick, near Birmingham in England.

Now one of the brothers’ descendants, Toby Chance, has written a history of lighthouses with the emphasis on the part his family played in making the world’s shipping lanes a lot safer.

Chance’s collaborator on Lighthouses: The Race to Illuminate The World is Peter Williams, founder of Leading Lights, a lighthouse enthusiast magazine with a surprisingly large readership. Williams has visited many of the Chance lighthouses while Chance himself visited the South African lighthouses and many of the 200 lighthouses in Britain. He also got inside the Port Said lighthouse in Egypt, which although out use since the sea level has receded, is still lovingly cared for with its lenses polished to perfection.

Although many of the 2400 lighthouses originally built with Chance lenses are not operating, many are still in perfect order. A large number have also been converted to electricity, but in some of the world’s more remote places, they still have the original oil-fired mechanisms. M ost, however, still have the original Chance lenses.

Chance says his book is supposed to be a work of history, not travel. He was inspired after a visit to the Slangkop lighthouse near Kommetjie.

“The lighthouse keeper could not believe he was talking to a Chance. I decided there must be a lot of interest in lighthouses and decided to record the history of my family through their work with lighthouses.”

The underlying theme, though, is the spread of science, technology and politics in the 19th century. In his research, Chance read family diaries which recorded odd social interactions with people of vastly different cultural backgrounds. “This story needs to be placed in the context of colonialism and the expansion of the Empire,” said Chance.

Using the Internet, Chance uncovered a large number of “obscure academic papers which I was able to knit together to make into a story”.

Pushing the family firm from being a manufacturer of glass into lighthouse optics, James Chance, the author’s great-great grandfather, cemented the firm’s fortunes and earned a baronetcy for his services to Britain.

The family’s venture into glass first began in 1788 with the construction of a glass factory. In 1822 Lucas Chance bought the British Crown Glass Company outside Birmingham, and it was this business that his nephew, James, made a household name.

In the years after he launched his new dioptric lens at the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace in 1851, the Chance Brothers supplied the mechanisms and/or built the structures of lighthouses around the world.

Seventy-six lighthouses were built in Newfoundland, 61 in New Zealand, South Africa had 31 and Mozambique three, including the now-immortalised Macuti lighthouse. Countries from Borneo to Holland all opted for Chance lighthouses.

Lighthouses: The Race to Illuminate The World by Peter Williams and Toby Chance is available from kalahari.net at R353.95.

If you go ...

Lighthouse tourism is growing worldwide as pharologists — lighthouse spotters — and ordinary tourists looking for a remote and romantic retreat at the ocean’s edge are opting for lighthouse stays.

The US, Europe and Australia have hundreds of stays on offer while southern Africa has a mere handful.

The most luxurious of the local offerings is the inactive Shark Island Lighthouse at the Shark Island Resort in Lüderitz, which will set you back a princely R500 per night.

Of South Africa’s 31 lighthouses, just five offer accommodation.

In the Western Cape, you can choose from three — in one of the three cottages at Cape Columbine near Paternoster on the West Coast, or in the self-catering cottage at Cape St Blaize, outside Mossel Bay. Danger Point — which looks across to the notorious rock that sank the HMS Birkenhead — also has self-catering accommodation. Heading up the coast, accommodation is available at the Great Fish Point lighthouse near Port Alfred, and the North Sand Bluff Lighthouse at Port Edward has two romantic cottages on offer.

If hunkering down with friends in a lonely lighthouse doesn’t appeal, daytime visits are possible to most of the country’s lighthouses.

For bookings and information, www.africanow,co.za Further information is available on the National Ports Authority website www.transnetnationalportsauthority. net.

South Africa: Smoothound Sharks to be Tagged in Langebaan Lagoon

BuaNews (Tshwane)

7 November 2008
Posted to the web 7 November 2008

As part of efforts to research the population of smoothhound sharks in the Langebaan Lagoon, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) is hosting a tagging derby on Saturday.

According to the department, their marine and coastal management branch and the West Coast Shore Angling Association are cooperating in a joint venture to try to tag as many smoothhound sharks as possible.

The tagging will form part of research into the population of smoothhound sharks in the Langebaan Lagoon system.

The joint venture which is dubbed the Langebaan Lagoon Smoothhound Shark Derby 2008 is a tag-and-release tournament aimed at promoting collaborative opportunities between marine scientists and fishers to strengthen the sustainable management of marine resources.

It will further assist with existing research on the smoothhound shark population in the Langebaan Lagoon.

Recent studies have shown that the main angling target species smoothhound shark, white stumpnose and elf are resident in the lagoon.

The tag and recapture experiment will help to identify the stock size of the population of these species within the Langebaan, Saldanha Bay area and the results will inform the sustainable management of these species, the department said.

Smoothhound sharks (Mustelus mustelus) are commonly caught off the southern African coast by commercial trawlers, long-lining operations, line-fishing boats, and shore-based recreational fishermen.

Smoothhound sharks are one of the most frequently caught species. They are abundant in bays with soft substrate such as Langebaan Lagoon, where they feed on clams, worms and crustaceans.

Sharks are slow growing animals, mature late and produce small numbers of offspring. Their life-history traits make them extremely vulnerable to over-exploitation.

The tournament will be also be used to introduce the Green Marine Angling program, an initiative of the South African Shark Conservancy (SASC), in collaboration with the department.

This program is geared towards responsible angling where a code of handling is introduced to minimise the effects of poor handling practices when releasing fish, the department said.

This tournament does not only represent an exciting angling experience but also an opportunity for members of the South African Shore Angling Association to actively participate in research on a locally important species.

Only anglers who are registered members of the South African Shore Angling Association (SASAA) will be allowed to fish in this tournament.

A maximum of 100 anglers will be allowed to participate in the Derby which is taking place from 06:00 to 13:00.

click here for event accomodation

Registration will be taking place from 05:00 at the Langebaan Yacht Club

A Visit to the West Coast National Park

On the 8th of March, 2008 I visited the West Coast National Park with the Sonmerset West Bird Club. The first great sighting was not however a bird but rather a Caracal. This was my first sighting of this shy & not often seen cat. Unfortunately no photos, though we had quite good but fleeting views.

We visited all of the bird hides in search of waders with some success, though the tides were not ideal; as well as Abrahamskraal waterhole (one of the parks few sources of fresh water).

My bird list for the day totalled 62 species–four of them lifers: Grey-winged Francolin (Scleroptila africanus) which was a target sopecies for me in the park; Lesser Honeyguides (Indicator minor) which were hanging around the nest of a pair of Acacia Pied Barbet (Tricholaema leucomelas) (The Lersser Honeyguide is a parasitic species, laying its eggs in the nest of other species.); Little Stint (Calidris minuta); and Large-billed Lark (Galerida magnirostris).

Male and female Yellow Canaries (Crithagra flaviventris) drinking at Abrahamskraal.

Grey-winged Francolin (Scleroptila africanus) near the Seeburg hide.

Southern Black Korhaan (Eupodotis afraoides)

I also took the opportunity to photograph a few butterflies for submission to the South African Butterfly Conservation Assessment’s Virtual Museum. This is a Cape Black-eye (Leptomyrina lara).

All in all a fantastic day’s outing & the park is highly recommended for all birders–and anyone who enjoys apending time in the great outdoors.

Thank you to http://zanature.wordpress.com for the story.

Accommodation in and around the West Coast National Park

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Lange­b­aan Ho­li­days­ - S­o­uth Afri­ca

Lang­e­baan is­ s­ituate­d 120 k­m­­ nor­th of C­ape­ Town, jus­t off the­ R­27. It was­ founde­d in 1922 and us­e­d as­ a whaling­ s­tation until the­ 1960’s­. The­ white­ C­ar­ibbe­an lik­e­ be­ac­he­s­ s­ur­r­ounding­ the­ c­r­y­s­tal c­le­ar­ wate­r­s­ of the­ Lang­e­baan Lag­oon ar­e­ one­ of the­ m­­ain attr­ac­tions­ of Lang­e­baan. The­ town has­ tur­ne­d into a m­­e­c­c­a for­ wate­r­ s­por­ts­ e­nthus­ias­ts­. Lang­e­baan offe­r­s­ num­­e­r­ous­ e­x­c­e­lle­nt holiday­ fac­ilitie­s­ for­ the­ wate­r­ s­por­t e­nthus­ias­ts­ who favour­ a we­e­k­e­nd vis­it or­ holiday­ in Lang­e­baan to e­njoy­ the­ hos­t of wate­r­ s­por­t and fis­hing­ oppor­tunitie­s­ this­ vibr­ant holiday­ r­e­s­or­t town offe­r­s­. With it’s­ pr­ote­c­te­d lag­oon it’s­ the­ pe­r­fe­c­t plac­e­ for­ s­ailing­, k­ay­ak­ing­ and k­ite­s­ur­fing­.

Fl­ora­ a­n­d­ Fa­un­a­

T­he West­ Coast­ N­at­i­on­al­ Par­k an­d­ L­an­geb­aan­ l­agoon­ has m­uch t­o offer­ t­he vi­si­t­or­ whet­her­ he/she i­s i­n­t­er­est­ed­ i­n­ ar­chaeol­ogy, fl­or­a an­d­ faun­a, b­i­r­d­ wat­chi­n­g, fossi­l­s, hi­st­or­y of t­he ar­ea or­ just­ won­d­er­ful­ si­t­es an­d­ vi­ews. M­an­y vi­si­t­or­s d­escr­i­b­e t­he d­i­spl­ay of wi­l­d­ fl­ower­s i­n­ t­he Par­k as b­r­eat­ht­aki­n­g. Ar­eas of t­he Par­k ar­e b­l­an­ket­ed­ wi­t­h fl­ower­s of m­an­y d­i­ffer­en­t­ shad­es an­d­ hues. T­he wi­l­d­ fl­ower­ d­i­spl­ay can­ b­e seen­ an­yt­i­m­e b­et­ween­ Jul­y an­d­ Oct­ob­er­ an­d­ t­he b­est­ t­i­m­e i­s ver­y m­uch d­epen­d­en­t­ upon­ t­he weat­her­. T­he t­i­m­e of year­ when­ t­he fl­ower­s ar­e usual­l­y at­ t­hei­r­ b­est­ i­s d­ur­i­n­g t­he m­on­t­hs of August­ an­d­ Sept­em­b­er­. I­t­ i­s i­n­t­er­est­i­n­g t­o n­ot­e t­hat­ t­he col­our­ pat­t­er­n­s chan­ge fr­om­ week t­o week as fl­ower­s fad­e an­d­ ot­her­ var­i­et­i­es com­e i­n­t­o b­l­oom­.

A­rch­a­eology­

F­ossil deposits extending­ som­­e 20 m­­illion years ag­o into the past hav­e been f­ou­nd in the v­ic­inity of­ the Park­. The oldest hu­m­­an rem­­ains sou­th of­ the Orang­e Riv­er hav­e been f­ou­nd on the F­arm­­ Elandsf­ontein. M­­ore rec­ently, som­­e 117 000 years ag­o a lone f­em­­ale tru­dg­ed down a steep du­ne to the lag­oon leav­ing­ her f­ootprints in the wet sand. Within a f­ew hou­rs the du­ne dried ou­t and the wind f­illed in the f­ootprints with sand enc­asing­ them­­. Ov­er those thou­sands of­ years m­­ore layers of­ sand were deposited ov­er the f­ootprints. The sandstone c­lif­f­ c­ollapsed and exposed those f­ootprints. They were disc­ov­ered in 1995 and were nam­­ed Ev­es’ F­ootprints - Ev­e bec­au­se she m­­ay hav­e been the anc­estor of­ m­­odern wom­­an. The site where the f­ootprints were disc­ov­ered m­­ay be seen today. K­onstabel K­op, one of­ the hig­hest points in the Park­, was v­ery rec­ently disc­ov­ered to be an extinc­t v­olc­ano, whic­h blew its top ov­er 500 m­­illion years ag­o.

Hi­story­

T­he a­r­ea­ is r­ich in hist­or­ica­l event­s fr­om­­ t­hefir­st­ inha­bit­a­nt­s, t­he Khoikhoi a­nd­ Sa­n t­o t­he a­r­r­iva­l of t­he Eur­opea­ns. T­he fir­st­ Eur­opea­n t­o set­ foot­ on la­nd­ w­a­s Va­sco d­a­ G­a­m­­a­ a­t­ St­ Helena­ Ba­y on t­he W­est­ Coa­st­ Peninsula­ in 1497. A­nt­onia­ d­e Sa­ld­a­nha­, a­ft­er­ w­hom­­ t­he ba­y is na­m­­ed­, d­id­ not­ ent­er­ t­hose w­a­t­er­s a­t­ a­ll. J­ur­is va­n Spilber­g­en m­­ist­a­kenly na­m­­ed­ it­ in 1601 a­s Sa­ld­a­nha­ Ba­y; he t­houg­ht­ t­ha­t­ he ha­d­ r­ea­ched­ Ca­pe T­ow­n - or­ig­ina­lly na­m­­ed­ A­g­oa­d­a­ d­e Sa­ld­a­nha­. A­lt­houg­h t­he D­ut­ch w­er­e t­he fir­st­ t­o cla­im­­ ow­ner­ship of t­he a­r­ea­, t­he Fr­ench w­er­e fr­equent­ visit­or­s. Count­r­ies w­ould­ cla­im­­ ow­ner­ship by pla­nt­ing­ a­ post­ in t­he g­r­ound­ a­nd­ for­m­­a­lly d­ecla­r­ing­ ow­ner­ship. One of t­hese ‘post­s’ m­­a­y be seen t­od­a­y nea­r­ G­eelbek cla­im­­ing­ t­he la­nd­ on beha­lf of t­he D­ut­ch Ea­st­ Ind­ia­ Com­­pa­ny. Eur­opea­n set­t­lem­­ent­ w­a­s ver­y lim­­it­ed­ beca­use of t­he la­ck of w­a­t­er­ for­ 8 m­­ont­hs of t­he yea­r­. How­ever­, m­­a­ny st­ir­r­ing­ event­s ha­ve occur­r­ed­ in t­he r­eg­ion over­ t­he cent­ur­ies includ­ing­ t­w­o sea­ ba­t­t­les a­nd­ a­ visit­ by t­he Confed­er­a­t­e St­a­t­es of A­m­­er­ica­’s, A­la­ba­m­­a­, in 1863, t­he m­­ost­ fea­r­ed­ w­a­r­ship of it­s d­a­y. Even t­he 5 isla­nd­s in t­he a­r­ea­, w­hich a­r­e a­d­m­­inist­er­ed­ by t­he Pa­r­k ha­ve a­ hist­or­y of t­heir­ ow­n, includ­ing­ ba­t­t­les for­ ow­ner­ship, use a­s sm­­a­llpox qua­r­a­nt­ine hospit­a­ls, exploit­s for­ g­ua­no, sea­ling­ cent­r­es a­nd­ ot­her­ a­ct­ivit­ies.

Accommodation in Langebaan

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Langebaan Lagoon the jewel in the Crown

 

How does the Lagoon keep its colour, so clear and bright?  The Langebaan Lagoon is one of three lagoons worldwide that is nourished by the sea and not by a river.  What makes the lagoon so unique is that there is no river-mouth or fresh water flowing from the land into the sea.  The Lagoon exists thanks to massive changes in sea-level over millions of years.  When the sea waters retreated the low lying land was covered in sea-sand.  With time the wind blew to such an extent that large dunes formed along the coastline.  At one stage the sea broke through the rocky hills at the mouth of Saldanha Bay and the sea into the low lying land alongside the large dunes that today form the Langebaan Peninsula.  This Peninsula is also known as the Postberg Nature Reserve and lies adjacent to the West Coast National Park.  The Postberg area is only open to the public for approximately two months of the year during flower season.

The manner in which the southern winds blow surface water into the sea, has led to a welling up of deep nutrient-rich water from the Benguela current which replaces the surface water.  This plankton-rich water streams into the Lagoon twice a day with the tides.  With the tide streaming in and out at the Saldanha Bay entrance, as fast as 1 meter per second – the Lagoon, which is at the end of this stream, is constantly well-fed!

This nutrient-rich water has resulted in various miniature animals living in the waters and in turn these organisms attract numerous fish and birds.  Millions of tiny filter-feeders such as the common sand prawn and mussels constantly filter the water and this leads to the exceptionally clear colour of the water.  Young fish flourish naturally in the waters of lagoon.  Flamingos are the most well known and eye-catching birds that frequent the southern wetlands constantly filtering the water for food.

The shallow waters in the southern tip of the lagoon have developed into a salt marsh which means that it has a salt content of up to three times more than sea water.  This type of wetland provides essential decayed plant material which is needed in the food chain.  As a result of salt marshes having a more constant salt level as well as depth level than rivers do (which can sometimes dry out), a large web of salt marshes and wetlands has developed in the southern part of the lagoon.  The Langebaan Lagoon is in fact one of the most developed salt marshes in South Africa.

In the wetlands section of the lagoon, it is estimated that each cubic centimeter contains 60 million “staafdiertjies”.  This area is acknowledged as one of the most biologically productive in the world.  One can thus understand why it is said that the biomass per cubic centimeter in the West Coast waters is more than the biomass per cubic centimeter found in a rain forest!

There is more than double the number of non-vertebrae organisms found in the bay of Saldanha and in the Langebaan lagoon, than in any other lagoon in South Africa.  There are literally millions of “workers” that see to it that the waters are kept clean.

To top it all, the Langebaan Lagoon also has channels of differing depths and this leads to the different nuances of turquoise colouring.  Some days it really looks like the lagoon has turned itself into a turquoise Peacock posing for a photograph!

Langebaan lagoon forms part of the area, approximately 100klm North West of Cape Town, that has been declared a Ramsar site (therefore of international importance).  This is in the most part, due to the large number of migratory wading birds that visit Langebaan annually.  The Ramsar site includes four islands, namely Schaapen, Marcus, Malgas and Jutten islands, and is where these birds breed in their thousands.  Each summer the wading birds migrate from their breeding sites in Siberia and Greenland, to Langebaan where they can feed on the non-vertebrae organisms in the south of the Lagoon.  It is not surprising that the birdlife of the Langebaan lagoon is richer than any other wetland in the country.

The lagoon itself is 17km long and in an effort to preserve the delicate ecosystem, certain activities are prohibited in certain parts of the lagoon.  The area closest to the entrance of the Atlantic Ocean is the least sensitive and therefore a variety of water sports are allowed by the two established yacht clubs – indeed a water-sports paradise!  The middle section is a restricted recreational area where power boats and the exploitation of marine life are not allowed.  The wilderness area is totally closed to the public as pollution has a detrimental affect on the salt marshes.  Within the boundaries of the West Coast National Park there are proper bird hides, which allow for the viewing of birds without any disturbance to them.

With the sun setting, the sight of pleasure cruises happening on the water, are commonplace and naturally a day spent at Kraalbaai (which is more beautiful than any Greek Island!), is a memory that will stay with one forever.  The most enjoyable option is set sail on a yacht around 11h00, rubber duck in tow, and then to braai (barbeque) on your yacht en route.  Arrive ashore with your rubber duck and picnic at the “Preekstoel”.  Children particularly, enjoy the shallow waters found at Kraalbaai (which is up to 10ºC warmer than the deep-sea waters close to the Peninsula).

As wetlands are such prime areas for coastal developments or marinas, many salt marshes are being lost.  Here in the West Coast, however, there is staunch control and no industrial development is allowed in Langebaan.  As mentioned, the wilderness area of the Lagoon itself is closed and not even open to the public.

It appears as though the balance between man and nature in the Langebaan lagoon will continue – and thus be preserved for the generations to come.  Langebaan is indeed a holiday makers’ paradise!

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Rocking the Daisies, Darling West Coast

Rocking the Daisies is an eco-friendly music and lifestyle festival taking place in Darling, a small town in the be-flowered Cape West Coast area.

Spring time in the Cape is a sight to see… The spectacular displays of the Western Cape’s floral kingdom are quite something to behold.

Not only does this relatively new (but very popular) festival offer some of the very best local talent, as well as an international guest star, Eagle Eye Cherry, it’s also one of the greenest festivals in the country.

So, if you’re near Cape Town this coming weekend, and fancy dancing in the daisies, all weekend long, see if you can snap up a ticket and head on over to flower-ville.

Tickets for the weekend cost R320 (27 euros). Find out more here.

Find accommodation for the concert on the West Coast

West Coast National Park opens its gates.

By Craig McKune

SA National Parks is encouraging a nationwide free-for-all at their parks this week.

This is a major part of National Parks Week, which was launched on Monday in the West Coast National Park.

The concept was first launched in 2006 with "the realisation that the majority of the country's citizens were not accessing parks", stated a SANParks press release.

'This year we are focusing on involving young people and communities'

"The survival of the SA national parks system and our natural and cultural heritage lies in the people of South Africa," said SANParks CEO David Mabunda.

This year we are focusing on involving young people and communities, to cultivate knowledge of the importance of conservation and an appreciation for the country's natural heritage," he said.
Until Friday, access to most parks is free if you are carrying an official South African identity document. Children under the age of 16 will be allowed entry without identification.

The launch at the West Coast Park celebrated in particular the role of women in conservation, said SANParks communications officer Wanda Mkutshulwa.

"Today we are launching the Duinepos chalets, which are being run by three very dynamic women," she said.

'It has proven to be a very successful community project'

"It has proven to be a very successful community project, with the chalets running at full capacity over weekends."

Duinepos has been running for nearly two years since the completion of the first chalets, but the full complement of 11 was recently completed, said Mkutshulwa.

Activities include a rangers' anti-poaching roadshow at the Camdeboo Park. Tsitsikamma is hosting an evening fireside debate on moral responsibility with local youth.

Knysna National Park is holding a fishing expedition for children. And Kruger National Park will hold a "Walk in the Wild" project.

Accommodation in Langebaan

IKO kitesurfing lessons in Langebaan

THE LURE
The white sandy beaches and constant cross-shore wind in January make this arguably the absolute best spot in South Africa to kite. January is the 'wild wind month' averaging 25 – 30 knots on most days, so unless you're an accomplished rider time your visit either side of that month or get up early in the morning!

A feature in Issue #25 included Langebaan. It is available free online, just click here.


THE SET UP:
Exit Cape Town International airport, shed a few layers of clothing, find a car, point it north up the coast and drive 130 kilometres in a dead straight line along a tarred road with not a single road coming off it until you get to the small town of Langebaan.

Langebaan lagoon is a two kilometre wide, shallow freestyle heaven. The turquoise blue water of the 20 x 1.5 kilometre lagoon is suitable for anyone from beginners upwards, but the choice of terrain to ride is actually high in Langebaan outside of the lagoon areas, and of course if you fancy some hardcore wave action then Cape Town is back down the road.

WIND & WEATHER:
Cross-onshore to cross-offshore from the left. From September to the end of March the wind stats sit at 80% of days above 15 knots.

WATER:
The water temperature averages 16 – 22°C year round.

OFF THE WATER:
There are lots of nice little restaurants and bars just off the beach. There is one nightclub in town (which is a five minute drive from the lagoon) and a bar with live music on certain days of the week. There are plenty of other activities in the area, such as windurfing, kayaking, pilates and yoga lessons, and within a reasonable distance, a Gary Player signature golf course, horse riding, fishing, sight seeing in the wine-lands and Cape Town and the surrounding area.

CENTRES AND ACCOMODATION:
WindChasers offers the ultimate package of upmarket beach styled accommodation designed to suit the windsports enthusiasts together with a top class IKO centre offering boat assisted kitesurfing lessons. Windchasers are located on the shores of the Langebaan lagoon just 1 hour out of Cape Town with warm, flat waters and close to perfect wind conditions ideal for teaching and perfecting this extreme adrenalin filled sport. WindChasers offers everything from outside hot and cold showers, equipment stores, wireless internet, laundry facilities to a very sociable and welcoming atmosphere. The accommodation is unique and ranges from more private self catering rooms to the KiteHouse which is communal accommodation for those on a bit more of a budget and looking for a more social and interactive experience. First-time novice or skilled expert, you'll love kiteboarding in Langebaan. Email: info@windchaserssa.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Tel: +27 22 77 21 904
Website: www.windchaserssa.com

AIRPORTS:
Cape Town international airport (CPT) – Two hour drive to Langebaan.

Riders who have included Langebaan as one of their Top Places to Ride are: Jo Wilson, Nick Jacobsen, Sjoukje Bredenkamp









Accommodation in Langebaan

west coast fossil park

About the West Coast Fossil Park

Five million years ago the Cape west coast was very different from what it is today with a wide range of now extinct animals living in riverine forests, wooded savanna, the adjacent sea and on offshore islands. Phosphate mining operations at Langebaanweg uncovered one of the richest fossil sites in the world. Over the past 40 years bones of 200 different kinds of animals, many of them new to science have been recovered. A few years after mining operations ceased in 1993, a 14 ha fossil-rich area within the mine property was declared a National Heritage Site. Iziko Museums of Cape Town and SAMANCOR launched the Fossil Park in 1998 to bring palaeontology to the public.

The first phase of the West Coast Fossil Park was launched by Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Dr Pallo Jordan on 22nd September 1998. Guest speakers included Mrs Evita Bezuidenhout, Dr Mike Cluver, Mr Mike Salamon, Mr Wynand Dreyer and Ms Laurine Platzky. A test trench was excavated by a contract Archaeology team from UCT and the remains of several extinct giraffes called sivatheres were uncovered and left "in situ" for public viewing. This first phase also included the renovation of the old Chemfos mine office block to provide a display area, lecture room, laboratory, offices, tea room, curio shop and research accommodation for a team of up to 12 people.

Map of the west coast

Office space to rent in Vredenburg on the West Coast Click Here

Storm pictures from the weekend in Langebaan Lagoon, Club Mykonos Marina on the West Coast of South Africa

Waves of 9.5metres, caused havoc on the West Coast over the weekend, a rubber duck was smashed against the rocks at the mouth to Club Mykonos marina, 3 people were on board, one person is still in critical condition in the hospital, the boat was completely destroyed. Pictures from the storm. Short video of the storm below.

Office space to rent in Vredenburg on the West Coast Click Here

Stand up paddling (SUP)

Nodody believes us when we tell them that we have a wave in the lagoon in Langebaan we thought of keeping it quiet, but decide against it, we have a left and a right break in Langebaan happening right outside Friday Island and Cape Sports Centre, fantastic for standup paddling, body boarding, surfing, and kayaking right out from the backline, yes believe it or not we have a back line.

Maui has always been a steering pot for a lot of different surfing and windsurfing trends. Some of them grew up to be bigger, like kiting and some stayed in a niche. But all of them have something in common – they are fun.

The group around watermen like Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, Robby Naish, Buzzy Kerbox or Shaun Ordonez socialized paddle surfing and brought it to an extreme level. In the past years, especially in summer time, you were able to see people paddling down the coast on oversized longboards mostly driven by Laird Hamilton and some of his friends this new sport combined traditional hawaiian canoe paddling with long board surfing. It didn’t take long to gain momentum on Maui and Oahu, partly as a great opportunity to get away from crowded surf spots as well as a work out when doing downwinders along Mauis prestige north shore stretch while surfing all the spots on the way down to Kanaha.
Several major surfing publications also picked up the trend and by now you can see stand up surf boards on cars from Maui to California, South Africa, Australia, Japan and Europe’s coast line.

Various surf and windsurf brands have taken on the trend and profit from their excperience in producing durable higher volume sandwich boards. The open mind of the windsurfing industry towards various facettes of the sport and the ability to use stand up boards also for longboard sailing in waves and flatwater brought this part of the water sport industry a bit closer together. In the end people like Robby Naish, Dave Kalama, Laird Hamilton and many others are simply adicted to being in the water with the right toys. Open mind is the key word there again that allows for such a great development.

What can Stand Up Surfboards do?
As usual what we can see in the first outgoing media is already the tip of the iceberg but I don’t know many other sports where the versatility is so obvious. Sure, the surfing part is core, popular and on the top of the list right now but it is amazing how many fun facettes there are.

- The surfing part; Most hip right now. Stand up surfing gives a new aspect not only to old time surfers but also to first timers. Standing up on the board to begin with you see the waves easier as you are higher up, You are faster to get to the right position in the lineup, earlier on the wave and last but not least it is easier to get to uncrowded spots. As a general rule you should stay away from crowded surfing lineups or if you are good enough at least show the proper respect and share waves. This is the most important factor. There is enough room in the ocean that we can coexist with everybody else who is having fun out there.

- Core training and distance paddling; The famous paddle board Molokai – Oahu Channel crossing sets the hard core example for the next way to use the boards. Distance paddling is kind of like going for a walk on the water. In some locations like Maui we race downwind trying to catch the open ocean swells and surf them by connecting as many glides as possible. But even in flatwater or no wind locations this is an amazing core workout exercise that is social at the same time. You can be racing each other (and you will be surprised to find out that it is more technique to go fast then actual power) or just being on a leisure cruise to check out the beach front properties – it schools your balance at the same time as strenghtens your body and joints.

- And not to forget windsurfing. A lot of areas all around the world offer great surf but only light wind. Stick a rig on your stand up board and you will be able to catch waves and surf in conditions and places you have never imagined before. The almost lost tranquillity of just gliding along and checking out whats going on around you was almost lost to the high strung performance of modern windsurfing. With stand up paddling the balance should be restored again. I am not saying it is the perfect travel item but Windsurfing has always been connected to a certain frustration whenever the wind fails to cooperate. Now I don’t even raise my eyebrow anymore as I can be sure to have something to do that will definitely be fun. The fact that you catch waves not only helps your normal surfing but also improves your wavesailing and most importantly your wave judgment.

Product development in Stand up surfing is blooming right now. The big advantages for the end-consumer are obvious as there is so much heritage of knowledge in both construction as well as shaping.

Here is a brief look into what’s happening in terms of development:

Shapes:
There is certain tendencies that are naturally to any development of something new. More defined directions are addressed and things will get partly more specialized for a while. At the same time the classic longboard style is setting the pace as the most universal shape for a wide variety of applications from pure stand up surfing to core workout paddling. Those boards have the advantage to perform in anything really well. They might not be the fastest boards for downwinders and not the absolute top notch in pure surfing but they do everything well. Right now the range from 10’0’’ to 12’’ with a width between 28 and 31”. This, for m,e is the best choice as you get a board that is fun in everything. With step rails and thinner tails even the biggest of those boards get very responsive, stable and easy to ride.

In pure surfing there is a lot of development towards shorter boards. Again they have certain advantages and disadvantages. The shorter you go the less momentum the board keeps when paddling in a wave. On the other hand you can surf more hollow waves and the maneuverbility in terms of turning on a wave gets more sportive. They are usually harder to ride as they require more balance. The fins are also smaller to loosen the boards up even more. Right now the development ranges around 9 to 10’ with widths around 27 3/4/ to 29. Quad fin setups are also getting popular on those shapes as they provide a lot ot thrust combined with great turning when done right.

As stand up paddling allows you to catch waves extremely early it is also a great platform for bigger waves. Currently there are more and more prototypes showing up that are going more towards classic gun outlines ranging from 11’ to 13’ – they feature a pointier nose and a pintail together with faster rockerlines and thruster fin setups. They allow to drop into much bigger waves early and still have the control on the face of the wave due to their gunnier outline and the smaller tail. Width wise they range between 27’’ and 29”. I expect to see solid big wave surfing with those boards as you can cruise the outside reefs without the need of a jet ski.

In certan places a stand up racing scene starts to develop as well. Coming from a paddle board background which is extremely strong in Hawaii, Australia and California long distance paddles are popular and you can see some boards being designed specifically for that. They are usually longer ranging up to 16’ and very narrow at about 27” to 28” with a partly strong v- bottom and a very fast and flatter rockerline. I would call them specialist boards as they are pretty much limited to paddling in a straight line and do not offer the option to surf.

In terms of construction stand up surfing profits a lot through the windsurfing industry as the used constructions are already proven for so long that they can be directly applied to stand up boards. Weight plays a slightly different role in stand up surfing then in windsurfing as it is not necessarily a bad thing as slightly heavier boards keep more momentum than lighter boards which makes it easier to catch waves and to keep speed. The goal is to reach a combinaton of best durability, comfortable weight to carry and the right shape.

All in all I believe that all this development of custom boards will benefit the production boards. The beauty of this sport is that you can get away with one board that does it all. The goal in development is to make those boards easy to ride no matter if you are surfing or just paddling around on a lake for exercise or to cruise around with friends. Looking at the sport at this point I think that there will always be the surfing part which is the core of the development. At the same time I can see that it is taking a certain place as a outdoors workout trend – kind of like nordic walking on water. Being on the water, gettting a full body core work out and being able to be social at the same time is not combined in too many sports nowadays but stand up paddling is definitely making its way right in there.

It is easy to get into Stand Up Paddling and a lot of you may think that R7000-8500- is a lot for a board, but it’s still cheaper than the average kite and you only need one! Then you also need a board and a harness, so not so bad after all hey?

Demos, Clinics and Lessons are available from the following Naish SUP Centers::

The Cape Dr HQ shop @ 64 Blaauwberg Road, Tableview
Lifestyle Surf Shop – Muizenberg
Friday Island – Langebaan
The Paddle Center – Fishoek

Places to stay in Langebaan

by Rob Munro Naish Africa

Cultural & Historical information about the Lagoon

The town originated on a farm called De Stompe Hoek that was first called Geytenbergsfontein. Langebaan is one of the oldest towns in South Africa with a history dating back more than 400 years. It has an archaeological history of a few million years. Twelve kilometres east of the farm Elandsfontein, a fossilised skeleton was found that dates back to the Stone age. This fossil deposit is considered to be one of the richest in the world.

Seal hunters from France frequented the area long before the time of Jan van Riebeeck. They used Schaapen Island as their head quarters and for storage of Seal skins and whale oil. This island which is close to the beach was called: "Isle à la Biche" at the time and the name was only changed back to the original about a century ago.

Schaapen Island was also used as a stop over to do repairs to ships. It was also used as a place of grazing for sheep that were then returned to Cape Town by the VOC.

Leentjies klip, where we find a caravan park today, got it's name from a Mr. Lynch, who absconded from his ship in the area. "Lynch se klip" soon became known as "Leentiesklip", a name still used today.

Donkergat was used as a quarantine camp. In later years two fishing companies were established here: Donkergat in 1909 by John Bryde and Salamanderbaai in 1910 by Carl Ellefson.
The P.O.S.I., an oystershell factory, was founded in 1918 where the Yacht Club is today. Remains of the original building forms part of the building where the bar is today.

Langebaan has a colorful history with many old historic buildings. "Oom Rijk Melck" (78) will gladly show you the places where they played as kids. His house, "Greystone", is one of the oldest buildings in Langebaan. As you enter the town, you will find a restaurant called "Tolhuis". This house got it's name because their was a gate in the road next to the house. The children would run to open it for visitors and received a penny for their trouble. As a result, the house earned it's name.

The Langebaan region is rich in history, which has resulted in the unique blend of cultures encountered today. Khoi tribes, including the Hottentots, Bushmen, and the Strandlopers who are now known as the Khoisan, inhabited the West Coast area. Europeans only entered the bay in the early 1600s upon which they named the bay ‘Saldanha’. A navigational error caused them to mistake the wonderfully protected natural harbour as the present day Table Bay. The bay is thus named after a Portuguese seafarer who has never set foot here!

In the 1600s, the French and the Dutch were in conflict in the Bay. The French withdrew and the Dutch, with the Dutch East India Company’s support, used the area to supply fish and penguin eggs to their trading post in Table Bay. They established a Military post on the Lagoon to stop the fishermen and later farmers, from trading with passing ships.

The 1700s saw the Dutch in conflict with the British and major sea battles raged in the Bay. With the increase of sea traffic in the region, the islands around the Lagoon claimed many a victim with valuable treasures still buried in the depths of the Lagoon today. The islands, rich in guano, were exploited during the guano rush in 1844 where more than 300 ships lay in the bay. Farmers occupied the area bordering the lagoon and the Khoisan were gradually pushed further north or taken on as labourers and servants.

During the American Civil War, the Confederate Warship The Alabama took refreshments aboard in the bay. George Lloyd deserted from the ship, settled on the Lagoon, and later founded Churchhaven. There are various interpretations as to how Langebaan got its name. The most popular explanation is that the Dutch seafarers who entered the Lagoon to repair and clean their ships, named it after the long strip of calm water formed by the Lagoon. In 1909, a whaling station was established by Scandinavians at Donkergat leading into a new era for Langebaan as a fishing village. The practice of whaling finally ended in 1968 and the village quietly continued with fishing. In the late 1900s, Langebaan and its Lagoon gained popularity as a holiday destination and grew in leaps and bounds. Today you can experience this wonderful village with its unpretentious locals, as moulded and shaped by this rich history.

Information courtesy of the official langebaan website

Langebaan Golf & Country Club.

Playing Golf in Langebaan.
Langebaan Country Club

Located on the unspoiled Cape West Coast, about an hour’s drive from Cape Town, the newly redesigned Langebaan golf course – located on Langebaan Country Estate – is a welcome addition to the golfing landscape.

The West Coast of South Africa is regarded as one of the most beautiful parts of the country – and rightly so. Unspoiled beaches, wild flowers, holiday resorts and a unique laid-back atmosphere combine to make the area a perfect getaway destination. Throw in the newly revamped 18-hole golf course in Langebaan and you’re talking about a region that has something to offer everyone. Certainly, in the case of the golf course, it was about adding something spectacular in an area that is equally breathtaking. Black Knight Design was charged with turning the Langebaan golf course into a high-quality yet truly testing layout, and the result is an incontestable success. The course has more than a hint of Gary Player’s design philosophy, with well-positioned bunkers and his typical routing for all levels of golfers. Throw in some amazing natural rock formations, the large water feature separating the 10th and 18th fairways and the natural wild flowers and birdlife, and it is clear that Langebaan Country Estate is only one growing season away from becoming a course that will stand out as an unforgettable experience.

Despite the relative youth of much of the course, its condition is superb – particularly the winding fairways which make their way through the estate layout, offering some spectacular views of the Langebaan Lagoon and Saldanha Bay harbour. The large and well-designed greens complexes, in particular, feature strongly in the design of the course. At over 6 000m, one is unlikely to be fooled into thinking that it is a short course and when the wind gets up it will put paid to any misconceived notion that this might be a holiday knock-about design.

The estate itself is of the low-density variety, with large plots and great views of the fairways, water features or natural fynbos. Homes can be custom designed, meaning that investors can choose the style of house they wish to build on the eco-estate which is home to a large variety of indigenous birds and wildlife.

Apart from the spacious and luxuriously appointed self-catering lodges, the development also features a new concept in estate living – Ellefsen Village. Named after a Norwegian captain who visited Saldanha Bay in the late 17th century on the ship ‘Mosvalla’, and set between the 9th and 18th fairways, this ‘village within a village’ features an exciting choice of contemporary free-standing homes, townhouses and lock-up-and-go apartments. Ellefsen Village is aimed at the younger market, with an up-market, modern look and feel enhanced by the paths that meander through landscaped gardens and water features.

Staying on Langebaan Golf Course
Content courtesy of Langebaan Country Estates.

Yacht trip's on the lagoon

Yacht trip around Langebaan Lagoon.

Let us welcome you on board our graceful yacht, Sea Stallion, for a cruise in the magnificent Saldanha Bay or the scenic Langebaan lagoon. Take a trip to any of the five off-shore islands , or enjoy a sundowner on board while watching a spectacular sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.

You might also like to try:

• Lunch cruise - a four hour trip including lunch at a waterfront restaurant in Saldanha Bay.
• Lagoon cruise - duration about two to three hours. For an additional fee a picnic basket can be arranged to be enjoyed on board.
• Island cruise - a two hour trip to view the penguins, Cape gannets, cormorants and other seabirds on the off-shore islands. And the wildflowers in spring, of course! Drinks and snacks provided on board.
• Fishing trips in the lagoon or out in the open ocean.
• Speedboat and/or inflatable boat trips, can be combined with water-skiing if required.

Also possible: a luxury cruise on the lagoon on board a 25 metre motorised tri-catamaran. Wonderful for a New Year's eve party!

Calypso Villa's owns Sea Stallion, you can contact them by clicking here.

Content courtesy of Calypso villa's

Down Winders to Mykonos

Down winders

Paddling for the Langebaan yacht club to Club Mykonos (hobbie beach) or kite surfing from shark bay to main beach outside Pearlys, and the down wind dash (will come back to this one another day.

On a really windy day with an out going tide the big guns (David from Pearlys and a bunch of paddling members from Langebaan Yacht club) will paddle from the Yacht club to the beach known as Hobbie beach next to Club Mykonos, David says it takes about 35 minutes and it’s a great ride, Ive never done it because I cant stay in my paddle ski that long (or maybe a scared!)

The yacht club also holds kiddy paddling classes, they call them guppies, contact David from Pearlys if you want more information.

The other down winder is to kite from shark bay to Pearly’s, if you haven’t been kiting too long you should try this, NEVER do it on your own, so go spend the day kitting at shark bay, instead of packing up and walking back up the hill, kite down to main beach it really does give you a great sense of achievement, you feel like you are out in the big wide ocean, and normally kiting consist of trying to get back to where you started from enjoy it.

Accomodation on the West Coast

Shark bay Langebaan Lagoon

Shark Bay
Although the name spells doom, beautiful Shark Bay in Langebaan got its name from it’s numerous and harmless sand-sharks, not the greater and whiter variety.

Shark Bay is part of Langebaan lagoon, next to the West Coast National Park and is a quiet haven of shallow blue water, good fishing and fantastic kite surfing conditions.

If you like many visitors are planning on learning to kitesurf while you are here, there is no better place in South Africa to learn, with flat water, consistent wind and relatively warm water compared to the rest of the Atlantic.

Cape Sport centre , Windchasers and Best Kiteboarding Africa are amongst the lesson operators in Langebaan and offer training packages for all levels. Prices are from R150/hour ($20) to R1100 for a full day ($160).

If kiting is not your bag, the surrounding scenery is breathtaking and the fishing, superb. To get there follow the R27 (West Coast Road) from Cape Town, for about 1.5 hours until you reach the sign for Langebaan just after the Engen petrol station. Follow the road into Langebaan, through the town and onto a small dirt road (-+ 1km) until you see the lagoon and kites in the sky. If you don’t find the dirt road just ask a local.

After your day of getting pounded by water and wind, have a great pizza at Pearly’s at main beach and watch the pro's do there stuff.

Accomadation in Langebaan

Langebaan Tourism Information

Langebaan is situated 120 km north of Cape Town, just off the R27.

It was founded in 1922 and used as a whaling station until the 1960's. The white Caribbean like beaches surrounding the crystal clear waters of the Langebaan Lagoon are one of the main attractions of Langebaan.

The first impression this stylish town reflects, is the feel of tranquility, relaxation and endless summers on the beach. Nature-lovers from all over the world come to view the over 300 species of birds found in the lagoon waters of the West Coast National Park, as well as the magnificent array of flowers during the Spring season.

The town has turned into a mecca for water sports enthusiasts. Langebaan offers numerous excellent holiday facilities for the water sport enthusiasts who favour a weekend visit or holiday in Langebaan to enjoy the host of water sport and fishing opportunities this vibrant holiday resort town offers. With it's protected lagoon it's the perfect place for sailing, kayaking and kitesurfing.

Langebaan is about 28km from Vredenburg and 20km from Saldanha. The town developed on the easthern shore of the Langebaan Lagoon. The Lagoon streches for 17km from Saldanha Bay, past Langebaan up to Geelbek and in places it is up to 4km wide.

To protect it's culture as a fishing, holiday and retirement village, the town allows no industries. The mild climate, beautiful surroundings and calm waters provide a constant stream of visitors.

Club Mykonos Resort hosts a number of annual events, festivals and exhibitions. Able to accommodate large numbers, the well-known artists are regular performers at this venue. Popular competitions and fundraising events are hosted at the resort.

Large-scale sporting events such as triathlons, the downwind dash, cycling, car gymkhanas and more are held here. A monthly craft market as well as art exhibitions through the year, showcase the talents of local artists. Community events includes the church bazaar and the annual Langebaan Mussel Festival, which takes place on the first weekend of October.

The West Coast National Park is a hive of activity during flower season when visitors enjoy the spectacle of wild flowers in all their splendour. Whales can be spotted during October and November.

History of Langebaan:

The Langebaan Lagoon was formed by the rising and falling of sea levels during pre-historic times. This is unlike most lagoons which form where fresh water rivers enter the sea. As a result, Langebaan Lagoon is a purely salt water lagoon.

As far back as 500 000 years ago, early Homo sapiens were probably present in the area, living in groups and hunting small game, displacing carnivores, such as lions, from their kills and gathering plant foods.

They made fire as protection and for cooking and probably made simple shelters from branches. They probably used animal skins for warmth and clothing. They made wooden and stone tools.

The area is rich in historical events from thefirst inhabitants, the Khoikhoi and San to the arrival of the Europeans. The first European to set foot on land was Vasco da Gama at St Helena Bay on the West Coast Peninsula in 1497.

Antonia de Saldanha, after whom the bay is named, did not enter those waters at all. Juris van Spilbergen mistakenly named it in 1601 as Saldanha Bay; he thought that he had reached Cape Town – originally named Agoada de Saldanha. Although the Dutch were the first to claim ownership of the area, the French were frequent visitors.

Countries would claim ownership by planting a post in the ground and formally declaring ownership. One of these ‘posts’ may be seen today near Geelbek claiming the land on behalf of the Dutch East India Company. European settlement was very limited because of the lack of water for 8 months of the year.

Many stirring events have occurred in the region over the centuries including two sea battles and a visit by the Confederate States of America’s, Alabama, in 1863, the most feared warship of its day. Even the 5 islands in the area, which are administered by the Park have a history of their own, including battles for ownership, use as smallpox quarantine hospitals, exploits for guano, sealing centres and other activities.

The French used Schaapeneiland (situated a stone's throw from Langebaan beach) as a storage place for whale oil and seal hides (they called it "Isle à la Biche"). More recently, the whaling station was situated at Donkergat and is still visible from the town.

A reminder of Langebaan's whaling history is the harpoon gun outside the Municipal Buildings. The Langebaan Lagoon was formed by the rising and falling of sea levels during pre-historic times.

Info Courtesy of http://www.langebaan.biz

Accomadation in Langebaan