Gansbaai & Kleinbaai Harbours

Gansbaai Harbour: The point of gravity set in the heart of Gansbaai a fascinating cove turned into a harbour. This is where it all started, the day Johannes Wessel’s set foot in the bay and erected the first dwelling at the freshwater fountain in 1881. It was then affectionately called “Gansegat” due to the many Egyptian geese around the fountain. The modern canning and fishmeal factory with its eight oceanic vessels makes this one of the last working fishing villages in the Western Cape, generating the biggest employment for the town. It is within these secure walls that the trawlers and boats find a safe place to anchor. Not just do these structures provide refuge for sea vessels, but the harbour wall is popular for line fishing and romantic strolls taking in the exquisite sunsets and amazing views of the area where nature, history, modern life, and human activity melt into one.

Kleinbaai Harbour: The smaller one of the two harbours in the Gansbaai area, nevertheless fascinating. The natural harbour has become the business hub of Kleinbaai, where commercial and recreational vessels set out to sea daily. Here you find some of the locals wetting their fishing lines off the pier, fisherman launching to catch the daily “bread for the table”, observe them coming back with Kabeljou, Steenbras and even Geelbek or Snoek caught off the coastline between Kleinbaai and Pearly Beach. Early mornings you can see the impressive Shark Cage Diving and Whale Watching boats launch to go about their daily tasks of educating people on the glorious marine life of this magnificent coastline. Without a doubt one can say that these two save havens for marine vessels are historic and nostalgic images of years gone by, becoming one with modern-day living.