Page 231 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

THE SOUTHERN C APE  229

Arniston’s fishermen live in Kassiesbaai
6 Cape Agulhas This is the graveyard of more 7 Arniston
than 250 once-proud vessels,
Road map B5. R319, 45 km (28 miles) Road map B5. * 1,500.
S of Bredasdorp. Agulhas National including the Japanese trawler
Park: Tel 028 435 6078. Open daily. Meisho Maru 38, whose rusting Arniston’s name originates
& ∑ sanparks.org wreck can be seen 2 km (1 mile) from the British vessel Arniston,
west of the Agulhas Lighthouse. which was wrecked east of
Cape Agulhas was named by The area around the the settlement in May 1815.
early Portuguese navigators – southernmost tip of Tragically, of the 378
the first to round Africa in the Africa is now part of soldiers on board, who
15th century. At the southern- the Agulhas were homebound
most point of their journey, the National Park. from Ceylon
sailors noticed that their (now Sri Lanka),
compass needles were E Lighthouse only six survived.
unaffected by mag netic and Museum The little fishing
deviation, pointing true north Tel 028 435 7185. settlement is
instead. They called this point Open 9am– 5pm located some
the “Cape of Needles”. daily. & 24 km (15 miles)
At this promontory, where Agulhas Light- southeast of
the tip of the African house, whose design Bredasdorp, off the
continental shelf disappears is based on the R316, and is
undramatically into the sea to ancient Pharos A plaque at Cape Agulhas characterized by
form what is known as the Lighthouse of its turquoise waters.
Agulhas Bank (see p28), the Alexandria in Egypt, was built in The locals call the village
Atlantic and Indian oceans 1848. After the Green Point Waen huiskrans (wagonhouse
merge. The only phys ical light house in Cape Town, it is cliff), after a cave situated 2 km
evidence of this conver gence the oldest working light house (1 mile) south of the modern
is a simple stone cairn. in southern Africa. It fell into Arniston Hotel that is large
This is one of the world’s disuse, but was restored enough to accommodate
most treacherous and reopened in 1988. serveral fully spanned ox
stretches of coast. The Today, its lamp is visible wagons. The cave is accessible
often-turbulent waters for 30 nautical miles. only at low tide, however, and
are shallow, rock-strewn There are 71 steps to the visitors should beware of
and subject to heavy top of the tower, which freak waves wash ing over
swells and affords superb views of the slippery rocks.
currents. the coast and seascape. Kassiesbaai is a cluster of
rough-plastered and thatched
fishermen’s cottages with
tra ditional tiny windows to
keep out the midday heat.
This little village lies to the
north of Arniston, very close
to un dulating white sand
dunes. Further to the south
lies Roman Beach, which is
especially good for youngsters,
with its gently sloping seabed,
rock pools and caves.
Continuing further from
here is a windy, wild rocky
point that attracts many
Agulhas Lighthouse is at the southernmost point of Africa hopeful anglers.

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