How to stop Cape Agulhas from going south
• The Agulhas Rest Camp offers serene coastal views from its thatched chalets
Human, owner and winemaker at Black Oystercatcher Wines, is butchering a carcass when my friend Bruce Houghting and I arrive at his farm outside Elim. We’re taking a slow journey to the Agulhas National Park and have stopped to share an antipasto platter and taste some of Human’s renowned cool climate varietals.
But I also want to chat to him about the threat of a large opencast gold, silver and tin mine within a 4,200ha area just outside Napier to the north.
It is a proposal that has raised the hackles of those involved in sustainable farming, eco-tourism and winemaking in the region; because the adverse effects of acid-drainage and other toxic by-products of such an enterprise threaten the entire area.
Human has always been in the vanguard of those who have tried to cement this region in the mind of locals and tourists as an important conservation area and unique wine-growing territory, now known as the Agulhas Wine Triangle underpinned by 14 member winemakers.
As we sit down to chat about the implications of the mining proposals, Human flashes me a smile and shows me the headline of a GroundUp article (Anton Ferreira, November 24 2023) on his phone, headlined: “Gold mining in the Overberg: fears relieved for now.” Apparently the prospecting company concerned, Cienth, missed its first environmental impact assessment deadline, so its application has now lapsed. Many think they will reapply.
“It’s a highly emotional issue,” says Human, “and as much as I’m against harmful mining practices and for protecting sustainable economic activities in the region, I think we need to keep the emotion out of it and concentrate more on the facts.”
The first fact Human is referring to is the deleterious effects acid drainage would have on areas surrounding the proposed mine. In addition, the endangered renosterveld, certain rare fynbos species and the rivers and wetlands on the Agulhas Plain, which empty into the sea at De Mond Nature Reserve and the mouth of the Ratelrivier, will be at risk.
Another important fact he and others stress is that a number of geologists are already convinced the Overberg’s relatively young rock beds will not yield economically viable deposits. This position seems to have been proven 140 years ago when two unscrupulous Englishmen discovered weak gold deposits (0.3g/tonne) on the farm Hansiesrivier outside Napier, sold shares to fortune seekers and then scarpered back to Blighty with their cash.
Human is one of the founders of the Nuwejaars
Wetlands Special Management Area (NWSMA). This 47,000ha area is privately run by 25 landowners and the community of Elim. They have all signed title deed restrictions in favour of conservation — committing them to protecting this natural world in perpetuity.
Surprisingly, there are more tourist-attracting mammal species (hippo and buffalo were reintroduced here more than a decade ago), birds and reptiles in the NWSMA than in the part of the national park Bruce and I are to stay in. Had our schedule allowed and the weather played along, we would definitely have gone on the three-hour guided wildlife tour through this unique conservation corridor. But it will have to wait for next time.
As usual, I had selected a mostly gravel route from Bot River to the southern tip of Africa. And apart from stocking up on goodies from the Napier Farm Stall and Black Oystercatcher Wines we had also ticked off an assortment of birds, mammals and reptiles en route. These included blue cranes (one pair with chicks), a black harrier and numerous steppe and jackal buzzards, as well as a rarely stationary bateared fox and many wandering tortoises.
Cited as one of the region’s attractions on a list sent to me by the Agulhas National Park’s Veronique Gabriel, it was disappointing to find the Elim Heritage Centre inaccessible and unstaffed.
With a history stretching back 200 years, this Moravian Missionary-founded settlement not only displays many wellkept examples of vernacular architecture, it has a rich cultural history as well.
After the obligatory stop-offs at the picturesque Struisbaai Harbour (unfortunately the “tame” manta rays were nowhere to be seen) and the cairn marking the two oceans “divide” beyond the iconic Cape Agulhas Lighthouse (styled after the Pharos lighthouse in Alexandria) we head for the Agulhas Rest Camp just on the other side of Suiderstrand.
When I’d been weighing up whether to stay in the park or in cheaper accommodation outside it, I asked Gabriel what residents of the park could experience that nonresidents couldn’t. She summed it up by saying there was an exclusive hike we could go on (the Two Oceans hiking trail) and that there was a wonderful lagoon to swim in.
At a premium of about 100% (rack rates), I wasn’t convinced these two exclusive offerings justified the extra expense,
particularly as there are free hikes such as the Rasperpunt hiking trail) and other activities that can be accessed outside the three rest camp areas.
But the moment we drive into the well laid-out, well maintained and, moreover, indigenously vegetated Agulhas Rest Camp zone, I knew I had made the right decision.
Not only does our thatched chalet perched above the fynbos canopy impress with its serene coastal views, it’s obvious that in addition to the exclusivity, we’re backpaying for the tremendous effort made to set up this enclave of natural excellence — the weeding out of invasive alien species was an immense task — and to maintain it forever as well.
The next day Bruce and I decided on the Red Route section of the Two Oceans hiking trail. Armed with the comprehensive guide book provided, we set off on the route, a 4.5km trek along sandy coastal paths, over undulating sand dunes and along some stony shoreline.
Plodding and puffing our way over the rugged terrain, we stop often to note the many annotated points of interest (mainly vegetation types) on our map and keep a watchful eye out for the lazy puffadders prevalent here in summer.
Ever the gadget man, Bruce is plotting our progress on his Garmin smart watch. Yet, even combining this tech with our printed map, we still manage to blunder off the Red Route and out of the rest camp zone.
Thankfully, we’re able to rejoin the Red Route on its final 2km stretch, a swansong with a climax that arrives as we crest the last dune and look down on the shimmering aquamarine lagoon between Suiderstrand and the rest camp.
By the time I strip off and plunge into another small and shallow lagoon just south of our chalet, we’ve covered just more than 10km, and enjoyed every single step.
Travel notes
Getting there: The Agulhas National Park’s office is in the town of Cape Agulhas and can be reached as follows: take the N2 from Cape Town to Caledon, then the R316 to Bredasdorp and, finally, the R319 to the tip of Africa (223km). If you want a more leisurely drive, take the N2 to Caledon, then the R316 to the Stanford turn-off (R326) followed by the R43 to Gansbaai. About 5km east of Gansbaai take the Baardskeerdersbos/Elim road.
This will allow you to visit Lomond Wines, the villages of Baardskeerdersbos and Elim, as well as Black Oystercatcher Wines before rejoining the R319 to Cape Agulhas via a 24km gravel track (the tar option is 19km longer) — an alternative route for a total of 271km.
What to see and do in and
around Cape Agulhas: In the park’s exclusive zones: if you’re based in one of the Agulhas National Park’s rest camp areas, there will be some exclusive activities for you to enjoy, but in the main it’s about experiencing the pristine surrounds and things like birdwatching, hiking, fishing, swimming or just lazing about on your deck.
General activities in the area: Walk to the cairn and relief map of Africa at the southernmost tip of Africa; take in the view from the top of Cape Agulhas lighthouse, the second-oldest working lighthouse in SA; visit a museum — the Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp and/or the Elim Heritage Centre; hike the 5.5km circular Rasperpunt trail; look out for old Khoisan fish traps along the shoreline; and watch for whales (JuneSeptember).
Eating out: I can recommend: fish and chips at Catch Cook
Restaurant and Beach Bar at Struisbaai Harbour; the antipasto platters at Black Oystercatcher Wines and breakfasts at Marietjie’s Pub and Grill in Baardskeerdersbos; but there are many other good eateries, too.
Guided wildlife tours: Summer tours that take visitors into the heart of the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area’s privately owned land and waterscapes can be arranged by visiting www.nuwejaars.com.
Guests have the chance of seeing hippo and buffalo as well as the incredible birdlife that depends on these wetlands. Costs are R450/person on the morning tour and R500/person for evening tours (R200/kids under 12).
I ASKED GABRIEL WHAT RESIDENTS OF THE PARK COULD EXPERIENCE THAT NONRESIDENTS COULDN’T
Wine-tasting: The Agulhas Wine Triangle’s members are mostly situated in the cool climes south of Cape Point. While there are 14 members, I would suggest at least visiting Lomond, Black Oystercatcher (they both offer food platters) and Strandveld. For more information visit www.agulhaswinetriangle.co.za
Where we stayed and what we paid: Agulhas Rest Camp in the Agulhas National Park. Prices normally range from R1,057-R1,892 for two people sharing a chalet per night, but we received a 35% pensioner discount and therefore only paid R1,031.42 per night.
Best time of year to go: October-May.
Useful addresses; contact numbers and websites: Cape Agulhas Municipality (19 Long Street, Bredasdorp); call it on 028 425 5581/425 5582 or visit www.capeagulhas.org.za
For SANParks central reservations, call: 012 428 9111 or visit: www.sanparks.org.