Gansbaai

Gansbaai Shark diving and Whale watching

Gansbaai nestles at the foot of Dynefontein Mountains, and boasts a beautiful coastline with magnificent "fynbos" vegetation. In 1881, Johannes Cornelis Wessels, an 18 year old fisherman, walked all the way across the dunes from Stanford to Gansbaai (bay of geese), named after a colony of Egyptian geese that used to nest in the area.

Fishing was so good that he decided to settle here in a hut from stone, daub and reeds. Today, along with the fishing industry, Gansbaai has grown into a charming village and holiday resort with a school, churches of various denominations and shops to provide for every need. Fish shops are stocked with fresh catches daily. Gansbaai is a popular holiday resort for fishing and diving enthusiasts.

Accommodation in Gansbaai

• Farm 215
• Klein Paradijs Country House

Gansbaai Shark diving and Whale watching

Gansbaai is world renown as one of the best locations for shark diving and whale watching. The Atlantic waters of the Western Cape coastline, between the towns of Hermanus and Cape LAgulhas (the most southern tip of Africa), is well visited by the SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES and the GREAT WHITE SHARKS, the BIG TWO of the southern oceans. On Dyer Island, near Gansbaai, there are breeding colonies for jackass penguins, cormorants and other sea birds. On the nearby Geyser Island 60,000 Cape fur seals breed. Between the two islands is the well-known "SHARK ALLEY" where many visitors come to see the GREAT WHITE SHARKS. The sea around these islands has become the feeding ground of this endangered species. Regular shark safaris are undertaken from Kleinbaai harbour. Since the area around Dyer Island has been declared a nature reserve, boats may only enter this area with a permit given by the Department of Nature Conservation.

The gentle giants of the southern ocean, the SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES, also visit the waters around GANSBAAI to mate, calve and nurse their calves from May to November each year. From the footpaths along the coastline and from a licensed whale watching boat, visitors can really see these giants swim and play from very close.

Around Gansbaai

With its mild climate, GANSBAAI is worth a visit for its pristine "FYNBOS" plants. From the mountains down to the coast a huge variety of plants flower throughout the year. Many hiking trails present the visitor with the most awesome views of beautiful landscapes from the top of the mountain or along the unspoilt and undeveloped beaches, to see many birds, plants, seashells etc.

The municipality of GANSBAAI consists of a few smaller villages:

• DE KELDERS, where the only fresh water caves along the African coastline can be found.
• GANSBAAI, a thriving business centre and popular holiday town with a working fishing harbour and a large canning factory.
• DANGER POINT, with a light house and evidence of the wreck of the Birkenhead
• KLEINBAAI ("Small bay"), a hive of activities for the shark and whale boats that depart daily from its small harbour for Shark Alley, between DYER and GEYSER ISLANDS - to view the GREAT WHITE SHARKS and the SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES.
• FRANSKRAAL, UILENKRAALSMOND AND PEARLY BEACH are small holiday resorts with unspoilt sandy beaches, caravan and camping sites, holiday houses and entertainment for the summer holiday.

Every day several customized boats leave KLEINBAAI harbour with visitors wanting to see the GREAT WHITE SHARKS AND THE SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES. These huge animals can be watched from the boat or from an under-water cage. Chartered boat trips can be organized for fishing, crayfishing, booze cruises, scuba and wreck diving, as well as diving with the seals in the kelp forests. The Mount Dyer 4x4 route offers a drive onto the Franskraal Mountain with spectacular views over the Dyer Island Bay. New 4X4 and HIKING areas are being opened for the adrenaline junkies, and some of the farmers are opening their land to welcome birding enthusiasts and plant lovers to explore the areas birds and fynbos species.

During the summer holidays beaches are filled up to the max and especially at UILENKRAALSMOND, which is a permanent caravan camp, there is a festive mood. Touch rugby, volley ball, fishing, Boeresport, Tug of war, are just some of the many activities happening on the beach during the holiday season. The Uilenkraalsmond Estuary offers a bird-lovers paradise. At he caravan park there is a putt-putt course, Super-tube and disco close by. In FRANSKRAAL you will find the Strandveld Museum, where the history of Dyer Island is portrayed. From FRANSKRAAL (past the Uilenkraals river) to PEARLY BEACH, you can enjoy a walk on a 12 kilometre stretch of unspoilt sandy beach.

Accommodation in and around Western Cape