Category Archives: Lagoon

Kite Surfing, kitesurf, Lagoon, where to stay

IKO kitesurfing lessons in Langebaan Lagoon

Kiting the Lagoon

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!

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.

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

Accommodation

www.oysterrock.com 1 minute walk to the beach

 

 

kitesurf, Lagoon, Land, where to stay

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

Kite Surfing, kitesurf, Lagoon, where to stay

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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Lagoon, Things to do, where to stay

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?

 

Places to stay in Langebaan

by Rob Munro

Lagoon, Land, where to stay

Cultural & Historical information about the Langebaan 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

Lagoon, Land, National Park

Langebaan Tourism Information

Langebaan Tourism Information

Black Oyster Catcher - LangebaanLangebaan 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.

Flowers, Lagoon and Tortoise in Langebaan

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

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