Witsand Property

The Whale Nursery of South Africa

Witsand/Port Beaufort, a quaint fishing village, is situated at the mouth of the mighty Breede River, home to the Big Cob. The beautiful small village of Witsand lies on St Sebastian Bay, 300km from Cape Town along the Garden Route and is the perfect half-way stop between Cape Town and Knysna.

Access to the estuary is through Bredasdorp, Swellendam and Heidelberg. There are no bridges below the National Road (N2) and the lowest crossing point is the Malgas pont, 36 km upstream from the mouth. This is one of the last pontoons in operation in South Africa. The northern side of the estuary (Port Beaufort and Witsand) has access along a tar road whereas access to the southern side (Infanta Village) is along a gravel road. The Malagas Pont was opened in 1860 and is still operating today - it is the only hand-drawn pontoon in the country, and is certainly the most romantic of crossing the Breede River.

The central feature of the Witsand/Malgas area is the magnificent Breede ('wide') River. The villages of Malgas or 'Malagas' and Infanta lie on the banks of the Breede River, Infanta at the mouth and Malgas 28km inland. The Breede River is one of the largest and most navigable rivers in South Africa and is rich in diverse species of fish and bird life. The Breede River is also recognized as one of the best fishing estuaries in the country with tidal action that reaches 60km upstream. The river enters into San Sebastian Bay, making Infanta together with Witsand a sought-after destination for superb whale watching.

St Sebastian Bay on the Cape South coast is by far the most important nursery area for Southern Right Whales on the African Coast. It is probable that this may be the largest assemblage of Southern Right whale cow-calf pairs in the world, with the possible exception of the Peninsula Valdes region of Argentina. Each year these majestic mammals come to our shores between June and late November to mate and calve when they migrate between their Antarctic summer feeding grounds and their mating and calving grounds off the coasts of Africa, Australia and Southern America.

The river is also suited to a range of water sports. Swimming, surfing, windsurfing, deep sea and river fishing, rock, boat and fly fishing, river cruises, canoeing, sailing, spear-fishing, snorkeling and skiing are all to be enjoyed. Water-skiing on the Breede River is allowed beyond the 5D-mark, where the Slang River flows into the Breede River, towards Malagas. Windsurfing, cite surfing, canoeing or sailing is possible and popular on the Breede River, especially in the summer months when the wind picks up.

Estuary fishing in the Breede River is recognized as the best in SA. The Breede River mouth is regarded as one of South Africa's top fishing locations. The upper reaches of the river are renowned for its bass, while the lower reaches are a cob fisherman's paradise Cob exceeding 50kg in weight are regularly caught in the river. The rock angler will also have good catches along the coastline.

Bordering the Breede River, the Bontebok National Park is home to the threatened bontebok and coastal renosterveld. This park provides a refuge for not only bontebok, but also for other species such as the Cape mountain zebra and red hartebeest. Long ago the site was occupied by the Koi-Koi who grazed their sheep and cattle there. Named after a female Koi-Koi captain, "Lang Elsie Kraal" is the park's rest camp on the river.

De Hoop Nature and marine Reserve is a popular destination for people and whales alike. The reserve hosts 3000ha of unspoilt Cape fynbos and a marine protected area which is home to an ubundance of marine organisms. De Hoop is home to the endangered and rare Cape mountain zebras and Cape vultures, the bontebok, the De Hoop vlei and the best whale watching between July and November. De Hoop's rich diversity of wildlife, plants and culture makes it a unique experience to visitors.

De Mond Nature Reserve lies at the mouth of the Heuningnes River. The 954ha reserve is managed as a satellite of the De Hoop Nature Reserve. It supports several species of small animals and has a rich and varied birdlife, making it ideal for birdwatching. The Reserve is particularly important for the protection of breeding colonies of the threatened Damara and Caspian terns (South Africa's most endangered coastal bird) and the rare African black oystercatcher, (South Africa's second most threatened coastal bird.)

Bird watching along the Breede River is spectacular. The majestic Fish Eagle, the Osprey, Fish Owl, Kingfisher, Oyster Catcher, the Blue Crane and an amazing variety of other birds are often seen along the banks of the Breede. Bird watching in the rest of the area (± 260 species) of which the Blue Crane, Flamingo, Ostrich, a variety of herons, Fish Eagle and Kingfishers are all part.
Witsand offers a 4km long unspoilt beach, leading to the well-known Moodie's Well. It has a clean, white beach (hence Whitesands) with safe swimming spots for days in the sun. Parents with smaller children also prefer the calm swimming spots along the river. The safe beaches also offer tranquil walking and swimming.

History & Culture:

• The Barry Memorial Church National monument. It is the oldest church in Witsand, built by Thomas Barry of the original Barry family in 1859. It is still in use today for church services, weddings and tourists.
• Moodie's Well. Hand carved by Scottish labourers in the 1800's for the Moodie family to draw water from when they went camping and fishing at the coast (4km walk along the beach at low tide)
• Barry wool shed. Built in 1848. It is the first wool shed in South Africa. The shed is still in the Barry family and used for sheep shearing.
• SS Kadie and Locust shipwrecks: Remains of the water boat Locust are visible next to the Breede River Lodge. Remains of the SS Kadie steamer are visible at the Infanta shore.
• The Kraaltjie. Built in the 18th century and recently upgraded. It used to be the only boat launching facility for years thereafter and is still in use today.

Other activities include 4 x 4 trails, boat hire and diving. Popular hiking trails in the area includes the Ostrich Trail and the Walk to Moodie's Well.

Witsand's situation lends itself as a base from where you can explore the surrounding 200km, full of exciting venues like Arniston/ Waenhuiskrans and Agulhas, which is the most Southern point of Africa; the wine route of Bonnievale, Ashton, Robertson, Montagu and Barrydale as well as the hot water springs at Montagu, Barrydale and Calitzdorp. Beautiful mountain trails at Swellendam and Riversdale as well as trails in the Nature Reserves of Grootvadersbosch and Boosmansbos in the Heidelberg area are also very popular. A fantastic one-day outing to the almost unknown Hamlet of Puntjie at the mouth of the Duivenhoks River, is only 30 minutes drive from Witsand.

Witsand is a malaria free zone and offers four restaurants, two supermarkets, petrol and diesel, a bowls club and greens, an angling club and is situated 34km off the N2. Bowls and golf courses are also available at the nearby town Heidelberg, ± 37 km away.

Climate: The Western Cape enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild but wet winters. This region receives a winter rainfall with snow on the higher lying peaks of the Boland and Cederberg Mountains. The Garden Route receives some of the highest rainfall in South Africa. Temperature: Summer Temps range from 24° to 30°. Winter Temps range from 10° to 18°.

If you need to experience a friendly village that offers food for your soul and a place to relax and unwind, we would love to share our peace with you.

• Residential Sale Property Ranging from R125,000 to R32,000,000