13. Hole in the Wall to Coffee Bay
27 September 2018
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13. Hole in the Wall to Coffee Bay
27 September 2018
close to home...
This story covers more than just the hike of the day, which I did with my school friend, Hennie Deetlefs. A group of eight old schoolboys and a teacher formed the "Hoerskool Transkei" group of alumni, and we hold annual reunions along the Wild Coast of Transkei. Three of the guys own cottages: Johnny van Heerden at Hole in the Wall, Leon Hechter at Mdumbi, and Andre Freitag at Mtanfufu. The group includes teacher Richard Chernis, and two Head Prefects—Pieter de Klerk (1971) and Hennie Deetlefs (1973). The rest are from my 1973 class: Calla de Bruin and Andre Freitag (both stayed in the hostel), Niek van der Westhuizen, myself, and Pieter Muller, Oom George’s nephew.
The group is mostly made up of sportsmen, with Niek, Andre, Leon, and Johnny all playing provincial rugby after school. Hennie Deetlefs and Johnny were also excellent sprinters. Johnny earned provincial colors for athletics, while Hennie won the Victor Ludorum trophy in 1972. It was during one of these reunions that the hike took place. I’ve also included photos and videos of short walks near the cottage, such as trips to fishing spots like "Queens Rock," "Little Danger," and "Black Rock," as well as views from "Camel's Hump," and visits to the "White Clay" resort and "Little Hole" viewpoint. These were visited on different days, between Hole in the Wall and Coffee Bay.
Hennie and I set off from Johnny’s cottage towards Hole in the Wall on a spur-of-the-moment decision, following a big birthday bash the day before (it was Johnny’s 62nd birthday). Hennie, nicknamed "Chips," also had a cottage at Hole in the Wall and knew the area well. We had already crossed the river and walked south towards Lubanzi earlier in the week, though I was bitten on the ankle by a dog that day. Fortunately, we treated the wound, and it showed no signs of infection or swelling. For once it was real teeth rather than the teeth I imagine. Not all wounds are real. Some are imagined.
We walked past the Hotel, and since both of us had already walked the coastal footpath towards Black Rock and up the steep hill to "Little Hole," we decided to take the easier route by road that day. After about 3 km, we turned towards the sea and followed a footpath through a small settlement and a school. We crossed several valleys, passing small streams where locals were washing clothes and asking for sweets. An hour later, the footpath led us back to the gravel road, and we passed the "White Clay" turnoff.
At 10:15, we stood high above the sea, looking back towards Hole in the Wall. We followed the ridge, and 20 minutes later, Coffee Bay came into view. Hennie walked ahead, and we descended quickly to a small rocky section before crossing a shallow river. We continued along the rocky beach until we reached a footpath that led into the trees. This shortcut took us over a dune and led to another small estuary, followed by a long sandy beach towards the Hotel below a large hill. The gravel road leading from the Hotel was clearly visible up that steep hill.
Little did I know at the time that three years later, I would find myself stranded atop that same hill, unsure how to get back to the hotel when I hiked from Mdumbi. On that occasion, my guardian angel appeared in the form of a lonely black boy at the top of the hill, who guided me through thick, long grass and scrub to a path leading down the hill.
Finally, at 11:20, we reached the Ocean View Hotel and ordered a cold beer. Exhausted, Hennie and I phoned the rest of our group to fetch us, as we were definitely not fit enough to walk all the way back. The entire group arrived in two vehicles, and the fun and laughter continued as Hennie and I had to split the drinks bill as payment for our lift back to Hole in the Wall.
This walk was the beach that was closest to the beaches where my story started as a child and it felt good to reconnect - not only with the place - but with the people I had travelled with along the way.
