18. "Die Walskipper" Restaurant to St. Francis Bay Fire Station

18. "Die Walskipper" Restaurant​ to St. Francis Bay Fire Station

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27 April 2021

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re-encountering 'the start...'

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A few months later I was back at the site of my peri-peri livers, ready for the next one…

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This stretch of coastline was the only remaining section on my "bucket list" of shoreline hikes between Cape St Francis Lighthouse (Seal Point Lighthouse) and Bushman’s River Mouth. It was a full moon with a spring low tide at 9:46am and my best opportunity to cross the formidable Krom River as near as possible to what I thought was the perfect time of day. This was also my first hike since my prostate cancer operation almost exactly one month before (26 March 2021).

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At 05:40, I climbed into the X-Trail and greeted my boys with a "Hallo" looking up at the bright full moon still high above Lelane (the towering group of flats close to home). It has been a way of connecting to my sons since they were small - to know that we are all seeing the same moon irrespective of where we might be looking at it from - geographically or otherwise. Once I was on the freeway, the moon was directly in front of me all the way to Jeffreys Bay. It was a lovely calm morning and I felt relaxed and content for the challenges that might lie ahead during the hike. The moon created the perfect atmosphere. All too soon I arrived at “Die Walskipper” parking area and was the only vehicle in the car park. I watched as the sun slowly rose from the sea at almost exactly 7am, and started my walk towards St. Francis Bay. 

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After just more than a kilometer into the journey, at 07:15 I reached the Seekoeirivier mouth where there were three heavy earth-removing vehicles on the beach, digging a trench from the blocked lagoon towards the sea. The river was blocked and, with recent rains, the long narrow bridge connecting Paradise Beach to Marina Martinique was under water. (With spring low tide, this was the perfect time to open a channel and release the water from the blocked river.)

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I continued walking on a long open beach, and my next target was a high water tower I spotted far in the distance. It took me 30 minutes of fast walking to reach the tower, and still the beach stretched kilometers ahead. Luckily, the tide was still going out and the wet sand on the water’s edge was hard and smooth.

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At 07:54 I met a fisherman with his wife and dog just as he pulled a small fish from the surf. He did not look like an experienced fisherman and also had a small fishing rod (river rod) which he used in the small waves. Sometimes we make do with what we have - and still have something to eat. 

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I continued walking, and a kilometer further the entire beach was covered with maroon and brown seaweed. It must have washed up during the night’s spring high tide, as it was still fresh and wet (though it had a rotten smell). I tried to walk between the seaweed, but in places, it was thick and slippery. This stretch lasted for at least 1 km. After that, the beach sand returned, but it was clear that, even at normal high tide, the entire beach would be under water. 

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At roughly 9am, St Francis Bay buildings appeared on the horizon, and I was relieved to know I could walk the rest of the way along the beach (this route is impassable at high tide for at least 5 km). Throughout the morning, I had only seen the construction workers and the fishing couple. At 09:12, I stopped to photograph my footprints before continuing toward the river mouth.

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I had raced to reach the Krom River by 09:46, aiming for the lowest tide of the day. However, despite the low tide, the water was still rushing towards the sea. Though there were visible sandbanks, it reminded me of my ordeal at Gamtoos River, where I got stuck in the middle under similar conditions. Two local men, who had crossed the river to collect mussels during the low tide, assured me it wasn’t safe to cross. They offered to take me across when they returned but mentioned they wanted to spend at least an hour collecting mussels and exploring a nearby rocky island. Apparently, the tide only starts to recede about an hour after the time listed on tide tables. Getting help seemed like a better option that trying to be a river-crossing hero and I gladly accepted these terms!

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I took two videos of the fast-flowing water and made myself comfortable, lying on the sand near where the boats were anchored. The wind suddenly picked up, and I was grateful to have finished my walk and to have met some friendly people who would help me cross the wide river. It seems as though I always get what I need when I need it.

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Around 10:30, the two retired men and their wives returned to the boats, and we slowly crossed the river. We made our way into a waterway leading to the Marina. It was quite an experience to see the massive holiday homes, boats tied to jetties, and even "road signs" with instructions to “stay left and not exceed 10 km/h”. I was dropped off at a large double-storey house with a pool and three garages and given directions to town.

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I called Darryl and Tammy, who were in St Francis, and made arrangements to meet them at the Fire Station. I walked along the streets for about 2 km before reaching the Fire Station, where Darryl and Tammy picked me up. We took a shortcut along a dirt road via Lombardy, past Paradise Beach, and over the now non-flooded bridge to reach the parked X-Trail at "Die Walskipper" by around 13:00. I gave Darryl and Tammy some money to have lunch there for their trouble in fetching me, and then we drove back to PE.

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Summary:

An early start, and although I rushed to reach the Krom River by 09:45, I still couldn’t cross without taking a significant risk. The last 5 km of the beach can only be walked during very low tides, which was a surprise. The alternative route would have required crossing private farmland. This was the final stretch of my coastal walk south and west of PE, so I was very happy to finally complete it.

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And so here I am - at the start - with the rest of the journey still to come - and I wonder aloud: “is this not where we all are? Is this not where I have always been?”

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