Camps Bay

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Camps Bay as seen from the ascent to Lion's Head.

Camps Bay as seen from Table Mountain

Camps Bay is an affluent suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. In the European winter it is a hotbed of European tourists as well as local South Africans down for a beach holiday. It hosts beach volleyball tournaments as well as a refreshing nightlife.

History:

The first residents of Camps Bay were the San (Hunter Gatherers) and the Goringqhaique, Khoi pastorates. When Jan van Riebeek established a refreshment station for the VOC (Dutch East India Company), the 12 Apostles were covered in forests with lion, leopard and antelope.

In competition with the new colonists, the Gringqhaique lost their grazing lands on the south east slopes of Table Mountain and in 1657 were restricted to Camps Bay.

By 1713 the Gringqhaique had been decimated by the measles and small pox. All that was left of their settlement was an old kraal (Oudekraal).

The area was then granted to John Lodewyk Wernich and passed from father to son. Johan Wernich married Anna Koekemoer, who on his death in 1778, married Fredrick Ernst von Kamptz, a sailor and the area became known as “Die Baai van von Kamptz”.

For most of the 1800’s Camps Bay was undeveloped. Lord Charles Somerset used the area for hunting and used the Roundhouse as his lodge. Kloof Road was build in 1848 and in 1884 Thomas Bain was commissioned to build a road from Sea Point to Camps Bay using convict labour.

The road was completed in 1887 and named Victoria road to honour Queen Victoria’s jubilee in 1888. The road allowed people to cycle out to Camps Bay which acquired some poularity as a picnic site. This led to the development, in 1901 of a Tram service to bring people out for the day and with it the development of the tidal pools, the Rotunda (now the Bay Hotel) and a pavilion for concerts and shows.

In 1913 Camps Bay was incorporated into Cape town although it was still seen as a recreational area rather than a residential area.

Beaches:

Oudekraal is made up of a collection of tiny beaches sheltered amongst the boulders and a well established picnic area with lawns, braais(BBQ), covered seating areas with tables benches and public toilets. There is a small admittance fee.

Lui Bay (also know as Witsand) A popular dive site, in 1977 two scrap vessels (The Antipolis And Romelia) were being towed around the cape when there tow line broke in a storm. This cause both vessels to be ship wrecked in on the beach of boulders. The hull of the Antipolis is visible at low tide.

Koeel Bay has an African open air curio market, that sells hand crafted items from all over Africa.

Bakoven, gets it name because of a large rock just off-shore with what appears as oven door in its side. There are several sheltered coves located in Bakoven. There is a Sea rescue base stationed here. The most popular swimming beach is off Beta Close.

Camps Bay Beach, awarded blue flag status in 2008 is the largest white sand beach in the Camps Bay Suburb. There is a life guard station and toilets on the west end of the beach. There are many beach front cafes along the beach. In summer you may rent sun loungers and umbrellas right on the beach.

Glen beach, a famous surfing ground, not great for swimming.^[1]