Hout Bay Totally Explained

Everything about Hout Bay totally explained

Hout Bay (Afrikaans: Houtbaai, from the Dutch for "Wood Bay") is the name of a coastal suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It lies in a valley on the Atlantic Seaboard of the Cape Peninsula and is twenty kilometres south of the Central Business District of Cape Town. The name Hout Bay can refer to the town, or the bay on which it's situated, or the whole valley.

History

When the Dutch established a colony in Table Bay in 1652, they required a great quantity of good timber for building and other purposes. There were no large forests in the immediate vicinity of the settlement, mainly because the rainfall wasn't high enough but it was soon apparent that the colonists would be able to get the wood they needed in the wetter valley that lay on the other side of a low pass (called Constantia Nek) between the southern end of Table Mountain and Constantiaberg. The area was originally made up of two farms, which were slowly subdivided to make way for urban expansion. While still maintaining its rural feel the area now has more than 12 000 residences inhabited by a population of about 42000 people.

Neighbourhoods

Hout Bay is divided into several neighbourhoods. The Hout Bay Neighbourhood Watch describes 28 distinct areas. Suburbs include Scott Estate, Hanging Meadows, Baviaanskloof, Hillcrest, Bergendal, Penzance, Imizamo Yethu, Meadows, Oakwood, Bokkemanskloof, Overkloof, Silvermist, Longkloof, Valley, Victorskloof, Nooitgedacht, Beach Estate, Northshore, Mount Rhodes, Klein Leeukoppie Estate, Ruyteplaats, Tierboskloof, Kronenzicht, Hangberg, Hout Bay Heights and Hughenden Estate. Llandudno an entirely separate village of about 200 houses lies over the "Suikerbossie" pass from Hout Bay.

Geography

Hout Bay is surrounded by mountain to the North, East and West and the Southern Atlantic Ocean to the South. In the North it's bordered by Table Mountain National Park comprising of the Orangekloof Nature reserve and the bottom slopes of Table Mountain beyond that. To the North-West it's bordered by the backside of the Twelve Apostles, known as the Oranjekloof. To the West it's bordered by Little Lions Heads (Klein Leeukop), Karbonkelberg, Kapteins Peak and the Sentinel. To the East it's bordered by the Vlakkenberg, Skoorsteenskopberg and Constantiaberg. The world famous Chapman's Peak Drive is carved out of the mountainside and leads towards Noordhoek and onwards to Cape Point.
The Hout Bay bay has a beautiful whitesand beach, a popular attraction for tourists and locals (plus their dogs) alike. Hout Bay has one of the busiest harbours in the Western Cape with a thriving tuna, snoek and crayfish industry. The harbour boast the Hout Bay Yacht Club and several restaurants.
There are three roads leading to and from Hout Bay, all over mountain passes. One goes to Llandudno and Camps Bay through the pass between Judas Peak (part of the Twelve Apostles) and Little Lions Head, it's known as Suikerbossie (known as the toughest hill on the Cape Argus Cycle Race). Between Hout Bay and Noordhoek there's Chapman's Peak Drive which was closed for many years and finally reopened in early 2004 with a controversial toll booth. Lastly a road leads to Constantia over the Constantia Nek pass between Vlaakenberg and the back slopes of Table Mountain.
Surfing Hout Bay, also known as "Dungeons" to the surfing community is one of the sixteen recognised big wave spots around the globe. The annual Red Bull Big Wave Africa competition is held here. Swells of up to 47 feet have been recorded here as well as numerous deaths as a result of shark attacks and surfing related incidents. The spot itself consists of various reefs, the most popular called 2.5 since it's 2.5 meters deep, behind it's 3.5, which is 3.5 meters deep. There is also a reef that's reputed to be able to hold a 100 ft high wave, should one ever come. Before the use of jetskis to enter and leave the area, the surfers who braved these waters had to paddle through a very dark and deep channel, through to where the waves break.

Leisure and Tourism

Hout Bay is a popular tourist attraction among both local and international visitors. There are a variety of restaurants in the village as well as two hotels (the Hout Bay Manor and the Chapman's Peak Hotel) and many bed and breakfasts and self-catering accommodation where visitors can stay. The harbour is a worthwhile visit, as there are spectacular views of the bay and boat rides to Duiker Island and around the Sentinel. Chapman's Peak Drive is one of the world's most scenic mountain drives and has recently undergone renovations to ensure the safety of travellers using the route. The East and West forts built by the Dutch in the 18th century can also be visited, with the original cannons and barracks still standing on the slopes of Chapman's Peak. The East fort is the oldest operating gun battery in the world. The mountains surrounding Hout Bay also make for good hiking trails. In the same area is the bronze statue of a leopard looking out over the ocean.
The Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing contest is held on the other side of the Sentinel mountain, at the famous Dungeons. Some of the biggest waves in the world are found here and these attract surfers from all over the world. The competition can only be held during May to August, when the waves reach heights of 15 - 20 feet.
The Hout Bay Yacht Club is situated in the working harbour and provides moorings for both recreational fishing and sailing boats.

Attractions

Hout Bay Museum
World of Birds

People

Hout Bay is often called a microcosm of the rest of South Africa. With a vibrant and diverse mix of poor people integrated with rich people living in some of the finest properties in Cape Town.

Problems with Informal Settlements

The main Informal Settlement, or Shack Settlement in Hout Bay is Imizamo Yethu. Relations between the residents of Hout Bay and the residents of Imizamo Yethu have been strained for several years following the South African Democratic Elections in 1994 and 1999.
The tension between these diverse economic communities arise from the location of Imizamo Yethu. It is situated right next to an affluent community. The initial response to Imizamo Yethu wasn't favourable. The residents of Hout Bay, represented by the Hout Bay Ratepayers' Association and Hout Bay Residents' Association strongly objected to the informal settlement and also the suggestion of an increase in the land used for the settlement in 2001. Both associations feared that the land invasions at the time was perhaps racially motivated. Whereas the African National Congress feared that the Residents Association of Hout Bay were creating a racially charged environment and refusing to develop land for housing. ^1. Current issues between residents of Hout Bay and Imizamo Yethu are focussed on service delivery for the informal settlement. The 18 hectare area supports 20 000 ² people, living in cramped and squalid conditions with no plumbing, roads or any desicernable infrastructure for sustainable living. This is in sharp contrast to the 20 million Rand mansions and luxurious holiday homes and wine estates that make up the Hout Bay valley. Currently (2007), political infighting between the Democratic Alliance and African National Congress have hampered the building of houses for the residents of Imizamo Yethu.³
The settlement has also been linked to criminal activity within Hout Bay, crime allegedly began to skyrocket in 2003, across all categories, in particular property crime such as housebreaking and theft of vehicles has been cited. Since the escalating crime situation, the Hout Bay community has formed a successful neighbourhood watch group. Initiatives of the group include further policing and patrols as well as the establishment of an 24-hour emergency call centre. ⁴

Prominent people from Hout Bay

Sydney SkaifeFurther Information

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