The Gordon’s Bay Harbour dates
back to 1937 when the first block of the old harbour was laid by Albertus Brand
Faure (the man who later built Faure Marine Drive). Apparently, at the time, a
gold pound was placed in that first block as a lucky charm!
The harbour market running next
Saturday, 24 September, to celebrate Heritage Day is the first time in its 85
years of existence that all harbour users are coming together in an event of
this nature. Jana Loubser, Commodore of
Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club and brainchild of the event is so excited, “This day is
about raising funds for NRSI Station 9 but what is more exciting for me is not
the WHAT but the HOW! For me it’s the
fact that the harbour users have come together to support a great cause and, in
the process, have created something so exciting. That is really special and – what a day it
promises to be”!
This Saturday you can choose to get involved
or to come along and spend a day in the harbour.
Spending the Day
The Heritage Day celebrations
start with a procession from Hendon Park at 09:00. This is the oldest Heritage site right here
in Gordon’s Bay. It is one of the
last remaining shell midden dunes – Dune 111 or Sandkop – along this part of
the coast and is the site left behind by ancestors of the San who lived on the
dune between 2700 and 3220 years ago. This site, which was exposed by
archaeologists digging in the area in 1967, includes the bones of animals
they hunted and shells of shellfish they collected. If you are joining the procession, you are
encouraged to wear traditional clothing – no matter where you hail from.
The procession will arrive at the
Harbour at about 10:00, which is when the market stalls will open and the
excitement on the water will begin!
Say Loubser, “Market vendors have
so much on offer from fragrant curries, vetkoek, pan cakes, rooster broodjies, burgers,
the annual Thirsty’s braai and so much more”!
Coffee will be brewing from early in the morning and liquid refreshments
will be available all day at stalls, the Yacht Club and at Thirsty Oyster. There’s
a kiddies corner with jumping castle, face painting, popcorn and
candyfloss. And then there are the
goodies…
Exceptional handmade jewellery,
genuine leather goods, super-special sun hats, Shwe Shwe Christmas stocking, blankets,
bears and beanies, kids toys and clothing (new and used), you name it, you can
probably find it!!
And between wandering through the
stalls, taking in the vibe (and the refreshments), you can witness the
shenanigans on the water. The day is in
aid of NSRI Station 9, based at the Old Harbour, and one of the most exciting
activities of the day is when the ‘crafts’ of all shapes and sizes take to the
water and HOPE they can make it around the harbour. This is the ‘Anything that Floats’ race and
is something to behold!
Already teams from the Naval
College, local schools and businesses, and some friends have joined forces and
even a few NSRI teams hoping to out-perform each other!! It promises to be the spectacle it always has
been in the past. Prize giving will take
place at about 12:30 and the water festivities will end with a demonstration by the local NSRI team at 13:00.
If you’re not keen on the
‘sinking feeling’ and boat building is not your thing, but you’d love to get
out on the water, there are great options for you. Two local fishing vessels will run shuttles
between the Yacht Club mooring and the NSRI base throughout the day AND, if
you’re brave enough to leave the harbour, the beautiful Playa will be taking trips
into the Bay all day. At R80 per head,
it’s an absolute giveaway. What’s more,
half the proceeds are going to Station 9 and the excursion is accompanied by
light refreshments! Good enough reason
to get yourself to the harbour!
The market closes at 16:30 but if
you feel like staying to watch the Springboks take on the Pumas at 17:00,
Thirsty Oyster and the Yacht Club will have the game up on their TV screens –
and cold draught on tap!
Getting Involved
If you have any great goods to
sell, you can still book a stall. If
you’re keen on trying your luck on the water, you can still enter ‘Anything
that Floats’.
Forms for both are on the Yacht
Club website – https://gbyc.co.za/atf/ or you can email anythingfloats22@gmail.com.
Either way, tell all your friends
and family to come along. Entry is free
and this is definitely going to be a case of ‘the more the merrier’!!!
