shore leave
Words Lin Murray
Snuggling sleepily between sea and mountain, Simon’s Town is the quintessential coastal neighbourhood – anchored in history, salty characters and maritime folklore. For more than two centuries, it’s been used as an important naval base and harbour and its magnificent views of False Bay and quirky inhabitants dressed in feathered dinner jackets pull in the crowds
Simon’s Town is temperamental. Some days she – and the town is definitely a ‘she’ as is befitting a place that owes its life to ships – can be warm and enveloping, a benevolent Victorian aunt with a lace parasol, gently telling you to mind your Ps and Qs. On days like these, she’s as buoyant as the little yachts dancing in her harbour, a warm breeze lightly skimming the azure ocean, a golden glow about her as the sun sinks slowly behind the Silvermine mountains.
On other days, she is mistily melancholic, as lovelorn as a sailor’s lyrics and as lonely as her lighthouse perched out at sea. She can also be angry, unforgiving, battleship grey, allowing the infamous southeaster wind to whip at her skirts and lash the bay into a murky, drunken, lurching soup. Not even the train leaving hastily for Fish Hoek can escape her sea spray, drenched with invective.
Yet, in spite of this unbecoming behaviour, Simon’s Town owes her fame and fortune to the fact that, nestling in False Bay, she is more protected than Cape Town’s notoriously difficult-to-navigate Table Bay. In 1687, the then Governor of the Cape Colony, Simon van der Stel (after whom the town is named), recommended that her bay be used as a safe haven for ships and a refilling station for the Dutch East India Company during the treacherous winter months. From then on, Simon’s Town, under Dutch, British and South African governance respectively, became an important focal point in maritime trade between East and West and a principal port for refuelling, reinforcements and ship refitting in both World Wars.
Due to its positioning, favourable employment opportunities and rich seafaring heritage, Simon’s Town was a jambalaya of cultures – indigenous Khoisan people, the amaXhosa, West Africans, Zanzibari Muslims, descendants of slaves from Indonesia, India and China, and British, German and French immigrants all mingled together as sailors, dockyard workers, whalers, fishermen, mercenaries and traders. Tragically, Simon’s Town’s multi-culturalism was destroyed when the town was declared a ‘whites only’ area in 1967 by apartheid legislation. More than 700 families were forcibly removed to other parts of the Cape Peninsula.
Patricia Hounsom, who grew up in Simon’s Town in the late Forties and Fifties, remembers the town then for its strong sense of community. ‘We all knew each other. As children, we’d go swimming together in big groups. It was all there was for us to do back then; we were so isolated from Cape Town that we’d only go into the city once a year.’
To this day, in spite of being a mere 30-minute drive from the city, Simon’s Town still retains that sense of remoteness. Locals joke about having to pack sandwiches and snacks for the ‘long road’ into Cape Town – or what they refer to as going ‘up the line’ (Simon’s Town is at the end of the train line). It’s almost as if the town, as a little polyp on the end of the peninsula, is another world altogether.
Those who live and work in Simon’s Town rhapsodise in particular about its peacefulness. ‘It’s very quiet,’ says Chotu Patel, resident for 50 years and owner of the famous Patel Brothers supply store, which sells anything from fishing gut to guitar strings, ‘it’s like a sleepy hollow.’ Glen Knox, who’s lived in Simon’s Town for 34 years, describes the town as idyllic. ‘A place like this grows on you, gets under your skin. You know everybody and everybody knows you. It’s a wonderful place. Why leave?’
There’s a feeling of quiet consistency instilled in the town and the people who live there, that things are as they were 50 years ago. It’s safe. People stroll along the main road. Residents buy their newspaper from the same cafe they’ve been buying from for 30 years. There’s no rush to modernise, implode, explode, develop, construct. And yet, things are changing. ‘The town itself has become a lot busier,’ says Tommy Todd, estate agent with Engel & Völkers. ‘Three years ago, you could come into town at any time for tea and scones; nowadays you have difficulty finding parking.’
The property market has soared in the past four years with Simon’s Town’s tranquil lifestyle attracting a well-heeled set seeking to retire in a relatively undiscovered paradise.
Simon’s Town remains an important naval base and the town is still a popular replenishment station – as attested to by the tourist buses that thunder through in search of sustenance on their way to Cape Point.
Buses aside, Simon’s Town is best discovered on foot. St George’s Street, the main thoroughfare, also known as the Historic Mile, is a historian’s delight and much time can be spent drooling over the idiosyncratic Victorian architecture. Many of the remarkably preserved buildings housed on this street are more than 150 years old. The property prices, of course, will bring you back to the 21st century with a resounding bump!
Above St George’s Street, the town billows steeply into the hillside and its old cobbled-stone stairways, which link one road to the next, provide many fascinating nooks and crannies to explore, each with a quaint name like Wickboom Lane and Ricketts Close. Unsurprisingly, given its nautical background, there have been a host of ghost sightings in Simon’s Town. The most compelling story is that of a woman who is said to appear on Red Hill above the town, silently watching for a ship that never arrives.
The heart of the town is Jubilee Square. Once a bustling marketplace, it’s still a busy spot with car guards and hawkers vying for business, as tourists wend their way to the Waterfront, a popular restaurant and shopping spot. Presiding over the square is the life-size bronze statue of Just Nuisance, a legendary Great Dane who was so loved by the town’s sailors for his loyal behaviour and train-riding antics, that he was enlisted into the Royal Navy in 1939.
After exploring the town, take in the astounding beauty of her coastal scenery, calling in on her most celebrated inhabitants at the African penguin colony at nearby Boulders Beach – so named for its giant sun-bleached rotund rocks bubbling out of the water – on your way. More than 4 000 eccentric birds live, eat, mate, play and dive around the rocks there, inspiring mirth and wonder, seemingly oblivious to the all-day every-day penguin paparazzi.
Like the light playing on the harbour’s waters, Simon’s Town is a place that begs lingering just a little bit longer. The buildings need time to breathe their ancient stories, the shopkeepers to offer their friendly conversation. Take the time to delve into the town’s deepest secrets, and you won’t be disappointed. She is False Bay’s truest bounty.
DISCOVER
From the sagas of the sea to the heartache of a multicultural society destroyed, Simon’s Town’s rich past has it all – in abundance. Whether you’re a history buff or not, a visit to the town’s excellent museums is mandatory.
Start with the fascinating Simon’s Town Museum (021 786 3046) on Court Road. Housed in ‘The Residency’, built in 1777 and said to be haunted, the museum starts with the prehistory of the Cape Peninsula at least a million years ago and expertly maps Simon’s Town as a key player on the world stage. The photographs and artefacts are utterly absorbing and the museum’s Project Phoenix, a vital endeavour to record the history of Simon’s Town’s dispossessed people, is also worth noting. Lectures by the Simon’s Town Historical Society, and guided walking tours are also on offer.
Alternatively, grab a map at the information centre on St George’s Street, and delve into the Historic Mile.
The Heritage Museum (021 786 2302) situated in Amlay House on King George’s Way depicts the history and forced removal of the Islamic residents of Simon’s Town. It offers an interesting walking tour of the historic area around the exquisite Noorul Islam Mosque. If all things naval float your boat, be sure to stop by the South African Naval Museum (021 787 4635), housed in the original dockyard. Its growing collection includes ship and submarine models, naval guns, torpedoes, an anti-submarine mortar and minesweeping equipment. And finally, don’t miss the Warrior Toy Museum (021 786 1395), just past Jubilee Square. It features an irresistible assortment of dinky toys, ancient dolls, Meccano train sets, planes, boats, toy soldiers and the biggest collection of model cars in South Africa.
SAVOUR
Situated at the Quayside Centre, right on the water’s edge, Bertha’s (021 786 2138) should be your first port of call. From the breakfast Harley Davidson run to the night-time wine-and-diners, it’s extremely popular, and justifiably so. Delicious fish and seafood meals are on offer, and its astounding views of False Bay make it the perfect place to sit and savour life. Seaforth Restaurant (021 786 4810) also has unparalleled views of the bay and boasts an extensive seafood menu. If you’re up for a little drive out of town, The Black Marlin (021 786 1621) in Miller’s Point is not to be missed for its picturesque, secluded location and scrumptious seafood. Try their fish espetada!
Cafe Pescado (021 786 2272) on St George’s Street, housed in a former church, which partially collapsed in 1819 due to heavy rains, is another great spot for seafood. But for honest, old-fashioned fish and chips, head to the Salty Sea Dog (021 786 1918) at the beginning of the pier. Its unpretentious al-fresco patio is charming, and for a real treat, order a takeaway, find a comfortable spot on the quay, and make your repast an authentically Cape Town outdoor experience!
If you prefer your fish uncooked, Just Sushi (021 786 4340) at the Waterfront draws rave reviews from locals.
Simon’s Town’s culinary delights aren’t all just about Neptune’s gifts, however. Bon Appetit
(021 786 2412) on St George’s Street highlights French fine dining and with a Michelin-trained chef at the helm, features fare that includes braised rabbit and iced nougat profiteroles.
A little further down the main drag, The Meeting Place (021 786 1986), located upstairs and overlooking the street, is a firm favourite for its baked breads and pastries, deli goods, pay-by-weight buffet and convivial atmosphere. For vegetarian and vegan fare with a spiritual twist, try the tranquil Tibetan Tea House (021 786 1544). Its sheltered balcony has a magnificent view of the bay and the peaceful setting is unparalleled. Art, jewellery, scarves and spiritual accessories like singing bowls and Tibetan gongs are also on sale.
No meal is complete without something sweet. The Sweetest Thing (021 786 4200), a pleasant little patisserie situated in the town’s second oldest building on the main road, is definitely worth a visit. The lemon meringue is melt-in-the-mouth good, and of course, the cream scones are the best around!
COLLECT
As a town now predominantly geared towards tourists, there are curio shops aplenty, but for something more upmarket, try Colors of Africa (021 786 5717) and Heather Auer Art and Sculpture (021 786 1309), both at the Waterfront.
Light (021 786 5877) on St George’s Street has an eclectic range of quirky arts and craft, including an impressive coffee table made out of a whale vertebra.
Close by is The Bishop and The Lama (021 786 2428), a friendly photographic gallery, made all the more heartwarming by its blown-up picture of the Dalai Lama and the former Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu.
If you need to stock up on biltong and other South African delicacies, pop into Gogos (021 786 5767) on the main road, while Mauve (021 786 3473), a boutique-cum-coffee shop tucked away in an attractive courtyard, sells artisan chocolates.
For a treasure hunt that’s bound to reward, sift through the bric-a-brac, including an ancient pinball machine, at Pickpocket (021 786 3605), the antique silver and brassware at La Brocante (083 539 8822) and enchanting pieces at Grammy’s Collection (021 786 4024).
For a fabulous selection of Africana books and vintage clothing visit Two Old Oaks (021 786 4206).
LINGER LONGER
B&Bs and self-catering cottages are dotted along the hillside, but for convenience and luxury, the four-star Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel (021 786 3838) wins hands down. Situated in the heart of the Waterfront, it overlooks the yacht basin, which makes for a superbly tranquil setting. Fall asleep to the rhythm of the waves lapping gently against the moored boats, and wake to a gorgeous sunrise over False Bay.
If you do want to go the self-catering route, the striking and iconic British Hotel (021 786 2214), built in 1897, is a fitting place to stay. Mary Kingsley, the eminent British woman traveller, stayed here in 1900 while she nursed Boer prisoners during the Anglo-Boer War. The building now has six well-appointed self-catering apartments and two courtyard suites.
For unadulterated penguin communing, look no further than Boulders Beach Lodge (021 786 1758). In spite of its proximity to more than 4 000 birds, the unique location is serene and quiet.
EXPLORE
Seaforth, Foxy and Boulders make for excellent swimming and snorkelling spots. There are also great diving locations, with names like A-Frame and Castle Rock, and old shipwrecks to investigate. Call The Scuba Shack (021 782 7358).
Other activities include bowls and golf at the Simon’s Town Country Club (021 786 1233) and sailing at the False Bay Yacht Club (021 786 1370). There are also plenty of hiking and walking opportunities.
Renting a sea kayak is an invigorating way to explore the bay. Paddlers (021 786 2626) offers guided tours to see the penguins, and can even take you right out to Cape Point.
If drinking in the sights at a leisurely pace is more your thing, take a 40-minute peaceful boat ride on the Spirit of Just Nuisance (021 786 2136). Try Southern Right boat cruises (083 257 7760) during the whale season from July to November for some up-close-and-personal whale spotting.