A holiday in St Francis Bay

The Dunes

Back in 1954, young entrepreneur Leighton Hulett and his wife Ann spotted an advert in the Farmer’s Weekly offering 273 morgen of ideal fishing land 40 kilometers east of Port Elizabeth.  Leighton and Ann sold off their Zululand sugar cane farm and moved to the coast one month later, transporting their goods across huge sand dunes in an old ox wagon.  They had acquired 16 kilometers of pristine coastline, an open estuary,two capes and two protected bays.  The Hulett’s started a fishing camp with seven rondavels, a bathing block and a kitchen.  It proved so popular that in 1956 the village of St Francis Bay was founded, consisting of 51 plots for sale on condition that all cottages conformed to the quaint thatch and white wall style that characterises St Francis today.

The picturesque village grew and grew and the Kromme River Bridge was built, and a trading store, bottle store, tennis club and hotel followed soon afterwards.  Leighton developed a canal system winding through the village and leading to St Francis’ nickname “The Little Venice of South Africa”.  The area shot to fame with the filming of the cult surf documentary “The Endless Summer” where Bruce Brown followed surfers across the world in search of the perfect wave.  St Francis Bay was featured and the spectacular waves are now known globally as Bruce Beauties.

The sun was setting when I drove slowly up the gravel driveway towards The Dunes Guest Farm.  Spring scents filled the air and lamplight spilled out of the farmhouse.  Chantelle welcomed me warmly and showed me to my Garden Room.  The spacious and tastefully furnished farm-style room had high ceilings, wooden beams and oregan doors and windows.  A large en-suite bathroom held a basin, a separate shower and a freestanding ball-and-claw bathtub overlooking the garden.  Beyond the bedroom door was a private verandah leading into the gardens.

That evening I dined at The Dunes.  Chantelle offers dinners to her guests on request.  Other than the excellent food, Chantelle’s hospitality makes you feel like a well loved friend invited around for diner.  That evening she had prepared fresh tuna steaks nestled on a bed of wasabi-mashed potato and drizzled with a soy sauce reduction.

The next morning, over a good farm breakfast, I contemplated my options for the day.  Did I want to go for a horse ride through the reserve?  Should I spend the day on one of the beautiful beaches, or maybe take a scenic canal cruise?  I could hire a canoe, go sea kayaking or scuba diving or maybe I should have a leisurely lunch at one of the seafood restaurants in the Port St Francis Commercial Harbour specialising in the freshest calamari. 

Eventually I decided on a guided walk through the Thula Moya Fynbos Reserve.  My guide was encyclopedic in his knowledge of indigenous plants.  He pointed out interesting species, spotted antelope and bush pig droppings and spoke about the endemic animals such as the rare Cape Otter, the many bird species, the Burchell Zebra, the Eland and various other small antelope species.  Soon the terrain of the area had changed and we were now climbing vast snow-white sand dunes.  Somewhere in the distance I could just make out the distinctive sound of the sea.  I was then led to one of the ancient Strandloper shell middens on the reserve.  4000 – 7000 Years before, the hunter gatherer San had dwelled in the soft and sheltered inland dunes where they had lived off berries and shellfish.  Archaeological artifacts such as spear heads and clay pots can be found in the area.  The tour was so interesting and unlike anything that I had experience before.

That afternoon I took a scenic drive to Cape St Francis.  I viewed the Lighthouse built in 1878 and then enjoyed a sundowner on the famous St Francis Sunset Rocks.  The significance of this was that Cape St Francis stretches so far into the ocean that it is the only place on the African Indian Ocean coast where you can watch the Sun Set.

A holiday in St Francis Bay is so much more than just a beach getaway.  A spa in the village and a mini art and craft ramble will keep mums busy on rainy days.  The surf factory shops in nearby Jeffreys Bay are bound to put a spring into the step of any teenager and for dads excellent deep-sea fishing and the new Jack Nicklaus Signature Links Golf Course await. Two-bedroomed family units with a private lounge, fireplace and verandah are new additions to the Dunes Guest Farm facilities.  

 I can relate entirely to both the Hullet’s and The Cook’s decision to pack up and move to St Francis Bay.  The village had charmed me completely and as I drove back across the Kromme River Bridge I was already planning a return visit.

Accommodation in and around Port Elizabeth Region