South - Eastern Cape: Robberg Peninsula

R O B B E R G
Na t u r e a n d Ma r i n e P r o t e c t e d A r e a

The Robberg peninsula is a national monument, Nature reserve and Marine protected area that lies about 8km south of Plettenberg Bay - a prestigious coastal resort on South Africas’ famous Garden Route.

The ecology of the Robberg Peninsula is similar to that of other rock headlands on this coastline and it presents a fine example of how plants and animals adapt to the interacting influences of land and sea.

1. Life in the Stone Ages: Nelson Bay Cave.

Important Middle and Later Stone Age archaeological site. First occupied 120 000 years ago when the sea level dropped. Grasslands stretched beyond the southern horizon during last Ice Age when sea levels were lower. Giant Cape horse; giant buffalo and giant hartebeest used to graze here. They became extinct about 10 000 years ago. There are several other cave and open sites with evidence of Stone Age occupation on the peninsula. There are detailed interpretation facilities at Nelson Bay Cave.

2. First recorded European habitation in South Africa.

In 1630 The Sao Goncalo a Portuguese vessel, was wrecked here. The survivors camped on the beach for about nine months while they built two small boats. Despite being wrecked again, some managed to reach Portugal. The remains of the Athena a modern fishing trawler which sank nearby, are still visible.

3. First evidence of the modern South African coastline.

Robberg’s rocks date back to the early Cretaceous period (110 -130 million years ago) and the earliest break-up of Gondwanaland - a prehistoric super continent that split up into latter-day South America, Africa, Antarctica, India and Australia about 120 million years ago. The rocks at Robberg were deposited in the bed of this new African sea.

4. Look out, for spoor of the Western Cape’s smallest antelope, the blue duiker.

Classified rare in the Red Data Book, these shy
buck are largely confined to evergreen thicket.
At the shoulder, adult males are almost as tall as a
standard 30cm ruler. They feed on fallen leaves,
flowers, fruit and young shoots.

5. Listen for the bark of Cape Fur seals.

Hundreds of seals gather on the rocks between
anonkoelgat and Grasnek. Adult bulls can be 2.1m
long and weigh up to 350kg. Competition between
fishermen and seals for fish has posed difficult
challenges for South African conservationists: how
can their different needs be reconciled? Seal
harvesting has been suspended since 1990.

6. Keep your eyes skinned for dolphins and wales.

Two species of inshore dolphin (humpback and
bottlenose) can often be seen from the Robberg
Peninsula. Between May and November, Southern
right whales come here from the Antarctic region to
calve and mate. Humpbac whales – another
Antarctic species - also visit these waters. Bryde’s
whales are year around residents. Plettenberg Bay
was previously one of 16 shore - based whaling
stations on the South African coast. South Africa
outlawed all whaling in its waters by 1980.

7. Montane fynbos adapted to harsh coastal conditions.
Plants here are adapted to “pruning” by wind –
driven salt spray, shallow soils and a steep, well –
drained slope.

8. Look out for Southern Ocean seabirds.

In winter, particUlarly dUring storms, sea birds that
breed on Sub – Antarctic islands such as Marion
Island may be spotted from Robberg.
Recorded sightings include shy albatross,
broadbilled prion and Sub - Antarctic skua. White
chinned petrel and sooty shearwater can be
expected throughout the year.

9. Point Shack.

A recently renovated stone hut that has been a
popular fishing spot since the 1940’s. It is now
available for overnight fishing and offers basic
facilities.

10. Cape Seal Lighthouse

At 146m above sea level, this is the highest
navigational light on the South African coast. Its
solar - powered rotating beam has a range of about
27km. Built in 1950.

11. T8e Rocky shore: life in a spin cycle.
The rocky intertidal Zone is divided into five distinct
vertical Zones. Each is occupied by plants and
animals with differing abilities to withstand exposure
to air and the heating and drying effects of the sun.
Periwinkles occupy the highest Zone, which is
wetted by the sea at high spring tide only. Moving
seawards, the other tidal levels are marked by the
presence of barnacles, mussels, limpets and
red bait respectively. Seaweeds are common below
the neap highwater mark. Best explored during a
low spring tide.

12. Danger!

Do not take any shortcuts, especially below the
Path. Keep strictly to the trail.

13. Candelabra flowers

These bulbs produce spectacular crimson flowers
between February and April.

14. Feeding Plettenberg Bay with sand

The Witsand sand dune is one of seven climbing -
falling dunes on the Cape coast.
The island traps sand driven ashore from the North
- westerly wind and currents. Dry sand is then
blown upwards for about 80m before sliding into Plettenberg Bay. Alien plants and other pioneer species threaten to “throttle” this sensitive, disturbed system.

15 Reefs: Home to the sex - changing roman.

The submerged rocks surrounding the island offer food and shelter to reef fish. Most of them are slow – growing, long - life species that take several years to reach sexual maturity. Some, like the Roman,
change sex as they develop. Romans start life as females. They become males when large enough to compete for their own harems. Many females can lose a breeding opportunity if “their” male is caught. Territorial reef fish that reverse their sexes are
therefore very vulnerable in heavily - fished areas.

16. Seagull nursery.

The breeding success of kelp gulls has improved greatly since boardwalks were laid to rehabilitate
disturbed areas and keep humans out of their nesting area.

17. Beware! Rip current.

A strong, seaward - moving current caused when waves are parallel to shore. This is very dangerous
for swimmers.

The sandy inter - tidal Zone: nature’s incredible cleansing service.

Because of the moving sand, plants are unable to take root on sandy beaches. This means that grazers (plant feeders) are absent. This is why all other beach animals have to rely on imported food to survive. Animals feed either by filtering sea water for plankton and organic particles (sand mussels),
scavenging (plough snails) or hunting (the three spot swimming crab). Microscopic organisms living in wet sand also eat and recycle organic material in surf.

R O B B E R G

Fishing spots

One can get with a vehicle to the parking area and
from this point everybody walks (hurts).

Warning: If you are planning to go fishing at The
Point, a fair level of fitness is required.

The distance from the car park area to the Point is
Approximately 4.2km and some parts of the walk a
fairly steep. The way to The Point is not the difficult
part, the way back from there is.
Take lots of drinking water with you, as the only
drinking water can be found at the Fountain and
only if you know where exactly to look for it. Day
fishing at the Point or Die Eiland, the sun and the
“magic” of the sea water spraying on you, very often
may result in dehydration. I have seen above
average fit individuals to get “wooden” legs on the
way back from the Point, after a day fishing.

Well known deep water spots at Robberg are:

- Kanonkoeelsgat;
- The Point;
- Die Eiland

and these spots have produced catches of:

- Garrick;
- Yellowtail;
- White musselcracker;
- Kob;

in the past.

Very often you will know that the garrick is around, only after you walk to The Point and find more than 10-12 local fishermen stuck in the early hours of the morning at strategic points along the ledges, all using live bait (karanteen) and catching garrick. You may use a plug and may be successful, but my advice is to observe, exactly what the local experts are doing and replicate.