Cape Agulhas - Southernmost tip of the African continent
The town of L’Agulhas was gradually established on one of the most intriguing places on earth. This southernmost tip of the African continent has captivated man's imagination since the earliest explorers and adventurists braved the quest to conquer the most dangerous sea crossing of their time: the Atlantic-Indian Ocean crossing via Cape Agulhas. Today, millions of people from across the globe are still drawn to this magic place where Africa starts, steeped in the mystery and mystique of yesteryear's adventures.
This windswept, ruggedly beautiful coastal plain at the foot of Africa was proclaimed as the Agulhas National Park in September 1999. The park started as a 4 ha portion of land at the southern tip and has grown through the additions of 36 portions, bringing the area of the Park to 20 959 ha and boasting 1 750 botanical species. It is a heaven for nature lovers and offers several fynbos hiking trails, including the Ghost Corner trail, where tidal and rock pools provide welcome relief and exquisite swimming venues.
Just 90 km from Grootbos and 220 km from Cape Town, L'Agulhas is surrounded by a unique array of villages, landscapes and habitats boasting a variety of plant, animal and bird species - as diverse as the peoples of different breeds, creeds and kinds who lived here since ancient times and were succeeded by shipwreck survivors since the 1400's.
It is a wild, pristine world of extremities and contrasts that holds a bewitching fascination and yields a treasure chest of stories and telltales of years gone. The Cape Agulhas Municipality includes the towns of Bredasdorp, Arniston/Waenhuiskrans, Struisbaai, L'Agulhas, Elim and Napier. Bredasdorp and Napier were established 16 km apart in 1838 when locals couldn't agree where to establish their church.
Any road leading to L'Agulhas represents an exploratory adventure and is worth a visit - from the Moravian missionary village of Elim and the Elim Wine Ward to the picturesque coastal havens of Struisbaai and Arniston/Waenhuiskrans - probably the only place in the country boasting two official names!
The treacherous southernmost tip of this coastline was initially named Cabo das Agulhas (Cape of Needles) and Golfo de Agulhas (Gulf of Needles) by Portuguese and other seafarers at the end of the 15th century because compass needles show no variation between true north and magnetic north points in this area. The name allegedly also refers to the jagged, slanting rocks that project from the surf offshore, like a thousand needles waiting to pierce the hull of any stray ship.
Entering the town of L'Agulhas via the legendary Spookdraai, one is signaled welcome by the impressive Cape Agulhas Lighthouse - the second oldest working lighthouse in South Africa - that also houses the only lighthouse museum in Africa. The Agulhas Lighthouse was built in 1848 in the Pharos style and features a 7,5 million candlepower beam to warn passing ships of the treacherous reefs and currents that have claimed so many lives along this shoreline. The 71 steps to the top is a very steep climb, but well worth the effort for those who want to enjoy the spectacular panoramic views over land and sea and the point where the two oceans merge. A beautiful coastal trail meanders past the cairn that marks the actual southernmost tip of Africa. The area around the cairn is a popular tourist attraction where people queue to take photos for keepsakes or even to get married!
The museum offers a fascinating graphic account of the development of lighthouses throughout the ages, as well as the history of the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse.
The area is rich in pre-recorded history with a strong focus on a high-tech future. The runway at the SA Air Force's Training School is able to land the largest and fastest aircraft in the world and is allegedly also the only place in the southern hemisphere where the US space shuttle can land should the window over America itself close for some or other reason. There is also OTB – a test facility specialising in the in-flight testing and evaluation of missiles and aviation systems for the local and international aerospace industries.
Ancient people also left a rich heritage. Stone hearths and pottery, together with shell middens, are testimony to an era when Khoisan people lived here in harmony with nature, while the remains of ancient fish traps (visvywers) can still be seen where the original Khoi-khoi inhabitants collected their fish. Quaint shops, eateries and a wide variety of pubs, restaurants, guest houses and camping sites in L'Agulhas and neighbouring villages provide for a diverse market of international and local travellers, tourists and outdoor adventurists.
It's been called many names: Cape of Storms, Graveyard of Ships, Gulf of Needles. But, even centuries after the first ships floundered along this rugged coastline, L'Agulhas is still a magic place with a magnetic pull that draws people to that fascinating spot in the universe where two major forces meet.
