Stuff to Do in and around Boesmansriviermond
Middle Beach pools
When it is low enough at low tide the rock pools at Middle Beach in Kenton is fantastic experience.
You can find many sea creatures there and you can also swim in 6 feet deep pools. Also it is a great way for young children & even babies to enjoy the water while still being relatively safe. The water is also slightly warmer than in the open ocean because it has a chance to be baked by the sun.
Diaz Cross
 'Twas a windy day!
Diaz Cross is about a 3km (40min - an hour) walk from Boknes and a 6km (1.5 - 2 hours) from Boesmansriviermond. From Boknes it is very easy - in fact on a clear day you can see the cross from the Boknes parking area. From Boesmans you walk over (or around if the tide permits) Kwaaihoek to Diaz Cross. This walk is recommended for low tide - you'll realise why the next morning :) Look out for many marine creatures in the rock pools at Kwaaihoek; on the beaches look out for whales and dolphins.
Bartolomeu Dias planted this cross in February 1488. He was a Portugese explorer whose expedition was to endeavor to sail around the southern end of Africa in hopes of finding a trade route leading to Asia. In 1988 the 500 year anniversary of the Dias landing was celebrated.
Shelley Bay, Kenton-on-Sea
 A bonus of the ruggedness of the Eastern Cape's coastline is the occurrence of "secret" beaches. Obviously these beaches aren't really secret, but they are hidden and unless you know about them you aren't likely to ever find
them.
One of these beaches is Kenton-on-Sea's Shelley Bay (or Beach). From Kenton-on-Sea you get to Shelley Bay by driving to the Bushman's River (signposted) and then following the road until you can't get any further. At this point you will find a parking area and if it is a nice day, you will more than likely find some local cars parked there already.
Now you have to take a 20min hike over some sand dunes. It is advisable to wear some footwear here as the sand gets VERY hot in the summer. When you reach the top of these dunes, you will have a fantastic view of Kenton-on-Sea and Bushman's River Mouth. Also keep an eye out for the aloes on the dunes. These are endemic to the Eastern Cape.
Now you can follow a makeshift path down to the coastline. Be careful here because there are some sharp cliffs around. You will soon see a beautiful closed off beach. This is Shelley Bay. If it is a nice day there will almost certainly be people down there already. You might even see some topless tanners! Make your way down to this beach. Again be careful; a fall here will cause serious injury. When you reach this beach you will find that the sand actually feels quite rough and Shelley. From this the name: Shelley Bay.
Shelley Bay is known locally for its dumper waves. Because of the underlying contours the waves build suddenly and then dump onto the shore. This makes for fantastic, albeit slightly rough, body surfing. I remember bleeding from my elbows as a kid, but not wanting to get out; it was just too much fun. This was after 5 hours of dumpers it has to be said. A note for the babes out there: unless you want to get rid of your clothes, don't attempt body surfing here in a bikini - you will lose your top! The best time for these dumpers is about an hour after the tide starts coming in. See your local press for these times. At other times the waves aren't nearly as wild. Some weirdos(!) prefer this.
Something else you can "have a blast" with is the blasting holes at Shelley Bay. These are holes (about 30cm in diameter) in the rock that have been created through eons of continuous battering by the Indian Ocean. It is a local tradition to stick your behind over these holes as an incoming wave hits the shore. This gives a refreshing spray and tickles all the areas that you can't easily get to!
If you do get to Shelley Bay at low tide, you can scuba dive or explore the tidal pools & rock formations around the bay. It is a good idea to wear shoes here; these rocks can be very sharp.
Spending time in the water makes one extremely hungry and after a couple of hours hunger pangs will be driving you and yours back to Kenton to get a bite, traditionally an ice cream.
Be sure to check out some more Shelley Beach photos.
Kwaaihoek
 Between Bushman's River Mouth and Boknes in the Eastern Cape there is a rocky peninsula that juts into the Indian Ocean. This place is called Kwaaihoek. Directly translated from Afrikaans this means "Angry Corner", but in context it means "Windy Corner". The top plato of Kwaaihoek does get its fair share of wind, but around the base you can get relieve from both the westerly and easterly winds that occur in the Eastern Cape.
It is on wind still days though when Kwaaihoek really becomes a paradise. The best time by far is to be there at low-tide because then you will find the tidal pools exposed. You will not believe how colourful these pools can get. Especially if the water is clear. You will see fish, anemones and other marine creatures of all shapes, sizes and colours. Most of the pools are quite shallow, so you don't even have to get your feet wet. If it is a sunny day, the water trapped in the pools gets heated and is often several degrees warmer than the ocean. This makes them ideal for swimming in specially if you don't like cold water.
You will also find various marine birds hunting & searching for food in the tidal pools or on the rocks. Look out for the endangered red-billed oystercatcher. Drivers of 4x4 vehicles are responsible for the endangerment of these birds; the birds lay their eggs on the same stretch that 4x4 drivers typically use. Fortunately this kind of 4x4 driving has been outlawed in the last couple of years. And the oystercatchers seem to be responding well.
On the right day Kwaaihoek also offers some superb scuba diving opportunities. There are lots of navigable gullies that you could spot some surprisingly large fish like mussel-crackers, galjoen & stumpnoses. These gullies aren't too deep so they are relatively safe, but as with all diving anything can happen and you shouldn't do this lightly.
Because you can no longer drive on the beaches, to get there you need to walk from Bushmans (about 3km) or Boknes (about 6km). Don't let this put you off though. It is a beautiful coastline and its quite possible to spot dolphins and if you're very lucky whales.
Some things to take note of when visiting:
- Be very careful on the rocks at Kwaaihoek; they can be very sharp and you can easily hurt yourself. A pair of old trainers are highly recommended. Even the seasoned locals always wear at least some sort of foot gear.
- Don't underestimate the sun. The reflection of the water intensifies the sun, so make sure you have adequate sun protection.
All in all Kwaaihoek can be very stimulating and is definitely one of the Treasures of the Eastern Cape.
More photos of Kwaaihoek
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