Heelwat Suid-Afrikaners weet nie dat die Noord-Kaap \u2019n \u201csee\u201d het nie, nog minder dat di\u00e9 kuslyn \u2019n ongeslypte diamant is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moenie die Noord-Kaapse kuslyn van ongeveer 300 km op sy baadjie takseer nie \u2013 nie op sy koue seewater, verafgele\u00eb stranddorpies, sy besadigde plantegroei of die grondpad of drie wat jy gaan te\u00ebkom nie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wat jy daar sal kry \u2013 benewens sonsondergange oor die see \u2013 is ruimte, rustigheid, tydloosheid en waarskynlik jouself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jy sal ongerepte strande \u201contdek\u201d, rotsagtige gebiede waarteen die see skuimend breek, mense wat uitvra \u00e9n luister, argitektuur sonder aanstellerigheid en \u2019n ryke geskiedenis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parallel aan die N7-roete begin di\u00e9 kuslyn in die omgewing van Lepelsfontein en strek noord tot by Alexanderbaai teen die Namibi\u00eb-grens. Hondeklipbaai, Kleinzee (ook Kleinsee), Port Nolloth, asook Alexanderbaai is die dorpies langs di\u00e9 kuslyn. McDougallsbaai, deel van Port Nolloth, is die gewildste by die deursnee seevakansieganger, en die besigste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n \u2018Muile lag hardop van blydskap\u2019<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Di\u00e9 kuslyn se skatte met \u2019n geldwaarde \u2013 koper, diamante, perlemoen, kreef en vetplant\u00adspesies \u2013 is deurweef met ryke geskiedenis wat oor baie dekades tot rykdom, armoede, konflik en misdaad gelei het. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die eerste kopermyners in die gebied was die Khoi, wat so vroeg soos 1681 goeie kopermonsters aan goewerneur Simon van der Stel in die Kaap getoon het. Van der Stel het in 1685 op \u2019n ekspedisie vertrek om die \u201ckoperberge\u201d te soek. Koper is op verskeie plekke in die Namakwalandse binneland gevind, onder meer by Okiep en Nababeep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So skryf T.V. Bulpin (1918-1999) in Discovering Southern Africa (1970). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daar was egter nie \u2019n manier om die kopererts op \u2019n ekonomiese wyse na die Kaap, meer as 600 km ver, te vervoer nie en vir byna 200 jaar is hierdie \u201contdekking\u201d nie verder ontgin nie. In die 1850\u2019s was daar \u2019n kortstondige koperstormloop, maar fortuinsoekers het gou gewyk met die besef dat die koper nie \u201cvolop en suiwer\u201d rondl\u00ea nie, en dat harde werk en kapitaal nodig is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die Cape Copper Mining Company was een van die maatskappye wat volhard het, en teen die 1870\u2019s is die O\u2019Okiep-myn as die rykste kopermyn ter w\u00eareld beskou. Teen 1904 is glo reeds een miljoen ton kopererts uit drie myne, Nababeep, O\u2019Okiep en Carolusberg, produseer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Om die kopererts tot by die hawe in Port Nolloth te vervoer, het mynmaatskappye \u2019n spoorlyn van 760 mm tussen di\u00e9 hawedorp, oor Steinkopf na Okiep en Nababeep gebou. Dit is in Januarie 1876 geopen. Weens \u2019n gebrek aan water langs die spoorlyn kon stoomlokomotiewe eers nie gebruik word nie, en muile is ingespan. Di\u00e9 muiltreine het kopererts, algemene vrag en passasiers vervoer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Voer, water en uitgeruste muile is by skofposte langs die roete aangehou. Die tog van 146 km is in twee dae voltooi. Passasiers het die nag in die Klipfontein-hotel aan die bopunt van die Anenouspas deurgebring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stoomlokomotiewe is rondom 1886 heeltyds in gebruik geneem nadat watertenks langs die spoorlyn opgerig is. In sy boek Klipfontein bring herinneringe (uitgewer: Steinkopf Bronnesentrum, 2015) skryf J.F. van Wyk: \u201cDit word vertel dat toedie eerste trein met \u2019n lokomotief in 1884 aankom, die muile van blydskap hardop gelag het en stert in die lug die veld ingestorm het.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die gebruik van die spoorlyn is in 1942 gestaak, en die grootste dele daarvan is teen 1944 gelig, waarna padvervoer gebruik is. Reis \u2019n mens vandag op die pad tussen Port Nolloth, Steinkopf en Okiep, is enkele oorblyfsels van die spoorlyn sigbaar, asook dit wat eens die Klipfontein-hotel en -stasie was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n Moontlikhede blink n\u00e1 ontdekkings <\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA pretty stretch of beach and calm water with the reef visually inviting to the holidaymaker,\u201d skryf Bulpin oor Port Nolloth, en ook oor die koue Benguela-stroom \u2013 16 \u00b0C maksimum, en wisselende weerstoestande. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1854 is Robbebaai deur kapt. M.S. Nolloth as die mees praktiese ligging vir \u2019n hawe opgemeet, en in 1855 is Port Nolloth na hom genoem. Nadat die kopermyne weens die gebruik van vragmotors nie meer di\u00e9 hawe nodig gehad het nie, het die visbedryf ontstaan, met onder meer drie kreeffabrieke wat op \u2019n tyd \u2019n bestaan daar gemaak het.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die ontdekking van spoeldiamante in 1926 \u2013 vanaf Kleinzee tot by Alexanderbaai \u2013 het tot Port Nolloth se voortbestaan en die uitbreiding van McDougallsbaai bygedra. Dit was vir baie dekades die enigste vakansiedorp in \u2019n geen-toegang diamantgebied. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hondeklipbaai is ook aanvanklik as \u2019n hawe vir kopererts van die myne rondom Springbok gebruik, van waar die erts per ossewa vervoer is. Weens talle ertsdraende vaartuie wat in die swaar mis in die ontstuimige see gestrand het, of beskadig is, het die Cape Copper Company in die 1870\u2019s \u2019n spoorlyn tussen Hondeklipbaai en Port Nolloth gebou. \u2019n Vis-en-kreef\u00adfabriek het ook eens hier gepryk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kleinzee, aan die mond van die Buffelsrivier, was dekades lank \u2019n diamantmyndorp van De Beers, en vir toeriste ontoeganklik. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die maatskappy het \u2019n volledige dorp met parke, skole, sportklubs, ontspanningsale, winkels en meer gevestig, en dit het in sy piektyd glo ongeveer 4 000 inwoners gehuisves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n \u2018Waarom verlang \u2019n mens dan heeltyd?\u2019<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die toerismefront blom teen di\u00e9 kusgebied, en stel jy in geskiedenis, mensestories en \u2019n vakansieruimte weg van die hoofstroom belang, sal jy nie teleurgesteld wees nie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2019n Noord-Kaapse binnelander wat onlangs \u2019n huis in Kleinzee gekoop het, vertel sy het lank na \u2019n eiendom met langtermynopsies gesoek. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sy het wyd gesoek, in verskeie Karoo-dorpe en in talle ander Weskusdorpe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn Kleinzee het die gehalte van die huise, huispryse, asook die grootte van die huise en erwe \u2019n rol gespeel. Kleinzee se rustigheid het my bekoor. As \u2019n mens die eerste oggend daar wakker word, maak dit nie saak of die wind waai nie, en is die grondpad vergete. Die stadiger tempo en die stilte in die aande, waar \u2019n mens \u2019n bietjie kan vergeet van al die gekkigheid in die w\u00eareld . . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sy s\u00ea ongeag enkele negatiewe aspekte, soos dele van die grondpad wat sleg kan wees, en die min vars produkte in die algemeen in winkels, was Kleinzee steeds die beste opsie \u2013 al is Springbok, die naaste inkopiesentrum, meer as 100 km ver. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHier kan \u2019n mens nie bekostig om vir mekaar kwaad wees nie. Jy weet nooit wanneer jy iemand nodig het om vir jou \u2019n motorbattery of medisyne vanaf Springbok saam te bring nie,\u201d s\u00ea sy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In die Weg-tydskrif van Junie-Julie 2022 skryf Esma Marnewick in \u2019n lesersbrief: \u201cDie Kaap met haar berge en wingerde is \u2019n wonderlike plek om te bly, maar hoekom verlang \u2019n mens dan heeltyd terug na Hondeklipbaai? Hier\u2019s nie ghr\u00eand Toskaanse strandhuise of byderwetse wafelrestaurante nie. Ook nie \u2019n vul\u00adstasie, OTM of teerpaaie nie. Dis byna ses maande sedert ek op Hondeklipbaai was. Tog bly die plek in my kop draal . . . veral op dae wat die hamsterwieletjie dreig om te ontspoor. Hoe anders lyk \u2019n dag nie daar nie? Wapper die tannie in die huis oorkant die Honde\u00adpondokkies se lakens vanoggend in die wind?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2019n Gautengse ouerpaar en hul twee tienerdogters, wat Desember in Hondeklipbaai vakansie gehou het, s\u00ea die ongereptheid, rustigheid en min mense was \u201contsettend lekker\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDit was net ons vier; nie soos by ander plekke waar die kinders maats kon maak nie. Ons het gehalte gesinstyd gehad, en tyd gekry om mekaar weer te vind,\u201d vertel die ma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die Mosselbaai-omgewing was \u2019n sterk oorweging as vakansie\u00adbestemming, maar toe hoor hulle van vakansiespitstyd aan die suidkus, en dat dit tot twee ure neem om 8 km verder by \u2019n winkelsentrum uit te kom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs Gautengers bestee ons weeksoggende \u2019n uur tot \u2019n uur en \u2019n half werk en skool toe, en in die middae \u2019n uur terug. Ons het nie hiervoor kans gesien in ons vakansietyd nie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nog \u2019n pluspunt, vertel sy, is dat Hondeklipbaai juis nie \u2019n winkel\u00adsentrum het nie. Dit help dat \u2019n mens beter beplan en op die einde minder geld uitgee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jeanene Jessnitz, \u2019n eiendomsagent en by die toerismegroep Namaqua Coastal Route betrokke, s\u00ea die eiendomsmark in Kleinzee is lewendig. Voornemende kopers wissel van jong paartjies met klein kinders tot mense na aan aftrede wat van die rotresies wil wegkom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baie werk ook aanlyn vanaf die huis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n Werd om te weet<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pak jou eie voorraad, maar ondersteun die restaurante en winkels. Snuffel rond en vra uit: Jy sal verras word deur unieke winkeltjies, plaaslike kunstenaars en museums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moenie aanneem \u2019n restaurant of winkel gaan oop wees nie. Bel en vind uit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vind vooraf uit oor die beste roetes en plekke waar brandstof beskikbaar is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die tweede Namakwa Woeskusfees vind op 6 en 7 Oktober buite Kleinzee plaas. Besoek die Facebook-blad Woeskusfees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die Namaqua Camino bied staptogte van verskillende afstande aan. Bel Ina Vosloo by 072-219-2452 en Elize Kruger by 083-674-5045. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2019n Skeepswraktoer saam met Dudley Wessels (083-305-2569) neem besoekers na verskeie wrakke. Voorafbespreking is noodsaaklik. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besoek die Kleinzee-museum wat die geskiedenis van die diamant\u00adbedryf, geologie, argeologie, natuur en kultuur uitbeeld. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Buffelsriviermond en die kuslyn bied \u2019n kombinasie van see- en varswatervo\u00ebls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heavisides-dolfyne is volop, en walvisse word ook gereeld gesien.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kleinzee het \u2019n aktiewe hengel- en golfklub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vind nog inligting en besonderhede oor die Noord-Kaapse kuslyn by namaquacoastalroute.co.za.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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