TOYOTA CONNECT
machine at The Shack, but the barista may – or may not – be on an out-of- season crayfi sh mission. The outdoors is the main drawcard
and you can free-range along 14km of remote West Coast shoreline. The water’s damn cold and tempestuous tides often dump seaweed on the beach, but the dunes and rock pools below the lighthouse makes for a great amble.
Suit up in an extreme cold-weather
wetsuit and dip into the icy Atlantic for a crayfi sh or two (in season, of course), or check out the Aristea wreck, a trawler that ran aground on the edge of town courtesy of a drunk captain way back in 1945. The reef responsible for the calamity
throws up a solid 0,9-1,2m right-hand break if you’re a competent surfer, plus there are a number of big-wave spots up and down the coast. The Spitfi re Rock creates dramatic water sprays when waves thunder against the shore and makes a great sundowner spot.
STRANDFONTEINis a laid-back and languid dorp most of the year, but from
a couple of weeks before Christmas, the local hordes descend in numbers on the caravan park and the town in general. Out of season, however, there’s nary a soul in sight, so you can have the gnarly beach break below the car park all to yourself. Swap the sea for a chilled Sauvignon Blanc just down the drag in Doring Bay, where you’ll fi nd the Fryer’s Cove Winery secreted away right within the centre of the working harbour. And once you’ve had your fi ll of seafood and Sauvignon Blanc, head to the dramatic
Above: Spring time comes packaged with technicolour wild fl ower blossoms all round.
Right: Doring Bay Winery – with their tasting room in the old harbour of this little coastal dorp – makes for a wine experience bar none.
PICK ANY GRAVEL ROAD AND SET OFF ON YOUR JOURNEY OF
DISCOVERY; CHANCES ARE YOU WON’T SEE ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR DAYS.
coastal trails tripping up to the mouth of the Olifants River estuary. The area literally brims with
outdoor adventure and leisure options, including numerous spots where you can camp right on the ocean’s edge, with the roar of Atlantic rollers in your ears as you drift off to sleep. Regular whale and dolphin sightings and the annual wildfl ower season from August to September add to the attraction.
Summers are generally balmy, with
clear skies (except for the layers of ocean fog cooling things down), while winters can get rather chilly with dramatic storms. That’s precisely when you light the fi re and pour a big glass of local red wine…
NAMAQUA NATIONAL PARK is a stunning conservation area
legendary for its spectacular wildfl ower display during spring, but don’t give this outdoor space the cold shoulder during the rest of the year. With more
46
than 170 000ha of wide-sky space, it off ers endless opportunities to explore. Best of all, it’s safe and aff ordable,
with superb Northern Cape hospitality and larger-than-life characters. Head towards Kommegas if you’re keen to hear a few tall tales; they’re a dime a dozen at any of the colourful little corner shops dotting the dusty streets. Most of the gravel roads in Namaqua
National Park don’t require a 4x4: you can get by in a vehicle with good ground clearance. However, this changes quickly when it rains or if you decide to venture onto the remote coastline unfolding towards the Groen River mouth. There’s also the nearly 200km-long Caracal Eco-Route, which certainly isn’t 2x4 territory. Yup, the Namaqua West Coast is calling! Check out
www.namaquawestcoast. com or
www.sanparks.org for more information.
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