This cache is placed close to the replica of the cross that
Bartolomeu Dias erected in 1488 at Kwaaihoek.
To get to this cache you can park at Boknesstrand (S33 43.650
E26 35.112) and walk 4km to the cache. This is a very nice relaxing
walk on the beach without any dune climbing. Alternatively when you
are driving to Bonesstrand you can turn off on to a gravel road
which will take you to a parking spot next to a pump station (S33
42.590 E26 36.970) and walk 1km over the dunes. This route is a bit
more up and down but can be walked in 25min time. On this route you
will walk over spectacular rock and gravel ‘dunes’, permitting that
the constant moving sand waves have not covered it.
The container is brown and is kept in place with the help of
velcro, so if you spot only a piece of velcro please let me know...
Watch out for muggles since this is a popular fishing spot for
the local fisherman.
Bit of history:
August 1487: Dias embarked from the River Tagus below Lisbon on
his voyage of exploration around Africa to the Indies with two
armed caravels and one supply-ship, a square-rigger, which was
commanded by his brother, Pero Dias. The voyage of exploration
lasted sixteen months.
December 1487: they reached Golfo da Conceicão (Walvis Bay) and
continued to Golfo de Santo Estevao (Elizabeth Bay).
January 1488: They unknowingly sailed through a terrible storm
around the Cape of Good Hope which Diaz called called Cabo
Tormentosa - the Cape of Storms.
Diaz sailed North to Bahia dos Vaqueiros (Mossel Bay) where they
landed 3 February 1488 and continued to Bahia da Roca (Algoa
Bay).
12 March 1488: West of Bushman's River mouth, they dropped anchor
at a headland, called False Islet, now known as Kwaaihoek and
decided to embark on their return journey home.
December 1488: Bartolomeu Dias returned to Lisbon having opened up
lucrative trading routes from Europe to Asia and with invaluable
information for future Portuguese voyages of exploration. These
Portuguese expeditions were headed by Christopher Columbus, Vasco
da Gama and Pedro Alvares Cabral who all used the charts prepared
by Bartolomeu Dias.
1497: Dias accompanied the expedition led by Vasco da Gama to
India
1500: Dias accompanied Pedro Álvares Cabral on the voyage that
resulted in the discovery of Brazil. This voyage mysteriously took
a course to the New World and Cabral discovered Brazil - the
expedition then turned back towards the south coast of
Africa.
24 May 1500: Bartolomeu Dias dies in a violent storm in the Cape of
Good Hope.
The original cross that Bartolomeu Dias erected here is long gone
and was replaced by a granite replica. Unfortunately the vandals
even found this remote spot and the two metal foot plates were
stolen a while back.
If you have any problems feel free to contact me at: 071 675
3186