Smitswinkel Bay
The cache is hidden at approx 25m elevation on the side of a hill overlooking Smitswinkel Bay about 15 minutes drive south of Simon’s Town on Cape Peninsula. The cache trail consists of good tracks with a short easy scramble approaching the cache area.
Directions to the Cache:
Approach 1 (via beach):Park at the parking area at S 34 15.722 E 18 27.992 making sure to secure your car as this is baboon country! Descend the well-maintained path starting across the road for approx 100m altitude taking 10 minutes to reach the beach while admiring the fine views. Do keep to the main path as side paths lead to private residences. Once at the beach, take the track south above the high-water mark until opposite the final cottage. At this point S 34 15.934 E 18 27.985 turn and ascend west for a short distance and look out for a trail entering the bush at the side of the last house.
Approach 2 (via upper access trail): park as above and take the main trail down to S 34 15.783 E 18 27.961 where the trail forks. Head down to the right in line with the large fire break as far as S 34 15.808 E 18 27.944 then turn left here and head down across a small wooden boardwalk to S 34 15.818 E 18 27.960 then head right here along a trail which accesses various residences. Follow this until you reach the point opposite the side of the last house.
Then for either approach: Follow this trail ascending up through the somewhat overgrown bush, making use of a convenient rope to assist in the steeper sections – but still manageable without.
Here you will reach a ledge with a shallow cave. Beyond the end of the overhang, proceed for about 15m up the overgrown small trail around the corner to another small corner where the cache is hidden.
Please note:
1. The cache coordinates are an approximation from numerous readings taken at the site. The GPSr was fluctuating wildly (probably due to the proximity of the cliffs) and only giving an apparent accuracy of 10-15m.
2. The beach area in particular is also visited by muggles (including holidaymakers & fishermen) so you may need to be suitably discreet in your approach.
Some background:
Smitswinkel Bay is the last bay on the False Bay side of the Cape before entering the Cape Peninsula National Park. It was first called Patience after the tiny stream which flows down a small valley into the bay because mariners wanting to fill their water casks here had to be very patient because of the slow trickle of water. The name Smitswinkel means ‘smithy’ and dates from at least 1744 but its origin or relevance is apparently unknown!
In 2007, 40 hectares of the bay (excluding the 29 cottages) was bought for R7.73 million by a foreigner living in South Africa. Residents feared the buyer may use it for a housing development and thereby ruin the character of the area. The land was last auctioned in 2001 for R3m, but the buyer, a consortium, did not build on it. The bay borders the Cape Peninsula National Park and falls within the Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment. There is no electricity, refuse removal or road access for the cottages.
Special permission must be granted by the provincial authorities for rezoning or development and previous 
applications have been turned down. The land's rural zoning allows buildings that occupy only 500 sq.m which would allow one home. The buyer was made aware of the land's restrictions and has the title deed dated 1915. Table Mountain National Park authorities say the land is prioritised for inclusion in the park and was to become a World Heritage Site. But TMNP could not afford the prices fetched at the last two auctions. One option would be a long-term lease on the land. Another would be the land being given to the park, but its high value made this unlikely.
It is overlooked from the south by Judas Peak (319m) one of a series of three impressive peaks on this section of the bay, the others progressively further south of this being Die Boer (302m) and Paulsberg (368m).