Cape Point Vineyards
Note: the given coordinates are for the main parking area
This multi is set in the beautiful grounds of the vineyards located in the Noordhoek bowl with a ring of mountains to the rear and a wonderful southern/western vista to the front – particularly at sunset – over to Noordhoek’s Long Beach and beyond to Kommetjie. It can be completed in under 30 minutes.
Opening hours: 08h30-20h30 daily (except Sunday to 20h00)
To find the cache:
Enter the vineyard at S 34 5.951 E 18 22.950 off Silvermine Road and drive up past the vineyards to either the main parking @ S 34 5.703 E 18 22.277.
Step 1: you will note that the whole car park roof is a giant solar panel array arranged in A rows.
Step 2: having parked your cachemobile, head up the path to the main buildings where at S 34 5.653 E 18 23.259 you will be able to note the crest on the wall above the windows which has B creatures on it.
Step 3: now make your way down and along the walkway in front of the building and then down to and along the dam walkway to the platform at the end where at 34 5.645 E 18 23.204 you will see a large boulder jutting through the platform. You will note that there are C planks between the 2 points of the platform edge on either side of the boulder.
Step 4: retrace your steps and head clockwise around the dam to S 34 5.673 E 18 23.198 where you will find two electrical boxes presumably associated with pumping of the dam water. There are D green cables coming from/going into the smaller of these boxes (one has been cut!)
Step 5: finally carry on around the dam to S 34 5.613 E 18 23.218 - the location of a circular metal drain cover near a small footbridge. The number stamped into this on the lower right edge of the cover is G1-5E0 where E is the number required.
The cache, a camo-taped flip-topped plastic pot, may be found at:
S 34 5.A(B-D)(C-7) E 18 23.(E-5)(E-A)(B+2)
The vineyards were once part of Serina Kaolin – a local mining operation – having been reserved for open pan kaolin mining. In 2009 they were converted into vineyards by owner Sybrand van der Spuy. The operational kaolin mine is 1.5km west on the lower slopes of Chapman’s Peak.
This complex and prolonged conversion involved several stages:
- digging through and removal of barren sand, then clay, and finally several layers of red stone to make terraces and build dam walls
- moving of soil and sand from the lower marsh areas to the sparser sections
- delving (involves incorporation of added materials) this with up to 40 tons/hectare of lime to reduce soil acidity, provide calcium & magnesium, and improve water penetration and uptake of nutrients by plants growing on acidic soils
- application of organic fertiliser – 1,500 cubic metres of pig manure
- enclosing the fragile vines in growth tubes to protect them from the attention of local grysbok
The close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean (with its cooling breezes) and the mineral qualities of the granite soil make this an ideal terroir for the production of Sauvignon Blanc and other white wines.
Many thanks are due to Lizanne van der Spuy, the Manager of CPV for her kind permission to hide the cache on the property.
