These are the bathing boxes on the open sand at Surfers Corner; the Muizenberg bathing boxes, not to be confused with the similar-looking row beside the tidal pool at St James.
Private bathing boxes appeared in the 1870s, and by 1899 there were 64 on the beach.
The railway reached Muizenberg in 1882, and turned a coastal settlement into a major holiday destination.
By 1910, the original assortment of privately erected boxes had been replaced by a standardised municipal row.
In 2017, there was a serious proposal to remove some of them because of their condition and security concerns. Residents objected strongly, arguing that the huts were part of Muizenberg’s heritage.
Having spent a couple of hours on Muizenberg Beach watching surfers making it look easy in the waves, while admiring these refurbished bathing huts.
Walking into the waves.
The ability to stand up on a surfboard has eluded me for all of my 73 years.
Even though I was born in Port Elizabeth, it was not a sport that really interested me.
Too much seawater and sand.
However, now that we have settled into our new home in Fish Hoek, the possibility of taking lessons is an option.
I did say possibility, not probability…
Time to bid goodbye to Muizenberg and hop on the Southern Line and head back to Kalk Bay.
These trains run from early morning to early evening and are a quick and convenient way of getting up and down the seaboard without fighting traffic or looking for parking.
And the cost to pensioners during off-peak times is exceedingly reasonable.
The carriages are clean, and there is security personnel on board to make certain that the rules and regulations are adhered to.
On a walk from Fish Hoek, I would approach the harbour from the opposite side.
Coming from the station gave me a different perspective.
Possibly not as impressive as the long sea-facing wall with the red warning light, but worthy of a photograph or two
There were still remnants of the mist to be seen in the background
This young Cape Fur Seal was the only active of the 4 that were lying on the dock.
I thought they gave off a rather pungent odour, but it transpires that it comes from their poop, not body odour.
The stench is a result of their diet, which consists of massive quantities of oily fish, squid, and crustaceans. The breakdown of these sulfur-rich, protein-dense foods by their digestive system produces strong, pungent compounds like trimethylamine, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia. (You try to pronounce those quickly 3 times!)
Did You Know: Seal poop is referred to as scat.
Oh, the lengths photographers will go to to get ‘that’ shot.
I would like to believe this fellow did not spray me on purpose, but that he was so focused on cleaning the fish he did not notice me.
Luckily for me, it was my camera hood that bore the brunt of this, and not my clothing.
But it took me a while to make certain that my lens was clean and devoid of any oily residue.
Not quite migration time…
FYI: Birds fly in a V formation (also known as a skein) primarily to conserve energy and improve group coordination during long-distance migration.
Now you do.
On my way home, I treated myself to a cappuccino at Gawjus in Fish Hoek.
Well deserved, and I really enjoy their coffee and the ambience of this shop
BREAKING NEWS.
Two new awards for Travel & Things.
I am grateful for them both, but the storytelling award is the one that makes my heart sing.
In all the years that I have been publishing stories, I have strived to make them read like a travel story, rather than just a review of the properties I visit and the wildlife I see.
And it seems that my persistence has paid off.
That being said, the other award is for reviews, so I guess I am doing something right.
Travel & Things is the proud winner of these prestigious awards from the digital British lifestyle magazine Luxlife.
The awards are in the categories:
Best Travel & Experiences Blog 2024 – South Africa
Best African Game Reserves & Lodges Travel Review Site 2025.
Best African Resorts and Retreats Award 2025.
Most Engaging Travel & Lifestyle Blog 2026.
And now I can add:
Best Luxury & Safari Travel Review Platform 2026
Authentic Storytelling Excellence Award 2026
To see who the guests have been since this YouTube channel launched, click on the logo above.
Looking for something to read? Click on the logo above to visit the Off the Shelf YouTube channel for interesting and up-to-date interviews and book reviews.
“Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?”
Edgar Bergen
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