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Simon's Town

Simon’s Town is spectacularly situated beneath a 678m high ridge of mountains. The bay of  Simon’s  Town was originally known as Isselsteijn Bay from a Dutch East Indiaman of that name which, in 1671, sheltered there from contrary winds.

The crew of this ship found the bay so much to their liking that their reports eventually stimulated an exploration of the bay in 1687 by the Governor, Simon van der Stel. He recommended its development as an alternative winter sanctuary to Table Bay, which was exposed to north-westerly storm. The Bay was renamed Simon’s Bay in his honour.


On 2 April 1957 the South African Navy took over Simon’s Town naval base.
Simon’s Town is the terminus of the suburban railway from Cape Town. The train journey along the coast between Muizenberg and Simon’s Town is a delight. It is worthwhile strolling down the main street of Simon’s Town with its Historic Mile of period buildings and national monuments.


The museum also tells the story about the celebrated dog  Just Nuisance who was a great friend of sailors during the second World War. There are many amusing stories about this naval dog and his love of sailors.

Just Nuisance was a regular traveler also on his own on the train to Cape Town and became later an able Seaman. He died in Simon’s Town on 1 April 1944 at the age of only seven and is buried above the town. There is a memorial to him created by Jean Doyle, a bronze Statue, on a rock on Jubilee Square in the center of the town where he often stood and aided in collecting money for charity.

 

Boulders Beach close to Simon's Town 

 

Penguins at Boulders Beach 

 

The Main Road in Simon's Town 

 

Just Nuisance the able seaman 

 

Jumping from Boulders only for the daring

 

Penguins getting dry in the sun


 



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