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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.
Boulders Beach close to Simon's Town
Penguins at Boulders Beach
Web design and publishing by Ernst Weinert