Arniston, Western Cape

Province

Arniston, also Waenhuiskrans ( Afrikaans ), is a former fishing village with 1267 inhabitants ( as of 2011) in the municipality of Cape Agulhas, Overberg District, Western Cape Province in South Africa. Cape Town is about 200 km away; the nearest town is 25 kilometers from Bredasdorp.

History

Was named the place as a group Boer hunter discovered a seaside cave in the rock, which was large enough in their view, more of their ox-carts to provide protection. It was called " Waenhuiskrans " ( German as: carriage house cave, cave garage ) and is accessible only at low tide.

The name Arniston goes back to an eponymous British troop transporter which smashed on the reefs on May 30, 1815 here off the coast in a storm. There were only six survivors, 372 people lost their lives. The survivors thought they were first north / north-west of Cape Town, and therefore made ​​their way towards the east, where they suspected the city. Only after a few days they realized that they had walked in the wrong direction, and turned around. When they arrived back at the crash site, they found a box of flour, which was washed ashore from the wreck, which they could feed. Later they were discovered by a farmer's son. Most of the remains of the wreck are now in the nearby Bredasdorp Shipwreck Museum.

The Arniston was 53.8 m long, 13.2 m wide and had three decks and three masts. It was built for the British East India Company in 1794 in the UK and led 1795-1813 eight successful trips to India and China. The wreck is located six kilometers east of Arniston at a depth of four to five meters at a distance of 900 meters to the beach. Over time, the name of the wreck has been synonymous with the city itself.

Near the town there is also the Overberg Test Range, a testing ground and launch site.

Attractions

• Waenhuiskrans Nature Reserve, an extensive dune area (266 acres ) on the outskirts of the village with views of the coastline and vast caves