Camps Bay (

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gr ...

: ''Kampsbaai'') is an affluent suburb of

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

, South Africa, and the small bay on the west coast of the Cape Peninsula after which it is named. In summer it attracts many South African and foreign visitors.

History

The first residents of Camps Bay were the San (Hunter Gatherers) and the Goringqhaique, Khoi pastorates. When

Jan van Riebeek Johan Anthoniszoon "Jan" van Riebeeck (21 April 1619 – 18 January 1677) was a Dutch navigator and colonial administrator of the Dutch East India Company. Life Early life Jan van Riebeeck was born in Culemborg, as the son of a surgeon. H ...

established a refreshment station for the VOC (Dutch East India Company), the

Twelve Apostles In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...

were covered in forests with

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adu ...

leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, ...

and

antelope The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mamm ...

. In competition with the more recent settlers, the Gringqhaique lost their grazing lands on the south east slopes of

Table Mountain Table Mountain ( naq, Huriǂoaxa, lit= sea-emerging; af, Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the ...

and in 1657 were restricted to Camps Bay. By 1713 the number of Gringqhaique population had been reduced by measles and smallpox. All that was left of their settlement was an old kraal (Oudekraal). The area was then granted to John Lodewyk Wernich and passed from father to son. Johan Wernich married Anna Koekemoer, who on his death in 1778, married Fredrick Ernst von Kamptz, a sailor and the area became known as “Die Baai van von Kamptz”. For most of the 1800s Camps Bay was undeveloped. Lord Charles Somerset used the area for hunting and used the Roundhouse as his lodge.

Kloof Nek Road Kloof Nek Road, one of South Africa's oldest roads, was built in 1848 as an access road for the suburban pass with the same name which was used primarily as a look-out post for soldiers and a supply route to Camps Bay. The route starts at Kloof St ...

was built in 1848 and in 1884

Thomas Bain Thomas Bain (December 14, 1834 – January 18, 1915) was a Scottish born Canadian parliamentarian. Bain was born in Scotland, the son of Walter Bain, and migrated to Canada with his family when he was three years old. They settled on a b ...

was commissioned to build a road from

Sea Point Sea Point ( Afrikaans: ''Seepunt'') is one of Cape Town's most affluent and densely populated suburbs, situated between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean, a few kilometres to the west of Cape Town's Central Business District (CBD). Moving f ...

to Camps Bay using convict labour. The road was completed in 1887 and named Victoria road to honour

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

’s

jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...

in 1888. The road allowed people to cycle out to Camps Bay which had gained popularity as a picnic site. This led to the development, in 1901 of the Camps Bay tramway to bring people out for the day and with it the development of the tidal pools, the Rotunda (now the Bay Hotel) and a pavilion for concerts and shows. In 1913 Camps Bay was incorporated into Cape Town although it was still seen as a recreational area rather than a residential area.

Beaches

Oudekraal is made up of a collection of tiny beaches sheltered amongst the boulders and a well established picnic area with lawns,

Braai Barbecue varies by the type of meat, sauce, rub, or other flavorings used, the point in barbecuing at which they are added, the role smoke plays, the equipment and fuel used, cooking temperature, and cooking time. The meat may be whole, grou ...

s, covered seating areas with tables, benches and public toilets. Lui Bay (also known as Witsand) is a popular dive site. In 1977 two scrap vessels, the Antipolis and Romelia, were being towed around the cape when their tow line broke in a storm. This caused the Antipolis to run aground near Oudekraal, while the Romelia foundered further south between

Llandudno Llandudno (, ) is a seaside resort, town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located on the Creuddyn peninsula, which protrudes into the Irish Sea. In the 2011 UK census, the community – which includes Gogarth, Penrhyn Bay, Craig ...

and Sandy Bay. The hull of the Antipolis is now visible at low tide. Koeël Bay has an African open-air curio market that sells hand crafted items from all over Africa. Bakoven gets its name because of a large rock just off-shore with what appears as an oven door in its side. There are several sheltered coves located in Bakoven. There is a sea rescue base stationed here and a popular swimming beach is off Beta Close. In the early 1940s a row of beach front houses were erected to house honored members of the South African Army who fought during World War II. Many of these old houses still stand and are now registered as South African National Heritage Sites. Balie Bay, from the Afrikaans ''kak balie'' (shit barrel) after the sewer discharge that used to be there. Camps Bay Beach, a

Blue Flag Beach The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator meets its standards. The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE, which is a not-for-profit non-go ...

since 2008, is the largest white sand beach in Camps Bay. There is a seasonal life guard station with toilets at the west end of the beach. The beach is opposite Camps Bay's main tourist hub, featuring multiple hotels, restaurants, and shops. Glen Beach, at the far right of Camps Bay beach, is known as Camps Bay's best surfing beach. Short, fast rides and a small take-off area makes Glen Beach one of the hardest of Cape Town's beach breaks to surf and has resulted in a strong local atmosphere.

In popular culture

* Camps Bay was used as the scene of the virtual 'perfect' town San Junipero in the episode of the same name in season 3 of

Black Mirror ''Black Mirror'' is a British anthology television series created by Charlie Brooker. Individual episodes explore a diversity of genres, but most are set in near-future dystopias with science fiction technology—a type of speculative fiction ...

. Additionally,

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancest ...

’s Watch Series 4 advertisement features multiple parts of Cape Town including Camps Bay. * Camps Bay was the home of the worldwide Television series SAF3, starring

Dolph Lundgren Hans Lundgren (, ; born 3 November 1957), better known as Dolph Lundgren, is a Swedish actor, filmmaker and martial artist. His breakthrough came in 1985, when he starred in '' Rocky IV'' as the imposing Soviet boxer Ivan Drago. Since then, Lu ...

. The series was created by

Gregory J. Bonann Gregory J. Bonann (born June 28, 1952) is an American lifeguard, television producer, director, writer, and showrunner. He is best known for co-creating the internationally syndicated television series, ''Baywatch'', which ran for eleven seasons ...

, the creator of the world famous series BAYWATCH. SAF3's set was on the main beach. The stunning beaches of Camps Bay were the stunning backdrop of all 20 episodes.

Notable residents

* Anthony Oliphant (17 November 1793 – 9 March 1859),

attorney general In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

and

King's Advocate The King's Advocate (or Queen's Advocate when the monarch was female) was one of the Law Officers of the Crown. He represented the Crown in the ecclesiastical courts of the Church of England, where cases were argued not by barristers but by ad ...

in the

Vice-Admiralty Court Vice Admiralty Courts were juryless courts located in Kingdom of Great Britain, British colonies that were granted jurisdiction over local legal matters related to maritime activities, such as disputes between merchants and seamen. American Colon ...

from 1827 to circa. 1838. *

Anton Fig Anton Fig (born 8 August 1952 in Cape Town, South Africa), known as "The Thunder from Down Under", is a South African session drummer, perhaps best known as the drummer and second-in-command for Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band ...

(born 8 August 1952), session drummer. * Audrey Blignault (6 July 1916 – 1 October 2008), author. *

Ben Dekker Ben Dekker is a South African forester, surveyor, botanical expert, environmentalist, actor, politician, explorer, human rights activist, painter, sculptor, writer, poet and maverick. Biography Benito Adolfo Dekker born 21 October 1940

(born 1940), was briefly superintendent at Stans Halt Youth Hostel in the Big Glen. *

Ben Turok Ben Turok (26 June 1927 – 9 December 2019) was an anti-apartheid activist, Economics Professor, convicted criminal and a South African member of parliament as a member of the African National Congress. Biography Turok was born to poor working ...

(26 June 1927 – 9 December 2019), former anti-apartheid activist, economics professor and former MP. * David Kramer (born 27 June 1951), singer, songwriter, playwright and director, born in Worcester now lives in Camps Bay. *

Dean Furman Dean Furman (born 22 June 1988) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for English side Warrington Rylands 1906. He has previously played for Scottish Premiership side Rangers, English League Two side Bradford ...

(born 1988), professional footballer. *

Elsie Garrett Rice Elsie Garrett Rice (25 November 1869 Elton, Derbyshire - 27 April 1959 Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legis ...

(25 November 1869 - 27 April 1959), botanical artist. * Gonda Betrix (born 1943), Springbok equestrian. *

Grant Haskin Grant Haskin (born 1968) is currently serving as Member of the Cape Town City Council and Leader of the African Christian Democratic Party in the Cape Town City Council. He previously served as Executive Deputy Mayor of Cape Town, Acting Mayor o ...

(born 1968), Cape Town City Councillor and previously Deputy Mayor of Cape Town. *

Herschelle Gibbs Herschelle Herman Gibbs (born 23 February 1974) is a South African cricket coach and former cricketer, who played all formats of the game for fourteen years. A right-handed batsman, mostly opened the batting, Gibbs became the first player to hi ...

(born 23 February 1974), cricketer. * James Small (10 February 1969 – 10 July 2019), Springbok rugby player. *

Jannie Engelbrecht Jannie Engelbrecht (born 10 November 1938) was a Springbok rugby player who represented his country from 1960 to 1969. He gained a reputation for tenacity as a result of scoring two tries during a vital 1964 provincial match despite having broke ...

(born 10 November 1938), Springbok rugby player, from Stellenbosch but lived in Camps Bay. * John Whitmore (30 March 1929 – 24 December 2001), pioneered the sport of surfing in South Africa. *

Jordy Smith Jordan Michael "Jordy" Smith (born 11 February 1988) is a South African professional surfer, competing on the World championship tour surfing (WCT). In 2007 Smith won surfing's World Qualifying Series, the second-tier tour which leads to qualif ...

(born 11 February 1988), professional surfer * Kyle Brown (born 6 February 1987), rugby union player. *

Lewis Pugh Lewis William Gordon Pugh, OIG, (born 5 December 1969) is a British-South African endurance swimmer and ocean advocate. Dubbed the "Sir Edmund Hillary of swimming", he is the first person to complete a long-distance swim in every ocean of th ...

(born 5 December 1969), endurance swimmer and ocean advocate. *

Lord Charles Somerset Lord Charles Henry Somerset PC (12 December 1767 – 18 February 1831), born in Badminton, England, was a British soldier, politician and colonial administrator.Charles Mosley, editor. Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volu ...

(12 December 1767 – 18 February 1831), governor of the

Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when it united with ...

from 1814 to 1826. *

Lyndall Jarvis Lyndall Jarvis is a South African model and television presenter. Born and raised in Cape Town, she is the daughter of an English mother and a South African father. She started modelling at the age of 5. In 2009, ''FHM South Africa'' named he ...

, model and television presenter. *

Mary Renault Eileen Mary Challans (4 September 1905 – 13 December 1983), known by her pen name Mary Renault ("She always pronounced it 'Ren-olt', though almost everyone would come to speak of her as if she were a French car." ), was an English writer best ...

(4 September 1905 – 13 December 1983), writer. *

Nigel Hawthorne Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor. He is most known for his stage acting and his portrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby, the permanent secretary in the 1980s sitcom '' Yes Minister'' and the Cabi ...

(5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001), actor. * Paige Nick, novelist, columnist and advertising copywriter. *

Percy Montgomery Percival Colin Montgomery OIS (born 15 March 1974) is a South African former professional rugby union player. When he ended his international career in August 2008, he held the all-time records for both caps and points for South Africa's nati ...

(born 15 March 1974), retired rugby union player. *

Pieter Toerien Pieter Toerien (born 1942) is a South African producer and theatre manager, responsible for bringing many large scale musicals to South African stages, including ''Cats'', Disney's ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''The Lion King'' and '' Phantom of ...

(born 1942) producer and theatre manager. * Simon Thirsk (born 15 May 1977) retired Olympic swimmer. * Stelio Savante (born 24 April 1970), actor. *

Zainunnisa Gool Zainunnisa "Cissie" Gool (6 November 1897 – 1 July 1963) was an anti-apartheid political and civil rights leader in South Africa. She was the daughter of prominent physician and politician Abdullah Abdurahman and mother Helen Potter James. G ...

(6 November 1897 – 1 July 1963), anti-apartheid political and civil rights leader.

References

External links

{{Authority control Suburbs of Cape Town