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This gorgeous seaside town has a proud history dating back to the early 1800s when a man by the name of Hermanus Pieters followed a path etched into the ground by a herd of elephants. Hermanus Pieters was a traveling teacher and Sheppard who growing tired of his locality, made the decision to pack up and try somewhere new. He wandered south of Caledon along the elephant trail and ended up next to the sea where he discovered a fresh spring. Hermanus Pieters decided to set up camps here because of this spring and the fine grazing the land provided for his livestock. This beautiful setting became known as Hermanuspietersfontein (directly translated as Hermanus Pieters Fountain).

Cape Whale Coast History (6)
Hermanus History and Heritage (25)
Places of Interest (13)

Historical and Interested Places

First Day Cover South Africa Stamps (3)
Origin Of Names/Places (16)

Discover the meaning and history behind a name, towns and places in and around Cape Whale Coast and the Overberg
South African Shipwrecks & Lighthouses (6)

Remembrance Day: The Armistice was signed in November 1918, bringing an end to the First World War.

Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died

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The story of Wendy The Whale

Wendy the Whale is the story about a lone female southern right whale who gets beached on the shore of Hermanus, a small fishing town in South Africa and all the townspeople come together to help release her back into the sea.

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Today [11 November 2018] marks 100 years since the Armistice was signed in November 1918, bringing an end to the First World War.

Memorial services, parades and seas of red poppies pay tribute to the soldiers who laid down their lives a century ago. We salute you!
In Hermanus this memorial service was held at the War Memorial - just above the Old Harbour

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“Oom Otto” die storie van Sopiesklip in Hermanus

Jacobus Claude (Kowie) Otto wat destyds in die grot by Sopiesklip “gekampeer” het, was allermins ‘n kluisenaar of boemelaar soos wat dit uit verskillende oorde al beweer is.

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Our Namaqualand Heritage - Namaqua Food Flavour

During the years of the Great Trek from 1834 when the epic way from south to north was paved, old pioneer families were already fighting for survival in Little Namaqualand, south of the Orange River – known also as the Grootrivier and, long before that, as the Gariep.

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Thar She Blows! The Old Whaling Station at Stoney Point, Betty’s Bay

Situated in Betty’s Bay and close to the Stony Point Penguin Colony, lies a site that was once a place of terrible cruelty and devastation, the Waaygat Whaling Station. All that remains of the old whaling station, today, are the foundations of some of the main buildings....

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The Forgotten temples in the Karoo

Stone structures dot the veld in many locations throughout southern Africa. These were not given much thought in modern times, with landowners and archaeologists alike variously assuming that the structures were built as livestock enclosures, houses, game traps or even fortifications in the Boer War.

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