Cape Agulhas was named by early Portuguese navigators, the first to round Africa in the 15th century. At the southern most point of journey they noticed that their compass needles were unaffected by magnetic deviation, pointing true north instead. They called this point the “Cape of Needles”. At this promontory, where the tip of the African continental shelf disappears undramatically into the sea to form what is known as the Agulhas Bank, the Atlantic and Indian Ocean merge. The only physical evidence of this convergence is a simple stone cairn. Meisho Maro 38 can be seen 2km west of the Agulhas lighthouse.
Agulhas Lighthouse, whose design is based on the Pharos lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt, was built in 1848. After the Green Point lighthouse, it is the oldest working lighthouse in Southern Africa. It fell into disuse, but was restored and reopened in March 1988. Today its 7.5 million-candlepower lamp is visible for 30 nautical miles. The museum attached to the lighthouse was opened in 1994. There are 71 steps to the top of the tower, which affords superb views of the coast and seascape.
Ancient people also left their mark on the landscape - a cultural heritage that dates back thousands of years to when the Khoi-khoi people trapped fish using ingeniously constructed tidal traps.
The Zoetendal, Birkenhead and Arniston are some of the many shipwrecks found along the coastline. Showpieces from these shipwrecks are on display at the Bredasdorp shipwreck museum. Visitors to the area can still see the remains of the Meisho Maru 38 wreck on the shores of Cape Agulhas. The Park also has a lot to offer to the birding enthusiast. The wetlands of the Park attract a host of water birds, with over 21 000 migrant and resident wetland birds estimated to occur in the area annually. The area is also known for the rare African Black Oystercatcher. Currently there are not many land animals in the Agulhas National Park, but the rare Cape Grysbok is something to look out for in the coastal fynbos. It’s a different story with the two oceans. Here you can look out for Cape Fur Seals and a variety of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. The Southern Right Whales come to the bays to breed from August to November. |
