Page 49 - Bulletin 18 2014

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Kalk Bay Municipal Improvement Act No. 26, 1897.

8. (1) To erect and construct a breakwater at Kalk Bay at Fishery Point, as a harbour for small
vessels, fishing boats and pleasure craft, and to carry out such other works, including the
construction and maintenance of a pier and all buildings, wharves, jetties and other erections
as may be considered necessary for the protection and convenience of persons (and their
property) engaged in connection with such vessels, boats or craft.

However, the small municipality’s immediate priorities were water supply, sanitation and

electricity. It had not the financial means to embark on harbour construction and so the matter
passed to the next tier of government, the Colonial Government in Cape Town. But from

1899 the Colony was involved in the Anglo-Boer War and it was only after that that the
harbour question could be given serious attention. This happened during 1902 - 1903 when

three plans were produced, but not implemented.

Wilhelm Westhofen’s plan

In March 1902 the Public Works Department’s Chief Engineer, Wilhelm Westhofen (1842 -

1925), drew up a plan based on an afternoon visit, discussions with fishermen, and virtually
no local data about weather, wave or sea-bed conditions. Even though he did not regard it as

really a plan he took a long-term 50-year view of the industry that anticipated considerable

growth and formed his proposal around this assumption.

His plan showed two breakwaters (southern and northern) enclosing a basin of 8.5 acres, and

a reclaimed area of 6.5 acres running all the way to the rocky promontory at Bishop’s Pool in

front of Kalk Bay station. (Fig. 2.5.) (8.5 acres may have been something of a norm for small
harbours as the Alfred Basin in Table Bay was also built to this size in 1860-69.) The curved

breakwater would be made of rubble quarried from the nearby mountain slope and placed in
water deep enough (2.5 fathoms or more) to accommodate the larger craft that were

anticipated, particularly steam trawlers that might draw 12 ft. or more, and extensive enough

to accommodate about 20 steam trawlers and at least 200 ordinary sailing craft. (Fig. 2.6.) He