Page 77 - Bulletin 18 2014

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The Fish Landing Quay

The 260 ft. Fish Landing Quay was constructed concurrently with the breakwater. Its
structure comprised a sequence of columns rising from bedrock, placed at 10 ft. centres, with

intervening reinforced concrete panels creating a wall behind which reclamation took place.
The columns were formed of four pre-cast concrete blocks (8 ft. x 3.75 ft. x 3 ft.), with a

groove on each side, and placed one above the other. The concrete panels were then lowered

down the grooves to create the wall. (Figs. 2.31 & 2.32.) The front side of the wall was
finished off with horizontal hardwood fender-pieces running the full length of the quay, one

just above the highwater mark and the other above low water. The surface of the quay wall,
for a width of 7 ft. 6ins. was finished with 2 ft. of mass concrete which bound the whole

structure together. The rest of the reclaimed surface was finished off with asphalt pavers. The

quay’s surface stood 8 ft. above spring tide low water level. Ring bolts were fixed at 10 ft.
centres to provide berthing fixtures for light fishing craft.

The quay was completed in January 1915 and the reclaimed area, equipped with new

buildings comprising fishermen’s storage cubicles, toilets, bait house, and a cafe and
clubroom for anglers was put into immediate use.

The Slipway

Along the quay’s short side a 10 ft. gauge slipway with timber cradle was constructed. (Fig.

2.33.) It ran for 140 lineal feet at an incline of 1 in 9. The cradle was one of two made by
Table Bay Engineers staff for use on the Orange River at Upington during the German SWA

Campaign in 1915 when it was used for hauling locomotives and railway wagons between

pontoon level and main line level. It became redundant after a bridge was built across the
river. The winch-room was located beneath the new entrance road to the harbour which had

to be raised to pass over it. The winch had previously been used at Slangkop for hauling up

the cast-iron sections in the construction of the lighthouse. It could draw boats up to 17 tons.
The slip was finished in August 1916 and it too went into immediate use when Mr Victor