Page 67 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

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Mr Hugo who lived in the stone house until recently owned by the Aves family. (ie. "Monte"

at the corner of Gatesville and Anderson Roads). This was during the days of the small open
boats when only sails and oars were a means of propulsion.

The fish-processing plant which, I believe, had huge cement baths or tanks for cleaning and

salting fish in, and also sheds to store the salted fish in, played a big part in the lives of the
local fishing community in earlier years. Because of an abundance of fish it helped to balance

the fish market as the Company would pay a stable price and therefore the "Langanaars", or

fish hawkers, would not have the market completely under their control. The Company also
had two big boats powered by engines which used to tow the smaller boats on their way out,

as they would fish outside of False Bay, and cast off the smaller craft in the area of their own

choice. The smaller boats would then fish and sail back to Kalk Bay with the prevailing
south-easter.

The Company would also have "orders" from agents and farmers inland and so the Company

would stipulate what species of fish and also the amounts which they required. Those were
the "good old days". The salted fish were then packed in railway trucks at the building called

the Goods Shed (where the Cape to Cuba restaurant is now situated) and sent inland. Our

open boats were also physically placed on railway trucks at the goods shed, railed to Cape
Town, and then lowered by crane into the water at Table Bay Docks to catch snoek

sometimes during the winter months. This was the north-wester season and a few boats
capsized in the storms and lives were lost.

At other times the boats were placed on ox-wagons (as they were not safe enough to sail to

Hout Bay) and taken by road via Constantia Nek. When bad weather prevented them from

going to sea at Hout Bay the men would walk home over the mountain and return to fish
when the weather was suitable.

The fishermen's wives worked at the Company's tables and old folks and widows were never

short of food as the fish roes, and big fish heads of geelbek, kob, snoek, etc. could be turned

into the most appetising dishes or soups. Friday would be pay-day and old fishermen spoke to

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