Dwarskersbos

Dwarskersbos is a fishing village and vacation resort some 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) north of Laaiplek in West Coast District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Dwarskersbos
Beach house in Dwarskersbos
Dwarskersbos Show map of Western Cape Dwarskersbos Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 32°42′S 18°14′E
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
District	West Coast
Municipality	Bergrivier
Area [1]
• Total	1.53 km2 (0.59 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	670
• Density	440/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
• Black African	29.9%
• Coloured	9.7%
• Indian/Asian	2.7%
• White	57.5%
• Other	0.1%
First languages (2011) [1]
• Afrikaans	94.5%
• English	4.5%
• Other	1.0%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Area code	022
Website	www.dwarskersbos.com

Sunset shot over a beach house in Dwarskersbos.

Etymology

The name is said to be derived from the name of the plant Euclea polyandra [af] of the genus Euclea(Afrikaans: dwarskers or kersbos) which grows abundantly in the region.

History

The Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama first set foot on South African soil on 7 November 1497 near here when he explored the present St Helena Bay.

The town was established on the farm “Dwarskersbos” that belonged to the Smit family^[2] in 1920.

A 6m high storm surge struck Dwarskersbos on 27 August 1969.

Geography

Its beach stretches from Velddrif and Dwarskerbos almost 40 kilometres north towards Elands Bay,^[3] making it the longest uninterrupted sandy beach in South Africa. ^[4]

Notable people

• Hannah Botha (1923-2007), an TV and film actress