This year, Kalk Bay Harbour celebrates its 110th anniversary since the laying of its foundation stone on June 7, 1913.
Construction of the harbour was a turning point in the evolution of Kalk Bay, according to Barrie Gasson, chair of the Kalk Bay Historical Association, writing in a bulletin on the association’s website.
The town’s path towards modernisation began with the arrival of the railway in May 1883, a significant event that put the town on the modern map.
Industrialisation heralded the arrival of steam and internal combustion engines, but motorised vessels also threatened Kalk Bay’s traditional sail and oar-powered beach-boat fleet, with obsolescence.
To accommodate the larger, heavier motorised craft and ensure the safety of the fishing fleet, moorings in protected waters were urgently needed. Yet, without a harbour, the boats remained stranded on the beach.
The situation worsened when a railway viaduct was built across the beach in 1890, reducing the available refuge during storms and exposing the boats to damage from heavy seas and tides.
The first official mention of a harbour in Kalk Bay can be traced back to the Kalk Bay Municipal Improvement Bill of 1897.
Supported by ratepayers at a public meeting in April 1896, the bill empowered the municipality to carry out various public works, including the construction of a breakwater. However, due to financial constraints and the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War in 1899, the harbour’s construction was delayed.
It was only after the war that serious consideration could be given to the project.
In 1902, Wilhelm Westhofen, the chief engineer of the Public Works Department, created a plan for Kalk Bay Harbour with limited local data and input from fishermen.
His proposal anticipated significant industry growth over 50 years and featured two breakwaters, a southern and a northern one, enclosing an 8.5-acre basin with an additional 6.5 acres of reclaimed land.
The breakwater would be made of rubble from nearby mountains, and the basin would be deep enough to accommodate large craft like steam trawlers. The basin could hold about 20 steam trawlers and 200 sailing boats. Mr Westhofen also envisioned rail sidings on each quay for easy loading of fish onto trucks bound for markets in Kimberley and Johannesburg.
The Public Works Department sought a second opinion from consulting harbour engineer Cathcart Methven in June 1902. He conducted a survey of the Kalk Bay area but lacked accurate local data on natural forces. Mr Methven proposed a smaller harbour than Mr Westhofen’s, assuming it would be sufficient to accommodate the existing fleet safely.
His plan enclosed 5 acres between the northern and southern breakwaters, with provisions for slipways. Mr Methven estimated that the water area could accommodate around 200 big boats or 400 smaller ones. He recommended mass concrete breakwaters founded on rock with vertical sides.
Mr Methven’s report was submitted to Parliament, and a select committee was formed to consider the matter. It found that the loss of the beach for fishermen had significant negative effects on the industry and employment.
They agreed that a harbour was necessary and recommended Mr Westhofen’s larger plan over Mr Methven’s smaller one, with only a slight cost difference.
After learning about the committee’s recommendation, Mr Methven challenged their decision in a report to Parliament. He accused Mr Westhofen of misleading the committee and presented a revised plan with a phased construction programme.
Both their plans were sent to London for evaluation by consulting engineer Arthur C Hurtzig.
Mr Hurtzig favoured Mr Methven’s plan, considering it more suitable and cost-effective. He suggested using concrete blocks for the outer face and rubble for the inner face of the breakwaters.
As a result of the evaluation, both plans’ cost estimates increased significantly.
The original plan to build a harbour had to be postponed due to financial constraints. As an interim solution, the fishermen decided to use a hoisting system that would lift their boats above the water to protect them.
In 1905, an interim solution was implemented with the construction of gantries. These gantries were built by sinking railway lines into concrete blocks buried in the beach sand. Ropes and pulleys were used to operate the system, and it worked well for some years.
However, by 1910, the gantry footings had become unstable, making the entire structure shaky.
In 1910, with the formation of the Union, harbours became a national responsibility. This resulted in Kalk Bay’s issue being elevated to the national level, offering better chances of funding from the national tax base.
In May 1912, J W Sauer, the minister of railways and harbours, requested further plans for the harbour from G T Nicholson, resident engineer at Table Bay Harbour and advisory engineer to the Union of South Africa.
Mr Sauer was a strong supporter of the harbour idea and had a keen interest in this coastal area.
To develop the plans, C le S Furlong, assistant engineer at the Resident Engineer’s Office, Table Bay Harbour, conducted surveys for the breakwater and fish-landing quay. These plans were based on soundings done by Mr Westhofen and Mr Methven.
Mr Nicholson’s design resembled Mr Methven’s, consisting of three components attached to the Kalk Bay point: a breakwater, a fish-landing quay, and a slipway.
The plan received government approval before the close of the parliamentary session of 1912.
In February 1913, Mr Furlong was appointed engineer-in-charge and instructed to start work at Kalk Bay. Construction began on March 6 1913, and the works yard became operational at the end of May.
On June 7 1913, Henry Burton, the new minister of railways and harbours, laid the inscribed 12-ton foundation block using a silver trowel presented by the municipality.
The fish-landing quay, completed in 1915, further enhanced the harbour’s functionality. In 1917, Kalk Bay Harbour was declared a minor port of the Union, falling under the jurisdiction of the South African Railways and Harbours.
By 1919, the construction works at Kalk Bay Harbour were completed, and the harbour operated with its north side open to the sea for the following two decades. However, in 1939, recognising the need for enhanced protection for the fishing fleet and several private vessels, the authorities undertook the construction of the north mole. This addition fully enclosed the basin, providing the desired safety and shelter.
A notable feature of the harbour was the wooden jetty, affectionately known as the Scotsman’s Jetty, which extended at right angles to the north mole, leading towards the fish-landing quay. This jetty served the harbour community for many years, but , in 1993, a powerful storm struck the area, causing extensive damage to numerous vessels and resulting in the complete destruction of the Scotsman’s Jetty. The jetty was replaced with a sturdy concrete structure that now extends from near Kalkies.
