Henties Bay

Henties Bay

A Day By The Sea

The Water-Hole where Hentie camped

North Dune - Henties Bay

 

In the beginning: It is known that a patrol of Schutztruppe found the 'sweet' water at the mouth of the Omaruru River Delta in 1886 and camped there for the night.

 

In later years it was to this water hole in 1920 that an old South West minerals prospector known as Erasmus pitched his tent tasted the water (and no doubt caught a few fish) and was cured of a great affliction - the quest for those elusive alluvial diamonds that in the 'Good Old Days' were found in the rivers and along sections of the coastline of  Namibia.

 

In 1922 a garage owner and motor dealer from Kalkveld, Hentie van der Merwe, went on a hunting trip north of the Brandberg, where his Chevrolet truck developed an overheating problem and it was to this water hole that Henty eventually arrived and pitched his tent under the palm trees while he repaired his truck. In those far off 'Good Old Days', following a high tide, the beach, at Hentie's,  lay deep with fresh red bait, so Hentie cast out a line and caught one of those big fish that the old timers keep telling us about. Hentie must have enjoyed it, as he settled down for the rest of the week and the hunting holiday turned into a fishing holiday.

 

On his return inland, the word 'got out' and by the next holiday period in old 'South West'  a few farmers brought their families along, pitched their tents alongside Hentie's, made use of that sweet water hole, and they all 'hooked on some red bait and went fishing' and caught big and plenty.

 

Following Which:

It only took a few seasons of tented holidays where everybody enjoyed the coolness of the coastal summer climate, the getting together with old friends, sitting around a braai (BBQ) fire in the evenings, and of course those BIG and PLENTIFUL FISH...

A few months later the question would be asked,, "Where are you going for your holidays this time?" And the answer would be,

"To the coast, that good fishing place about fifty miles north of Swakop. You know where I mean....... Henties Bay." And that's how it all began...

 

The Big Fish: OK. You've heard it all before, and no matter what generation you belong to you will always hear older folks talking of about the  'Good Old Days'. If you're a 'fisherman' you'll be subjected to stories of how plentiful and how big the fish on the Namibia coast were 'back then'. In the case of Henties Bay those tales of the 'Good Old Days' are true. This was the place where they caught them.

 

If you're an angler, you'll find Henties Bay a perfect place to base from. it's nicely situated close to some popular fishing bays and holes. OK. We know it's not as good as it used to be in the 'Good Old Days', but we do know that (a) If you go at the right time, (b) if you find the 'right' place, (c) if you use the right bait, You too can catch a BIG FISH.

 

The folks in Henties Bay do things 'their way'. The below arrangement of desert wind etched rocks is a 'thing' of unusual beauty. The 'hanging tree' just up the road is near to a sign asking you not to litter.

Frying tonight

The hanging tree

Wind-etched rocks

Drift wood fence

Anchored house

 

There are some exclusive houses in Henties, but the majority have been built as holiday homes that can be rented at reasonable prices. Many of the home owners seem to be expressing thoughts or whatever that you wouldn't see in any 'ordinary' town. The above left house has a genuine ships anchor chain securing it to the 'deck'. The chap on the right has collected drift wood tree trunks and placed them around his holiday retreat. There are some interesting shapes.

  

Who was Henty van der Merwe:

It is written that Hendrik van der Merwe  originated from the Pretoria area and  that he had fought in the 1st Boer War against the British (10 Dec 1880 to 3 Aug 1881) and in the Anglo-Boer War (11 Oct 1889 to 31 May 1902) Where he attained the rank of Kaptein. He married a young woman who was a survivor from the British concentration camp at Bethulie. Their first son was born on 21 February 1908 and was named Hendrik Jacobus Stephanus.

 

Hendrik senior served in the 1st World War with the Allied forces in Europe and later with the Union of South Africa forces in South West Africa with the rank of Major and was garrisoned at Grootfontein. On demobilization the van der Merwes were one of the first families of ex South African service personnel to settle in South West Africa. Hendrik, known as Hentie moved to the rich farming area of Kalkveld where he ran a garage and prosperous motor dealership. The small town of Henties Bay is named after this man.

 

Local Area Attractions

► Holidays in Henties Bay     ► Gone Fishing    ► Fishing Act 27 0f 2001    ► Tide Table     ► Henties Bay

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By Road - Self Drive: (There are no bus services to Henties bay)

From Damaraland: Drive the C39 and C34 Road South from Springbokwasser Gate through the Skeleton Coast Park - Permit Required. Distance is about 300km. I Recommend you carry spare fuel and extra spare wheel plus liquids and supplies.

From Swakopmund take C34 road north about 75 km.

From Uis Take C35 road west 114 km then turn south on C34 for about 6 km

From Usakos Take B1 road west for 24 km. Turn onto D1918 gravel road for 116 km

  Distances from Henties Bay   (km / miles )

Did You Know

• Bartholomew Diaz sailed along this coastline in 1488.  He'd never seen anything like before. The fish were so abundant. He called it "Praai das Sadhinas. Yes! it means... The coast of the Fish. (So he was the first guy who started the stories about those Good Old Days at Henties Bay)
• Skaamhaai is Afrikaans for 'Shy Shark', and if you're really quiet and observant, you'll find them off the coast at Henties Bay.

• Map of Namibia   For detailed digitally produced road and town directional maps of Namibia

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• South-African-Airways-Timetable  User friendly timetable of all SAA flights.

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Henties Bay

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