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...
