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.
Henties Bay has, over the past ten years or so experienced a
considerable expansion in the property market. If you haven't visited the
town for some years you'll see the development has spread south-wards, and
you'll notice the growth in upmarket houses. For the holiday maker there are
still many well equipped holiday homes for rent at reasonable rates as well
as high standard B&B's, guest houses and self catering units. The Desert
Rose time-share complex on the North Dune is an old favorite.
Henties Bay is perfectly situated for visits to Cape Cross, the Messum
Crater, The Branberg and Twyfelfontein.
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.
Henties Bay The Early
Days
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...
