Page 17 - Bulletin 1 1997

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the one ton boats were hauled up and slung above the tide (Figs. 2.2 & 2.3.) But only 20 boats

could be protected in this way, and eventually both the concrete foundations as well as the
foot of the viaduct were eroded by wave action. By 1910 the whole arrangement had

deteriorated to such a dangerous condition and ideas about a harbour were revived.

The same fears existed regarding the agendas of the tourism and trawling lobbies but

notwithstanding these it seems that the majority of fishermen accepted the inevitability and

advantages of a harbour. With the advent of Union the Union Government now entered the
picture and its engineer Mr G T Nicholson was charged with drawing up a fresh plan. It

appears to have been something of a compromise between Westhofen’s and Methven’s as

regards both scale and arrangement (Fig. 2.4.) It was the first dedicated fishing harbour to be
constructed in South Africa and with its construction the era of uncertainty as regards the

protection of the fishing fleet against the seas came to an end.

Era of Security

The actual construction of the Harbour commenced on the 24 February 1913 when the
Railways appointed Mr C Le S Furlong as Engineer-in-Charge. The foundation stone was laid

by the Minister of Railways and Harbours, Mr. Henry Burton on 7 June 1913. Three hundred

guests travelled down by special train to celebrate the occasion. At 2.10 p.m. Mr. Burton was
handed a silver trowel by the mayor of Kalk Bay and asked to lay the first block of the

harbour wall. At 3.30 p.m. the same Mr. Burton unlocked the door of the new station at

Muizenberg and issued the first ticket.

The estimated cost of the Main Breakwater, Fishing Quay, Reclamation, and Slipway was

£55,766. The main element of the harbour consisted of the Main Breakwater which was 783
ft. long by 30 ft. wide by approx. 30 ft. high (from the sea-bed.) This structure enclosed an

area of approx. 8.03 acres and the water was approx. 20 ft deep at the Wall. The Fish Landing
Quay was a structure 260 ft. long.