Page 6 - Bulletin 4 2000

3

for agriculture and grazing. Bird and small game were prolific, and water and firewood were

sufficient.

He eventually joined the Noord and took soundings from Ysselsteyn Bay to Kalk Bay. After further
soundings around False Bay the Noord returned to Ysselsteyn Bay where he went ashore. The Noord

was instructed to wait for him at Kalk Bay and Van der Stel again made the return journey along the
coast. He returned on the Noord to Table Bay on 29 November 1687 after a visit to Seal Island. His

expedition had lasted 20 days and his delight at Kalk Bay and Ysselsteyn Bay was evident in his

report back to the Council of Seventeen. The advantages of safe anchorage and his most favourable
comments on the abundance of fish and the availability of fresh water, game, and firewood were well

documented. So delighted was he with the area that he renamed Ysselsteyn Bay Simon’s Bay. The

Council of Seventeen were most satisfied with his report about the use of Simon’s Bay for maritime
and refreshment purposes.

This was the first meaningful expedition by the D. E. I. C. into the environs of Kalk Bay and Simon’s

Bay. Fig. 1.1 shows the Caap de Goede Hoop at this time with important place names including
Esselsteins Baay and Sand valey (Sandvlei.)

Willem Adriaan Van Der Stel – a rejection of his father's report

In 1699 Willem Adriaan van der Stel succeeded his father as the new Governor of the Cape, and was
instructed by the Council of Seventeen to revisit False Bay and to report on his father’s survey

regarding the establishment of winter anchorage.

He set out on 26 February 1699 and the ox-wagons reached Sandvlei in the early afternoon, but

because of the steepness of the mountain he and his party proceeded on foot. They reached the Kalk
Bay side of Clovelly corner and decided that because of the severe mountain slope they would

proceed no further. Tents were erected near Fishery Beach but, because of the strong south-easter, the

vessel which had been sent to fetch them could not come ashore. Willem Adriaan and his party then
proceeded up the Kalk Bay mountain where they found little water, the soil to be sandy, and only a

limited amount of firewood. At this point the expedition was aborted and they returned to the Castle.
The mission had been a failure.

3