Gordon's Bay
Encyclopedia
Gordon's Bay is a harbour town in the Western Cape
province of South Africa
, close to Strand. It is situated on the northeastern corner of False Bay
about 50 km from Cape Town
to the south of the N2 (South Africa)
national road and is named after Robert Jacob Gordon
(1743-1795), the Dutch explorer of Scottish descent.
Gordon's Bay is the smallest of three towns in the Helderberg
region, so named after the Helderberg Mountain which is part of the Hottentots-Holland
Mountains which dwarf the locality on two sides. Gordon's Bay was originally named "Fish Hoek", many years before the town of the same name, located on the western side of False Bay, was founded. Evidence of this can be seen on the outside wall of the local Post Office
.
Gordon's Bay consists of the old village, situated around the old harbour and Bikini Beach, the mountainside on the lower slopes of the Hottentots-Holland
mountains overlooking False Bay, and the low-lying suburbs close to the main beach, making up the most recent expansion of the town.
The older part of Gordon's Bay is host to the South African Navy
's Naval College, an officer training center located adjacent to the old harbour and yacht
marina. Above the harbour on the mountainside is a giant anchor and the letters "GB". Many think that this stands for Gordon's Bay, but in fact it stands for General Botha
which was the original name of the Naval station in the town. The Steenbras Dam
, Cape Town
's primary supply of drinking water, is located on the mountain above the town.
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
province of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, close to Strand. It is situated on the northeastern corner of False Bay
False Bay
False Bay is a body of water defined by Cape Hangklip and the Cape Peninsula in the extreme South-West of South Africa.- Description and location :...
about 50 km from Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
to the south of the N2 (South Africa)
N2 (South Africa)
The N2 is a National Route in South Africa; it is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. The N2 starts in Cape Town in the Western Cape and runs through the cities of Port Elizabeth and East London in the Eastern Cape and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal to end at Ermelo in...
national road and is named after Robert Jacob Gordon
Robert Jacob Gordon
Robert Jacob Gordon , was a Dutch explorer, soldier, artist, naturalist and linguist of Scottish descent.-Life:...
(1743-1795), the Dutch explorer of Scottish descent.
Gordon's Bay is the smallest of three towns in the Helderberg
Helderberg
Helderberg is a wine-producing area in the Western Cape of South Africa.Originally known as the 'Hottentots-Holland' area, it was renamed 'Helderberg' by the City of Cape Town following concerns about possible racist connotations in the name...
region, so named after the Helderberg Mountain which is part of the Hottentots-Holland
Hottentots-Holland
The Hottentots Holland mountain range is part of the Cape Fold Belt in the Western Cape, South Africa. The range forms a barrier between the Cape Town metropolitan area and the southern Overberg coast. The range is primarily composed of Table Mountain Sandstone and forms an impressive range to the...
Mountains which dwarf the locality on two sides. Gordon's Bay was originally named "Fish Hoek", many years before the town of the same name, located on the western side of False Bay, was founded. Evidence of this can be seen on the outside wall of the local Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
.
Gordon's Bay consists of the old village, situated around the old harbour and Bikini Beach, the mountainside on the lower slopes of the Hottentots-Holland
Hottentots-Holland
The Hottentots Holland mountain range is part of the Cape Fold Belt in the Western Cape, South Africa. The range forms a barrier between the Cape Town metropolitan area and the southern Overberg coast. The range is primarily composed of Table Mountain Sandstone and forms an impressive range to the...
mountains overlooking False Bay, and the low-lying suburbs close to the main beach, making up the most recent expansion of the town.
The older part of Gordon's Bay is host to the South African Navy
South African Navy
The South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....
's Naval College, an officer training center located adjacent to the old harbour and yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
marina. Above the harbour on the mountainside is a giant anchor and the letters "GB". Many think that this stands for Gordon's Bay, but in fact it stands for General Botha
HMS Thames (1885)
HMS Thames was a Mersey class second class protected cruiser of the Royal Navy. She later served in the South African Navy under the name SATS General Botha as a training vessel.-Royal Navy:...
which was the original name of the Naval station in the town. The Steenbras Dam
Steenbras Dam
The Steenbras Dam is a dam in the Hottentots-Holland mountains near Cape Town in South Africa. It is one of the city's water supplies. The Steenbras pumped-storage scheme was opened in 1979 to supplement the city's electricity supply during peak demand periods....
, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
's primary supply of drinking water, is located on the mountain above the town.
Internal Links
- Ports and harbours in South AfricaPorts and harbours in South AfricaPorts and harbours in South Africa, A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbours where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land. Port locations are selected to optimize access to land and navigable water, for commercial demand, and for shelter from...
- Steenbras DamSteenbras DamThe Steenbras Dam is a dam in the Hottentots-Holland mountains near Cape Town in South Africa. It is one of the city's water supplies. The Steenbras pumped-storage scheme was opened in 1979 to supplement the city's electricity supply during peak demand periods....
- List of reservoirs and dams in South Africa
- National Roads in South AfricaNational Roads in South AfricaIn South Africa, national routes constitute a numbered network of roads starting with an "N" prefix . They usually connect major centres. Although the terms National Road and National Route are often used interchangably in everyday conversation, the two are not synonymous, and some Regional Routes ...