Kei Mouth
Encyclopedia
Kei Mouth is a resort town on the southeast coast of South Africa
, situated in the Wild Coast
region of the Eastern Cape Province, situated 94 kilometres from the city of East London. The town is situated on the Indian Ocean
coast, on the western bank of the Great Kei River
, and has one of the country's three remaining car transporting pontoon river ferries.
from the warring Xhosa tribes.
Huberta, the famous Hippo, took up residence in the Kei River just above third cave in 1930. She was eventually chased off and continued her journey southward once more.
Other sporting activities include mountain biking
, horse riding and water sports such as surfing
, swimming, fishing
, boating and windsurfing
.
region. Whilst many of the residents are retirees, a large portion of homes are holiday homes owned by families from the interior. There are several accommodation establishments, a municipal campsite, two restaurants and bars, two small supermarkets and a service station.
Nearby resort towns include:
Qolora Mouth, Morgan's Bay, Haga Haga
and Cintsa
, Xhosa
and Afrikaans. The town is home to a large number of retirees, thanks to the mild climate and holiday atmosphere.
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...
, situated in the Wild Coast
Wild Coast Region, Eastern Cape
The Wild Coast is one of the four regions of the Eastern Cape, a province of South Africa. The region stretches from its border with Buffalo City in the south to the Mthamvuna River near Port Edward in the north...
region of the Eastern Cape Province, situated 94 kilometres from the city of East London. The town is situated on the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
coast, on the western bank of the Great Kei River
Great Kei River
The Great Kei River is a river in South Africa in the Eastern Cape province. Before it becomes the Great Kei, the Swart-Kei River and the Wit-Kei River join forces, northeast of Cathcart. It flows for 520 km and ends at the Indian Ocean with the small town Kei Mouth on the west bank...
, and has one of the country's three remaining car transporting pontoon river ferries.
History
The town of Kei Mouth was created by the British after the 8th Frontier War, as part of the frontline of a buffer zone aimed at protecting British KaffrariaBritish Kaffraria
British Kaffraria was a British colony/subordinate administrative entity in present-day South Africa, consisting of the districts now known as King Williams Town and East London.The term Kaffraria stems from the word "Kaffir"...
from the warring Xhosa tribes.
Huberta, the famous Hippo, took up residence in the Kei River just above third cave in 1930. She was eventually chased off and continued her journey southward once more.
Sports
Bowls and Golf are favoured pastimes in Kei Mouth. The Kei Mouth Country Club has a 12-hole Golf Course and there is a bowling green adjacent to the campsite. There is also a squash court.Other sporting activities include mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, horse riding and water sports such as surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, swimming, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, boating and windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
.
Tourism
The economy of Kei Mouth revolves largely around tourism due to its location at the southern entrance to the erstwhile TranskeiTranskei
The Transkei , officially the Republic of Transkei , was a Bantustan—an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity—and nominal parliamentary democracy in the southeastern region of South Africa...
region. Whilst many of the residents are retirees, a large portion of homes are holiday homes owned by families from the interior. There are several accommodation establishments, a municipal campsite, two restaurants and bars, two small supermarkets and a service station.
Nearby resort towns include:
Qolora Mouth, Morgan's Bay, Haga Haga
Haga Haga
The small seaside village of Haga Haga is located on the Eastern Cape Wild Coast of South Africa, 60 km east of East London. Farmers from the hinterland started the village in the early 1920s, when they acquired farms here for winter grazing. They would move their livestock and possessions by...
and Cintsa
Cintsa
Chintsa is a village in the Wild Coast region of the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. It is situated 38 km north-east from East London, at the mouth of the Cintsa river. There are two resort areas catering to tourists interested in sea fishing to the east and west of the river. The...
Demographics
The main languages spoken in Kei Mouth are EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Xhosa
Xhosa language
Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by approximately 7.9 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Like most Bantu languages, Xhosa is a tonal language, that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said...
and Afrikaans. The town is home to a large number of retirees, thanks to the mild climate and holiday atmosphere.