During my time of editing articles from contributors and proofreading for the book, one of the many things that stood out for me in the stories from the earlier days of Betty’s Bay was the freedom, fun and delight the kids had playing between the mountains and sea.
Here are a few quotes:
- Carl Vogts: Apart from receiving a good education, we also roamed the mountains and the sea, harvesting alikreukal, perlemoen and catching kilpvissies like the Gerald Durrell’s of Betty’s Bay. Pg. 464
- Annelise Willems: There was an unspoken magic in these childhood summers. The rush of a gust in the sails, the laughter ringing out across the waters, the quiet determination of young sailors bent on doing better, faster, smarter. And though time has carried us forward, those moments remain etched in the spray and wind of Betty’s Bay, where the dabchicks once danced across the water and young dreamers chased the wind. Pg. 478
- Brian and Lorna Edwards: Childhood holidays at Betty’s were days of blissful, safe fun. We sometimes crept out of the house at 6am to go swimming with friends, thinking our parents did not hear us on the creaky stairs.
The quiet roads of Betty’s Bay were a safe place for young children to learn to drive. Lorna was 11 years old when she learned to drive UGY the old Morris Minor on the gravel road through the empty Sunny Seas. Pg. 244
- Ian and Carrol Farlam: Our children aptly dubbed our Betty’s Bay home “the holiday paradise” And truly it has been just that – a place of peace, play and deep connection to the land we love. Pg. 461
Betty’s Bay was and is a special place for adults too:
- Ian and Carrol Farham: Back then, the area was teeming with wildlife. Grysbok roamed freely and we were fortunate to have a few of them visit our plot. It felt like a privilege to share space with the tortoise, mongoose, baboons and the occasional porcupine. The natural rhythms of the place – its quiet dignity and untamed beauty were part of everyday life. 461
- Friedel Meisenholl: Silver Sands in now part of our DNA. We say thank you for every day we have together, live in nature and can be content with life. 522
- Lazyways visitors book: Bitten by the bug of Betty’s Bay. We know this disease has come to stay. Pg. 241
- Cecelia Gardener: Betty’s Bay remains, as it always has been, a place of peace, joy and shared memories – a sanctuary where the simple pleasures of life are treasured and where the spirit is forever renewed. We must continue to do all that we can to preserve this unspoiled loveliness of this most beautiful place and conserve our marvelous heritage for the future generation to enjoy. P240/1
Another aspect that stood out for me was that those who went before us have passed a valuable baton onto us.
We can be very grateful for those passionate people who had a vision and left legacies that have protected areas of this special village and area.
- Harold Porter and the Porter family for these beautiful Harold Porter Gardens that they bequeathed to the South African National Botanical Institute (SANBI).
- The men who contributed to having the Betty’s Bay Marine Protected Area (MPA)
- The people who worked to get all the documents and research together to apply to UNESCO to have the Kogelberg Biosphere declared in 1998
- Allen Heydorn and the group of people who worked hard and helped to buy the strategic pieces of land to create the Brody Link.
- The initiators of the Hack (Battle of Betty’s Bay) and the Betty’s Bay Wildflower Society – the forerunners to the Kogelberg Branch of the Botanical Society
- The residents of Betty’s Bay that applied to register Betty’s Bay as a conservancy, the Betty’s Bay Conservancy
- This one is not due to humans, but the African Penguins who arrived to start nesting in 1982 and created a land-based penguin colony at Stony Point. So many people in Betty’s Bay and neighbouring villages benefit economically from the visitors to Stony Point.
We now have this baton. What are we going to do with it?
- To help protect and enlarge the MPA
- To embrace what is it means to live in the Kogelberg Biosphere – “biosphere living”
- To live lightly as individuals and families on our erfs and as a community in our village
- What legacy will we leave behind, for future generations and the flora and fauna who call this home? Sadly, we seem very good at destroying the habitat, shelter and food sources.
- How will we support the critically endangered African Penguin?
Currently, there are various organizations involved in protecting this “conservation” baton:
- The Kogelberg Branch of the Botanical Society
- The Betty’s Bay Conservancy (BBC) and the Penguin-Pals
- Betty’s Bay Oystercatcher Monitors
- Betty’s Bay Baboon Action Group (BBBAG)
- The new Kogelberg Bisophere Wildlife Rescue and Training Centre (one year old) under the auspices of Kogelberg Biosphere
- The recent seal watchers who kept watch over Bakkies, the visiting elephant seal who was moulting
These organisations are comprised of ordinary people and they need more “ordinary people” to assist them. I encourage you to join and give your support and get involved.
May 2026 be a year where we embrace Biosphere Living on our erfs and in our village as we:
- Deal with our light pollution
- Handle our waste wisely
- Restore habitat from paved/grassed areas on our erfs
- Create ponds for habitat
- Create wildlife corridors
- Preserve vital wetlands
- Preserve marine and terrestrial wildlife
- Drive slowly, reduce speeding on R44 in the village
- Live lightly within nature
- Build lightly and not denude our erfs of indigenous vegetation
- Remove alien invasive vegetation
- Educate our visitors, tenants and guests to do the same
- Inspire the youth
- Secure nature areas as nature reserves for the next generation
Running with the baton
I hope this book inspires each of you to help preserve this amazing place and its natural heritage, situated between mountain and sea
Carol Clark, Presentation at the launch of the Betty’s Bay book on 20 December
Photo credits: Ella Fourie (photos 5 and 7) and Niel van der Watt (photos 2,3,4 and 6)