Sharks In Langebaan Lagoon

[Lola Bergo]

Ifyou want to learn how to kitesurf, Shark Bay is the ideal place. The water is flat and shallow with a constant wind. Oh, and the water is relatively warm compared to the rest of the Atlantic Ocean.

At the top of Shark Bay there is a small parking area (which can fill up quickly during the hot summer months). The Shark Bay Shack restaurant has indoor and outdoor (top) seating. Here you can buy coffee, cold drinks, ice cream and snacks to enjoy while admiring the breathtaking views of the lagoon.

There is a beautiful road that runs at the top of Shark Bay and we always drive along it to get the perfect views of the lagoon. We were really lucky to have such a lovely sunny day to enjoy the scenery.

At home, we were able to take one last look at the wildflowers at the back of our house. Later that evening we also admired the rising moon peeking through some wispy clouds. It was good to be home again.

Wow, indeed! What an enchanting, fresh and scenic place, Corna! Although the name spells doom, I am completely mesmerized by its crystal blue water and pure golden fine sand. Thanks for sharing and have a good day ? Aiva xx

Those pictures make me want to paddle in that lovely lagoon and feel the sea breeze on my face. And after I might stop for an ice cream while contemplating the great blueness! I am a big fan of wildflowers. They open their faces to decorate the land, require no human input and when they are done they retire. Cultivated flowers look so sad when they die. That is a very long drive but in the right company it can be fun. Brilliant moon photos!

Shark Bay is so pretty, and the color of the water also reminds me of the Mediterranean. Good thing the sharks are harmless! You have some beautiful photos here, particularly the wildflowers. Lovely post Corna.

I love the blue of your seas, and of the Mediterranean. The first time I saw it, near Nice, I thought it looked so unreal and also thought that if I painted it that color people would not believe it.

A local in Malta told us why the water is such a beautiful turquoise colour (we then went to read more about it on the internet). And then it make sense why the lagoon in Langebaan is also the same colour. Oh, but as an artist you can definitely be a bit daring with colour in your paintings ?.

Harmless sharks are my favourite kind of sharks ? (Well, apart from those jelly sharks Haribo used to do back in the day). The entire bay is just gorgeous, from the beach itself (which looked peaceful) to the incredible water and distant hills. That water really is shallow judging by how far those people seemed to be in one of your photos.

Set next to the protected South African West Coast national park, Langebaan may not have the big five in the village (you can see them within a couple of hours' drive), but it has the slow five: tortoises, whales, sand sharks, porcupines and dune moles.

WINDTOWN Lagoon Resort and Spa is in the middle of town close to Main Beach. Relax and lounge in the sun by the pool or in shade around the accommodation, restaurant and bar. Open all year, Windtown's kite centre offers a full range of course options. Max ratio is 3:1 and there is a rescue boat. Hire or buy Duotone or Ion gear. Windsurfing and SUP also offered. Wifi throughout resort.

Sportif Kitesurf Holidays provide kitesurfing and multi sport holidays to the very best destinations worldwide. Sportif centres have the latest equipment and highly qualified, experienced staff. Whatever your level, you'll find a range of flexible rental or instruction packages, with a choice of accommodation from budget to luxury 5* hotels, right next to the centres. Contact a Sportif Travel specialist consultant to put together a package that's just right for you.

Learning to kite is an experience nobody ever forgets. Janine from Planet Kitesurf had to overcome a harrowing (sort of) childhood kite-related experience before she learnt in Langebaan earlier this year. Read her story here...

There are plenty of accommodation options, from hostels and studio apartments to luxury family homes. Club Mykonos is also a great option as a watersport friendly resort designed in a Grecian style with three and four star accommodations, a number of bars and restaurants, an onsite spa, tennis and squash courts.

Located on the serene shores of the scenic Langebaan Lagoon, Club Mykonos is a family friendly holiday destination that also provides a unique and exciting conference and events destination. This premium resort offers guests three tasteful accommodation offerings from the three star Athenian Cascades and Terraces units to the elegant comfort of the four star preferred units. Club Mykonos delivers an abundance of entertainment options and will transport you to your very own Greek paradise.

The Langebaan lagoon is a true water sports mecca! On non-windy days or quiet mornings you can rent a SUP and explore the lagoon or book a guided stand up paddle board tour. For the more adventurous you can hop onto a sailing catamaran excursion, a high-speed rubber duck, a fishing charter or take a whirl on a jetski. If you just want to relax, simply pop down for a drink at the Mykonos resort and watch the boats as they come in and out of the harbour.

After your kitesurf session the terrace or pool area at Windtown is the place to be. Sip on a cocktail as you lounge on one of the beanbags beside the sparkling pool or nibble on some fish and chips as you dine alfresco. You can also enjoy rustic beach dining at a number of establishments located right on the beachfront or sip on some locally-produced wines at a number of magnificent wine farms found within easy reach of Langebaan. For a very different (and lengthy, 7 course) dining experience for lunch or dinner, check out Die Strandloper and be cooked for over fires on the beach!

Langebaan has two supermarkets and plenty of bars and restaurants just off Main beach serving all types of food, specialising in fresh seafood. There is one nightclub a five minute drive back up the road and there's a bar with live music on certain nights. Don't miss the Strandloper fish restaurant for a very unique (and long) eating experience. Windtown has an in-house restaurant called Breeze, which combines healthy, fresh and seasonal cuisine with local delicacies.

Located on the West Coast next to the National Park and part of the Langebaan Lagoon, Shark Bay Estate comprises of 68 residential plots spread over 82 hectares of Fynbos.

Take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to build your dream home in this idyllic setting, with views of the beautiful Langebaan Lagoon and Table Mountain in the background. Nature lovers can enjoy the surrounding unspoilt natural beauty whilst on their walks and bike rides.

Shark Bay is notorious for its harmless sand sharks and shallow blue flat water which is an ideal practice ground for kite surfers and canoeists. Enjoy the excellent fishing experience that the lagoon has to offer. The estate is located a few kilometers from local amenities.

Prices from R1,500.00 to R 4,500.00 Sizes between 584 sq.m to 1130 sq.m

While the biggest worldwide campaign in recorded history took place this weekend to protect the planet and its natural resources from irresponsible and heedless industrialization for capital gain, Mossel Bay is also at a crossroad between conservation and risky industrialization . . . and the twines shall never meet when nature's laws are deliberately ignored and defied.

Regular beach cleanups, awareness talks and even the annual celebration of World Environment Day on 5 June with the theme Eat, Think, Save seem to be nothing but a condescending and hypocritical farce when the organisers of these events are the main culprits and the same governments, politicians and policymakers whose decisions and legislation pose the biggest threat to the environment.

The greater Mossel Bay coastline is one of the few pristine coastal areas in the country that still boasts a healthy marine life and eco-system. Maybe it is time that Mossel Bay's leaders and residents take a stance and walk the talk to conserve and protect this priceless heritage for generations to come.

While persistent talks and plans for a fish meal plant and aquaculture zone in Mossel Bay's waters (similar to that in Saldanha Bay) continue behind the scenes, West Coast residents are heading for the Cape High Court to save the Langebaan Lagoon from the devastating impact of an "experimental" industrial-scale aquaculture development zone (ADZ) of 884 hectares a mere km from the lagoon.

The action group Save Langebaan Lagoon is hoping to have the authorization of these ADZ plans in Saldanha Bay (part of former pres. Jacob Zuma's notorious Operation Phakisa project) reviewed and reversed in the Cape High Court.

They claim open cage farming of alien salmon and rainbow trout, as well as mussel and oyster cultivation on giant floating rafts and long lines, poses an untenable risk of irreversible damage to the wild populations of migratory birds, fish, marine mammal and plant life.

The group stated that apart from the proven negative environmental impact on a sensitive marine ecosystem and indigenous fish species, the developers have failed to weigh their unsubstantiated claims of job creation against the considerable job losses if the tourism-based economy collapses. It will also impact on the livelihood of the local fishing community if they are denied access to the fishing waters which sustained them for generations.

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