THE ST.FRANCIS ALPHABET

There is so much going on in St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis that we decided to make a song out of it. It didn’t take us long to realise that it would be hard to make a song out of where we live and love without sounding contrived, so we decided to do the slightly less contrived concept and write a St. Francs Bay alphabet. It’s fun and informative. Thanks to those who helped in putting this together. A

Anchor Garden and shipwreck museum in Cape St Francis. The new shipwreck display in the so-called Anchor Garden at the entrance of Cape St Francis was opened at a small function by Kouga’s Mayor, Hattingh Bornman. The site is at one of the main entrances to the FOSTER-managed Irma Booysen nature reserve. It is a treasure trove of maritime history, displaying artefacts, stories, and memorabilia from these dramatic voyages.

B

It was discovered by Bruce Brown in 1963 while filming Endless Summer. One of the international surfers found the actual wave, but the ‘sand dune discovery’ scene that came out when the movie was released in 1966 was filmed weeks after the discovery and was a fake.

Bruce’s Beauties is the jewel in the crown for local surfers wanting to taste what Bruce Brown discovered in 1963. It has had quite a good year this year, but not as good as previously, possibly due to so much rain from the southwest and fewer swells from the south. Still, there were some epic days and two local surfers were injured and out of the water after mishaps on the tricky jump rock.

C

Cape St Francis Resort is always behind anything and everything that it can. This year, they hosted the Adventure Racing World Champions and were the presenting sponsor for the Rip Curl GromSearch surf event at Seal Point Beach and Point. In that event, local surfer Rory Dace won the U16 and U18 divisions, but a big thanks to Cape St Francis Resort for all the event and other support during the year.

D

Denude refill grocer. What we need right now. Their policy is: ‘At Denude, we strive to strip our impact on the earth at every level, from source to supply, allowing the opportunity for our community to lessen their footprint while consuming and using quality, ethical products.’

Evenings in and around St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis. Over the last couple of years, WildSide’s sunset dops have become increasingly popular. Last year, at every good sunset in season, the car parks were packed to capacity, with so many people hanging out, having drinks and taking selfies. It’s a good joke. You should try it this year if you haven’t done it yet. Get there early, bring plenty of dops, and take your time when everyone leaves. F

Full Stop Pub and Restaurant

The Fully has been around the village in so many iterations, but this feels like the final one, and it is so good. The food, under chef JP, is fantastic, the bar is impressive with all sorts of drink specials, and the staff and ambience are also very cool. The best place to hang after a surf, blunt your appetite with an ice-cold whettie and shove one of their delicious pizzas into your gob.

G

Groynes. This year’s winter storms did incredible damage to the coastline in St

Francis Bay. The groynes are the only hope to save houses on the canals and prevent catastrophe. They will also create new waves, which might help dissipate the incredible crowds that sometimes happen at Seals, as there is only one beach and one wave to go to.

High Tides are fun in Cape St Francis but less fun in St Francis Bay. If you are tidesavvy, remember that there are no beaches in St Francis Bay at high tide apart from the little strip at Grannies Pool. So it’s over to Cape St Francis for the high tide beach. Just remember that the rip alongside the rocks at Seals can turn into a raging current at high tide, so always be careful.

Ice cream is available all day, all around Cape St Francis. Jill’s Groovy Scoops Ice Cream is pretty incredible. Still, there are also Trade Winds, Coastal Convenience, The Beach Kitchen, The Resort shop and more, offering ice cream for the kids and the young at heart.

Joe Fish Restaurant inside the Cape St Francis Resort has much going for it.

It takes approximately 50 licks to finish one scoop of ice cream. The ice cream cone was an accident. In 1904, an ice cream vendor ran out of bowls, so a waffle maker rolled his pastries into the cone to help. 19th-century chefs made ice cream in all kinds of flavours, like oysters, asparagus, and parmesan cheese.

Apart from delicious food and a relaxed ambience, they have a pool open for patrons and live music throughout the holiday season. They offer special meals over the festive season, so check out Joe Fish on socials for updates on their calendars, prices and booking procedures.

K

Kouga Local Municipality has a new executive mayor in Hatting Bornman, and the man has done an excellent job in his first 5 months or so on the job. This will be the former speaker’s first Christmas season as mayor, and we expect good things during a hectic period for the municipality.

L

The Links is the place to be if you want a top-class round of golf, a few drinks and snacks at the bar or an evening meal at the Restaurant. It is busy though, so booking is essential for most activities. They have a fabulous breakfast menu, and a trip to the Links wouldn’t be the same without someone in your party trying the Santa Burger. We’ll just leave it at that.

M

Morning strolls on the beach are the most divine times during summer. Usually, the beaches are quiet, with most kids still sleeping after a big night at Billy’s or some other jol. Those dedicated surfers trying to get an uncrowded dawn patrol are the only people around. Keep your morning eyes peeled, though. There have been bags of cocaine washing up on our beaches as well.

N

Nevermind Restaurant under Wesley Randles has gone from strength to strength. It is now one of the most popular restaurants in the area, and for good reason. An incredible setting and world class fare have seen it nominated for an Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Award 2023.

Oysters are one of nature’s delicacies and can be found on various menus in and around St Francis Bay. Some people love them so much that they go a little giddy when they see them on the menu, while others liken them to flavourless mucus. It’s your call, but they are plentiful in this zone.

The Pig and Rooster is the latest venture at the Lighthouse Precinct, along with Nevermind Restaurant and SALT Place To Be Studios. A quaint little old-school pub with charm and style, it will be the hot spot for a few quick drinks in the summer season. It might be small, but with good weather and light winds, people will chill outside, on the leeward side, every evening, enjoying a few cold ones. Q

The Quays is a remarkable place with a unique setting. The food is delicious, and the chilled evening atmosphere cannot be beaten when there is little wind. Their Christmas lunches and other culinary offerings are to die for and are also very popular. No visit to St Francis Bay will be complete without a visit to The Quays.

River Club is the latest hub to spring up in St Francis Bay. Formerly Waterberry Park, the River Club offers accommodation options, 3 x Padel Tennis Courts, an 8 lane 25m waterpolo friendly pool, a restaurant, The Bok Bar (that many people already know about), e-bike rentals, a convenience store and even off-sales. It could all be quite exciting.

Surfing keeps this town humming, and it buzzes the loudest during the summer season. It does get crowded, but the mornings are generally ok, and if you keep your wits about you and watch the conditions, sometimes a little wave forms up somewhere that is not as well known as the prime venues. Think of the long white beaches and the far corners of some of them, and think of what happens when it goes easterly. T

Trails are all around us. There are walking trails through the reserves under FOSTER’s oversight, running tracks on the wild side, and MTB trails. It’s an excellent idea to utilise them as the roads can get pretty busy in summer.

U

Umbrellas are an absolute necessity in summer as the sun beats down and the earth gets hot. You’ve got to watch those rays as the years and years of sun damage will catch up to you at some stage in your life. Take an umbrella and some suncream, smash it on, wear a hat, etc.

Apparently, vodka is the drink of the summer, as it is light, can be mixed easily with fruit juices, and can be made into some delicious, healthy cocktail-style drinks that everyone loves. Everything mixes with vodka. Just don’t drink and drive, nor drink and swim.

W

Workout city. We have everything good to go for a big workout or to start a bit of a sweat. We have The Pound and Liquid Lines in CSF and the coastal gym in SFB. If you’ve had a big night and want to work it off, head for the Liquid Lines area and join a morning class. They are not easy, and you will soon have all of last night’s shit kicked out of you, and you’ll be ready to start again.

X

Xenodochial means ‘friendly to strangers’, and plenty of people in the neighbourhood fit that description. The visitors are only here for about three weeks, and they are the lifeblood of our village. So let’s all be as xenodochial as we can, why don’t we?

Y

Yoga classes. The village has a lot of yoga, with studios, classes and beach sessions during summer.

Keep your eyes on the leading social media hubs (St Francis Official Community

Facebook Group, I Like St Francis, St Francis Vibes, etc. to keep tabs on yoga happenings.

Zinc in various organic forms is the current choice for surfers trying to prevent sunburn. It’s not the old thick zinc of our youth that used to take half our faces off every time we removed it, but a better version that is more powerful yet soothing on the skin. Now it’s time to get out there and enjoy summer.