Ski-Boat — May-June 2017

SKI-BOAT May/June 2017 • 65

By Johan Smal and Earl Fenwick

T

HE meridian 20° east of
Greenwich — the longitude
line that extends from the
North Pole across the Arctic
Ocean, through Europe, down the
African continent and then separates
the great Atlantic and Indian Oceans
before finally reaching Antarctica —
cuts squarely through the heart of this
article’s focus. Agulhas, at the southern-
most tip of Africa, is aptly referred to by
Piet Smit, the Afrikaans gospel singer, as
“Waar Afrika doodloop in die see”.
Located in the Overberg region this is
the place that some of us blessed
anglers proudly call home and where
we target one of our favourite quarries
— yellowtail.

THE OPERATING THEATRE
Neatly squashed between the
Hottentots-Holland and Riviersonder-
end mountains on one side and the

Atlantic and Indian oceans on the other

side, this region epitomises South

Africa’s undiscovered, unexplored and

underestimated destinations. The abun-

dance of fresh air, wild flowers and

breathtaking sea- and landscape

scenery is real food for the soul.

However this is not just a good spot

to put up your feet and watch the sun

set. With a rich marine life and strong

emphasis on farm produce, Agulhas has

long been considered the breadbasket

of the Cape — a place of plenty. In

total contrast to the undulating country-

side which is covered in swathes of yel-

low and green patches of canola and

wheat fields during the winter months,

the seas that pound the Overberg

shores, although enchanting, are some

of the most treacherous. The 130-odd

shipwrecks which lie scattered along

the coastline and which date back as far

as 1673 bear testimony to this grave-

yard of ships. And yet these treacherous

but captivating waters also provide

recreation, adventure and sustenance

for thousands.

The continual mixing of the icy

north-flowing Benguela on the west

coast and the warm south-flowing

Agulhas currents hugging the east coast

generates one of the five richest marine

ecosystems in the world. These radical-

ly different marine environments also

shape the terrestrial ecosystems and

human settlements along the coast.

Agulhas has been synonymous with

fishing for millennia, and Arniston

(called Waenhuiskrans in Afrikaans) and

Struisbaai with its quaint little harbour

are two of the few remaining line-fish-

ing communities along the Cape’s east

coast. They’ve become major tourist

attractions frequented by thousands

and the area has become a very popular

attraction for anglers from afar.

The abundance of fish species in

the area, especially during the period

from October to April, fuels the zest of

the region’s fishermen. This is when

GAMEFISH

Part 1: Stalking brute strength

Earl Fenwick with an 11kg yellowtail

caught on the Vlak Bank off Struisbaai.