Western Cape: Stony Point Nature Reserve temporarily closed due to inclement weather!

CapeNature, the public institution with the responsibility for biodiversity conservation in South Africa's Western Cape, has announced that the Stony Point Nature Reserve in the coastal town of Betty's Bay in the Overberg is temporarly closed to the public due to inclement weather. According to CapeNature, the penguin viewing boardwalk is slippery and not safe to walk. The anticipated re-opening is the 15 July 2024.
The Stony Point Nature Reserve is the third-largest breeding colony of African Penguins in the world and the only other (apart from Boulder’s Beach in the Table Mountain National Park) mainland breeding colony of African Penguin in South Africa. A thoughtfully constructed boardwalk allows visitors to meander through the reserve and closely observe the penguins in their natural habitat.

Western Cape: Clarence Drive reopening for one-way traffic!

The Western Cape Government yesterday (11 December 2023) announced that the Clarence Drive, a key tourist route connecting Gordon’s Bay with the coastal towns of Rooi Els, Betty’s Bay, and Pringle Bay, has been reopened. Repairs to the road have progressed to the point that one-way traffic can be accommodated. Clarence Drive was closed after it sustained significant damage following the severe rainfall and subsequent flooding that hit the Western Cape on the weekend of 22 – 25 September 2023. However, several restrictions remain in place for reasons of public safety. Based on construction requirements, there is a high likelihood of extended closures which will either be for set times during the day or for several days at a time. According to the Western Cape Government, closures during the peak festive season are unlikely.

“There are 6 stop-and-go points on Clarence Drive and one at Palmiet Bridge, bringing it to a total of 7 stop-and-go points between Gordon’s Bay and Kleinmond which will add to your travel time. I urge road users to factor in additional travel time when using this route. I further ask road users to be patient and to be courteous towards pointsmen and -women. While the additional travel time may be frustrating, our teams are diligently working to ensure smooth traffic flow and safety on these vital routes.” said provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertius Simmers.

Current indications are that repairs to this route will cost approximately R80 million. This cost includes repairs to the Palmiet Bridge, which also sustained significant damage.