drydock

Because Port St Francis is a relatively small harbour for small vessels, a crane is not necessary to take boats out to drydock. A metal cradle is lowered into the water, and runs on rails to pull the boat out of the water.

Dredging

The entrance to the Port is kept clear by a somewhat primitive looking dredger. You can see the sand being pumped out of the long metal pipe at the front of the boat.

on the same day......

Yesterday we mentioned that on the day that photo was taken, there were other interesting creatures keeping the moth company in the yacht basin of the Port. The water is usually a murky green but on this particular day, it was clearer, and because the sky was brilliant blue, it was reflecting a wondeful turquoise colour. The resident seal was having a ball gliding about amongst the yachts.

April Theme Day: Water

Making Waves:
This unfortunate moth landed in the crystal clear water of the Port. (Nearby there were other interesting occupants in the water, a seal was chasing after a whirling school of fish, and seagulls swooped down on them.... we will post some of those pix in due course!)

There will be lots of interesting interpretaions on this month's theme, here are links to help you pay these participants a visit.

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by Digger, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Paja, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix - Bostonscapes, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Cypress (TX), USA by Riniroo, Dallas/Fort Worth (TX), USA by A Wandering Soul, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Evry, France by Olivier, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lake Forest Park (WA), USA by Azure, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Mo, London, UK by Ham, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Marseille, France by Alex, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by John, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minsk, Belarus by Olga, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montego Bay, Jamaica by Ann, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Nancy, France by yoshi, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norman (OK), USA by Chad & LaCresha, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Odense, Denmark by ania odense, Omsk, Russia by Nataly, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Eric, Paris, France by Gordio, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Pont-à-Mousson, France by Tintin-j, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Portland (OR), USA by NWgal, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Eponabri, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Shanghai, China by Jing, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Nathalie, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Toruń, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by Rachel, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

The Ice Tower

This 4 storey tall structure on the edge of the harbour is an ice making plant, which

provides ice for the chokka fishing boats. When the chokka is caught at sea, it is processed and packaged right there, and the packages stored in refrigerated holds until they return to Port.

The Port on a quiet day

It was quiet on Easter morning at Port St Francis with many boats in the harbour for the long weekend. Looking out over St Francis Bay the Cockscomb Mountain is visible in the distance - it dominates the skyline for many miles from all directions.

Reflections again

The full moon was on its way down as the sun was rising across the bay, on Easter monday. There was not a breath of wind, and the rim flow swimming pool at the Port Hotel was like glass , which gave a great opportunity for this shot.......

On a quiet day at the Port St Francis marina even the sea gulls chill out and take in the view

Inside the Port Hole

A while ago we featured the exterior of the Port Hole with its unusual design, and promised to show you inside the restaurant sometime. Well here it is, this view is along the side, looking towards the pub, and through the windows you see all along the extreme right, is a great view looking down on the Harbour and beyond that, the bay. On a clear day you can see beyond Jeffreys Bay.

Inside the restaurant the decor reflects the fact that this is a busy fishing port, and that thay specialise in seafood. The windows on this side overlook Otters Landing and Shark Point, looking south to the open sea.

Tranquil morning

A tranquil moring at Port St Francis, viewed from the walkway in front of the Port Hotel.

Resident penguin

The resident penguin at Port St Francis is anything but cooperative when it comes to being photographed. It was extremely busy on Sunday afternoon, chasing fish and zipping though the water like a high speed submarine. These photos are the result of following this bird around for about an hour.

lamp post at the port

Puffy clouds and a lamp post on the paving in front of the restaurants at the edge of the yacht basin...... a great place to sit with a cold drink after a warm day and watch the sun go down.

Spring Tide #3 Pounding the Breakwater

on a normal day

spring high

Here you see the harbour wall that we posted 2 days ago, being pounded by waves at Spring High, this time from the outside of the wall.

By the way, if you followed the drive we did down the Elands River Valley last week on the Port Elizabeth Daily Photo, and on our personal blogs, the mountains in the background that you see here are part of the Winterhoek Mountain Range that we were travelling through on that trip.

And if you are interested in how this breakwater is constructed to withstand these assaults from the sea, I did a post on the dolosse here.

In the spotlight

A seagull on the harbour wall is highlighted by the rising sun. I loved Clarice's comment the other day that in St Malo they call them Rats with wings!

Chokka Fishing #2

We featured the chokka industry recently. Here you see the Calamai being unloaded from one of the fishing boats that has just returned from a few days at sea. It is packaged and frozen on board, as it is caught.

Resident Seal

There is a Cape fur seal who is a permanent resident of the harbour. She is blind, and relies on handouts of fish from the fishing boats. She is quite entertaining as she wallows around waiting for breakfast.

Don't mess with me.....

Stainless steel cladding on the bow of a Chokka boat in the Port.

Chokka

Chokka is a small squid like creature that used to be caught as bait in the fishing industry. Then some brilliant marketing person decided to sell it as a delicacy, and now Calamari is sold throughout the world as a seafood treat.

It is a highly regulated industry here, because it is plentiful off the coast between port Elizabeth and St Francis, and the fisheries department would like to keep it that way, so strict quotas are in place. Calamari is now known as 'white gold' to the fishermen, who can make huge amounts of money during "chokka season".

There is a lively working harbour at Port St Francis, as well as the yacht basin we showed you yesterday, and a fleet of chokka boats such as these are moored there. You will see large halogen lights strung across the boats, these are used to attract the chokka at night, they swarm up to the light and are caught in nets.

In the background is the pretty little village of St Francis Bay, with its characteristic white thatched houses.

The Yacht Basin

Port St Francis was developed about 10 years ago, and was quite a visionary project. The harbour and yacht basin were blasted out of solid rock, which was piled up to form the harbour wall and breakwater. It has become a thriving little fishing harbour from which the chokka fleet operates, as well as a holiday paradise with private jetties for many of the villas built along the breakwater. This is the view from the reception of the Port Hotel, overlooking the swimming pool and Yacht Basin.