Aerial View of the Canals

This isn't the greatest photo, it was taken through the window of a Cessna light aircraft a few years ago, when our son was busy getting his pilot's licence, and took me for a flip to St Francis. But I thought it might be interesting to show you the canals in their context. The dark strip that runs diagonally up the picture with a road on either side is the Kromme River. The white area to the top of the picture is a continuation of the dunes of the sand River system, which extends far to the left off the picture.

There has been a lot of development since this was taken, and a whole new section of canal has been made. Sadly it is unlikely I will be going back for more aerial pix anytime soon..... our son now lives on the other end of Africa and just after this photo was taken I lost my breakfast, I suffer from terrible airsickness!

Another view of the Canals

The other day we told you about the canals. Here is another view. They look so serene in these pix, taken out of season, but at Christmas they are abuzz with boats, canoes, etc and people on the decks of the houses. Although they are very popular and upmarket, I personally find it a bit of a goldfishbowl place, with very little privacy as houses look across the narrow waterways at each other, and boaters gaze in as they go past.

The Canals

50 years ago, Leighton and Ann Hulett flew from their home in Natal to Port Elizabeth in Leighton’s old Tiger Moth and travelled to Cape St Francis in an old ex-army jeep. They fell in love with the area with its magnificent stretch of beach, the sheltered bay with its blue waters, rolling dunes and verdant growth. So they bought it. It was the Leightons whose vision to create a village resulted in the uniform style of thatch houses which make the place so picturesque and distinctive. He also had the vision to establish a system of canals between the beach and the mouth of the Kromme river. These are now bordered by luxurious thatched homes, and are considered prime property.