NSRI Simonstown duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from Police reporting eyewitnesses who had happened upon a body on the shoreline NSRI Simonstown rescue swimmers responded aboard the NSRI Simonstown rescue vehicle and Cape Medical Response dispatched paramedics to join the SA Police Services on the scene Police WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) were activated On arrival on the scene the body of an unidentified adult male was located at low tide on the edge of the rocks The body of the man was recovered by Police divers (SAPS WPDS) The body of the man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services It appears that there are no reports of a person missing that may relate to this case and the circumstances are unknown Anyone that can assist Police with information related to this case and to the identity of the man can call Simonstown Police Station on 0217868646 We’re proud to announce that our newly rebuilt NSRI Station 21 in St Francis Bay is now officially open we held a blessing ceremony for two new state-of-the-art rescue vessels: the Spirit of St Francis III .. Gqeberha — The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) today officially celebrated the blessing of its latest state-of-the-art Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC) at a ceremony held at the PE Deep Sea Angling Club building Subscribe today for information about NSRI rescues Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio The Windmill Beach attack on Monday, 20 January was the latest in a series of seal attacks and reports of aggressive seals around the Western Cape Coast amid the first rabies outbreak in marine animals affecting Cape fur seals along the country’s coast On Monday, dive and scuba groups in Cape Town’s South Peninsula were perturbed at reports of a seal attack where a man who had gone snorkelling with his family off Windmill Beach was bitten on his foot by a seemingly rabid Cape Fur Seal just before 10am.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Emergency and research teams responded immediately and Windmill Beach was closed for the remainder of the day The beach was reopened on Tuesday after the seal had been humanely euthanised a field worker at marine mammal science research organisation Sea Search with officials from the City of Cape Town’s Coastal Management branch Kieswetter told Daily Maverick that a family of snorkellers was in the water when the seal started attacking a yellow dive buoy they had with them The family was able to escape from the water but the seal displayed aggressive behaviour biting a man in the group as he was leaving the water “They saw that as their chance to escape and the yellow lifebuoy was left behind where the seal was,” she said Kieswetter said that when they arrived at the scene after the biting incident, the seal would briefly attack the dive buoy about every 10 minutes and move about one or two metres away, swimming in circles.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “We also saw it pursue a [African] penguin the officials weren’t able to do anything due to the weather conditions because it was very windy… and a boat wasn’t able to reach the location where the seal was there were officials monitoring the seal until yesterday afternoon at around 17:30 when the weather conditions allowed the officials to then euthanise the seal,” she said Cape Fur seals at Robberg in the Western Cape of South Africa captured in the new Out of the Blue documentary about the mystery of Cape Fur Seals (Photo: Out of the Blue director and cinematographer Floris Tils) a rabies outbreak was detected in South African Cape fur seals a species in which rabies has not been recorded previously This is the first outbreak of rabies in the marine environment internationally and concerns are being raised about the disease crossing borders with a possible case already in Namibia Deputy Mayor and mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment Eddie Andrews said the man was taken to hospital and advised on rabies treatment “The team remained stationed at Windmill Beach to monitor the seal, which remained in the water throughout the day. The team that responded to the incident also monitored the seal’s behaviour over a five-hour period to ensure that the correct decisions were made in addressing the issue and prioritising public safety,” Andrews said. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Following the assessment of the seal’s behaviour and following the city’s management plan for seals with rabies, Andrews confirmed that the animal was humanely euthanised at 3pm on Monday. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The final decision to euthanise was made after consultation and agreement with the Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and Cape of Good Hope SPCA officials Cape fur seals are a social species and live close together in large colonies Many divers and open-water swimmers recall their playful and friendly behaviour when encountering them in previous years often approaching people and other animals out of curiosity or if motivated by food there have been increasing reports of Cape fur seals showing aggressive behaviour towards people since mass mortality events in 2021 and 2022 according to the latest update report on 31 October 2024 by Dr Mpho Maja National Director of Animal Health at the Department of Agriculture from the reports of the people that were attacked and from what we’ve seen is very similar behaviour to that we saw [yesterday] “[That] is why we’re thinking that yesterday’s attack could possibly be rabies,” Kieswetter said The seal attacks were happening more frequently, “which is quite scary”, but it was a fact that rabies was present in the seal population, she said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove adsadvertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more: Documentary reveals urgent rabies threat to South Africa’s marine ecosystem The outbreak is endemic in the Cape fur seal population meaning that rabies will always be present in Cape fur seals the virus will have to naturally die off in the population without human intervention (Map: National Animal Health Directorate at the Department of Agriculture Rabies is a fatal virus transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal when it bites It can be controlled through vaccination of domestic dogs and cats and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment Maja said that the virus affected the brain and was fatal once a person or animal showed clinical signs Maja said that signs to look out for in animals infected with rabies would be changes in behaviour and neurological signs; they may drool “Any mammal can become infected with rabies, but the biggest threat to human health is infected dogs and cats,” Maja said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Control of the virus in wild animals is difficult The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) has advised that while vaccination is the best way to stop transmission in a population vaccination is not practically feasible for Cape fur seals disease management was focused on long-term strategies to protect people and other animals from rabid seals A sample of brain tissue is used to test for the rabies virus the animal carcass is disposed of at a hazardous waste facility In a case where the seal of concern interacted with a human (ie that person will be advised to get a rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) (Table: National Animal Health Directorate at the Department of Agriculture What immediate actions should people take if bitten by a seal that might carry rabies? The Western Cape Department of Agriculture says you should get to safety as quickly as possible wash it very thoroughly with soap and water Then go immediately to your nearest clinic or doctor and tell them that you suspect you have been in contact with a rabid animal “Do not wait; the sooner you receive treatment the higher the chance that you will not develop rabies report the aggressive seal to your local state veterinary office rabies has not been reported in other marine animals,” the department said There is no treatment for rabies once symptoms appear and the disease is 100% fatal. The recommended treatment after being bitten is the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment process.  Those at high or continual risk for exposure to seals (such as divers surfers and so on) were advised to consult their healthcare practitioner about receiving pre-exposure rabies vaccinations “Rabies PEP is a life-saving intervention for individuals who have been potentially exposed to the rabies virus and are at risk of infection Rabies is a deadly infection and therefore rabies post-exposure prophylaxis is considered a medical emergency when possible rabies virus exposure has occurred,” said Jacqueline Weyer Head of the Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) Weyer told Daily Maverick PEP for rabies followed a three-pronged approach the wound or wounds should be thoroughly washed with soap and water The bite victim should then urgently go to a healthcare facility where the risk of rabies will be assessed and a regimen of vaccines with or without rabies immunoglobulin treatment will be provided The vaccination entails the administration of four doses of rabies vaccines over two weeks If the wound or wounds drew any amount of blood rabies immunoglobulin will be infused into the wound or wounds to provide immediate immunity from infection Learn more about rabies, including clinics, prevention and treatment options on the NICD website, the City of Cape Town website, and Western Cape State Vet Am i fast asleep or is there indeed no explanation of what IHC and FAT stand for It’s the type of test used to detect rabies who would have tought that Orcas killing the Great White would be a bad thing now there rabid seals all over the west coast I got the anti-rabies vaccine years ago when I went to work in a high risk area It was not so expensive that I noticed it above cholera and other vaccines ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale SIMONS TOWN - Simon's Town will be a hive of activity for book lovers this weekend WATCH: Book Review | Kitchen wisdom by Nokulinda Mkhize The return of the annual Books on the Bay festival features over 20 activities, including readings, panel discussions, and poetry sessions. Event organiser, Professor David Attwell joined eNCA to discuss the event. Cape Town, [Monday 20 January 2025] – Following an incident involving a seal and freedivers off Simons Town’s Windmill Beach in False Bay, the NSRI wishes to acknowledge the swift response and ongoing efforts of the City of Cape Town, whose staff actively managed the situation on-site. To minimize risks, we remind swimmers to always:  Safety Precautions for Rabid Seal SightingsIf a rabid seal is reported in the area, we urge swimmers, divers, and beach visitors to take the following safety measures:  To report rabid seals or any unusual seal behaviour in Cape Town, please contact the City of Cape Town at 021 480 7700.  A foreign sailing yacht that drifted ashore has been recovered We’re proud to announce that our newly rebuilt NSRI Station 21 in St Francis Bay is now officially open. To mark this milestone, we held a blessing ceremony for two new state-of-the-art rescue vessels: the Spirit of St Francis III ... Gqeberha — The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) today officially celebrated the blessing of its latest state-of-the-art Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC), Bay Guardian, at a ceremony held at the PE Deep Sea Angling Club building, adjacent to NSRI’s Gqeberha Sea ... Subscribe today for information about NSRI rescues, news and appeals The City’s naming committee has recently approved an application made by the Simon’s Town Historical Society to display a bronze bust of a young Charles Darwin as he looked when he visited Simon’s Town in May/June 1836 The project will soon enter the public participation phase during which the public is invited to comment on it Through the generosity of Simon’s Town residents the Simon’s Town Historical Society and donors further afield notably the Cape Town Heritage Foundation and the Darwin200 project funds have been raised to cast the clay maquette of Darwin in bronze and mount it on Simon’s Town Jetty near the navy diver statue There are many reasons why Darwin should be commemorated in Simon’s Town His Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection is regarded as one of the most important ideas in the history of science During his 19-day visit to the Cape aboard HMS Beagle he had important discussions on the “mystery of mysteries” (evolution) with the scientist Such were the importance of these discussions that Darwin mentions them in the first paragraph of his famous book Herschel also spoke to Darwin about the scientific method and urged him to go beyond being a descriptive naturalist and use the vast amount of data that he had collected to formulate Darwin also met the first curator of the South African Museum and continued to correspond with scientists in the Cape Colony long after the departure of Beagle from Simon’s Town The visit of Beagle to Simon’s Town was also important nautically as this Royal Navy 10-gun brig/sloop carried out important hydrographic surveys around the coasts of South America and along the southern sea route The voyage of HMS Beagle is currently being retraced by a Dutch tall ship the flagship of the Darwin200 project that is celebrating Darwin’s legacy and promoting biodiversity conservation worldwide in April 2025 and a range of activities will coincide with her visit including the unveiling of the Darwin bust on Simon’s Town Jetty by the great These events will add further lustre to Simon’s Town’s international reputation as an important maritime port and the Darwin bust will become a permanent educational tool for schools and another tourist attraction in Simon’s Town deep-thinking man who took religion seriously He graduated with a degree in theology from Cambridge University and did not regard his theory as anti-God He saw it merely as a scientific explanation for the mechanism whereby plants and animals have evolved over time in response to changing environments Millions of Christians worldwide are comfortable with Darwin’s views Darwin was not an empire-building colonialist but a humble inquisitive scientist who visited the Cape Colony to hold discussions with local scientists and explore the natural history of the Cape He was also not a racist and stated that one of the reasons why he spent so much time studying evolution was to prove that all humans belong to one species and were therefore equal as opposed to the prevailing view that there were seven species of humans and that some were inferior to others Darwin was an abolitionist who published a paper with FitzRoy on the role that missionaries had played in the abolition of slavery in the Cape was an avid abolitionist who created a porcelain brooch with a slave imprinted on it that became the international symbol of the anti-slavery movement There are memorials to Darwin in many places where Beagle dropped anchor There is no adequate public commemoration of Darwin’s historic visit to Simon’s Town The display on Darwin in the Iziko South African Museum is important but makes no mention of his important discussions with Herschel the display of the Darwin bust will stimulate a campaign to create and display busts of other famous people who have been associated with Simon’s Town I would be the first to donate to a fund to create and display a bust of • Professor Mike Bruton has led the Darwin Bust Project He has been assisted in this task by ward councillor Simon Liell-Cock Andrew Jones of the Cape Town Heritage Foundation Roger Bagshaw of the Simon’s Town Historical Society and Dennis Lihou of Simon's Town Amenities Development Company (Stadco) The stranding of a single pilot whale is unfortunate. And yet, we can consider ourselves fortunate that it was not a mass stranding, a phenomenon that can occur even along the shore of Cape Town. Pilot whales are social creatures, and their strong bonds often cause entire groups to strand if one member becomes disoriented (contributing factors to these events include navigation errors, illness, and environmental disturbances). The last time Cape Town experienced a mass stranding was in 2009, when 55 pilot whales were stranded on Kommetjie Beach, and in 2013, 19 pilot whales beached at Noordhoek Beach, with many dying despite rescue efforts. Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) are typically found in warmer tropical and subtropical waters, occasionally venturing into deeper offshore areas near South Africa. In contrast, long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) prefer cooler temperate waters and are more commonly found closer to the southern tip of Africa, particularly in the nutrient-rich Benguela Current region. Both species are well-adapted for deep-sea hunting, relying on their ability to dive to significant depths in search of squid and other prey. The City’s coastal team carefully turned the whale on its side to investigate for any potential signs of trauma or injury. No evidence of a ship strike or outside blunt force was discovered, leaving the cause of death unknown. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhösel) A 4.2-meter female pilot whale lies washed up on Frank’s Beach in Murdoch Valley, Simon’s Town, discovered early on December 19th. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhösel) Shark Spotters standing around the pilot whale, discussing how to move it from the shoreline. With an estimated weight of 1,200 to 1,500 kilograms, the task is a physically demanding one. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhösel) A stranding like this is rare – it naturally draws a crowd of curious locals and tourists. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhösel) A close-up of the pilot whale’s teeth reveals its adaptation for deep-sea hunting. These teeth are essential for catching squid, their primary prey, during dives that can reach depths of 600 to 1,000 meters. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhösel) DM Feet? We have used the metric system officially since 1974 – half a century. Exactly 2 countries in the world don’t. Out of 195. But your headline measures the poor creature in feet? Did Trump write your headline for you? The Simon’s Town Civic Association (STCA), the SA Navy Dockyard’s Facilities Management Department and Cape Town Tennis are working together to restore the navy’s tennis courts in the town. The idea was first proposed by Simon’s Town resident Professor David Attwell in 2022. “Shortly after joining the STCA, I approached the chairman, Simon Metcalfe, with two projects in mind: a book festival, now Books on the Bay, and the renovation of the navy’s tennis courts,” Professor Attwell said. In April last year, the STCA approached the navy about a possible renovation, contingent upon securing sponsorship. Lieutenant Commander Lebohang Molefe, the navy’s facilities manager, served as the primary liaison, while Debbie McComb, STCA’s property manager, helped to advance the project “The navy recognised the value of restoring the courts, not only for the community but also for their own personnel,” Ms McComb said. “There was a shared vision for the project, which helped expedite collaboration.” The navy gave provisional approval for the STCA to explore possible sources of funding. At that point, Professor Attwell approached Riad Davids, president of Cape Town Tennis, which administers the sport in the city with affiliation to Tennis South Africa and the International Tennis Federation, to help fund the project. According to Professor Attwell, Cape Town Tennis’s response was encouraging with its funding support being contingent on the establishment of a club with a constitution and a user agreement with the navy for a minimum term of five years. By August last year, these conditions had been met, and the Simon’s Town Tennis Club was officially formed. The club received over 100 membership applications, with continued interest from local residents, according to Professor Attwell. Cape Town Tennis was now focused on finalising its financial planning to support the restoration, said Mr Davids. “CTT’s current mandate is to invest funds from the sale of Rondebosch Tennis Club until a process is developed to workshop potential funding scenarios with the clubs. “We will be meeting with the clubs soon to begin this process. Until that time, the executive committee of CTT cannot make any decisions regarding the disbursement of these funds.” Professor Attwell said the restoration was expected to cost R2.7 million. He added that the Simon’s Town Tennis Club’s constitution included provisions for honorary membership, free court access for navy personnel, and free coaching and facilities for schools in Simon’s Town, Ocean View, and Masiphumelele. Ms McComb said: “This is just the beginning of what I hope will be many collaborations between the navy and Simon’s Town residents.” The maintenance of the clock, originally a passion project started by David Erickson, former chairman of the Simon’s Town Historical Society, around 2011, has since been taken over by volunteers after he became ill and returned to England, where he subsequently died last year following a battle with cancer. The team at the helm of the latest project to restore the clock to its former glory is Simon’s Town Historical Society treasurer Roy Burnie, retired South African Navy Warrant Officer Harry Croome, and Glencairn resident Stewart Neville. Mr Burnie said, the clock which dates back to 1816, and is possibly one of the oldest public turret clocks in South Africa, stopped functioning after the spring clutch broke. This caused the 120kg going weight to unwind rapidly, damaging the winding rope. The clock, he said, was originally installed in the Royal Navy Mast House and Sail Loft, built in 1815 in Simon’s Towns West Dockyard. The clock was supplied by Dutton & Sons of London and manufactured by Thwaites & Reed, a renowned London clockmaker established in 1740, who continue to maintain some of the world’s most famous clocks, including the one housed in Elizabeth Tower at the British Houses of Parliament. He said the association was initially under the impression that the Groote Kerk’s clock, manufactured in Amsterdam and installed in 1773, was the oldest, but have since discovered it was replaced in 1829 by a clock manufactured by John Moore, an associate of Thwaites & Reed. Another old clock is the Lutheran Church clock in Strand Street installed in 1820, also manufactured by Thwaites & Reed, he said. In an email exchange between Mr Erickson and the Echo in December 2021, Mr Erickson indicated that he had copies from historical records from the Guildhall in London of the day books of Thwaites & Reed, confirming the clock was completed on December 18, 1816. It was then transported from the Royal Navy Dockyard in Deptford to Simon’s Town, possibly aboard a ship called Flower of Ugie. Mr Erickson stated in the email that the clock mechanism was a complete unit - a large and very heavy mechanism that must have been installed in the clock tower by riggers and other craftsmen from the west yard. He said the clockmaker did not send a specialist to supervise or assist with the installation but since the Mast House was constructed before the arrival of the clock, it is possible that the Clock Tower was left incomplete, to allow the clock and the bells to be lowered down into the structure before the tower floors and roof were finalised. The bells, he wrote, were supplied from the Bell Foundry already attached to two heavy oak beams, which slotted into the woodwork at the top of the belfry. “It is clear that very careful thought had gone into the design, and that a good degree of precision was achieved both by the clockmaker, the Bell Foundry, and the carpenters and riggers on site in Simon’s Town. The Admiralty had some very competent engineers,” the email stated. Mr Burnie said following the breaking of the the spring clutch, the team initially considered a full professional rebuild, but the cost proved too high. Attempts to have Thwaites & Reed remake the part also posed risks, as it would have required shipping other key components to the UK. The other option was to find a local engineering company to manufacture the replacement part. “We approached numerous companies, but all were reluctant to even consider making this part, as the original part was handmade like the rest of the clock using wrought iron,” he said. However, a solution was found locally when Mr Neville located a company near Stellenbosch which specialises in precision parts using high-pressure water’ cutting technology. Mr Burnie said they were able to create an exact replica of the original spring clutch using high-grade tool steel, allowing the clock to be restored to full function. “It is truly amazing that this crucial part, made by a highly skilled blacksmith over 200 years ago, has now been replicated using state-of-the-art water jet cutting technology. When we finally installed the new part, it fitted like a glove without any adjustments,” he said, adding that the clock now keeps remarkably accurate time, within one minute per week, and is wound weekly. The part was supplied at cost and the Simon’s Town Historical Society covered the additional cost of the re-manufacturing of the part. “Its bells have once again started ringing, much to the delight of residents,” said Mr Burnie. He said the Simon’s Town Mast House, often referred to as the Dockyard Church due to its appearance, served multiple purposes over the years. Church services were originally held in the Sail Loft, and although the space was used for naval purposes over time, it was consecrated as a church in 1946. The building now forms part of the South African Navy Museum complex, with exhibits housed in the Mast House and the Sail Loft used for special church occasions. Mr Croome said he had always had an interest in history and became involved with the clock when Mr Erickson asked to gain access the the Simon’s Town Naval Museum to see the clock around 2011. He said Mr Erickson had meticulously recorded every detail of the clock and photographed it from all angles. “He spent hours up there and would wound it every Friday. The chiming was erratic and he had to come back to see what was wrong. He became ill and it was difficult for him to get up the stairs so I took over the basic maintenance of it,” Mr Croome said, adding that he still winds it every Friday around 9.30am. During this period, Mr Croome said, Mr Burnie joined the association and encouraged further maintenance of the clock due to its historical significance. Mr Neville said Mr Burnie had contacted him in February last year to ask his help with the clock. He met Mr Erickson after the clock had not chimed for a few years due to the strike wheel that was badly worn. In 2017, he said, he had helped Mr Ericson to remove this large wheel and took it to Johannesburg for repair. On completion, he said, the teeth had all been built up but needed to be machined to the correct shape and he collected it and brought it back to Cape Town and sent it to an engineering firm in Stikland who did “a beautiful job at no cost.” The wheel was refitted, and the clock started again, and the bells were heard around Simon’s Town again. Mr Burnie asked if anyone can dispute the society’s claim that the clock is the oldest public turret clock in South Africa, Africa and the Southern Hemisphere, the society would appreciate hearing from them. The annual Just Nuisance Day has long been an institution on the Simon’s Town social calendar Registration opens at 9.30am at Long Beach Simon's Town and the approximately 1.1-kilometre walk to Jubilee Square will start at 10am The parade will be led by the Nelson Mandela Artillery Pipes and Drums and all proceeds will go to The Emma Animal Rescue Society (TEARS) This annual event is named after Just Nuisance the giant Great Dane with a larger-than-life personality and the first dog ever to be officially enlisted in the Royal Navy one of South Africa’s leading sculptors and the sculptor of the Just Nuisance statue in Jubilee Square find them on Facebook at JustNuisanceBirthday or on Instagram at visitsimonstown On the visit to NSRI Simon's Town Prince William received a tour of the NSRI Simon's Town rescue base and then boarded the NSRI’s 15-meter offshore rescue craft (ORC) Donna Nicholas Prince William experienced the power of Cape Town’s gale-force southeasterly winds firsthand.The Prince's deep connection to rescue operations was evident during his visit to NSRI as a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot for the Royal Air Force and later as an air ambulance pilot Prince William has undertaken 156 search and rescue operations This background provided a unique perspective as Prince William joined the NSRI volunteers on the voyage from Simon's Town to Kalk Bay Harbour.NSRI CEO Mike Vonk shared his impressions of the Prince’s visit to NSRI:"Given the Prince's background in search and rescue he appeared naturally interested in our rescue operations He was eager to meet our volunteers and understand both what they do and why they choose to volunteer."Vonk continued "He showed particular interest in our NSRI SafeTrx App and the preventive safety measures we have in place for water users.""His Royal Highness has a 'Learn to Swim' program as part of his foundation and he was very keen to learn about our Survival Swimming program and water safety education," Vonk added.Reflecting on the visit "It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the work of the NSRI and his genuine interest in what our volunteers do was truly special You could tell he is a people person—he was sincerely engaged in the work of our volunteers."The Earthshot Prize—launched in 2020 by the Royal Foundation and spearheaded by Prince William—is a prestigious global initiative aimed at fostering innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.Media Queries:For interviews please contact NSRI communications manager Craig Lambinon communications@searescue.org.za or 082 380 3800.High-resolution photographs of Prince William visiting the NSRI’s Simon’s Town Rescue Base can be downloaded from NSRI’s Flickr pagehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/searescue/-ENDS-  Dr Cleeve Robertson announced as the 2024 winner of the IMRF - International Maritime Rescue Federation Lifetime Achievement in the Maritime Search and Rescue Sector The South African Navy Festival made its highly anticipated return to Simon’s Town for the first time since 2017 and was held over the weekend of Friday 4 October to Sunday 6 October 2024 the festival kicked off with a special Dry Dock Concert on Thursday evening and was officially opened by Vice Admiral Monde Lobese Thousands gathered to watch the Right of Entry Parade and the Sail Pass down St Georges Street where SA Navy units marched past the assembled crowds and dignitaries Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga and Cape Town’s Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews Lobese expressed deep gratitude to the City of Cape Town for its crucial support in organising the festival and extended thanks to the citizens of Cape Town He said the Navy is deeply rooted in the local community stating that “the members of the South African Navy live amongst you and many of you support my members in various ways The Navy has always been an integral part of Cape Town society.” Lobese also reflected on the contributions of former Navy members to the broader economy praising their impact: “Although I am sad to see highly skilled and disciplined Navy members resigning I take solace in the knowledge that they will be ambassadors for the Navy within the broader economy.” Lobese declared the rise of the South African Navy stating that although the Navy is not yet where he and the Navy Command Council envision it including the successful maritime patrol by the frigate SAS Amatola off the West Coast of South Africa between 8 and 29 August this year which marked the ship’s first patrol in years and the revival of the Navy Festival itself after a seven-year break such as the multinational naval exercises Ibsamar VIII with the Indian and Brazilian navies from 7 to 18 October which will take place from 14 to 18 October the Navy will also welcome the third of its Multi-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPVs) built locally at Cape Town’s Damen Shipyards the SAS Amatola will undertake another long patrol later in the year highlight the Navy’s “Journey to Greatness,” despite significant budgetary challenges “We are achieving all of this because our members are dedicated well-trained and loyal patriots,” Lobese said He concluded by expressing gratitude to the Executive Mayor of Cape Town for granting the South African Navy the Right of Entry for the parade an ancient military tradition that signifies the city’s trust in the Navy He reassured the crowd that the Navy would continue to uphold and respect this trust cementing its commitment to the people of Cape Town Adding an international dimension to the festival were two Russian Navy vessels the frigate Neustrashimy and the replenishment ship Akademik Pashin whose sailors also participated in the Right of Entry Parade the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) had sent the frigate CNS Xuchang to partake in the festival and exercises with the SA Navy the Xuchang returned home early due to the tragic loss of a PLAN sailor at sea shortly before the festival commenced Over the course of the festival’s three days thousands of naval enthusiasts and the general public were treated to an array of activities These included ship and submarine tours along with impressive precision drills Gun Run and Maritime Reaction Squadron demonstration offering a rare glimpse into the workings of the naval base hours-long queues resulting from inadequate screening facilities at the entrance left many festival-goers frustrated the return of the Navy Festival offered a chance for the public to reconnect with the SA Navy and showcased its capabilities and contributions to the community Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] Russian and Chinese warships arrived at Simon’s Town naval base this week some of them reportedly to participate in the SA Navy Festival while Indian and Brazilian warships are also expected to arrive soon to participate in a joint exercise with the SA Navy The arrival of the Russian frigate Neutrashimy, in particular — supported by the oil replenishment ship Akademik Pashin — at the port on Thursday made diplomatic and political waves.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Maritime sources said the frigate’s automatic identification system transponder which allows other ships to detect it electronically suggesting the Russian and South African authorities were trying to conceal its presence The Democratic Alliance (DA) raised questions about how the ship’s visit affected SA’s supposed “non-partisan” posture toward Russia’s war against Ukraine and also criticised the SA Navy’s secrecy about the visits The Ukrainian Association of South Africa said that the SA Navy Festival was supposed to focus on defence “rather than the killing of civilians” South Africa was effectively promoting the Russian military which was continuously bombing and killing Ukrainian civilians with 1,331 drone attacks in September alone Read more: Ukrainians outraged by SA hosting Russian Navy ship in Cape Town harbour Currently docking in Simonstown: Neustrashimy is the lead ship of the Neustrashimy-class frigate (Russian designation Project 11540 Yastreb) of the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet It is reported that the Russian Navy frigate Neustrashimy accompanied by the replenishment vessel Akademik Pashin arrived just in time for the SA Navy Festival this weekend Circumstances surrounding the docking of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy frigate CNS Xuchang at Simon’s Town on Tuesday were also rather murky. Maritime sources said it had docked to transfer sailors to a hospital for treatment after an accident in which another sailor had gone overboard and was still missing.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Sources in Simon’s Town said the ship was met in the dock by a medical team and two ambulances had sped away with their lights flashing and sirens blaring The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warship the Type 054A Frigate Chinese Navy Ship (CNS) CNS Xuchang (FFG536) Sources said they believed it had headed for the Eastern Cape but that it was expected to return for the SA Navy Festival starting on Friday Daily Maverick requested confirmation of these circumstances from the SA Navy and Chinese embassy and also asked the SA Navy why Russia and China were the only foreign nations participating in the Navy Festival It was not clear if such joint maritime exercises would take place and if so whether they would include the Russian frigate India and Brazil will participate next week in the eighth Ibsamar — the India South Africa Maritime Exercise — reportedly off Saldanha The Indian High Commission in South Africa confirmed that the Indian frigate INS Talwar was scheduled to visit South Africa from 7-16 October to participate in Ibsamar Diplomatic sources confirmed that the Brazilian frigate Defensora would also participate in Ibsamar, which has been held every two years since 2008. Ibsamar is an association of SA, India and Brazil through which they cooperate in a wide range of political, economic, defence and cultural activities.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads It was later overshadowed by South Africa joining the wider BRIC forum All five BRICS members are likely to have ships in South Africa over the next few days which has raised questions among some observers about the possibility of a BRICS exercise though BRICS does not have a defence cooperation agreement DA defence spokesperson Chris Hattingh said the visits of the Russian and Chinese warships “might also be seen in the context of South Africa’s non-partisan approach towards all nations. But having said that, our approach is more non-partisan towards some countries than others.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads He complained that the visits of the foreign ships had been handled “very clandestinely” He said Parliament’s defence portfolio committee had not been informed even though there had been an opportunity to do so a few weeks ago when the committee had met “What we know of this is what we actually pick up in the media.” The Ukrainian Association of South Africa said, “By inviting a Russian vessel, South Africa is effectively promoting the Russian military, which has waged war on sovereign Ukraine for over a decade. We believe this contradicts South Africa’s declared non-alignment stance.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “We call on South African authorities to immediately ban the promotion of the Russian military at the Navy Festival and distance themselves from the over 137,000 documented war crimes committed by the Russian army in Ukraine.” The association referred SA defence officials to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ report published on 1 October, which it said had stated that Russian authorities had subjected Ukrainian POWs to widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment. DM It appears we have a GNU which believes they are omnipotent, so much for keeping thier voters and supporters unaware of these Russian and Chinese warships being anchored in Simonstown Harbour. Iran’s New Naval Ambitions – Warships at a joint Chinese, Iranian, and Russian naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman, March 2024. One step closer to axis of ????. So much for GNU! ANC continues to act as if they’re still the ruling party in Government; nothing has changed in their eyes. There is no obligation for warships to transmit AIS signals under the law of the sea (see SOLAS Convention, Regulation V/19). Daily Maverick’s either have little understanding of the law of the sea or are purposefully misleading the readers to construct a narrative. I think you’re missing the point. Why switch it off when everybody else has there’s on? They did the same thing with the controversial loading of goods (we’ll never know what) during the middle of the night a couple of years ago. All militaries and military vessels operate in secrecy, which ever country they come from. Nato vessels also switch their AIS off most of the time. BTW pleasure vessels are also not obliged to show AIS. You and other readers just swallowed the narrative? And considering that they switched AIS off in the Red Sea already, I wonder where Fabricius the Stenographer gets his musings about the SA authorities wanting to hide things. The fact that a Russian ship docked in one of our harbours, speaks volumes about where we are with our “non-partisan” stance, along with the South African Navy’s silence and secrecy surrounding the event. Couple that with a transmitter being switched off, hell yeah, I’ll swallow the narrative. I was looking forward to the navel festival having been a member of that defence force arm in the 1960. I shall no longer be attending, I feel overwhelming shame after reading this article. You should feel more shame that you fought to defend apartheid Touché, a lot of navel gazing going on here. Having served the Nats in the heyday of their immoral regime you have no claim on moral high ground. You didn’t feel this ‘overwhelming shame’ then!? Unfortunately…as a member of the BRICS cartel we have no choice but to accept what Russia and China deliver! If we wish to remain on the side of decency with Democratic values perhaps we should reconsider our membership! USA-UK-EU funding, supporting and participating in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza is decent and democratic? Chinese protecting their fishing fleet in our waters. The following naval vessels have recently visited SA, but because they aren’t Russian or Chinese, no whiny articles: (UK) -Hartland Point, Anvil Point, Hurst Point, RFA Argus; (Japan) – JS Kashima, JS Shimakaze; (Denmark) – Ark Germania. True, If an American Naval vessel visited South Africa during the unjustified WMD invasion in Iraq, nobody would have said a word. Again, you appear to be missing the point entirely. Is the point to ‘score points’ ? Or maybe there is no point – which could explain why you ‘missed’ it ? Indeed – Fabricus comes across as being stuck in a western-centric overton window…evil Russians and Chinese and good Western nations, which is not reality. Fabricius….right of centre as usual and very pro the forces of imperialism who never do wrong The UK, Japan, and Denmark are not currently invading / trying to take over a sovereign nation. Russia is. And what about the USA ships present worldwide? Yes, and nobody would have said a word if US, arguably the biggest war mongers in the world, had ships visiting SA during the Iraq invasion over the never seen WMD’s UK is illegally occupying many territories including Diego Garcia, the Malvinas, Gibraltar and Northern Ireland and has invaded many countries. Denmark illegally occupies Greenland. Japan is a conquered nation with many parts occupied by US military rule. Your point is? Don’t spoil a nice fantasy with the basic facts. You’re frightfully naive if you think Fabricius, Mills et al are driven by international law. They castigated Mbeki for opposing the illegal war in Iraq; quiet when SA defence companies were allowed to break SA law and profit off that same illegal war. Western illegality so, permissible? The west represents God in this world, they’re never wrong. I dont see the big deal. we part of BRICS. its merely a training exercise, so what. also a navy ship turning off its AIS transponder is standard operating procedure, they the navy, the water bourn arm of the military…once again, so what. its not like they planning a sea bourn offensive. Let’s look at the ISS. Last month a Soyuz capsule landed bringing home 1 US and 2 russian astronauts. The current ISS crew includes members from USA, PROC, Russia who arrived on various capsules launched from US, PROC, Russia. Does this mean that Biden is cooperating with Putin in Ukraine? Will we ever see a US nuclear powered aircraft carrier in Cape Town harbour? USS Gerald Ford or Ike; Now that would be something to see and it would underline the non-aligned nature of South Africa’s posture to the world. I know, I know. Would one of those fit inside Capetown harbour? The only laughable thing is the ‘stick your head in the sand’ attitude about the Palestinian genocide – ICJ founded – (now Lebanese also) .. being live-streamed daily. A dose of Zapiro would be a good anti-dote ! Massive populations are happy and have fairly decent lives in some of those autocratic states. Particularly China and Russia. Why should the West be the judges of whats right and wrong for people. Normal citizens in Russia and China aren’t prisoners there. They can leave if they want. “western values” … like the genocide of indigenous communities around the globe by ‘civilised’ states over centuries ? Celebrated in one as the ” land of the brave and home of the free ” ! Sic. Its all a case of who evolves & who doesn’t. It is good to see that mainstream journalists are still hard at work parroting the ‘west is good’ (always!) narrative of their paymasters, while the real or independent ones have been dismissed or scrounging in the margins. Their jaundiced fan club or cult members not far behind ! The Naval “show” is a non-political event. If they had refused Russia to participate it would be the same as banning a Russian artist from attending an International Art fair. At the end of the day: athletes from Isr… a hell were allowed to participate in the Olympics. Fair is fair The Daily Maverick’s stance and narrative though……. Welcome to “The Cape of Evil Hope”. I dont see the big deal. we part of BRICS. its merely a training exercise, so what. also a navy ship turning off its AIS transponder is standard operating procedure, they the navy, the water bourn arm of the military…once again, so what. its not like they planning a sea bourn offensive. Provincial police spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk said the body was found at around 8.30am He said police had received a complaint of an unknown man lying on the gravel driveway outside the shelter He had what appeared to be a stab wound to the left upper side of his body and was declared dead by medical personnel Shelter manager Patrick Msakayeya said the man was not one of the shelter’s clients and his body was found about 30 metres from the entrance to the shelter near a piece of ground where the homeless camp Captain van Wyk said no arrests had been made and the investigation was ongoing Anyone with information can call Simon’s town police at 021 786 8646 In the same week a new Flag Officer Fleet (FOF) was named in Simon’s Town management of the premier SA Navy (SAN) base at the same location was handed to a new commander A change of command parade at Martello sports ground saw Rear Admiral (JG) Sikumbuzo Msikinya given command of Naval Base (NB) Simon’s Town by outgoing base boss Rear Admiral (JG) Joseph Dlamini Msikinya has command at sea and ashore experience on his CV covering 27 years of service in the SAN One command at sea was as Officer in Command of SAS Protea (A324) from June 2017 before taking charge of the premier SAN training unit Msikinya’s association with the “White Lady” as the hydrographic vessel is affectionately known all told covers 18 years – with three breaks – serving in training While away from Protea he attended a number of military development courses was a divisional officer at the SA Naval College and did time as Officer Commanding the mine counter measures (MCM) vessel SAS Umkomaas (M1499) Other Msikinya CV entries show he commanded the South African task group in the 2014 Exercise Good Hope was part of the 2015 Exercise Oxide and was training officer entrusted with the junior officers’ combat course A day before taking office the SAN introduced its new FOF – Rear Admiral Handsome Matsane – to senior SA National Defence Force (SANDF) and SAN officers as well as SAN personnel at another Martello sports ground change of command parade Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] A humpback whale carcass was first spotted floating in Simon’s Town on Friday 8 November Local resident Allison Thomson reported the “sad sight” of the dead Humpback floating above the cable restorer wreck in Simon’s Town harbour.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “I am hoping it never died entangled in the mess of ropes floating above the wreck. This mess (wreck) needs to be sorted out, it has been left too long now.” Thomson reported it to Marine and Coastal Management and by 8am, they were starting the complex operation of retrieving the carcass. The whale has been identified as Tango Bravo, the 46th multi-day feeder in western False Bay. The whale had been around for one week, measured 8.7 metres, and appeared to be a young male. The whale was towed into the Simon’s Town Naval Base after being found floating in the harbour on Tuesday morning. (Photo: Supplied) Alex Vogel identified the humpback whale as Tango Bravo, one of the last whales to be added to the “multi-day False Bay feeders” list. Vogel is an administrator of the Cape Peninsula Whale and Dolphin Sightings Telegram group and regional data manager for Happywhale.com. (Photo: Chris Wilkinson) Like human fingerprints, a whale’s tail is uniquely shaped. The fluke allows researchers and citizen scientists to identify individual whales and upload photos to Happywhale.com. (Photo: Chris Wilkinson) Chris Wilkinson of the Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit, noted that this whale was in much better physical condition than the previous deceased whale. There were no visible signs of a propeller strike or boat impact, though the exact cause of death could not be determined and may never be known as the City took the carcass to the local dumpsite. (Photo: Chris Wilkinson) Chris Wilkinson, from the Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit, takes samples from the deceased whale and later identifies it as a sub-adult male humpback. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel) A team from the City of Cape Town ties a rope around the whale’s tail, preparing it for transport (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel) The City of Cape Town prepares to move the humpback whale from the Simon’s Town Navy Base. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel) A glimpse of the humpback whale’s eye (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel) The humpback whale, now tied to a flatbed truck,  is transported from the Simon’s Town Naval Base (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel) A member of the South African Navy directs the truck onto the Simon’s Town Main Road. (Photo: Sonja Funke) DM Perhaps this whale was as distressed as the rest of us at humans failing to act seriously on the climate emergency, the overshoot of the Paris 1.5C target, the threatening collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and the re-election of Donald Trump and simply decided to give up. Surely the correct (and less expensive) environmental solution would have been to tow the carcass out to sea? to talk about Responsible Tourism on Monday April 7 Some of the interactive discussion centred on sustainability and pointers regarding potential over tourism and strategies to adopt to ensure that increasingly popular destinations remain good places to live He also talked about the importance of a ‘sense of place’ and how to play to strengths in promoting Simon’s Town and surrounds Steph Mellor of simonstown.com said: "It is evident that there should ideally be collaboration between all the different stakeholders to achieve these objectives and this is something to which we be applying our minds going forward." The event was attended by representatives of Simon's Town Amenities Development Company (STADCO) The SA Navy Festival has returned with a bang after a six-year break due to financial restrictions WESTERN CAPE - The SA Navy Festival has returned with a bang after a six-year break due to financial restrictions Thousands flocked to Simon's Town on Saturday to witness displays by the country's last line of defence Defence Minister Angie Motshekga says her team is currently reviewing the force's financial issues Motshekga is also promising the event will be held annually going forward eNCA’s Nobesuthu Hejana reports in the video above It’s whale season in South Africa, a time when locals and tourists usually marvel at seeing these fascinating creatures breaching gleefully in our bays or floating calmly beneath the surface of the ocean. However, Tuesday morning brought a heartbreaking scene – the sight of a dead humpback whale beached along Long Beach in Simon’s Town The City of Cape Town’s Coastal Management, SANParks and Shark Spotters were on the scene and the whale has now been removed from the beach.  advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads This comes after two Pygmy Sperm whales beached at Melkbosstrand in January 2024 when the City previously told Daily Maverick that Cape Town has a high abundance and diversity of marine mammals along its coastline and as a result old age and unknown causes as part of natural mortality The City keeps a record of all strandings (dead or alive) Fisheries and Environment then conducts a necropsy on most of them migrating from Antarctic feeding grounds to the warmer breeding waters off Mozambique Recent weeks have brought a surge in whale activity along the False Bay coastline with humpbacks frequently breaching and lunge feeding as part of their annual migration City and police officials swiftly cordoning off the area to ensure safety and expedite removal on 15 October 2024 The City of Cape Town quickly deployed heavy machinery to move the whale from the beach it posed a potential hazard to the many dog walkers and swimmers who frequent Long Beach on 15 October 2024 easily identified as a humpback by its distinctive hump and long pectoral fins likely just over a year old on 15 October 2024 cordoning off the whale to ensure public safety Their swift action allowed for a controlled removal operation minimizing disruption to beachgoers on 15 October 2024 minimizing disruption to beach-goers on 15 October 2024 the whale was transported by heavy machinery to a landfill silent in the great ocean of life and time 0861 99 00 44    Studio@smile904.fm A video clip of two chacma baboons patiently waiting at a zebra crossing before walking across the road with the help of a local baboon monitor has gone viral The video was initially shared by the non-profit helping the primates to safely cross the busy road it has been picked up by influencers around the world While not only showcasing the natural beauty of the greater Cape Town it also places a more positive light on the issue of baboons in urban settings There has been some debate and angst over baboons and humans clashing with numerous reports of baboons ‘breaking into’ homes and trash cans to steal food Many residents are exasperated at the presence of baboons in their neighbourhoods but it’s the ever-increasing human urban expansion into baboon habitats which has forced these primates into suburbs The important job that monitors do is to steer them away from urban zones while ensuring their safety Green Group Simon’s Town has thanked Jaco for his commitment: thank you for being so committed to helping the baboons every single night They are grateful as are the people who want their wellbeing,” the group wrote on Facebook © Smile904.fm hosted and supported by ImmediaTerms of Use | General Contest Guidelines|Archive|Advertise with us|Privacy Policy|Contact Us lifestyle and provocative commentary from leading columnists Read more Provincial police spokesman Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said a community member walking her dog noticed the bones that looked like human remains around 6pm Simon’s Town police found bones scattered on the rocks An inquest docket has been opened and the matter is under investigation Warrant Officer Swartbooi said.An eyewitness said the bones were scattered around a burnt-out wheelie bin Anyone with information can call Simon’s Town police at 021 786 8646 One of the single biggest loss of lives – three – operationally in the SA Navy (SAN) since democracy has been honoured with buildings used exclusively by the fleet’s submarine corps renamed in a final and lasting tribute The deaths of SAS Manthatisi (S101) crew – Lieutenant Commander Gillian Elizabeth Hector (Executive Officer) Master Warrant Officer William Masela Mathipa (Coxswain/Chief of the Boat) and Warrant Officer Class One Mokwapa Lucas Mojela (Coxswain under training) – during an exercise off Kommetjie a year ago will via the renamed Naval Base (NB) Simon’s Town buildings be a permanent tribute to their sacrifice and service The Submarine Training School is now the Gillian Malouw Hector Building in recognition of her commitment as a submariner; with the Submarine Battery Hall renamed the Masela Mathipa Building reflecting his extensive contributions as a skilled electrician and mentor to many in the service what was the Submarine Squadron Headquarters affectionately and widely known as the Orca building is now the Mokwapa Lucas Mojela Building to commemorate his leadership and dedication as a submariner The renaming ceremony was led by SAN Chief with families of the deceased submariners and the wider SAN present Apart from honouring the three submariners Lobese named six Manthatisi crew members nominated for bravery medals during rescue efforts in the immediate aftermath of the VERTREP (vertical replenishment) exercise with an SA Air Force (SAAF) 22 Squadron Super Lynx 300 maritime helicopter that went wrong on 20 September 2023 Indications are the medal approval process for Commander Charles Phokane Warrant Officers Second Class Charles Kriel and Ayanda Mahlobo along with Chief Petty Officer Rophiwa Maphari will be finalised soon three SAN personnel died when they attempted to rescue workers from a gas leak at Naval Base Durban They were Leading Seaman Amrithlall Ramdin (41) Able Seaman Francois Mundell (26) and SAN Maritime Reaction Squadron (MRS) operator Seaman Henro Ter Borg (21) Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] and their strong bonds often cause entire groups to strand if one member becomes disoriented The reasons for pilot whales losing their way include navigation errors The city’s coastal team carefully turned the whale on its side to investigate for any potential signs of trauma or injury No evidence of a ship strike or outside blunt force was discovered A stranding like this is rare — it naturally draws a crowd of curious locals and tourists Shark Spotters standing around the pilot whale discussing how to move it from the shoreline With an estimated weight of 1,200 to 1,500 kilograms probably caused by being washed over rocks before coming to rest A close-up of the pilot whale’s teeth reveals its adaptation for deep-sea hunting These teeth are essential for catching squid during dives that can reach depths of 600 to 1,000 metres Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) are typically found in warmer tropical and subtropical waters occasionally venturing into deeper offshore areas near South Africa long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) prefer cooler temperate waters and are more commonly found closer to the southern tip of Africa particularly in the nutrient-rich Benguela Current region Both species are well-adapted for deep-sea hunting relying on their ability to dive to significant depths in search of squid and other prey Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Cape Town straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Cape Town Promising an ‘opportunity to engage with the SA Navy’s Fleet personnel and rich maritime heritage’ the annual SA Navy Festival returns to Simon's Town from October 4-6 with the public given the rare opportunity to step aboard several active navy ships and vessels There will be a variety of Navy exhibitions on the go as well as exciting drills and displays to entertain the crowds Also look out for precision drill demonstrations plus a wide range of food stalls to keep you fuelled up and it has all the ingredients for a perfect day out getting to Simonstown isn’t always easy with limited parking in the seaside suburb there will be free park-and-ride services available from Fish Hoek Beach and Fish Hoek Sports Grounds to the Simon’s Town (West Yard) and back to the Park and Rides throughout the day Metrorail will be laying on additional train services for the day, or you can splash out on the Ceres Rail steam adventure which departs from the city centre for an all-day experience that allows for three or four hours in Simon’s Town Have you heard about the quirky sauna-on-wheels at Fish Hoek Thanks for subscribing! 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