St Francis Bay
St Francis Bay, a wide bay extending to the west of Port Elizabeth, was given its name by Manoel Perestrelo, a Portuguese navigator, in honor of St Francis, patron saint of all seafarers. There are a number of bathing resorts round the bay, consisting almost exclusively of holiday homes which are occupied only for a few weeks in the year. The attractions of St Francis Bay are its beautiful beaches and the opportunities it offers for surfers and wind-surfers; the mighty waves, particularly towards the west end of the bay, are a challenge to their skill. Their sport can also be enjoyed by the lookers-on. Shell collectors, too, will find some marvelously beautiful shells here.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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Related Attractions
Cape St Francis
At the west end of St Francis Bay is Cape St Francis, a flat promontory reaching out into the sea. It is dominated by a 28m/92ft high lighthouse erected in 1876.
Seekoei River Nature Reserve
To the south of Jeffrey's Bay, at the little resort of Aston Bay, is the Seekoei River Nature Reserve established to protect the water birds living around the mouth of the river. Some of the smaller antelopes can also be seen here.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
St Francis Bay (village), South Africa
The little resort of St Francis Bay, at the mouth of the Kromme River, is favored by anglers as well as by surfers and shell-hunters. The best fishing is 12km/7.5mi upstream.
St Francis Bay - Humansdorp, South Africa
The little country town of Humansdorp (pop. 54,000), 20km/12.5mi inland, is the supply center for the resorts at the west end of St Francis Bay. The situation of the town is not particularly attractive: the flat and arid coastal plain offers only limited scope for agriculture, the principal crops being fodder plants and barley. Sheep-farming is also developing.
St Francis Bay - Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa
Within the last few years Jeffrey's Bay has developed into a considerable holiday resort with a population of 7,000. The best time for surfers is in winter, when fine regular high waves roll in to the shore.
An attractive footpath winds its way up the river for 3km/2mi through the little Noorskloof Nature Reserve, in which, with luck, antelopes and vervet monkeys can be spotted.
An attractive footpath winds its way up the river for 3km/2mi through the little Noorskloof Nature Reserve, in which, with luck, antelopes and vervet monkeys can be spotted.
