Comments for The Waterfront Story

Comment on The Waterfront Story print edition by Theuns Vivian

Theuns Vivian — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 05:41:25 +0000

Already recommended to business colleagues and friends. A concise and informative book portraying the facts in an enjoyable reading style.

Comment on Bertie’s Landing by Bill Shewell

Bill Shewell — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 19:16:25 +0000

Tony you are correct that the original concept for both Berties Landing and the yacht were two separate issues. The yacht was completed at the fish quay shed while the RCYC committee together with Bertie enjoyed a RCYC satellite home at the rear and attached generally to the restaurant for the enjoyment of its members.
The lower deck beer hall was certainly thought to be SAB supplier best seller. A decision within the V&A head office led by David Jack is the root reason this clock tower area was so successful. Other than Mitchells Brewery and the Pilot Berth fish restaurant Cape Town’s new much published and much criticized Waterfront development, David Jack needed a new jewel at the tucked away piece of this undeveloped rather smelly seal rock base area locked between working fishing boats landing daily fish catches, a old weather bound rather slow single-handed capacity 10 person maximum Penny Ferry Ferry, primary meant to allow port staff to take a short cut from No 1 Jetty to the railway station as their shift ends, and the crowded fish quay road.
Yes Bertie Reed and supported by the sailing community of the RCYC saw an opportunity to move their head office to the Waterfront. David Jack also saw this as a temporary but very opportunistic chance to show the rather cautious developers that a low cost rental base for the city younger people something and somewhere they could enjoy a waterside evening social without memberships or entry restrictions might work. Work it did, all the music, enjoyment and fun soon spread throughout Cape town and the excitement of this new waterfront was born by.
I had accepted the post of Harbour Master in David Jack’s team in 1991 that added some challenges to cope with this new style backwater. In briefly summing up, this successful water hole drew attention away from the real development on the other side of the cut. This area is now the focus of the Robben Island tours ferries base and museum.
Regards Bill Shewell (retired)

Comment on The Waterfront Story print edition by Penny Randall-Bentley

Penny Randall-Bentley — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 10:01:20 +0000

The book is an interesting collection of some of the untold stories of the V&A Waterfront. It is well compiled and factual and would strongly recommend it for any visitors to the Waterfront. Congratulations

Comment on The Waterfront Story print edition by James Mudimu

James Mudimu — Tue, 30 May 2023 07:49:45 +0000

Happy

Comment on The Waterfront Story print edition by Bertie Roos

Bertie Roos — Mon, 29 May 2023 13:05:03 +0000

Thank you for an excellent publication. It has been done in so much detail and all the different facts read like multiple stories within the main Waterfront story. The pictures also tell their story, not only of the environment, but also the people. It reads like a novel. I am going to look with different eyes to each building in future, because now I know the story behind the structure. Congratulations on a wonderful book!

Comment on The Waterfront Story print edition by Ronnie Glass

Ronnie Glass — Thu, 25 May 2023 07:05:50 +0000

I have been a fan of the Waterfront redevelopment since it started in the 90s. I recall sitting at Ferrymans with the railway line still functioning in front. What the book has done for me is to rekindle memories of its development, tell me of facts I was unaware of and so bring me up to date, plus provide a look at the future plans. Carl is an insider having worked many years for the Waterfront Company and thus has much to share. His book thus contains so much information, wonderful pics and is so comprehensive. You will not be sorry with a purchase of the book. It accordingly is not just another book about the harbour and the ships that have visited the Port of Cape Town.

Comment on The Waterfront Story print edition by Murray Douglas

Murray Douglas — Fri, 19 May 2023 08:58:58 +0000

My wife and I have many fond memories of the Waterfront from when we stayed in Plumstead. Visits to the Aquarium with grandchildren; Citroen Club outing to the Table Bay hotel in our Citroen Light Fifteen with visiting overseas Citroenites; Scottish country dancing displays in the amphitheatre, especially one in 2001 when the death of the Queen Mother was announced and we joined the Cape Town highlanders pipe band, who were nearby, in their commemorations; visits to thee Maritime Museum when the steam tug and the boom defence vessel were still docked there. Many visits to eating places including Ferrymans pub, Quay 4, Harbour Cafe. With my historical connections (Cape Town Historical Society chairman for ten years) enjoyed visits to the old silos, the dry dock, the Chavonnes Battery underground museum, the Clock tower, etc. The Waterfront is overflowing with historical buildings, all now beautifully restored and often sensitively redeveloped to still be of use.

I saw the present book on Heritage Portal and decided to buy it to bring myself up to date since we left for Sedgefield in 1988. It is a most impressive, beautifully produced book with many superb illustrations, aerial views, maps, all in great detail, etc. It covers the history of the area from the original San to the early explorers, the VOC, the development of Cape Town, the building of the breakwater and docks, and finally the origins of the redevelopment of the then historic docklands into the present Waterfront and its subsequent development since 1989. This is all brilliantly presented in a very compact manner and is very informative all in 175 pages and at a very reasonable price.
I would strongly recommend it for anyone with an interest in Cape Town.

Comment on The Waterfront Story online ebook by oscar siches

oscar siches — Sun, 14 May 2023 16:17:34 +0000

A wonderful tale of the history of a key area of Cape Town.

Comment on Bertie’s Landing by Tony McKeever

Tony McKeever — Fri, 05 May 2023 09:11:07 +0000

There is much more history and detail to the above sanitised description of Berties Landing and the Roaring Forties, as this puff piece does not do justice to the provenance of building a single handed 60 foot ocean racing yacht in the V&A shed alongside the Port Captains Tower.

This builders agreement with Jean-Jacques Provoyeur was set in motion from the Old Harbour Cafe location. Thereafter Berties Landing and The Roaring Forties, together with the Pier and Seals Landing was conceived and implemented by neither Geoff Grylls nor even Bertie himself, who did not drive into the harbour. Too much journalistic license there for sure.

In fact Berties Landing was at one time the largest outlet for SAB in South Africa, given its upstairs restaurant, downstairs tavern and Roaring Forties at the rear for the yacht racing enthusiasts.

In addition and allied to the Berties Landing activities was the Global Ocean Watch campaign, which linked South African 1,000’s of schools tracking Bertie and the yacht GRINAKER’s around the world course, learning about oceanography, geography, sea life, mathematics, astronomy, tides and nutrition in specially produced black & white wall maps. This campaign was the forerunner of marine and ecological awareness profiled by SABC’s Good Morning South Africa every weekday morning for 9 months.

Comment on The Waterfront Story print edition by Hayley

Hayley — Wed, 03 May 2023 13:45:42 +0000

The book is extremely interesting and informative.