Recollections of an old sea dog — Captain Bill Shewell

This is the story of Captain Bill Shewell’s maritime career, becoming Port Captain of Cape Town and then Harbourmaster for the V&A Waterfront.

A response to Tony Jackman’s Daily Maverick rant

Daily Maverick published a story by Tony Jackman titled “WHEN CHARACTER DIES: V&A Waterfront: consuming itself, a greedy bite at a time“. “It’s the Monaco of Cape Town, a playground for the super-rich in a city infamously neglectful of its poor. Cut off, more than ever, from the city of which it is supposedly a part, it has […]

Bertie’s Landing

Bertie Reed had been brought to the V&A’s Dock House offices in August 1989 by Geoff Grylls soon after the veteran and legendary yachtsman returned from Newport, Rhode Island in the USA.  Bertie had seen what he wanted — a quayside pub and restaurant at the V&A Waterfront. Bertie’s Landing opened in September 1990 alongside the Clock […]

Remembering Gawie Fagan’s passion for the Waterfront

I went to visit Gwen Fagan yesterday to make sure that Gawie Fagan’s role in the whole Waterfront story is properly told. It’s the first time I’ve seen Gwen since Gawie died just over one year ago. It was wonderful visiting Die Es — their remarkable house — again, but even more wonderful to be […]