When it comes to beaches, both sides of the Danger Point Peninsula have been allocated far more than a fair share.
To the north-west of Danger Point Peninsula, the rugged Walker Bay coast in front of De Kelders and the Walker Bay Nature Reserve has several bays, coves and small beaches. Many of these spots are naturally protected and safe for swimming. Walking along this coast is a pleasure, though one has to navigate cliffs, big boulders and has to circumvent caves and the "Duiwelsgat", a hole in the ground all the way to the ocean flushing underneath the limestone-cliffs. This is the place where it is guaranteed that you will spot Southern right whales just offshore between July and December. De Kelders is a residential area but down in the coves, one is actually not very aware of it since the cliffs block the view on the houses above. A multitude of rock-dassies (hyrax) reside on the rocks and cliffs. When people approach these dassies (weighing about 5 kg but having the elephant as its closest living relative) hide in one of the innumerable small caves. There are several larger caves as well, of which one has a fresh water fountain. The Klipgat Cave, just outside De Kelders in the Walkerbay Nature Reserve is however open for everybody. These middle stone age caves rank amongst the earliest remains of modern men in the world and can be entered via a series of steep steps. "De Kelders" was named after these caves; it is the Afrikaans/Dutch word for "the cellars". Once you have left the fringes of De Kelders, bordering the Walkerbay Nature Reserve, you will at best meet a few other people, but no cars, roads or other man-made matters. The reserve stretches all the way to the Klein River Lagoon at the outskirts of Hermanus. Enthusiastic walkers (the distance is about 24 km) will not easily find a prettier walking trail along the coast. Certainly between August and early December when you will loose count of the whales you will have spotted just off the shore. "Die Plaat" is an Afrikaans word for sandbanks. A large area in the Walkerbay nature Reserve is ruled by drift sand, the white surface whereof can be seen from far.
To the south-east of Danger Point Peninsula, the character of the coastline changes dramatically. No more cliffs and boulders, but never-ending white sand beach stretching from Franskraal past Pearly Beach all the way to Quoin Point. The seaside town of Franskraal, 6 km outside of Gansbaai, looks as many seaside towns in South Africa: eclectic architecture rules in these places. The beach of Franskraal however, stretching from the Uilkraalsmond reserve to Pearly Beach, is why people started to build here in the first place. It is very pretty. The outlet of the Uilkraalsmond estuary simply flows over the beach. Quite a lot of this water finds its origin in the mountain catchment area of farm 215. Pearly Beach is the favourite beach of the staff of farm 215 to take endless strolls with the dogs, that have been trained to leave the rare African black oyster catcher that nests on the beach in peace, but sometimes proudly bring some sun bleached seal bones. Pearly Beach is very undisturbed and long and it is a feast to park yourself in the fine sand at the face of the dunes waiting for another soul to stroll by (which can take very long).
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