The early history - 1929:

Major Hentie van der Merwe, Kalkfeld farmer, motor-dealer and big-game hunter, also known as the "father" of Henties Bay told his story to Die Brandwag, 29 April 1977. 

In 1929 he heard of a museum in Pennsylvania offering a small fortune for a rhino skeleton and immediately set out with a half-ton Ford truck and a few helpers towards the Brandberg to hunt for rhino.  After he shot an animal he realized that their water reserves were low and there was no time to prepare the carcass in the usual way (that is to place the bones in an ant-heap for the ants to eat it clean).  He packed up the half-cleaned carcass and set out on a journey towards the sea in the hope to find water.  After they reached the sea ten miles north of Cape Cross they set out on a difficult journey along the beach towards the Omaruru River in a desperate attempt to find fresh water.  The journey was difficult - through thick sand with the stinking, rotting carcass intensifying their craving for water.  Without finding water in the dry riverbed they struggled on even further south.  A few miles south of the Omaruru River mouth they came to a deep sand valley where they found a patch of green reeds fed by a small freshwater spring - an oasis in this barren land!

There he discovered signs of a previous camp and an old metal sign stating in German that diamonds were found there. He was of the opinion that the Schutztruppe could have camped there on an expedition in 1886. (Later rumours had it that one Erasmus also found solace at this fountain after he nearly died on an illegal diamond expedition along the coast in 1920.)

ARTICLE IN AFRIKAANS BELOW

Whatever the case might be, Major van der Merwe immediately fell in love with the place and returned there on his next December holiday. He built himself a wooden shack from crates used for the importation of motorcars in those early years. For years it was his own private haven whereto he escaped every December. Later, he started inviting his friends along who referred to it as Hentie’s bay, which eventually became Henties Bay as more people claimed their own little place amongst the dunes. They mainly camped in tents and brought everything along, even livestock such as chickens, sheep and goats, which was then slaughtered when needed.
                                                              

 Fountain 1983

From 1951:

In 1951 the South West Africa Administration proclaimed erven in the riverbed that could be rented with the condition that no permanent structures were erected. Shacks were built from wood and hardboard.

In those years there was only one shopkeeper, a German named Köstens, who sold the bare necessities such as rice, sugar, flower, tinned foods, coffee and paraffin.

Houses in the valley

Köstens business property

Vis was daardie jare baie volop.  Soos Oom Hentie hier bo vertel, hy het sommer gebuigde spykers vir hoeke en 'n klippie vir aas gebruik.  Rooi aas was volop en in 'n oogwink het jy so 'n vrag vis gevang.

Ms Köstens

Köstens Garage 1966

In 1966 the Administration decided that the people must move out of the riverbed and 27 people were given the opportunity to buy erven on the north and south dunes, either side of the riverbed. In 1967 the De Duine Hotel was built and since then the town has slowly started to develop.

People who used to come the Henties for holidays in the old days always have their own version of the history and I gladly share it here as I receive it.
 

From: Rika [muggie1@telkomsa.net]
Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 11:42 PM
To: Hentiesbaai
Subject: Emailing: Die koms van die eerste beskawing in Hentiesbaa1

Die koms van die eerste beskawing in Hentiesbaai
Die belofte om vir die eerste keer in sy lewe die see te sien, laat ‘n blywende indruk op die geheue van ‘n drie-jarige kind.
Twee families was betrokke by die ontdekking van Hentiesbaai – Van der Merwe en Scott, vriende en bure van Kalkveld Suidwes-Afrika. 

Die Van der Merwe familie: Hendrik (Hentie) van der Merwe was getroud met Irene McCulloglo. Hulle het twee kinders gehad, Ramone Louis en Beulah Wentie. Hentie was werksaam by Sam Cohen as ‘n motorverkoopsman in Kalkveld. Hy het in ‘n huis gebly met die motorvertoonlokaal tussen hom en die Barclays Bank. Agter die huis was ook ‘n werkswinkel gewees wat Ben Burger vir Hentie bedryf het. 

Die Scott familie: Willem Johannes Scott (Scotty) was getroud met Maria Wentworth de Waal. Hulle het op daardie stadium twee kinders gehad naamlik Philip De Waal en Louis Marius. (Later is Charles John en Micheal Wentworth gebore.) Scotty het by Barclays Bank gewerk en het in ‘n huis gewoon aangrensend tot die bank. 

Kalkveld het daardie jare ‘n vooruitstrewende karakoelbedryf gehad en Scotty het Barklays Bank takke in Outjo en Otjiwaranga oopgemaak. Die twee families het saam besluit om ‘n vakansieplek by die see te gaan soek in April 1934.  

Met Scotty in die voortou in sy Chevrolet motor, het hulle direk in ‘n westelike rigting gery en noord van die Spitskoppe verby gegaan. Albei se families was saam – die vrouens, kinders en twee bediendes, Annetjie en Sannie. Hentie het gevolg in ‘n vragmotor met sy werktuigkundige, Simon. Dromme met water, kanne brandstof, tente en kos is saamgevat. 

Daar was geen paaie nie. Hulle het oor plase gery deur die drade net plat te druk en weer op te tel.  In die woestyn het Scotty vasgeval in ‘n rivierbedding. Almal moes uitklim en help stoot. Die grond het weldra harder geword. Scotty het die rivierbedding gevolg omdat hy geweet het dat dit na die see moes lei. Waar die Suidduin vandag is, het Scotty gestop en gesê dat hy die see ruik. Hy het uitgeklim en vooruit geloop om ondersoek in te stel waarna hy teruggekeer het met die nuus dat hulle wel die see bereik het. Hierdie deel sou later bekend staan as die Suidduin van Hentiesbaai. 

Hentie het ook opgedaag en begin om tent op te slaan in die bedding waar die gholfbaan vandag geleё is. Scotty het sy handlyn in die see ingegooi en sommer gou ‘n paar visse uitgetrek vir aandete.  

Die kinders het in die sand gespeel en gate gegrawe en op helder vars water afgekom. ‘n Vier gelling blik se bodem is vol gate gemaak en in die sand laat sak sodat daar daagliks vars water geskep kon word vir huishoudelike gebruik. 

In die rivierbedding het sandvlooie die kinders toegetakel en hulle vreeslik laat juk. Die ouers het dit as “sea bumps” bestempel en die kamp na die Noordduin verskuif. 

Die visvangs was puik. Vars rooiaas het in die oggende op die strand uitgespoel en die kinders het dit bymekaar gemaak.

Die families het minstens twee keer per jaar daar vakansie gaan hou. Hentie het twee kratte waarin die Chev motors vanaf Amerika verskeep was, daar opgeslaan en ‘n hout hut gebou. Die oorspronklike hut het gestaan waar die Desert Rose Chalets vandag staan, moontlik net bietjie meer see se kant toe. 

Die twee families het besluit om die plek Merwe-Scotia te noem. 

Ander inwoners van Kalkveld het later jare besluit om ook na die vakansieplek te gaan. Hentie het die pad aangedui vanaf Swakopmund noordwaarts deur houtpaaltjies met pyltjies en die naam “Hentie” elke tien myl te plant. Vandaar is die plek later “Hentie se Baai” genoem.  

Die plek is gereeld besoek tot en met die uitbreek van die Tweede Wêreldoorlog in 1939. Hentie het by die SWA troepe aangesluit as ‘n tweede luitenant en is later bevorder in Kairo tot kaptein. Aan die einde van die oorlog het hy uitgetree as ‘n majoor en hy het genoemde titel verkies tot en met sy dood. 

Scotty was in 1944 bevorder tot bestuurder van Barclays Bank in Greytown, Natal, waarna hy nie weer Hentiesbaai besoek het nie.

Die inligting dat Hentiesbaai in 1929 ontdek is met ‘n renosterjagtog, blyk onwaar te wees, aangesien daar geen renosters in die woestyn aangetref word nie. 

(Sien artikel in die Brandwag hierbo waar Maj Hentie van der Merwe sy storie vertel.  Renosters is nog baie algemeen in die area noord van die Brandberg,, maar kom ook suid van die Brandberg en in die Ugab Rivier voor.  Save the Rhino Trust is baie aktief met die navorsing en beskerming van die renosters in die area. Redaksie)

Hierdie inligting mag in Engels of Duits vertaal word en indien enige verdere inligting verlang word, kan Phillip de Waal Scott – oudste seun van Scotty – via die internet gekontak word.  

Indien verdere informasie verlang word, kan ek gekontak word by die e-pos adres of telefoonnommer in Suid Afrika 0568114467.

Philip de Waal Scott.
0027-568114467

Karel van Zyl
00726830498
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Hentiesbay history
From: karelvanzyl <karelvanzyl@absamail.co.za>
To: info@hentiesbaytourism.com


Good day,

I know the history of Hentiesbay very well, as was told to me by my father, exactly as told by you and Hentie van der Merwe. 

What was actually never told, are the following facts: 

My father, Karel van Zyl, was in the South west african police, in Okahandja  and part of his duties were to patrol the west coast because it was diamond area. He did that firstly with camels and then changed to horses because the camels were to slow. 

On one of his trips he found a man camping along the seaside and told him that he was not allowed to be there, because it was diamond area. He asked my dad if he could not get a permit to camp there because he was only interested in camping and fishing. My farther gave him a temporary permission, as he was goiing to try and get permission from police head quarters, Pretoria, for this man to camp there occasionally. It should be remembered that it was still under South African government. My father, opened Okahandja police station 3 years before this. 

After a few months later and afte a lot of 'letter writing' to police head quarters, he eventually got the permit for the man, on condition that he was only allowed to camp and fish and that was to be monitored regularly. My father went back to him, on horseback, and handed him his permit, with the conditions. 

The man's name was in fact HENTIE VAN DER MERWE.

 

Some more info that I want to share with you is the fact that mr. Kösstens, who had the first little shop there, was a very big friend of my father's as he also was from Okahandja originally. The legend, Sarah de Jager, my dad and Hentie became big friends.

As a matter of interest, we as a family, still own the house in Henties, that was build by my dad in the sixties on the south dune. We go there every year in July or December. The old train couch, that was renovated into a house during the sixties, also belonged to him and then, when he build the house, he gave the train couch to his friend, mr. Gert Liebenberg.

My pa was vanaf 1927/28 in Okahandja by die polisie. Toe het hy ook die twee palmbome, wat voor die ou polisie stasie, die ou fort, staan, daar geplant. Hy moes die spergebied oppas, met kamele. Omdat dit te stadig gegaan het, het hy perde gekry om dit te doen. Hy het die namib plat gery op soek na diamant smokkelaars. Hy het vertel dat hy by twee geleenthede spore gevolg het, deur die barre woestyn, totdat die spore later draai see toe. Dan het hy geweet, dis nie meer lank nie, want die mens se water het opgeraak. Hulle kom dan by die see, drink uit desperaatheid seewater, en sterf n paar uur later.  

Ns: Hy het bv baie by Kolmanskop ook aangedoen en die woestyn geken.  Sy broer, oom Hannes van Zyl, het later ook by die polisie aangesluit in Suidwes en hy is toe Alexanderbaai toe, waar hy n diamant sorteerder was. 

Dit was juis op een van die 'trips' wat hy, my pa, op Hentie van der Merwe afgekom het.  

Iets interesants. Een jaar het my pa my, as 14 jarige seun, opgevat in die Omaruru rivier en gesê hy wil my een van die wonders van die natuur gaan wys, wat hy gesien gebeur het en sy oë nie kon glo nie.

Ons het met 'n ou landrover ongeveer 8 na 10 km in die rivier opgery. Onthou die rivier loop net in sie reënseisoen. Hy het stilgehou, die landrover gelos, en toe het ons nog sowat 2 km verder geloop. Ons het in 'n klipkoppie op die oewer gaan sit en wag, vir seker 3 ure.

Toe gebeur dit. Die wild, Gemsbokke, Koedoes (wat in die bosse in die oewer gebly het) en Springbokke het kom water soek. Hoewel daar geen water was nie, het 'n wonderwerk voor my oë plaasgevind. Die Gemsbok bulle het met hulle pote gegrou, omtrent 8dm in die rivier se sand. Die water syfer dan deur, omdat die water tafel baie vlak is. Hulle het gedrink en daarna die koedoes en toe die springbokke.

Hy het my vertel dat hy, nadat hy dit gesien het, baie op sy patrollies van die metode gebruik gemaak om water te kry in die Omaruru en Kuiseb riviere se lope.

Hy het my ook gaan wys hoe dit lyk as 150 tot 200  Namib springbokke begin pronk. Dis 'n belewenis. Ek weet nie hoeveel vandag nog oor is nie, maar in die sestigs was daar honderde. Jy kon hulle ook vroeg in die oggend sien tussen Henties en myl 72 wanneer hulle in troppe langs die soutpad geloop het en gewei het aan die opslag wat oornag opgekom het agv die mis.

Karel van Zyl 
0726830498
 

Diamonds

It was always believed that the South-West-African coastline should be rich in diamonds. Although it is true of the southern part from Oranjemund to Lüderitz, called the Spergebiet, diamonds only occur sporadically in limited quantities along the Skeleton Coast at Toscanini, Terrace Bay and at Möwe Bay.

The first account of diamonds along the coast was in 1910 when a land surveyor of the German Schutztruppe allegedly found a 2.5 carat diamond at Cape Cross (Kolonie und Heimat, 1910). A 3.75 carat yellow diamond was also found south of the Omaruru River Mouth in 1910 (Reuning, 1931). During extensive investigations between 1943 and 1947 no more diamonds were found south of the Ugab River.

But opportunists were always lured by the remote possibility of discovering diamonds. In the early 1960’s Ben du Preez and Jack Scott prospected for diamonds at Terrace Bay, Toscanini and just south of Henties Bay. The mining holes are still visible just south of the town’s residential area, Extension 6. Gravel was dug out and transported to Henties Bay where it was washed and gravitated. Cement blocks, remnants of the processing plant, are still visible on erf 1489, Oranje street where the gravel was washed. Five diamonds were allegedly recovered from the mine, but rumour has it that these diamonds were planted and the mine finally closed in 1971.
 

Old light tower

In the early 1960’s the South African Light House Department erected navigational light towers along the then South West African coastline at Möwe Bay, Terrace Bay, Toscanini Mine, Cape Cross and south of Henties Bay at a spot called Cape Farilhao. The purpose of these light towers was to aid the local and foreign vessels that were sailing close to the treacherous Namibian coastline. The radar of the ships only detects objects deeper inland that stand out instead of the coastline itself because the coastline is so flat.

These light towers consisted of a 15 – 20 meter mast with four identification beacons. A day marker with specific identification markings (mostly a specific colour combination or a wooden cross in the case of Cape Cross) helped vessels to identify the station during daylight. A 12V DC revolving light on top had a range of 13 nautical miles. This flashing light was coded to indicate the specific station at night. A Racon (radar responder) was situated on top of the mast and was triggered by the ship’s radar to identify the specific station. There was also a radio beacon that sent out a specific code to vessels that identified the station. The Racon and radio beacon had a range of 25 nautical miles.

These light towers fell into disuse due to modern navigation laws and techniques and were demolished with time. For a long time the tower near Henties Bay served as a perch for cormorants, but was, sadly, also removed in the early 1990’s and with that a part of history and nostalgia of the earlier years.

When driving south along the dune road to Jakkalsputz the remnants of this light tower can still be seen at Sandhoek (Cape Farilhao, known today as Solitude.