Keep the Spirits Up

From ghostly ships to haunted houses, the Cape Point Route abounds with mysteries.

Since the first vessels called in Table Bay more than 500 years ago, more than 450 known ships have been lost to the treacherous coastline of the Cape Peninsula. And some more than once…

Perhaps the most famous of these ghosts is the “Flying Dutchman” of the Cape of Good Hope – a ship that haunts the seas in bad weather whilst still attempting to sail around Cape Point. The ghostly ship has given its name to the funicular that takes visitors up to the old lighthouse and viewpoint at the Cape Point Nature Reserve.

The legend dates from about 1640 or so when a Dutch ship under command of a Captain van der Decken sank off Cape Point during a storm (by the way, there are no records of this. As the ship went down he apparently cursed ‘I will round this Cape even if I have to keep sailing to doomsday!’

So whenever a storm brews off the Cape and you look carefully enough, you will be able to see the ship. Don’t look too closely though, for it is claimed that whoever sights it will die a terrible death. Many people have claimed to have seen the Flying Dutchman, including the crew of a German submarine during World War 2.
The most famous viewer was King George V, who experienced it off the Cape while he was a midshipman on HMS Bacchante in July 1881. He wrote that the lookout and the officer of the watch had also seen a ghost ship. He described it as ‘a strange red light as of a phantom ship all aglow, in the midst of which light the mast, spars and sails of a brig 200 yards distant stood out in strong relief’. The lookout fell to his death a few hours later but the young midshipman survived the curse- fortunately for the British royal family.

Diaz and Da Gama – early Portuguese explorers were approached by a large dark cloud, in the shape of a human, who warned them of the dangers in trying to sail around the Cape of Storms. This figure is known as Adamastor in mythology and the gods turned him into a mountain at Cape Point to guard the seas of the south.

Simon’s Town is a naval town and it’s well known for its hauntings. The most famous is at the Simon’s Town museum. Photographs of a mural on the wall are often blurred or even blank and 2 women spirits have been sighted both inside and outside the building. Admiralty House (home to the SA Navy) is also said to be haunted and the Palace Barracks are rumoured to have at least 3 ghosts including that of Mary Kingsley – the famous female West African explorer. The Anglican Church, St George’s Church and even Black’s Lane all claim haunted nooks and corners.

Whether or not you believe in ghosts or have a fascination with legends, the Cape Point Route abounds with mysteries waiting to be discovered. Anyone who stays longer will be glad they did as the history and the secrets reveal themselves to those who take the time to experience the richness of the Cape Peninsula in addition to its beauty.

For more secrets, things to do, places to stay or eat, please contact the Cape Point Route: www.capepointroute.co.za or Call 021 782 9356.