Launch of the Flying Dutchman Funicular

There is so much action in Cape Town! The first game at the Cape Town Stadium is TODAY 11 June 2010 at 20h30. Bafana Bafana is playing at soccer city in Johannesburg at 4pm and South Africa is having a national party! Cape Town is ready to welcome all our visitors. There is nothing like a major deadline to get things spruced up and finished off, upgraded and cleaned!

Cape Point Route was privileged to attend the launch of the Flying Dutchman on Tuesday 8 June 2010. “The Flying Who? The Flying What?”, I hear you ask.

“The Flying Dutchman” is the funicular at Cape Point, which apart from offering visitors an exciting and novel method of travel, saves visitors a long uphill walk from the car park to see the old lighthouse and enjoy panoramic views.

The Funicular was named after the Legend of the Flying Dutchman – a ghost shop that haunts the coastline of the Cape Point Route. As legend has it, the Flying Dutchman was captained by a Dutchman, Hendrik van der Decken, and was headed home from Batavia (now Jakarta) to Holland in 1641.

As van der Decken approached the Cape, stormy weather shredded the ship’s sails and waves flooded the deck. The captain had rounded Cape Point on several occasions previously, but this time, a terrified crew implored him to turn back. He refused to submit to the elements and lashed himself to the wheel, swearing that he would sail around Cape Point, even if it took him until Doomsday.

One version of the story goes that an angel appeared on the deck and the enraged captain drew his pistol and shot her. Van der Decken’s wish to round the point was granted that night, but he and his crew were doomed to sail these waters for ever more.

Over the past three-and-a-half centuries a ghostly sailing ship, that glows red in the night and has a mad, bald captain, has been sighted by a number of mariners.

Those who have seen her say she lets down row-boats that approach with ghostly men aboard, desperately seeking a Good Samaritan to take their letters back home, where they haven’t been for more than 300 years. But those who entertain these approaches are doomed…

Aside from the legend – Tuesday was a special day at Cape Point and a fun filled event. There was a tasty breakfast at the Two Oceans restaurant with entertainment from the Two Oceans Restaurant staff choir who were fabulous with some songs they had written themselves! Goosebump stuff.
Keynote speakers were:
• Mr Solly Fourie (PGWC)
• Ms Wanda Mkushulwa (SAN Parks)
Both captivated the audience with interesting and relevant topics to the tourism industry as well as long term economic development and protection of our national resources – people and landscape!

A traditional sobrage marked the official opening of the Flying Dutchman and guests went for a ride in the new Flying Dutchman to the top lighthouse, where the highly talented Masiphumelele school choir entertained guests as the Sangria flowed.

The funicular, which transports visitors up the steep slope to popular lookout points just below the lighthouse, was upgraded at a cost of R6-million, and now boasts a new body, safer braking technology and bigger windows that allow visitors a 360 degree view throughout their ride. The new system has been designed to minimise the funicular’s carbon footprint; with low solar powered batteries charged by photovoltaic panels while in transit, the new Flying Dutchman is more environmentally friendly than ever.

The Flying Dutchman takes 35 people per ride.
Price per adult is R43 return and operates between 09h00 and 17h00.

IMAGES:
Thanks to Portfolio collection and Cape Point Route
1. Flying Dutchman funicular
2. Beautiful Cape Point
3. Hands on the Flying Dutchman
4. Cathy Alberts (Cape Town Tourism) ; Andre Kearns (SAN Parks); Shayne Brownlie (Cape Point Route)
5. Nikki ; Hapiloe Selloe (Thebe Tourism); Sally Grierson (Cape Point Route)