With the soul of Bientang

Published Sep 17, 2014

Share

Cape Town - The weather is usually dreadful around this time of the year in the Cape, which is why many of us in KwaZulu-Natal prefer to stay where we are, disregarding the odd spot of garbage and grime and trying to overlook the fact that a lot of things don’t work.

Rain, more rain and wind that knocks you sideways, are probably the reasons why the tourist version of whale spotting is often reduced to a quick walk along the Hermanus promenade overlooking Walker Bay, latching on to a hat for dear life and heading towards the nearest pub or coffee spot.

However, this was a different day – bit of climate change maybe but pleasantly warm and no wind, not even the slightest breeze.

It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen these giants of the deep put on the double fountain display, spurting glittering spumes of water into the sky, or pushing crustacean encrusted heads above the water, the effect is profound.

It’s no wonder that whale watching tourism is the fastest eco-tourism industry in the world. The haunting cries, the telltale black shapes in the curl of a wave, even a glimpse of a baby – those are the magical moments of whale watching you can keep permanently on the bucket list.

The promenade on a nice day is a glorious experience. Billboards tell you all you need to know about the Southern Right whale and the measures that are taken to protect this treasured stretch of seaboard.

At one spot on the beach stroll I stopped and pondered over the statue of a crouched bather staring out to sea, each time wondering what or who he was waiting for.

His secrets may never be known, but looking over the edge of the stone parapet, just beyond him, I discovered a secret place of my own that I had never known existed.

“What’s down there?” I asked my guide Nicola Shepstone, pointing to a large flat boulder and people sitting at a table basking in the sun. “Anything special?”

I was hoping not because the cliff look pretty treacherous to a non-climber like myself.

“Oh, don’t you know the story of Bientang?” she asked.

I didn’t know.

But I soon found out after a steep climb down the cliffside.

Under the cliff, totally hidden from the foot traffic above, is a large cave gouged out by millions of years of relentless sea bashing. It is here in this weathered cavern that a woman called Bientang lived centuries ago, a hermit with witchlike skills, who it is said controlled the sea, the ships and the creatures of the deep. When the weather was foul, it was the work of Bientang in an angry mood.

On this particular day, her soul was clearly in a good space. So too was the seafood which has become a favourite at the restaurant, which now stands at the entrance to her cave.

The Walker Bay guardians have made sure that Bientang’s living quarters remain faithful to history, with many of her artifacts, kitchen utensils and pots still in place and still intact, just as they were centuries ago.

I just love Bientang’s history – and the mystery that surrounds her. While her real background has never been known, early 19th century settlers were familiar with her habits and whereabouts, naming her after the last known Khoi Khoi strandloper.

What is known of Bientang is that she was self-sufficient, living off the abundant supply of seafood, which she gathered a stone’s throw from her cave dwelling.

There was fresh water from a trickling stream, which runs to this day under the staircase at the entrance to her cave.

She grew fruit and vegetables in her garden where the restaurant’s kitchen is today.

She guarded her home passionately. It was not unknown for her to yell profanities at people who came too near. She had even been known to throw rocks at the curious.

Early records show she lived in harmony with spotted genet, which were her constant companions.

Descendants of these animals still live in the cliffs overlooking Walker Bay.

She was spiritual and said to have superhuman powers, including the ability to communicate with animals. Pods of whales would return to the same spot every year just in front of her cave – as they still do today.

Legend has it that one night she disappeared mysteriously from her cave. No one knows what happened to her.

However, it is said that on certain nights when the whales return, her ghostly figure can be seen on the rocks.

Like the statue above, she too seems to be watching and waiting.

[email protected]

Liz Clarke, Sunday Tribune

 

FACT FILE

The Bientang Whale Watching Centre has been established at the entrance to the old harbour in Hermanus.

As part of the operation, staff do daily clean-ups, removing glass and litter from the rocks and vegetation, and they clean up any debris under the sea surface. Visitors can find all the information they need about whale spotting and organised sea excursions to observe the whales close up.

The restaurant endeavours to reduce carbon footprint by sourcing local produce and using green technology.

As part of the centre, the Bientang’s Sea World (not yet completed) will be an important research hub for scientists and students studying the Southern Right Whale, which returns from May to December to mate and calve, as well as other sea creatures found in the Walker Bay coastal area.

Once fully operational, it will be the first centre of its kind on the continent overlooking the only whale sanctuary in Africa. Walker Bay was declared a whale sanctuary in 2001.

For more information, see www.bientangscave.com

Related Topics: