Cape Town is a stunningly beautiful port city which has served mariners travelling around the Cape of Storms for over three centuries. The city and its suburbs straddle the Cape Peninsula, stretching from the majestic Table Mountain southwards for 35 km to the Cape of Good Hope. Greater Cape Town has a population exceeding 3 million. The Cape is notorious for its extremes of fine sunny summer weather and fierce north-west winter gales which have claimed many ships over the centuries since the Portuguese explorers discovered the sea route to the Indies.
Many historic wrecks lie off the peninsula coast, and each winter brings with it sea dramas anew.
Recent Shipping Incidents to read what has happened recently along our coast. The fascinating monthly journal of the doyen of the SA shipping news writers, Mr George Young, SeaViews , is made available to our site monthly by kind favour of George and RN Cole and Associates. The Port of Cape Town sees many ships calling either off limits or calling alongside for bunkering and victualling. Many ships are tramping between Europe and the East, routing via the Cape to avoid Suez fees. And many have left debts behind them.