Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay Lodge is situated between Knysna (150 km) and Port Elizabeth (125 km.)

Oyster Bay, nestling close to the shore between a lush of green boasts at least two unique ecological sites, namely the wind-rift dune ridges and the dune fynbos.

The two parallel ridges at Oyster Bay are 12 km long and rising to 177m at the highest point. This makes it the highest vegetated wind-rift dune ridge in the subcontinent. These dune were formed between 5 000 and 13 000 years ago (last ice age) as unidirectional parabolic dunes. These ridges have been declared a national priority dune area that requires protection.

The second site is the dune fynbos. The wind-rift dune ridges at Oyster Bay are vegetated by coastal thicket at the base of the dunes and the rest with Dune Fynbos. The conservation status of the Dune Fynbos is considered critical and contains 24 threatened plant species.

The Oyster Bay area can be considered as one of the “corners” of South Africa, where ships have to alter course. It is for this reason that the ships tend to come too close inshore to save time. (The 100m depth contour around South Africa is the closest to the shore at Cape St Francis, lying less than 2 km out.) Five ships are known to have run aground just west of Klippepunt and in Slang Bay itself between 1690 and 1900. Several other ships have been wrecked in the vicinity of Oyster Bay, which have either not yet been located or which are at this stage still unidentified.

You have to travel on a dirt road to get to Oyster Bay. So what makes that people want to live here or to visit here? It can best be said in the words of one of the inhabitants: When you leave the dirt road and turn downhill on the concrete road, you see the Bay in front of you. One the one side the white beach, the dune and the river and on the other side the houses between the green bushes. Then you forget the dirt road and the dust on your vehicle (where people love to write: Please wash me!)

 

Because this is where we experience the Father from day to day: we see Him in the sea, the animals, the birds and all the people, made individually by Him.

You come to Oyster Bay because here you can get away from the rat race and the noises of city and here you can clear your head and get in tune with Him. People who have holiday homes in Oyster Bay get depressed when it is time to go back! What more can I say?