Henties Bay

Henties Bay exists for fishing. The cold Benguela water off this coast is rich, and the shore angling for kabeljou, steenbras and galjoen has drawn Namibians and South Africans here since the 1920s, with the town growing as a holiday settlement around it. Streets are named after fishing spots. There is little else: a golf course laid out on gravel, a few shops, and the salt road running north into the Skeleton Coast.

History

Sailing along this coast in 1488, Bartolomeu Dias found so many fish that he called it Praia das Sardinhas. The fresh-water spring here was found in 1886, and the town is named after Hendrik "Henty" van der Merwe, who came in 1929 looking for water; it grew in the first half of the 20th century as a holiday spot for anglers (Wikipedia, Henties Bay).

Highlights

• The shore angling - the fishing the whole town was built around.
• The salt road - the compacted coastal route running north.
• The desert golf course - a course laid out on gravel and sand.
• The Omaruru riverbed - the dry course running through the town to the sea.

When to go

December to April is the main angling season and when the town fills. The rest of the year is quiet. Fog off the cold current is frequent in any month.

Before you go

The town is functional rather than attractive and there is little to do without a fishing rod. Fog and cold wind are common even in summer. Accommodation fills over the December holidays.

Nearby

Cape Cross is north, and Swakopmund is south.

Key facts