"L'Aghulhas" a Agulhas Travel Page by mvtouring

At L'Aghulhas you will discover the southern-most tip of Africa, the official position of the tip is 34° 49' 58" south and 20° 00' 12" east. A cairn marks the tip's exact position. It is at this longitudinal point that the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet.

Cape Agulhas, about two hours’ drive from Cape Town. The old red and white banded lighthouse is now a museum and a National Monument.
Early Portuguese navigators thought this a strange place, because 500 years ago the compass showed no variation between true and magnetic north. Nowadays there is a 24º variation west, as the magnetic poles are constantly moving.
Just before you enter the town of Cape Agulhas, you’ll pass a small bay called Stinkbaai (‘smelly bay’). Its name may come from the kelp that sometimes washes ashore and smells rather pungent as it decays in the sun. The notable feature at Stinkbaai is the Khoi fish traps that can still be seen when the tide drops. The Khoi used stones to create funnel-like contraptions to trap fish when the water levels changed.
The little town at Cape Agulhas has a few shops, a pub and a couple of restaurants. It is a quiet community.
Cape Agulhas is often very windy. Walking in the nature reserve, you get the feeling that you truly are at the edge of the Earth

The Agulhas bank is shallow and extends for 80 km from the coast, which explains the propensity for ships to run aground on the rocks and today provides one of the world’s most fertile commercial fishing grounds. Ancient fish traps, called ‘vywers’ are still maintained and used on the eastern side of the cape. They function as low dams where fish become stranded at low tide.

This beautiful and rugged tip of Africa has been proclaimed a National Park and supports a diverse intertidal and marine life as well as serving as a breeding ground for the endangered African black oystercatcher.

Walks and hiking trails in the area abound and include journeys through limestone fynbos, unique to the area, and a walk along the uninterrupted sandy beach of Struisbaai, which provides over 14 km of shoreline and some unique examples of shells for your collection. Although the coast here is shallow and rocky, there are several tidal swimming pools set amongst the rocks - ideal for holidaymakers.