| Baakens River Baakensrivier | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location of the Baakens River's mouth | |
| Native name | |
| Location | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Region | Eastern Cape |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | Indian Ocean |
• location | Algoa Bay |
• coordinates | 33°57′50″S25°37′45″E / 33.96389°S 25.62917°E /-33.96389; 25.62917 |
| Length | 23 km (14 mi) |
TheBaakens River, also known asGqeberha River (Xhosa:[ᶢǃʱɛ̀ɓéːxà]),[1] is a river that empties atPort Elizabeth's city centre and harbour inAlgoa Bay.[2]
The river flows for about 23 km (14 mi) from its catchment area at Sherwood, Hunter's Retreat, and Rowallan Park through mainly urban area to its mouth. Mostly, it is a small quiet stream. Near its mouth, it runs into a gorge on the south side of the hill on whichFort Frederick lies.
Until the firstVOC ships docked here in 1690, the creek was known by theKhoekhoe name from the Gonoqua tribe,Kragga Kamma (//Kraxa/kamma),'the rocky creek (or //kara - meaning pebbles in the river and kammabeing a corruption of the Khoe word //gami - meaning water)'.[3]
In time, the last 2 km (1.2 mi) of the stream wascanalised and the small lagoon filled up. Parks, sports grounds and hiking trails have been laid out in parts of the Baakens Valley.
In 1752, ensignAugust Frederik Beutler passed by and erected abeacon (baken in contemporary Dutch) on behalf of the VOC at the estuary.
The 54 ha Settler Park has existed since 1938. The valley was in the years 1867, 1897, 1908 (1908 Port Elizabeth flood), 1968, 1981 and 2006 the scene of severefloods, floods and great damage. On 5 May 1897, the cause was a cloudburst at Hunter's Retreat. On Sunday 1 September 1968, it started to rain just after 8am and within a short time more than 56 cm fell. In the most devastating flood that South Africa had experienced until then, 8 people lost their lives.
Gqeberha is the name for this river inXhosa.[4] The neighbourhood Kabega Park may have been named after this river.[citation needed]