| Saldanha Bay | |
|---|---|
| Saldanhabaai (Afrikaans) | |
 Present day Saldanha Bay. To the right (south) is theLangebaan lagoon | |
  Saldanha Bay Location in South Africa | |
| Coordinates | 33°02′05″S18°00′35″E / 33.03472°S 18.00972°E /-33.03472; 18.00972 |
| Ocean/sea sources | Southern Atlantic Ocean |
| Basin countries | South Africa |
| Max. length | 12 km (7.5 mi) |
| Max. width | 11 km (6.8 mi) |
| Islands | St Croix Islands, Bird Islands |
| Settlements | Saldanha,Langebaan |
Saldanha Bay (Afrikaans:Saldanhabaai) is anatural harbour on the south-western coast ofSouth Africa.[1] The town that developed on the northern shore of the bay, also calledSaldanha, was incorporated with five other towns into theSaldanha Bay Local Municipality in 2000. The current population of the municipality is estimated at 72,000.
The place is mentioned in the first edition ofJohn Locke'sTwo Treatises of Government as an example of the state of nature.[2]
Saldanha Bay's location makes it a paradise for thewatersport enthusiast, and its local economy being strongly dependent on fishing, mussels, seafood processing, the steel industry and the harbour. Furthermore, its sheltered harbour plays an important part in the Sishen-Saldanha iron-ore project (connected by theSishen-Saldanha Railway Line) at whichSaldanha Steel takes center stage.
Saldanha Bay is located about 105 kilometres (65 mi) north west ofCape Town. It faces southwest and is 11 km long and 12 km wide. The Langebaan Lagoon, a SE prolongation of the bay, extends for 14 km southeastwards from the SE corner of the inner bay by Langebaan.
Saldanha Bay is named afterAntónio de Saldanha, captain of a vessel inAlbuquerque's fleet which visitedSouth Africa in 1503. The name was first given toTable Bay, where Saldanha's ship cast anchor. On Table Bay being given its present name in 1601, the older appellation was transferred to the bay now called after Saldanha. In 1781 a British squadron under Commodore George Johnstoneseized six Dutch East Indiamen, which, fearing an attack on Cape Town, had taken refuge in Saldanha Bay. This was the only achievement, so far as South Africa was concerned, of the expedition despatched to seize Cape Town during thewar of 1781–1783.[1]
DiplomatEdmund Roberts visited the Bay in 1833. He noted that it was "well sheltered from violent winds, having a sufficient depth of water, but the country is very sandy and agriculture but little attended to; a few cattle and sheep are raised among the scanty herbage." He suggested that it was an uneventful area to visit, except for a few areas in the Bay wherewhales resided during his visit.[3]
Saldanha Bay is also home to numerous fish canneries. The most notable of these is the Saldanha Bay Canning Company, founded by James Kasner and Ellis Silverman in 1905.
With strong historic military links Saldanha is also host to a Naval training base and theSouth African Military Academy. The SAS Saldanha Nature Reserve offers a display of wildflowers during late winter and spring whilesouthern right whales also visit the waters in and around the nature reserve. The area has a Mediterranean climate but the annual rainfall is quite low; it verges on the desert region ofNamaqualand.
The port developed into a modern harbour only recently, when it became necessary to facilitate the export of iron ore from theNorthern Cape. This required the construction of a railway more than 800 kilometres to the mines atSishen in theNorthern Cape and the construction of a deepwater jetty in Saldanha Bay to accommodateCapesize ore carrier ships.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Saldanha Bay".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 24 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 60.| International | |
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