Things to do in Port Owen
Sailing
For further information please visit https://www.portowenyc.co.za/
Fishing and Crayfishing at Port Owen, St. Helena Bay and the Berg River
St. Helena Bay, The Berg River and the waterways of Port Owen offer good fishing for various types of fish at different times of the year. The municipal information office can give you up-to-date information on what is biting and the best place to go at the time of your visit.
For further information click here
Golf
Golfing at Veldrif and Shelley Point (St Helena Bay) Golf Courses.
Birding
There are a vast number of different bird species in The West Coast Area. Velddrif (which includes Laaiplek, Port Owen and Admiral Island) is a rare place where over 350 species of birds can be seen. Land birds, sea birds and river birds are all to be found here.
Leisure Sailing
Hire the Sandpiper 2, a sleek, spacious, high performance 39ft catamaran, features comfort and safety one can all too easily get used to. If dolphins are frolicking nearby the skipper will find them for you and should a brisk Southeaster set in on the way back to port, you might even experience the exhilaration of flying across the water at 40km per hour!
Relax for a few hours enjoying Sundowners on the Canal with a gourmet picnic basket and famous South African wine provided by Chartwell House
Wine Routes
The quaint town of Darling is just an hour’s drive boasting Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout’s famous Evita se Peron theatre.
The Swartland Wine and Olive Route.
Meaning ‘black country’ and named after the indigenous Renosterbos, which turns a dark colour at a certain time of the year, the Swartland wine route extends from Darling on the west coast down to the Oliphants Mountain at Porterville in the east and includes Malmesbury, Riebeek Valley and Piketberg in the north.
Places of Interest
Paternoster
Paternoster is one of the oldest fishing villages on the West Coast of South Africa. It is situated 15 km north-west of Vredenburg and 145 km north of Cape Town, at Cape Columbine between Saldanha Bay and St Helena Bay.
St Helena Bay
Historically, St. Helena Bay is the location where Vasco da Gama, first set foot in South Africa. The date of this event was recorded as November 7, 1497.
West Coast Fossil Park
The fossil site of Langebaanweg is located in the West Coast Fossil Park about 20 minutes from Port Owen and is world-renowned for its exceptionally well-preserved fossil faunal remains that date to the terminal Miocene/early Pliocne (circa 5.2 million years ago)
Food & Drink
Port Owen boasts Charlies, a beer brewery and restaurant and Poetic Licence, our local Gin Distillery.
If you are a foodie, there are several great restaurants within an hour’s drive of Chartwell House. Your hosts would be more than happy to offer recommendations, based on what you are looking for.