Graafs Pool Tunnel in Cape Town 1910

 

Graaf's Pool Tunnel in Cape Town 1910

 

If you ever travel in the Sea Point area of Cape Town and are passing the Bordeaux flats complex on the beachfront then stop in front of the building and ponder about the following. The Bordeaux apartment building used to be a family mansion originally owned by the Marais family, hence the naming of Marais Road on the one side of the present-day building. The Marais family named the original mansion Bordeaux in honour of their French heritage. The mansion was bought from the Marais family by the Graaf family who became well known in SA political circles for many years thereafter. Lady Graaf, who stayed in the Bordeaux mansion, used to on a daily basis cross the gravel road in front of her home so as to go swim in the sea for health purposes. There was however a railway / tram line on the beachfront that used to obstruct her path of travel to the beach. To accommodate this problem her husband built an underground tunnel from the Bordeaux mansion to the natural pool where she bathed daily. This pool is today known as Graaf's Pool and is used as a male nudist swimming pool while the "secret" underground tunnel still exists and runs under the Sea Point's Beach Road. If you don't believe me then when you do visit the area walk down to Graaf's Pool and as you go down the steps from the promenade look to your right and you will see the entrance to the tunnel boarded up in the beachfront wall.

 

https://youtu.be/n8bVFRHGWd0

The Portswood Tunnel 1860

 

The Portswood Tunnel 1860

Built in the 1860s, the tunnel was used for builders to get stone quarried from what is now the V&A Waterfront Marina to the other side of Portswood Ridge to build the breakwater.

The workers dug out a long cutting, through which gangs of sweating convicts pushed cocopans full of stone to where Quay 5, past where Ferryman’s, Mitchell’s Brewery and the Amphitheatre are today.

Much later, the cutting was roofed over and built on, and during World War II, was converted – without ever being needed – for use as an air-raid shelter.

It is currently used as a Wine Cellar, as well as for Art exhibitions and who knows it could be a Tunnel for growing Mushrooms.

There are plenty of other Tunnels below such as Cape Town’s main sewer line, the Drydock pump station tunnels, the breakwater tunnel, stormwater tunnels and all sorts of service tunnels to supply the ships with fuel and water.

Comments: Visit by appointment only. Bring your Helmet. 

 

The Simonsberg Silver Mine 1743

 

The Simons berg Silver Mine 1743

Although the site has been abandoned for more than 250 years, the Simons berg silver mine remains intact, and on the farm Goede Hoop, in the Banghoek Valley, one can still see the ruins of various structures that are believed to have once been part of that mining operation.

Muller, who was appointed the company’s master miner, or "Bergmeester" subsequently set about securing a mining right, procuring the necessary equipment and hiring soldiers, sailors and some slaves in view of the complete lack of actual miners’ resident at the Cape of Good Hope. With all preparations complete in 1743, the company began the arduous task of digging long tunnels into the side of the Simons berg at different levels and sinking shafts measuring between 50 ft and 100 ft to connect those tunnels.

For the next several years, ‘mining’ activities continued largely unabated on the Simons berg but, rather suspiciously, there was nothing to show for such efforts. However, Muller continued to demand more capital to finance his mining operation, assuring the company’s investors that rich veins of silver and, later, copper and even gold, lay just ahead of their current workings. Inevitably, the company directors became suspicious of Mullers’ failure to provide any results so they ordered a sample of ore from the mine to be sent to Amsterdam for analysis. When the assay revealed that there was no silver, copper or gold content in that rock, Muller was exposed for the fraud he was.

Having given the project its support, the Dutch East India Company was particularly embarrassed by the exposure of the scam and, as fitting punishment, the company officials banished Muller to the Dutch colony of Batavia, in the East.

This particular episode is perhaps one of the earliest incidents of white-collar crime in South Africa.

Comment: This is a full day outing and hike suitable for hiking groups from 1 to 10 people.

Bring your Torches, Water and a sense of Adventure. There is the optional visit to do a picnic on the lawns of the Boschendal Estate or some lazy afternoon Wine Tasting in the surrounding area.

An Underground River and Cave on top of Table Mountain

 An Underground River and Cave on top of Table Mountain

Have you ever wondered about Tunnels - man made or natural? They are right on top of Table Mountain. 

 

But there is another hidden gem. An Underground River that has nearly dried up with lots of historic rock art. If you are keen to explore it's an easy and gentle short hike. But it is best to go in a group and with a guide. 

 

It is a two-hour hike from the upper Cable Station. An easy walk that anyone can do. Please bring your torch. There is also a Tunnel for the real adventure guys to crawl through. You might get a little wet and dirty, but it's great fun to pop out on the other side with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Booking well in advance is essential. Remember: No hiking when there is cloud cover. This is suitable for a group size from 1 to 12 people. 

 

Some Top of The Mountain History…

 

The Woodhead Dam was completed in 1897. It was one of the first dams to be built in the country. It is still in service and provides water to Camps Bay and the high-lying areas of the City Bowl.

The water supply was augmented by the Hely-Hutchinson Dam which was completed seven years after Woodhead Dam opened. It was built upstream from Woodhead Dam and is also situated on Table Mountain’s Disa River. Both have masonry dam walls constructed of sandstone blocks which were carved 

out of the mountain by stonemasons. A small railway line and a cable car

connecting the top of Kasteelspoort to Camps Bay were constructed to assist with the dams’ construction. A small waterworks museum, which includes the original locomotive, is located next to the dams.

 

Water from these two dams is treated at the Kloofnek Water Treatment Plant. The water takes an interesting route to get there. First, it is released into the Disa River Gorge where it flows as a small river towards Hout Bay. Closer to Hout Bay, the water is fed through the 700 metre Woodhead Tunnel that runs 

through the Twelve Apostles mountains to the Camps Bay side. From there it is piped into cast iron pipes that run along the popular Pipe Track hiking trail to the Kloofnek Treatment Works.