Declared in December 1973, the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve covers 263 hectares of beautiful rocky and wild Atlantic coastline and endangered Sandveld Fynbos vegetation, which it is claimed is an absolute delight to behold in the spring flower season – we’ll have to visit again then to confirm! The reserve offers hiking trails and the possibility to kayak, fish, dive for crayfish, scuba or – if you are brave enough to enter the cold water – swimming. Picnic areas are available for day visitors. What the reserve lacks in the way of large animals it more than makes up for in awe-inspiring scenery and a rich variety of birds and smaller creatures.
The Cape Columbine Lighthouse inside the reserve was the last South African lighthouse built to be manually controlled (it dates back to 1936). Apparently this lighthouse is usually the first seen by incoming ships from Europe and the Americas on their way to Table Bay and the Cape of Good Hope and its light is visible up to 50km away.
Cape Columbine Lighthouse
The camping area at Tietiesbaai has ablution blocks with hot water and flush toilets available for campers pitching their tents or caravans on one of the 60 available campsites (no electrical points at the sites though).
The Cape Columbine Nature Reserve and the camping area at Tietiesbaai is managed by the Saldanha Bay Municipality. Rustic accommodation is available inside the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve, but remember that DeWetsWild can also assist you with bookings if you are planning a visit to the West Coast – either in the West Coast National Park or at the Port Owen Marina in nearby Velddrif. The Seekombuis is a restaurant specialising in sea food located right at the reserve’s entrance, which is less than 2km along a gravel road outside the very pretty West Coast town of Paternoster, where there are shops and other restaurants available too.
Paternoster
DeWetsWild 
Lekker ou Tietiesbaai … ons het vir jare daar tydens Paasnaweek gekamp (deesdae gaan ons bietjie verder noord). Ons het ook in 2019 ‘n heerlike week by die Sea Shack gebly (ons noem dit sommer “luxury camping” 😄). Jy’t pragtige foto’s hier … dis altyd lekker om ons omgewing, waar ons bly, deur ander se oe te sien.
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Ons het absoluut verlief geraak op Tietiesbaai, Corna. Paternoster ook. Spesiale plekke met spesiale mense, geen wonder julle voel so tuis daar op die Weskus nie!
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Ja, die plekke is regtig ongerep en mooi … maar soos jy se, dis dalk die Weskus mense wat dit sulke lekker plekke maak. Ons het dit nou weer by Elandsbaai ook ervaar.
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Volgende keer sal ons bietjie by Elandsbaai ook moet gaan draai, klink dit my.
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Ha, ja die lys raak altyd net langer van nog plekke om te sien, ne? Elandsbaai is nog regtig ongerep en het die mooiste strand! En die mense daar is sout van die aarde.
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Ja, daai lys! 😀
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I definitely think you will be going back, Dries. It has a harshness about it that it is equally as beautiful as your inland national parks. If those mussel shells weren’t an indication of the abundant marine life – great photo, Joubert – then the seal colony shows that clearly.
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I really hope we can do our next trip in the flower season, Tracy. If the reports are to be believed it will be awesome to see!
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There is much that is very similar about our two countries, Dries. Our western most state is world renowned for its wild flowers. It has something to do with the poor soil quality and the consequent short duration of favourable spring weather causing the flowers to bloom so spectacularly in their desire to attract pollinators. Don’t quote me on that though. Perhaps there is a similar phenomenon occurring on your west coast that produces the wildflower displays of the fynbos?
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You are spot on, Tracy. Harsh environment with (little) winter rainfall makes for ideal conditions at the start of spring for annuals to flourish for a short period, develop their seeds and die off again before the high and dry temperatures of summer.
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Even sans flowers, these places have a unique wild beauty.
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Oh absolutely, Anne. I’m very pleased we spent a December morning at Cape Columbine and Tietiesbaai. I’d love to revisit in the flower season though, I imagine the flowers, rocks and sea would make a beautiful picture.
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Different than your usual but equally beautiful. All those seals!!
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That’s the beauty of this country, Janet. Just as soon as you think you’ve seen all her faces you find a new place to prove you wrong!
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Looks like a magical place to visit, Dries. I guess I might just survive without my hair drier. 😅
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Waking up to scenes this beautiful I can’t imagine that you’d worry about a hair drier either, Sylvia.
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Dit lyk heerlik en so so mooi. Jy maak my sommer wens eks in SA om die plek te besoek. Mens kan seker ook nie alles wat so mooi is kom bekyk nie. Gelukkig sien en leer ek baie elke keer hier by jou.
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Ek hoop regtig voor my vlammetjie uit is sien ek darem meeste van ons land se mooi plekke, Ineke. Maar dit gaan harde werk kos in n land so ryk aan mooi plekke!
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Stem saam met die die land se rykdom aan mooi plekke.
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