Greetings from Kalk Bay, a South African fishing village where wild seals await scraps

"The colorful old wooden fishing boats rock gently in this harbor, where wild and suspiciously plump Cape fur seals bask in the sun, awaiting the entrails from the daily catch as fishermen deftly gut the snoek and yellowtail they've brought in that morning. Kalk Bay, a small village on the Indian Ocean with a bohemian vibe, about 40 minutes' drive from central Cape Town, is one of my favorite places."

"It's nestled in the shadow of fynbos-covered mountains and boasts some atmospheric seafood restaurants and bars where, at high tide, the waves smash against the windows as you eat and occasionally, an unlucky diner gets soaked! There's also an independent bookshop, a couple of art galleries and a population of dedicated surfers and aging hippies (including my dad). Like much of the Cape region, Kalk Bay is a melting pot with a complex history."

Kalk Bay is a small village on the Indian Ocean about 40 minutes from central Cape Town, nestled beneath fynbos-covered mountains. The harbor hosts colorful old wooden fishing boats, and Cape fur seals gather to await entrails from the daily catch as fishermen gut snoek and yellowtail. The village offers atmospheric seafood restaurants and bars where waves can smash against windows at high tide, an independent bookshop, art galleries, surfers, and aging hippies. The community traces roots to Dutch and British settlers and mid-1800s arrivals of emancipated laborers from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Filipino seamen, with many fishermen descended from those groups. The harbor remains a working place where fishermen smoke, joke, and feed seals.

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