Skulpiesbaai, Stilbaai – this area falls in the Skulpiesbaai Nature Reserve and is known for the amount of shells found on the beach. (Photo: Este Smit)
What you can do at Skulpiesbaai:
- Enjoy the beach – and all the shells!
- Do the various hiking trails in the Skulpiesbaai Nature Reserve
- Surf at Dolphin Point
- Visit the ancient fish traps (visible with low-tide)
- Pick up litter that washes ashore or are left by careless beach users…
What you can NOT do at Skulpiesbaai:
- No fishing
- No fishing between the red and white poles towards Morris Point on the left and past the fish traps on the right
- Reason: it is a nature reserve and a Marine Protected Area (MPA)
- Stilbaai was declared a marine protected area in 2008. It connects to the land-based Geelkrans Nature Reserve, which ensures that the coastal zone is well protected. The area, managed by CapeNature, is protected to rebuild overexploited marine life, particularly reef/line fish. It also prevents habitat degradation and preserves vis-vwyers (fish traps), which are archaeologically and culturally important. Fishing is still allowed in controlled areas, but it is banned in Geelkrans, Skulpiesbaai and Goukou estuary. Goukou was the first estuary to be included in marine protected area in the Western Cape. (www.capenature.co.za)
Enjoy your visit to Skulpiesbaai, Stilbaai!
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