Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide. Port Owen lies within Velddrif on the lower Berg River, where the river enters St Helena Bay through Laaiplek fishing harbour. The marina is connected to the sea by the harbour entrance, the lower river channel and a system of excavated waterways. The surrounding water supports fishing vessels, yachts, aquaculture, river craft and small commercial boats. The lower river forms part of the Berg River Estuary and contains salt marsh, tidal flats and protected bird habitat. Port Owen operates as a residential marina within a regulated river and fishing-harbour system.

St Helena Bay lies within the southern Benguela Current region and is affected by cold-water upwelling, fog and seasonal wind changes. The Berg River supplies freshwater, sediment and floating material during winter runoff. Fishing activity remains concentrated around Laaiplek harbour, the lower river and processing facilities. Port Owen Yacht Club adjoins the marina, while the waterways and visitor berths are controlled by the Port Owen Marina Authority. The operating environment combines marine navigation rules, fishing-harbour controls, municipal estuary regulations and marina requirements.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - History

The lower Berg River was used by Khoekhoe communities before European settlement for fishing, shellfish collection, water and seasonal movement. Shell middens, stone artefacts and other occupation material occur along sections of the West Coast and estuary margins. No public archaeological excavation operates inside Port Owen, but exposed shell deposits, worked stone, bone or pottery remain protected under South African heritage law. European vessels later used St Helena Bay for anchoring, fishing and coastal trade. Laaiplek developed as the loading point where agricultural goods, fish and supplies were transferred between river craft, wagons and coastal vessels.

Velddrif took its name from a river crossing used by farmer Theunis Smit to move livestock between grazing areas. A pontoon ferry began operating across the Berg River in 1899, before construction of the road bridge. Laaiplek developed around fishing, fish curing, canning and harbour operations, while the present trained harbour entrance was completed during the twentieth century to replace the shifting natural river mouth. Owen Wiggins Trust developed Port Owen as a residential marina, with the waterways completed during the second half of 1988. The Port Owen Marina Association was incorporated in 1999 and later became responsible for managing the waterways and associated infrastructure under agreement with Bergrivier Municipality.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Ocean Currents and Tidal Flow

St Helena Bay lies inside the Benguela upwelling system, but no constant coastal current can be applied to the final approach. Sustained southeast wind drives surface water offshore and establishes a northward coastal set along sections of the bay. Northwest and west wind can reverse the surface movement and drive water toward the eastern and southern shores. Local circulation around the Berg River mouth also changes with river discharge, wave action and the state of tide. Compare heading with course over ground throughout the approach because wind-driven set can carry a yacht away from the intended entrance alignment.

The tide is semi-diurnal, with two high waters and two low waters during each lunar day. The normal spring range is approximately 1.8–2.0 metres, reducing to about 0.6–0.8 metre during neaps. Tidal flow increases through the trained harbour entrance and around bends in the lower river. The ebb can increase stopping distance and set a yacht toward the central shoals after the breakwater passage, particularly when winter runoff strengthens the river flow. A yacht drawing up to 2 metres can normally use the harbour area between the mouth and Carinus Bridge for about two hours either side of high water, but current shoaling information controls over the nominal tidal window.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Weather

The local weather cycle consists of summer southeast-wind periods and winter frontal systems. Summer conditions produce low rainfall, dry air and repeated upwelling along the coast. The upwelled water lowers sea temperature and can generate fog when moist air crosses St Helena Bay. Fog can develop within 15–20 minutes and can obscure the harbour walls, fishing vessels and shoreline. Radar, a working sounder and a plotted entrance route remain required when operating outside the river.

Winter cold fronts approach from the northwest and produce falling pressure, increasing north or northwest wind, rain and a later shift through west to southwest. Northwest wind drives sea and swell into St Helena Bay and produces the principal harbour-approach hazard. River discharge increases after rainfall in the Berg River catchment and can strengthen the ebb while carrying reeds, branches and other debris downstream. Southwest swell can remain after the frontal wind has decreased. Entry is controlled by the actual sea state at the breakwaters and the river current rather than conditions observed inside Port Owen.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Local Winds

The South-Easter is the main summer wind and forms part of the regional Cape Doctor circulation. It blows offshore or across the shore at the Berg River mouth and can exceed 25 knots during an established pressure gradient. The sea close to Laaiplek can remain short while stronger wind operates farther west in St Helena Bay. Gusts affect sail handling before entry, but the wind does not normally produce the same entrance sea as a northwest wind. The marina remains protected from wave action, although exposed masts and rigging remain loaded during sustained wind.

The North-Wester is the controlling winter wind for the harbour entrance and external anchorages. It blows into St Helena Bay, creates an onshore sea and can produce breaking water near the river mouth and along the surrounding coast. A west or southwest wind following the front can maintain swell across the approach. Berg winds occur ahead of some fronts and arrive from the inland sector with higher temperature, dry air and haze.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Approaches

From the south, clear Cape Columbine and its offshore rocks before entering St Helena Bay. Do not pass close to the Cape Columbine coast because granite reefs and broken ground extend beyond the visible shoreline. Remain outside the 20-metre contour until the Laaiplek harbour walls and Berg River mouth have been positively identified. Fishing vessels operate between Cape Columbine, Sandy Point, Laaiplek and offshore fishing grounds. The harbour entrance can merge with the low shoreline in fog or afternoon glare.

From the north, approach outside the sandy coast extending past Dwarskersbos toward the Berg River mouth. The shore provides no reliable close-range headland for identifying the entrance, and depths reduce gradually toward the beach. Remain outside the 15-metre contour until the entrance structures, river opening and vessel position agree. Northwest weather places this coast to leeward and can make the final approach untenable. Complete sail reduction, engine checks and VHF contact before closing the breakwater.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Navigation

Approach the harbour breakwater on a magnetic heading between approximately 120 and 150 degrees. Once aligned with the opening, proceed through the centre of the entrance or slightly to starboard to permit port-to-port passing if another vessel is leaving. The entrance is approximately 80 metres wide. At the inner ends of the parallel breakwaters, make a firm alteration to port and remain about one boat length off the northern bank and fishing-vessel jetties. Do not continue toward the centre of the river because a sandbank occupies the area inside the initial turn.

Continue along the port side past the fishing jetties and maintain clearance from moored trawlers, working lines and quay structures. The last jetty on the port side is the Port Owen holding jetty at Rooibaai, where more than 2 metres is normally available even at low water. A visiting yacht must contact the Marina Manager on VHF Channel 71 or by the published marina contact before arrival and stop at this jetty to take the authorised pilot aboard. From Rooibaai, follow the maintained channel marks toward the marina entrance and use minimum speed. Yachts drawing no more than 1.5 metres normally have all-tide access, while deeper yachts remain at the holding jetty until the predicted tide provides the required clearance.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Lighthouses and Lights

Cape Columbine Lighthouse. Cape Columbine Lighthouse stands south of St Helena Bay near Paternoster. It was commissioned in 1936 and consists of a 15-metre masonry tower with a focal height of approximately 80 metres. The light displays one white flash every 15 seconds and has a nominal range of approximately 30 nautical miles. It is the primary landfall light for a yacht approaching Port Owen from the south.

The lighthouse does not define clearance from the Cape Columbine reefs or provide a leading line into St Helena Bay. Keep outside all charted dangers regardless of the apparent light bearing. Fog and low cloud can obscure the light while lower coastal structures remain visible.

Laaiplek Outer Breakwater Lights. Red and green lights mark the trained harbour entrance in accordance with IALA Region A conventions. Red is kept to port and green to starboard when entering from sea. These lights are low-level harbour aids and can be obscured by spray, fog, fishing-vessel lights and background lighting. Their current characteristics and operating status must be taken from the corrected South African List of Lights.

Do not use the entrance lights as a substitute for the approach track. Temporary hydrographic notices affect the Laaiplek entrance, reported shoals and local aids to navigation. Confirm the breakwater opening visually and by radar before crossing the entrance line.

Inner Channel Marks. Port and starboard marks identify sections of the lower river and the approach to Port Owen Marina. The marks indicate the maintained route but do not guarantee depth outside the channel. Additional red and green marks lie about 400 metres upriver from the marina area. Pass between these marks before continuing along the outer side of the river bends.

Marina Marks. POMA and Port Owen Yacht Club maintain local marks through the river approach and marina entrance. Their positions are operational rather than fixed coastal-navigation references. Displacement, removal or maintenance can alter the marker sequence. Follow the Marina Manager’s pilotage instructions where the current marks differ from the chart or stored electronic route.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Chart Accuracy

Use South African small-craft chart SAN SC3, Cape Deseada to Yzerfontein, for the coastal passage and entrance. The chart includes a Bergriviermond inset at approximately 1:20,000 and a Port Owen inset at approximately 1:7,500. SAN 1009 covers St Helena Bay at approximately 1:30,000, while SAN 118 provides smaller-scale coastal coverage between Cape Columbine and Table Bay. The SC3 insets are required for the breakwater entrance, lower river and marina approach.

Temporary Notice to Mariners 35(T)/26 reports shoals and temporary aids to navigation at Laaiplek. This notice must be applied to the chart before entry. Electronic chart data can show the breakwaters and established river channel while omitting new shoals, absent marks or recent dredging limits. The riverbed changes through sediment movement, flood discharge and harbour work. Current local marker information, pilot guidance and the yacht’s sounder control where they conflict with stored chart data.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Anchorages

Laaiplek Outer Roadstead. The external roadstead lies west and northwest of the Berg River mouth, outside the entrance alignment and fishing-vessel route. Select a position in approximately 6–10 metres over sand. Holding is secure where the anchor reaches clean sand, but weed patches and discarded fishing gear can prevent penetration. Maintain enough clearance to avoid being set toward the beach or breakwaters after a wind change.

The roadstead is usable only during settled southeast or east conditions with low swell. Northwest, west and southwest winds produce an onshore sea and make the position untenable. River outflow can carry floating material past the anchorage after winter rain. Do not use the roadstead as a waiting position when the entrance is breaking.

Rooibaai Holding Jetty. Rooibaai is the designated waiting position for a yacht unable to continue to Port Owen Marina at the current tide. The holding jetty lies approximately 1.5 kilometres from the harbour mouth on the port side when proceeding upriver. Water depth is normally more than 2 metres up to the jetty, including low water. The position remains subject to fishing-vessel movement, river current and instructions from the Marina Manager.

Rooibaai is a jetty position rather than a free anchorage. Use fenders, fore-and-aft lines and springs for the reversing tidal stream. Do not remain longer than required to obtain the pilot or sufficient water for the marina passage.

Lower Berg River. Limited anchoring positions exist outside the marked channel in the lower river where depths of approximately 2.5–4 metres occur over mud and sand. Holding is secure in mud once the anchor is buried. The yacht must remain clear of fishing jetties, channel marks, commercial routes, private structures and the Port Owen entrances. Swinging room is restricted by the reversing tidal stream and riverbanks.

Anchoring requires compliance with the Berg River Estuary zones and municipal boat-licensing rules. De Plaat is a prohibited-entry bird-breeding area. Bokkomlaan, Die Slot and the Port Owen canal system contain no-wake restrictions. Do not anchor where the vessel can enter the marked channel after the tide reverses.

Slipper Bay and Sandy Point. Slipper Bay and the Sandy Point sector provide anchoring in approximately 5–8 metres over sand during settled southeast conditions. Holding is secure in clean sand outside harbour routes and fishing moorings. These positions are open to northwest, west and southwest weather. Leave before a frontal northwest wind establishes an onshore sea.

Stompneus Bay and Britannia Bay. Stompneus Bay and Britannia Bay provide sand anchorages in approximately 5–9 metres, subject to local moorings, reefs and fishing activity. Holding is secure in clear sand. Both areas are exposed to Atlantic swell and northwest or west wind. They cannot be treated as alternatives when the Laaiplek entrance is closed by onshore weather.

Port Owen Marina Basin. Anchoring inside the Port Owen waterways is prohibited unless the Marina Manager issues a specific instruction. The basin contains allocated berths, private jetties, fairways and residential waterfront structures. Do not pick up an unallocated mooring or secure to a private jetty. Temporary berthing is assigned by POMA

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Entry Formalities

Port Owen is not a South African maritime port of entry. Customs, Immigration, Border Management, Port Health and agricultural clearance are not available at Laaiplek or Port Owen. An international yacht must complete South African arrival clearance at an authorised maritime port before proceeding to Port Owen. Saldanha Bay is the nearest authorised port of entry on the southbound coastal route.

Carry vessel registration, passports, crew list, Customs release, Immigration clearance and coastwise documentation aboard. Complete the required coastwise passage plan before leaving the previous South African harbour. Port Owen Marina Authority can require proof of registration, insurance, skipper competence and vessel safety certification before allocating a berth. International departure clearance cannot be issued at Port Owen.

The Berg River Estuary by-law requires applicable recreational and commercial boats operating on the river to hold the municipal licence or authorised exemption. The skipper must hold the competence certificate required for the vessel and area of operation. A yacht of 9 metres or more must carry a valid Certificate of Fitness and be operated by a qualified skipper. The river is treated as sea water for small-vessel regulation purposes as far as the Saldanha–Sishen railway bridge.

Sewage, oil, fuel and contaminated bilge water cannot be discharged into the river or marina. POMA requires black-water discharge systems to remain secured against use while the vessel is inside the marina.

Starlink and other satellite terminals remain subject to South African electronic-communications licensing, service-authorisation and equipment-approval requirements. A foreign roaming account does not establish authority to operate the equipment locally. Drone operation remains subject to South African civil-aviation rules, property permission and environmental restrictions. Do not launch from marina property, a private jetty or protected estuary land without the required approval.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Marina Facilities

Port Owen Marina lies approximately 3.5–4 kilometres upriver from the sea entrance. The development contains about 3.5 kilometres of excavated waterways and a combination of POMA berths, walk-on finger jetties and private residential jetties. Temporary monohull and multihull berthing is available under current POMA arrangements. Every visiting vessel requires advance acceptance and a berth allocation from the Marina Manager.

Contact the Marina Manager on VHF Channel 71 or through the current POMA contact before reaching the harbour. Stop at the Rooibaai holding jetty and take the Marina Manager or designated pilot aboard. This procedure is mandatory for a first entry and remains necessary where current depths, dredging or marker positions require local control. Do not proceed independently because the final route contains narrow turns, shallow margins and private waterways.

All-tide access is available for yachts drawing no more than approximately 1.5 metres. Yachts drawing between 1.5 and 2 metres require a tidal window determined from actual tide height and local depth information. The general river channel can accommodate about 2 metres for approximately two hours on either side of high water. Individual berth depths and fairway widths vary, and no single maximum draught applies to every marina position.

Port Owen Marina Authority controls the marina, temporary berths, waterways, slipway and access rules. Water and electricity availability depends on the allocated jetty and connection arrangement. Confirm voltage, socket type, amperage and potable-water access before connecting. Serviced ablutions are available through Port Owen Yacht Club for authorised visitors.

The marina contains floating walk-on finger jetties and private fixed structures. Use mooring lines that permit local water-level movement and place fenders before entering the berth fairway. The entire canal system is a no-wake area. Swimming, fishing and netting are prohibited inside the yacht basin.

Port Owen Boatyard operates at Marina Centre and has workshop facilities and access to a 10-tonne crane. POMA also controls the local slipway. Crane use, slipping and hardstanding depend on vessel displacement, beam, keel configuration and current yard space. No verified travel lift for heavy cruising yachts operates inside the marina.

The Carinus road bridge lies farther upriver and is not crossed when entering Port Owen Marina. A masted yacht proceeding beyond Port Owen must obtain the current bridge air clearance before continuing. No verified universal clearance figure applies at every tide. The fixed Saldanha–Sishen railway bridge farther upriver creates an additional air-draught limit

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Provisioning

Supermarkets. Checkers Velddrif, Usave Laaiplek and the smaller Port Owen retail outlets provide the local food supply. Checkers Velddrif operates at De Drift Shopping Centre on the corner of Voortrekker Road and Ankoveld Street, approximately 1–2 kilometres by road from the marina. The centre trades from 09:00–18:00 Monday to Thursday, 09:00–19:00 Friday, 09:00–17:00 Saturday and 09:00–14:00 Sunday and public holidays.

Usave Laaiplek lies in the Laaiplek town area approximately 2–3 kilometres from Port Owen Marina. Published weekday trading normally begins at 08:00 and continues through the late afternoon. Sunday and public-holiday hours vary. Port Owen Marina Centre contains smaller food, bakery and convenience outlets, but these do not replace the full supermarket for bulk provisioning.

SUPERSPAR Laaiplek has previously served the town, but the chain currently records the store as closed until further notice. Do not plan a passage load on the assumption that this store is operating. Vredenburg, approximately 25 kilometres by road, provides additional supermarkets where a local item is unavailable.

Markets. Velddrif Village Market operates at 139 Voortrekker Road. Published hours are 09:00–15:00 Monday to Friday and 09:00–14:00 Saturday. The market handles vegetables, fruit, bread, preserves, prepared foods and products from West Coast suppliers. Quantities depend on current vendor stock.

Port Owen Yacht Club holds a market on the first Saturday of each month at the club grounds on Bronwen Street. The operating time is announced for each event and can change seasonally. Marina night markets also operate on announced Saturday dates at Marina Centre, commonly during the late afternoon and evening.

Fish Markets. Nossab Vismark operates at 35 Church Street in Velddrif. Published hours are Monday to Friday from 08:00 or 09:00 until 17:30 and Saturday from 09:00–13:00, with Sunday closure. The outlet sells fresh and frozen fish, meat and processed products.  Urban Fish operates at De Drift Shopping Centre. Seafood is also available through authorised retailers and processors around Laaiplek.

Local species include snoek; Cape hake, called stokvis; yellowtail, called geelstert; kob, called kabeljou; harders, meaning mullet; angelfish, called engelvis; Cape Hope squid, called chokka; and West Coast rock lobster, called kreef. Mussels and other shellfish are available through licensed suppliers. Catch quotas, closed seasons and legal sale controls determine availability.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Local Cuisine

Bokkoms are the main Velddrif food product. Harders, or mullet, are salted, pressed and air-dried on wooden racks beside the Berg River. The finished fish is eaten as dried strips, used with bread or incorporated into cooked dishes. Bokkomlaan remains associated with the drying sheds and historic river jetties.

Snoek is prepared over coals as snoek braai, using salt, lemon, butter or an apricot-based glaze. Ingelegde vis is cooked fish preserved in vinegar with onion, turmeric and spices. Vispotjie combines fish or mixed seafood with vegetables and stock in a cast-iron pot. Mosselpot consists of mussels cooked with onion, stock, herbs, cream or wine.

West Coast rock lobster is prepared whole when legal seasonal supply is available. Hake is fried, grilled or used in fish cakes. Yellowtail and kob are grilled in portions or cooked whole. Local salt production supplies coarse and table salt from the surrounding salt works.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Local Beverages

Poetic License Distillery operates at Marina Centre and produces gin in Port Owen. Its range has included Northern Dry Gin, Old Tom Gin, Strawberries and Cream Gin and Fireside Spiced Gin. Tastings currently operate on selected Saturdays, with the published session normally running from 10:00–18:00. Confirm current production and opening before visiting.

National beers stocked locally include Castle Lager, Castle Lite, Carling Black Label and Hansa Pilsener. Regional craft beer from Darling and other Western Cape producers is distributed through licensed outlets. Western Cape wine is available through Checkers LiquorShop and other licensed retailers.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Diesel Fuel Supplies

No unrestricted public self-service diesel berth is confirmed inside Port Owen Marina. Do not enter the marina relying on immediate alongside refuelling. Commercial fishing fuel installations at Laaiplek are controlled and are not automatically available to visiting yachts. Any direct harbour transfer requires approval from the operator and harbour authority.

Road diesel is available from filling stations in Velddrif and Laaiplek. Limited quantities can be moved to the yacht in approved, sealed fuel containers. The Marina Manager controls the route and transfer location inside POMA facilities. Do not leave fuel containers on a jetty, walkway or private property.

A larger fill requires an arranged road supplier and a transfer position accepted by POMA. Tanker access, hose routing and spill-control measures must be established before delivery. The transfer cannot obstruct the slipway, boatyard, emergency route or residential access.

Take a clear sample from the first diesel transferred and inspect it for water and sediment. Use the yacht’s deck-fill strainer and primary water-separating filter. Stop transfer before fuel reaches the vent outlet. Report any spill immediately because the marina discharges into the Berg River Estuary.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Water Supplies

Municipal water is available at authorised marina and yacht-club connection points. Availability is berth-specific, particularly at private residential jetties. Confirm the allocated potable-water outlet with the Marina Manager before connecting. A washdown tap cannot be assumed to be suitable for drinking-water transfer.

Flush the outlet before attaching the yacht’s hose. Use a hose reserved for potable water and keep its end off the jetty and out of marina water. Municipal treatment does not prevent contamination through a dirty connector, hose or onboard tank. Apply onboard filtration where installed.

Mechanical and Electrical Repairs Resource

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Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Marine Services

Marine Diagnostics & Solutions operates from Port Owen Boatyard at Marina Centre. Work includes vessel repairs, refits, fibreglass work, rigging inspection, stainless-steel and aluminium fabrication, welding and systems troubleshooting. The site has workshop facilities and access to a 10-tonne crane. Booking is required before moving a yacht to the yard.  POMA controls the marina slipway and associated use conditions. Vessel acceptance depends on displacement, beam, keel shape, lifting points and available working space.

Local contractors can undertake general diesel repair, electrical work, plumbing, composite work and fabrication. Parts availability is limited compared with Cape Town. No verified authorised Volvo Penta, Yanmar, Nanni Diesel, Vetus or Beta Marine inboard-engine agent is based in Port Owen. No verified locally based authorised Raymarine, B&G or Simrad service agent operates in Port Owen.

OSASA - South African Yacht Assistance

The Ocean Sailing Association of Southern Africa (OSASA) came into being during the COVID pandemic crisis where they actively assisted entry to South Africa by cruising yachts into its various ports. It is a non-profit company created to liaise with Maritime officials to facilitate entry to South African ports at the time.  OSASA was assigned by the SA Department of Transport to handle the mandatory pre-arrival authorisation (PAN) for all incoming non-SOLAS yachts, both local and foreign. OSASA services include the following:

• Manage and update the online registration portal for incoming non-SOLAS vessels
• Manage the pre-arrival authorisation (PAN) process with the Department of Transport for incoming small vessels at the Ports of Entry
• Provide up-to-date information for cruising yachts navigating South African ports and coastal waters
• Develop and maintain a good working relationship with SA maritime authorities and port officials, and with local offshore yacht clubs and marinas
• Work with local offshore clubs and marinas to develop and enhance their facilities

Cruising yacht visitors are encouraged to contact OSASA. They are a group of willing and like minded volunteers along the South African coastline and will assist with the needs of cruising yachts. This group is known as the OSASA Port Ambassadors and will assist cruising yachts with anything that may be required. Anything from entry procedures right down to directing you to the nearest dentist or barber and anything in-between. There is a published list on the OSASA website as well as on the Sail to South Africa WhatsApp group of the individual OSASA port Ambassadors.  Ports and marinas that are covered are Richards Bay; Durban; East London; Port Elizabeth; Port St. Francis; Knysna; Mossel Bay; Gordon's Bay, False Bay YC (Simon's Town), Hout Bay, Saldanha Bay; Port Owen; Cape Town (V&A Waterfront and Royal Cape YC).

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Local Etiquette

Laaiplek is a working fishing harbour. Fishing vessels, unloading operations, vehicle movements, fuel transfers and fish-processing work retain priority at the commercial jetties. Keep tenders, bicycles, sails, hoses and equipment away from working routes. Move immediately when directed by harbour staff or a fishing-vessel skipper.

Do not board a fishing vessel, enter a processing area or use a private jetty without permission. Do not photograph commercial catches, vessel interiors or processing work after an objection is made. Recreational crews do not have access rights to residential jetties because they face a navigable waterway.

The entire Port Owen canal system is a no-wake area. Bokkomlaan and Die Slot have additional speed and wake controls, while De Plaat is a prohibited-entry area. Jet skis and water-propelled craft cannot operate above the western Port Owen entrance except during enforcement, rescue or emergency operations. Navigation upriver of Die Slot is prohibited from one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise.

Keep black-water outlets secured and do not discharge sewage, oil, fuel, garbage or contaminated water. Swimming and fishing are prohibited within the yacht basin. Use the berth assigned by POMA and do not move another vessel’s lines or occupy an unallocated jetty.

Afrikaans and English are the main working languages, with isiXhosa also used in the district. Begin an interaction with a greeting before stating the vessel request. Goeie môre means good morning in Afrikaans, while Molo is an isiXhosa greeting to one person. State the yacht’s registered name, length, beam and measured draught when communicating with the Marina Manager.

Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide - Summary

Port Owen provides protected marina berthing inside the lower Berg River and Laaiplek fishing-harbour system. Entry requires the corrected SAN SC3 chart, a suitable tide for the yacht’s draught and compliance with the current temporary notice covering shoals and navigation aids. Visiting yachts must stop at the Rooibaai holding jetty, contact the Marina Manager on VHF Channel 71 and use the authorised pilot for the final marina passage. These river, harbour and marina controls define the Port Owen Yacht Cruising Guide for all you need to know.