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Saldanha Bay

Saladanha Bay is about 140km north of Cape Town, and can be reached via the R27 west coast road. The Bay forms the best natural harbour off the South African coastline, but the area lacks fresh water and was therefore only developed after a fresh water pipeline was built from the Berg River.

Why is it named "Saldanah Bay"

Saldanah Bay is named after a man who never even visited the place! In 1503 Antonio de Saldanha arrived in Table Bay. When de Saldanha went ashore the second time to trade with the local Khoikhoi he was ambushed and wounded near where two mountain streams ran into the sea (near the currend Adderley and Strand Streets intersections in Cape Town). For a long time thereafter Table Bay was called "Aguada de Saldanha (the watering place of Saldanha).

In 1601 Joris van Spilbergen arrived in the current Saldanha Bay and called it Saldanha thinking he was in Aguada de Saldanha. A few days later on arriving in Table Bay, and realising his mistake he renamed it "Table Bay".