Muizenberg

The Village of Muizenberg was established by the Dutch in 1743 as a Military Post, and was located in False Bay, on the road between Cape Town and Simon's Town. It was named after Wynand Willem Muijs, sergeant in charge of the post in 1844, and later commander of the Cape garrison. The railway line from Wynberg reached Muizenberg on 15 December 1882.

Rhodes purchased the Cottage (shown in the place image), 3 years before he died, although it might be considered as a short time – it was a notable period as Rhodes had such a short professional life of only 18-49 years! It's significance is that he died in the Cottage at his height of his career and resurgence of his political power.

In 1910, the surf craft was starting to gain popularity in Muizenburg, increasing its international surfing appeal. Muizenburg is widely considered to be the birthplace of surfing in South Africa.  In 1918, the Cape Peninsula Publicity Association brochure had the following to say about the local vibe: “In the Pacific the islanders have made it an art. At the Cape it has become a cult. The wild exhilaration is infectious. It steadies the nerves, exercises the muscles and makes the enthusiast clear headed and clear eyed.”

At this stage it was still all wooden belly boards, but things changed when WWI veterans returned from their travels in Hawaii and designed their own versions of the timber watertight boards they had seen on Waikiki Beach.

The first reported stand-up surfer was Zimbabwean-born Heather Price. Whilst holidaying in Cape Town in 1919, she reportedly borrowed a board from two American Marines. The two men had solid-wood, Hawaiian style surfboards and were kind enough to introduce Heather to stand-up wave riding. Little did Heather know, she was about to make surfing history.