SURFING TIPS..
by PEE-WEE
Try "Crunchie Rocks" off the East Pier. Solid 6° barrel heaves up on the insanely hollow sand bank just off East Pier at Port Alfred. This wave delivers some epic stand-up tubes in the right conditions. It peaks in the river mouth and grinds all the way past the East Pier, with a thick lip rolling over a top-to-bottom barrel. The two most popular surf breaks are on either side of the Kowie River Mouth and are known as East and West Beach. East Beach is the most popular of the two, and has a good, gnarly right break that works best in modrate swells from the south, with SW or NW breezes. The East Beach break often ends up with a left breaking peak to make up some good close-out aerial stuff. West Beach has a beach peak that starts fairly close to the mouth with good left and right breaks.
PORT ALFRED.
by PEE-WEE
This thriving seaside resort and fishing village, situated at the mouth of the Kowie or Qoyi (rushing) River, is exactly half way between Port Elizabeth and East London. It was originally known as Port Kowie, renamed Port Frances and finally called Port Alfred to commemorate the visit of Queen Victoria’s son in 1860. It is a water sports paradise, offering both excellent surf and a calm river surface for surfing, yachting and skiing. Visitors can enjoy walks along the long sandy beaches, or venture off in to the surrounding countryside for a round of golf or a wander along one of many excellent hiking trails. The 1820 Settlers made several attempts to turn the river mouth into a harbour, wrecking many ships in the process. The river was rerouted to flow below the west bank and when the government took over development, it was dredged to deepen it. The port was in its heyday for about twenty years, but fell into disuse in the 1890s. The harbour now houses small boats and is built up into the Royal Alfred Marina.
THE GREATEST KOWIE ANNOUNNCER.
by PEE-WEE
The Kowie Announcer was the local newspaper.
Les Mould used to preach across the road from the moviehouse as patrons were exiting. The wages of sin is/are death. Bible-punching stuff. Fishermen will vouch to his lack of short-term memory as to where the fish were biting and where he had just caught a nice grunter.
That is "uncle" Les Mould and beleive me he knew all the news of everyone in town as well.
BOATING.
by PEE-WEE
With 29 km of navigable river boating and skiing are probably the most popular past times in Port Alfred.
The small boat harbour, which is next to the Royal Alfred Marina, is home to private boats of all descriptions. The harbour is home to all kinds of private ski boats, fishing boats, millionaireÕs yachts, canoes and rafts.
Across the river, at the mouth of the harbour, is the Ski Boat Club, which is host to the NSRI (National Sea Rescue Institute),
Registrations for boats can be obtained at the Harbour MasterÕs office, in the small boat harbour. Tel/fax 046-624-4587.
Boats can be launched at the small boat harbour or at the old Municipal slipway, near the tourism office
FISHING THE "KOWIE".
by PEE-WEE
As most locals of this quaint little town know, there are many a challenge that the Kowie River holds,one of my best experiences is fishing along the river,it goes to show what can be expected from these waters.
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Good size GEELBEK
a distintive landamark of Port Alfred
EAST BEACH
THE HALYARDS.
