Do you know that feeling? You are on a beautiful beach and you do not even have to think for a second if you are going to jump into the sea. The water of the Indian Ocean is, especially in December and January, a very pleasant temperature. You take a dive and are amazed at how clear the water is. The coastal town of Kenton-on-Sea is a 45-minute drive away from Seven Fountains Farm. Great for a relaxing beach day. We were there on New Year’s Day 2019 with our friends from the Netherlands who were celebrating Christmas and New Year’s at our farm. When driving to the ocean, it is amazing to see how incredibly quiet it is on the road. You only see five cars at most. Locals are hitchhiking alongside the road, sometimes in very desolated places. They want to be taking to their destination but do not have a car. When I drive by myself, I often take a woman hitchhiker with me. It is always interesting to hear their stories about life there. Stories about their children, the groceries and sometimes a joke or two. When you arrive in Kenton-on-Sea, it reminds me a bit of an American movie with stately white houses, neat lawns and a picture-perfect look. The population seems to be predominantly English-speaking, many pensioners. But do not think it is an aging place. Rarely have I seen so many hip young people who apparently visit their parents in the summer and so to the beach with a surfboard. It is nice to go for a stroll in the main shopping with delicious coffees, surf shops, the SPAR supermarket (everywhere in South Africa), however most people come there for the beach. My first time in Kenton-on-Sea was in July. The wind was strong, the sun was shining, and we really had to search for a place to drink coffee or have lunch. There was a great Italian restaurant, but it was noticeably quiet. Except for the three of us, there was nobody there. There were no other places to eat or drink something near the beach at all. Nothing like the beach clubs we know all too well back in the Netherlands. There are relatively few sandy beaches in Kenton-on-Sea, but a lot of overgrown strips (bushes) along the coast. Luckily for us, there was a pop-up venue on the most beautiful spot on the beach that opens its doors for only one month a year. Made of containers, with a large terrace, bar, and a space to throw parties. I saw a poster hanging that said ‘barefoot fees’ and yes, that means a barefoot party. Awesome! The menu is good, the cocktails are great, and I am not lying when I say we spent at least five hours there in the beautiful lounge area. People that wanted to swim took a dive and there was a pool table downstairs. I had heard from our guests that it can be very windy on the beach, but it did not bother us at all that day. I believe that anybody who has never walked barefoot into the Indian Ocean should do so. The water near Cape Town (Atlantic Ocean) can be very cold, but here is wonderful. It was exceptionally clean and clear as well and the waves were perfect for novice surfers. If you really want to go proper surfing, then Jeffrey’s Bay, a two-hour drive from Seven Fountains Farm, is the place to be. Should we ever have a chance, I would like to visit there as well. Back to Kenton-on-Sea on December 31st. I thought it was the perfect end of the year. It was light until seven o’clock, and we came back rosy from the beach. Took a shower, changed and at eight o’clock we stood in the dark with champagne at the fireplace for our New Year’s Eve party. If only we’d known it was one of the last corona-free parties.. Feeling homesick!
