Map of the area of the Conservancy
Fransmanshoek Conservancy is situated approximately 35 kilometers west of the town of Mossel Bay in the southern Cape, South Africa. It consists of various private properties stretching from Springerbaai Eco-estate in the east to the undeveloped Baievis property in the west.
The French man o’ war La Fortune
On 11 September 1763 the French Warship Le Fortune was wrecked off the southern side of the Fransmanshoek Peninsula (near Vegkop). It is reported in the entries from the castle in Cape Town that all the ship’s crew survived and walked to Cape Town with the assistance of the local farmers. Along the way, locals wanted to know where the band of French people was coming from and hence the name was born, ‘Frenchman’s Corner’ or Fransmanshoek. All the crew made it to Cape Town where they boarded another French warship en route to France. Upon the Le Fortune were thought to be close to or more than 50 cannons. Between the 1930’s and 1960’s three of these cannons were salvaged from near where the wreck took place. The cannons were moved by oxen and donkey carts through the years to the present-day Kanon (hence the name), where they are still on display.
Discovery of the canons
In 2012 a fourth cannon was seen near Vegkop, exposed after rough seas had carved metres of sand away. The discovery was reported to Riekie owner of Misgunts farm and Roland who was the Senior Ranger at the time, and plans were immediately put in place to salvage the cannon. A permit was obtained from the South African Heritage Resources Agency and on the next spring tide, a team of people were gathered for the salvage operation. After half a day of edging the cannon closer to the dry sand where Riekie’s tractor could take it further, the cannon was safely transported to the shed on Misgunst farm. Here the treatment process got underway and after 18 months of treatment, the cannon was placed in the information centre in Fransmanshoek where it can be viewed and appreciated by all who visit the area.
The Beach Between Fransmanshoek and Kanon
From Fransmanshoek in a southerly direction towards the rest of Misgunst (1100 ha) the landscape climbs rapidly to 85 m asl. The coastline changes from rocky headlands to the mixed pebble and sandy bay of Fonteintjies to another rocky headland known as Vegkop and then sprawls out on to the long sandy bay of Visbaai with the Misgunst mobile dune system commonly known as Dragon dune as the backdrop. The dune system falls rapidly in a south-easterly direction from its highest point of 95 m asl to the high-water mark.
West of the mobile dune system the gradient gradually drops back to approximately 25 m asl and the dune system again turns into stabilised sandy flats (infested heavily with A. cyclops), towards the western border of Misgunst.
To the south of the mobile dune system one once again finds stabilised dunes (infested heavily with A. cyclops) up to 9 m asl in a southerly direction onto Kanon. South of Kanon is the pebble-rock point of Cape Vacca which protrudes in an easterly direction. The Cape Vacca point and the surrounding nature reserve (37 ha) are flat at 3 m asl. The game section of Cape Vacca Private Nature Reserve (90 ha) rises steadily to a hill of 50 m asl. From Cape Vacca in a south-westerly direction the coast is rocky to the western border of the conservancy, the Cape Vacca parking area, and beyond to the Gouritz Rivermouth.
Visbaai is a prime fishing spot among anglers especially those who are targeting certain species like Steenbras, Kobeljou, Galjoen, Shad, Blacktail, Bronze bream and a few shark species as well.
History and Objectives of the Conservancy
Fransmanshoek Conservancy was established in 1994, and its existence lends the title of being the oldest established conservancy within the Western Cape. It is also the first to appoint full-time rangers. The main objectives of the conservancy are the conservation, protection and rehabilitation of the 14 km stretch of coastline, from Baievis, Kanon, in the west to Springerbaai Eco-estate in the east, and associated inland sections. It is important to note that Cape Vacca and Kanon are no longer a member of Fransmanshoek Conservancy, however, it was agreed that the Conservancy, Cape Vacca and Kanon will still be in collaboration concerning monitoring and compliance.