Paternoster (pronounced ) is one of the oldest fishing villages on the

West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

. It is situated 15 km north-west of Vredenburg and 145 km north of

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

, at

Cape Columbine Cape Columbine is well known for its lighthouse, the last staffed lighthouse built on the South African coast The Cape Columbine Lighthouse was commissioned on October 1, 1936. Both the headland and lighthouse derive their name from the barque C ...

between Saldanha Bay and St Helena Bay. The town covers an area of 194.8 hectare and has approximately 1883 inhabitants. The origin of the name remains unknown. Many people believe that the name, which means ‘Our Father’ in Latin, refers to prayers said by Catholic Portuguese seamen when they became shipwrecked. It appears as St. Martins Paternoster on an old map of

Pieter Mortier Pieter Mortier, or Pierre Mortier as the publisher of books in French, was the name of three successive generations of booksellers and publishers in the Dutch Republic. Pieter Mortier I (1661–1711) The first Pieter Mortier (Leiden, 1661 – ...

so the name may be derived from Paternoster Row in the City of London which is adjacent to St. Martins Court. Other people believe it refers to the beads that the Khoi tribe wore that were called Paternosters.

Economy and tourism

Paternoster is a tourist destination and is known for lobster and the white-washed fishermen's cottages. The coastline consists of jagged cliffs, white boulders and beaches stretch along the

. The town boast many hotels and guest houses. They cater for couples to families, from luxury to self catering accommodation. Paternoster has many top restaurants serving the best cuisine and also has one of the world's best restaurants called Wolfgat. The area is a pillar in the South African commercial fishing industry. The town itself has a lobster factory and a newly erected

Kabeljou ''Argyrosomus japonicus'' is a silvery to bronze-green colored fish, a member of the family Sciaenidae, which may grow up to in length. It is known as Japanese meagre (FAO), mulloway or jewfish on the east coast of Australia, butterfish in South ...

farm, whilst the local people catch and sell herring, or draw mussels from the rocks. In the greater area are several more commercial activities, including deep sea fishing, snoek catching,

abalone Abalone ( or ; via Spanish , from Rumsen ''aulón'') is a common name for any of a group of small to very large marine gastropod molluscs in the family (biology), family Haliotidae. Other common name In biology, a common name of a taxon o ...

farming, oyster farming, canning of pilchards and mussel farming. The oyster farm in the lagoon of the neighbouring town of

Langebaan Langebaan is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa on the eastern shore of Langebaan Lagoon. Langebaan is situated 120 km north of Cape Town, just off the R27, about 28 km from Vredenburg and 20 km from Saldanha Bay. ...

is currently the largest in South Africa. The West Coast rock lobster ''

Jasus lalandii ''Jasus lalandii'', the Cape rock lobster or West Coast rock lobster, is a species of spiny lobster found off the coast of Southern Africa. It is not known whom the specific epithet ''lalandii'' commemorates, although it may the French naturalist ...

'' was enjoyed by the first Portuguese navigators. By 1902 a full-blown lobster industry was in operation, canning and exporting lobster to France in particular. The West Coast lobster industry generates millions each year and employs large numbers of the local people. In the 1930s the first Redro factory was erected in Paternoster. Redro fish paste was developed by the Stephan family in an effort to compete with the already popular Peck's Anchovette of Britain. It flew off the shelves when first released and enjoyed nearly three decades of uncompromising sole monopoly in the savoury spread market and is now owned by Pioneer Food Group. The Cape

Bokkoms Bokkoms (or Bokkems) is whole, salted and dried Mullet (fish), mullet (more specifically the Southern mullet, ''Chelon richardsonii'', a type of fish commonly known in the Western Cape of South Africa as "harders"),HAT – Verklarende Handwoord ...

has been well known in this region and has been a cheap and practical source of protein for centuries. The unique method of preparing and drying fish has grown with leaps and bounds, often for export, in response to the growing demand for the product from South Africa.

Climate

The climate is mostly known for its infrequent rainfall, dry countryside and high offshore winds. The area receives most of its rainfall during winter and has a Mediterranean climate. The climate supports the growth of the wild flowers that the West Coast is known for.

Activities in the area

*The area has an array of interesting sea life and wildlife to observe. Activities include whale, dolphin, seal and penguin watching as well as bird watching with over 225 bird species in the area. *Sporting activities range from

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

, kitesurfing, snorkelling,

scuba diving Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chris ...

, kite flying, hiking, and for the brave – swimming in the cold West Coast water! *During spring the area is transformed into a floral paradise, with wild flowers growing everywhere forming the South-Western fringe of the famous flower carpets of Namaqualand. *Visitors can pay a visit to the

nature reserve. The reserve covers an area of 263 hectare along the rocky stretch of coastline. The bay, which is part of the reserve, has many picnic spots and braai facilities. *Cape Columbine light house is the last manually controlled lighthouse in South Africa. The lighthouse was built in 1936 on Castle Rock. The light cast a beam which is visible from about 50 km and is usually the first South African lighthouse seen by ships coming from Europe. File:Bokkoms - whole, salted and dried mullet.jpg, Bokkoms - whole, salted and dried mullet File:Paternoster Bay.jpg, Paternoster Bay File:Fisherman's boats.jpg, Fisherman's boats File:Paternoster-beach.jpg, The beach in Paternoster

References

External links

* {{West Coast District Municipality Populated places in the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality