Around 1 200 different flowering "fynbos" species are to be found around the Langebaan lagoon area. Almost 7% of the "fynbos" has medicinal properties.
Annually between 50 000 and 70 000 birds fly more than 15 000km from Nothern Russia to spend summer feeding in the lagoon. Langebaan hosts over 250 different bird species. Schaapen Island hosts the biggest colony of kelp gulls in South Africa
The whales start arriving around May, frequenting numerous bays and inlets in mating pairs and family pods, remaining until December when they start mating.
In prehistoric times the sea level was 140m above todays' level.
Schaapen Island was given its name after seafarers found sheep on the island. The Khoi left their livestock on the island to prevent them being caught by predators.
Langebaan Lagoon is a world renowned watersport destination and offers a safe and diverse playground for a variety of watersports all year round.
Langebaan Country Estate has an 18- hole golf course designed by Gary Player.
During this period the West Coast was covered in luscious savanna land and hosted the BIG EIGHT. Among these unique animals that roamed this area were the +- 50 ton Megladon shark, the three- toed horse(Hipparion), sabre toothed cat, african bear (Agriotherium africanum), shortneck girrafes (Sivatheres), gomphothere elephants (Anancus), primitive rhino (Ceratotherium) and boselaphine antilope (Mesembriportax). The well preserved fossils of these facinating species of our past are to be seen at the West Coast fossil Park.
Our oldest resident "Eve " 117 000 years of age walked the shores of the Langebaan Lagoon and left her footprints in the dunesand. This facinating 1,2 meter tall lady unvolded her persence in 1985 when her footprint was discovered by Dr Robinson at "Preekstoel" in Kraal Bay.
Artifacts indicating Khoi presence around the Langebaan Lagoon dating back 12000 years were found.The first Khoi dictionary with 400 words was written by De Flacourt at Kraal Bay and published in French in 1685.
The ruines of the second oldest building in South Africa ,a Dutch-build fort are present at Kraal Bay . This fort served as protection against the eminent threat of the British and French navy forces who sailed the coast.
The VOC beacon planted at Geelbek in 1785 indicated the most northerly boundary of the Cape of Good Hope then.
During this period at least two whaling companies operated on the Donkergat Peninsula. Over this period of time over 40 000 whales of different species were slaughtered at these factories. This dark era came to an end in 1968 when the last factory closed and made space for a military base.
The Langebaan Lagoon with its smooth and shallow waters served as an ideal base for the Sunderland and Catalina flying boats. The Sunderlands patroled the coast of South Africa for potential German U-Boats whom caused a eminent threat to all Allied Forces vessels in the area.
