History of Fishhoek
- Province; Western Cape
- Coordinates: 34.136°S 18.430°E
- Municipality: City of Cape Town
- Area: 13.45 km2
Fishhoek (Vishoek) meaning fish corner in Afrikaans is an old-fashioned coastal town with a holiday feeling. It was originally a fishing village and it is known for its long relatively safe beach. Rockpools are also to be found along the sides of the white sandy beach. It is in a protected bay and swimmers, bodysurfers, surfers, and kayakers make use of the warmer waters on the False Bay coastline. Whales are sometimes spotted in season. While sharks have also been seen here, shark spotters and lifeguards are on duty during the high season.
Fish Hoek, Vissers Baay or Visch Hoek appears on very early Cape maps where it was recognized as an informal fishing and whaling area. It was laid out as a suburb in 1833. The land for Fishhoek was first granted to Andries Bruins in 1818. and it changed hands several times before being acquired by Hester Sophia de Kock in 1883. She married Jacob Isaac de Villiers, quite late in life and together they farmed vegetables and wheat. Later they began providing accommodation for people wanting to stay in the area. Realizing that the area was becoming popular she bequeathed the land to be sold as plots for building a suburb which was carried out post 1918 after the deaths of the pair. People mostly built holiday cottages but the advent of the railway enabled the settlement to become more permanent.
The postal code for Fishhoek is 7975 (streets and 7974 (boxes)
WEATHER IN FISHHOEK TODAY
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Things to see and do in Fishhoek:
- Peers cave, or Ascension Cave,
- Peers cave burial site
- Fishhoek beach
- -Museum; 021 7821752 59 Central circle
- Fishhoek Park run is a 5km held at 8.00 am every Saturday, This Walk, jog, run starts at the sports field at the corner of 20th Ave and Nelson Road,
Useful Numbers
- Police: 021 784 270
- Traffic department: 021 784 2160
- Fire: 021 7829082
- Water: 0860 103 089
- Electricity 021 7888961
- Fishhoek Civic Centre 021 782 1112
- Ambulance: 10177
- Post office; 021 782 2916
- Closest hospital; False Bay Hospital 021 782 1121
- Pharmacy; Warrens pharmacy 021 782 2424
- Library; 0214007109
- Family Counselling Centre: 021 023 0016
- SPCA: 021 700 4140
Schools: Bay Primary – 021 782 2065
Fish Hoek Primary – 021 782 6113,
Fish Hoek High School – 021 782 1107
Paul Greyling Primary. – 021 782 3940 - Museum; 021 7821752