Kalk Bay, a village situated on the Indian Ocean approximately 40 minutes' drive from central Cape Town, South Africa, features a harbor with fishing activity and a population of wild Cape fur seals.
The harbor contains colorful wooden fishing boats. The seals are often present, awaiting entrails from the daily catch as fishermen process snoek and yellowtail.
The village is located near fynbos-covered mountains and offers seafood restaurants and bars, where waves can reach windows during high tide. Additional establishments include an independent bookshop and art galleries. The area is also frequented by surfers.
Kalk Bay's history includes arrivals of Dutch settlers in the 1700s, followed by British colonists who developed it into a whaling center. In the mid-1800s, the arrival of emancipated slaves, originally brought by the Dutch East India Company from areas now known as Malaysia and Indonesia, and Filipino seamen, contributed to the establishment of Kalk Bay as a fishing industry hub. Some individuals currently involved in fishing are descendants of these groups.
Despite its current status as a tourist destination, Kalk Bay's harbor continues to function as a working port, where fishermen engage in their daily work and interact with the seals.