Coastal Passage-making

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Coastal Passage-making, South Africa

Once you have entered South Africa through an official Port of Entry and completed your clearing-in procedure with Port Health, Customs and Immigration, you do not need to complete health declarations or to visit Immigration or Customs for entry into any further port along the coast while coastal passage-making.

It is, however, important that you complete the relevant yacht club’s departure or flight plan, that you call ahead to Port Control in the next port, and call the next marina or yacht club for berthing. This is especially valid over the Nov/Dec period, as the berths fill very quickly.

Emergencies at sea: NSRI Call Centre: - +27 87 094 9774

Coastal Passage-making, South Africa

The notes below are basic, just as a guideline for some of the ports and harbours along the South African coast. Please use your own initiative to expand your knowledge!

See individual ports listed under SA Ports on the website for details of Entry/Departure procedures when coming into or leaving South Africa.

Once you have entered South Africa through an official Port of Entry and completed your clearing-in procedure with Port Health, Customs and Immigration, it is not necessary for additional visits to these officials.

Ports of Entry/Departure – see SA Ports on the OSASA website for full details and contacts for these, and for details of marinas and yacht clubs for berthing.

Richards Bay – Port Control channel 12.

Durban – Port Control channel 9

East London – Port Control channel 12

Port Elizabeth - Port Control channel 12

Mossel Bay – Port Control channel 12

Cape Town – Port Control channel 14

Saldahna Bay – Port Control channel 12

Lesser ports

These are some of the lesser ports/harbours along the coast of South Africa – interesting, but largely used for shelter in bad weather or a westerly. Please do call ahead before attempting to stop here.

Jeffreys Bay: Anchor off Super Tubes, close in. Sandy bottom, flat in a westerly. (34° 01.8’S 24°56'E)

St Francis Bay: anchor off the marina if a berth is not available. Sandy flat bottom. Very sheltered. Port St Francis is a privately owned harbour, with fishermen on one side, yachts on the other. 34°11'2.4"S 24°52'13"E (approx.)

Port St Francis YC Richard Fulford info@sfb-skiboatclub.co.za

Plettenberg Bay: Call Mike Jacobs +27 82 566 7851 or OJ Grinaker +27 76 660 9776 for advice. Anchor off the east side of Robberg Beach. Sandy bottom, 6m water. Can be a bit rolly at times.

You can also anchor off Plettenberg Bay main beach (34°03'31"S 23°22'47"E). Sandy bottom, can contact plett Nsri 082 990 5975 or Plett skiboat club 044 533 4147.

Can anchor off Buffalo Bay, best in calm conditions as it can get rolly (34°05'07"S 22°58'40"E), again sandy bottom.

None of the above is suitable in a South Easter, but fortunately that wind only blows in the day, gets up around 10am, goes down at sunset.

Stil Baai

Sandy bottom, not great but it works in an emergency. (34°22'S 021°25'E) approx

Sebastian Bay/Cape Infanta

Great anchorage, sandy bottom. Anchor close to the headland. NB This needs to be checked to see if cruising yachts can use this Bay. TBA

Struis Baai

Anchor close to where the small fishing boats are, in sandy bottom. Although it is exposed, the bay is generally flat. (34°47'S 020°03.5'E) approx

Port Owen: Call Port Owen on channel 71 www.portowenyc.co.za

If you have not already cleared out of South Africa, Port Owen may be worth a short visit? A safe bay and a wide slow river on which to sail. (32°47' S 18°9' E) approx. Contact info@portowenyc.co.za

See www.osasa.org.za South African Ports for more detailed information.

Remember always – Africa is the place where every day is a surprise!

Thanks to Graham Wentworth for initial content. The remainder put together by Jenny Crickmore-Thompson, Mike Jacobs and OJ Grinaker. Please advise any corrections sailingjenny@osasa.org.za

Quick summary of Ports of Entry - more info available on www.osasa.org.za under SA Ports

Richards Bay: Port Control monitor channel 12

If arriving in Richards Bay as a first Port of Entry: On arrival in Richards Bay from international waters, all yachts local and foreign need to go to Small Craft Tuzi Gazi for clearance. OSASA rep Natasha Wolmarans natasha@osasa.org.za +27 83 280 1650 will make officials aware of your arrival for ease of clearance and advise you of the tides to enter the bar to Zululand Yacht Club. Once cleared, contact the ZYC office for berthing Fiona Linde admin@zyc.co.za +27 83 994 6652.

If arriving in Richards Bay from another South African port, contact the ZYC office for berthing. No further action needed.

Before departing Richards Bay for another port in South Africa, complete a ZYC Passage plan in the office. ZYC will submit to the Port for Clearance. Once completed, you have 36 hours to leave the port, otherwise you will have to re-do the passage plan.

Durban: Port Control Monitor channel 9

If arriving in Durban as a first Port of Entry, the same requirements are necessary for pre-arrival authorisation through OSASA, and Durban Marina will point you to the International dock until cleared in.

Durban Marina office, Lee-Ann Manggoss admin@durbanmarina.co.za, +27 76 316 3347 for berthing.

On departing Durban for another South African port, complete the required flight plan with the office.

East London: monitor channel 12.

If using East London as a first Port of Entry, the same PAN requirements apply, registering with www.osasa.org.za prior to arrival in port.

Buffalo River Yacht Club manage berthing in East London Peter Sahd +27 84 504 2589 cyberpage@imaginet.co.za.

Port Elizabeth: monitor channel 12

If using Port Elizabeth as a first Port of Entry, the same PAN requirements apply, registering with www.osasa.org.za prior to arrival in port.

Algoa Bay Sailing Marina manage the Gqeberha marina, contact Chris Cocks Christopher.cocks@seeff.com +27 82 800 8404. John Tudehope +27 82 854 3961 for Gqeberha will assist.

Both East London and Gqeberha and request that you complete the online form at www.sailingpe.co.za before arrival in either port.

Mossel Bay: Monitor channel 12

If using Mossel Bay as a first Port of Entry, arrangements need to be made well in advance as officials need to come specially from Cape Town. As per all other Ports of Entry, submit your registration through www.osasa.org.za, but in this case at least 2 weeks prior to arrival. Allocation of berths by TNPA, +27 44 604 6271, Harbour Captain vania.cloete@transnet.net or shadrack.tshikalange@transnet.net

The Port of Cape Town: Port Control monitor Channel 14

Cape Town being a commercial port, they request an additional pratique before you enter the Port of Cape Town. Even when coastal passage-making, contact porthealth.ctnshipping@bma.gov.za for a pratique at least 2 days before entry giving them your boat name, number aboard, last port and eta, and request a pratique. Essential that you have a berth in either Royal Cape Yacht Club or V&A before entering the Port of Cape Town.

RCYC Jakes Manten +27 67 194 3733 marina@rcyc.co.za; V&A jfisher@waterfront.co.za +27 83 688 1490

Saldahna Bay: just opened as a Port of Entry - Port Control monitor channel 12. details to follow but see www.osasa.org.za for contacts

Departure from South Africa:

If leaving from the Port of Cape Town, and berthed in either V&A Marina or Royal Cape YC, get a Letter of Good Standing from the RCYC marina and take this to Immigration, with passports and all paperwork. Customs is in the same office block as Immigration, and you must get your DA1/DA3 form signed and stamped. If you require a VAT refund, please ensure you follow the process as laid out in www.vatrefundagency.co.za

If berthed in either Gordon's Bay, Simonstown or Hout Bay, you can take the boat and all paperwork to the Port of Cape Town, in order to present yourselves to Immigration and Customs to clear out of the country. RCYC has an international berth that can be used while doing this.

Alternatively it is now possible to clear out of South Africa into the Atlantic Ocean by presenting yourself and boat at Saldahna Bay.

If leaving from Richards Bay, complete a Flight Plan with Zululand Yacht Club, then go to Immigration and Customs to clear out of the country.

Please note, once you have cleared out through Immigration, you have officially left South Africa, and have 24 hours in which to leave. If you return after that time period, you have to go through the whole entry process again, including registering for PAN through OSASA, as you are now crossing the border and re-entering the country.

See www.osasa.org.za South African Ports for further information.