Franskraal

Franskraalstrand sits on the southern edge of the Danger Point peninsula, tucked between Van Dyksbaai to the west and the Uilkraal River mouth to the east. The history of the area begins in 1806 with a guano collector named Frederick Andrews who built a shack in one of the sheltered bays. The modern village grew from holiday cottages built by people from the surrounding farms.

The beach at Franskraal is safe for swimming — protected from the open swells that hit other Overberg beaches directly. A well-maintained coastal walking route follows the shoreline and makes for good low-effort exploring along rocky intertidal pools. Fishing is popular from both the beach and the rocks. The Walker Bay Nature Reserve stretches along the coast nearby.

The Strandveld Museum in the village is the most specific draw. It holds artefacts recovered from HMS Birkenhead, the British troopship that sank off Danger Point in February 1852. The sinking gave rise to the Birkenhead Drill, the tradition of women and children first, because the soldiers on board stood at attention while the ship went down to allow passengers to reach the lifeboats. Most of the soldiers drowned.

Gansbaai is 5 kilometres away and has petrol, shops, restaurants, and the shark cage diving industry. Franskraal absorbs none of that activity. It is quieter, less conspicuous, and substantially less developed than the stretch of coast toward Hermanus.