About Kreeftebaai

Directly translated ‘Kreeftebaai‘ is ‘Crayfish Bay’, but since this small rocky beach is one of several that fall within the Blaauwberg Conservation Area, crayfishing is not permitted. This once lesser known beach is now popular with the locals and frequented mostly by ‘anglers’, ‘dog walkers’ and ‘families’ whose children spend hours in the many ‘rock pools’.

Kreeftebaai is located on the Cape West Coast, off Otto du Plessis Drive (M14), between Melkbosstrand and Big Bay. It is one of six smaller, lesser known, beaches in the area and accessible via a sandy parking area.

There are signboards identifying the various beaches along this stretch of coastline, but they are easily missed. The best is to slow your vehicle down when you see a parking area and then check the sign to ensure you are at the correct beach.

The other beaches in the area are just as beautiful as Kreeftebaai, but this is one of my favourites as it has the most rock pools, which keep my daughter (age 9 at the time of writing this post) and her friends busy for hours.

Kreeftebaai is not suitable for ocean swimming as the rocky coastline separates the beach from the ocean, which can also get pretty rough with strong currents. That being said, some of the rock pools are pretty big/deep and suitable for splashing around.

The beach is pretty exposed, so also not a great place to be when it’s windy.

Additional Information

Other than the beach itself, there isn’t much else to do within the immediate proximity of Kreeftebaai. There are no beach vendors to provide snacks/drinks and it is best to pack your own, if you intend staying for a longer period of time. There are also no ablution facilities so keep this in mind, especially if you’re bringing kids to the beach.

The rockpools at Kreefebaai are teaming with sea-life and ‘we‘ have even seen baby sharks in the bigger pools. On the ocean side of the reef, the kelp beds and rock crevices are home to Crayfish (Cape Rock Lobster) and numerous other crustacean and fish species, which use the rocks for breeding and/or hiding from predators.

Crossing over the rocky bank to the seaward side is for the more adventurous, as it can be dangerous, with powerful waves and currents. Also, as mentioned, there are baby Sharks, so I’d expect Mommy & Daddy sharks too, in the deeper water.

When the weather plays the game, weekends and holiday periods see the parking area filling up quickly but most visitors only stay for an hour or two, so parking opportunities do open up frequently. In peak seasons, you will see vehicles parked along the outskirts or boundary of the main road too.