Way back in 1741 the Dutch East India Company stopped anchoring its ships in Table Bay due to the constant barrage of winter storms. Instead, they chose Simon’s Bay further up the peninsula but faced the problem of a long trek to Cape Town to source supplies.

Cape Commissioner Baron Gustav Wilhelm van Imhoff came up with an alternative and constructed a refreshment station at Simon’s Bay in 1743, ordering the cultivation of lands in the Fish Hoek and Noordhoek valleys. He was not alone, as a local widow, Christina Rousseau, also supplied ships from her farm, Zwaansweide. Impressed with her efforts, Imhoff awarded her a piece of land near what is now Slangkop ridge. That land became known as “Imhoff’s Gift” and marks the first settlement in the area of what is now Kommetjie.

Formally established in 1902, the village of Kommetjie has a unique and special blend of mountains, sea, surf and sand. Originally a popular day trip destination for residents of Cape Town, and a camping spot for locals, Kommetjie has grown over the last 118 years into a sought-after place to live and one of the Cape Peninsula’s most popular holiday spots.

Originally a settlement of “weekenders” – those who would escape the bustle of the Mother City to a weekend home – the first house was built in 1903, and by 1910 houses had begun to spring up along the waterfront and families began to settle in Kommetjie itself. Many of the streets are named after these founding families – Benning, Van der Poll and Kirsten, for example. What is now Kommetjie primary school started out in 1908 as Slangkop Public School to cater for the children of the families that settled here.

The village grew steadily, with dairy and livestock farming at its heart. These days, commercial farming is no longer an option, but now on a busy tourist route, Imhoff Farm, named for Imhoff’s Gift, has become a tourism and commercial hub for restaurants, curio, craft and food shops.

In 2003 the land between the natural marshes that skirt the village and the sea was transferred to the Table Mountain National Park. In 2013 Kommetjie began the rehabilitation of its “green heart” – the Skilpadsvlei Conservation Area, a critically important wetland that’s home to endemic species such as the western leopard toad.

Check it out during your stay at Fin Whale Beach House, and spend some time exploring the area and Imhoff Farm – it will give you a fresh appreciation of this wonderful little seaside village.