Durban - The old picture this week comes from the Independent archives and shows the Durban Yacht Mole with the Royal Natal Yacht Club in the foreground.
The picture is unfortunately uncaptioned and only has the faint remnants of a stamp which we think is 1985. However the picture will have definitely been shot before 1985, possibly some years before, because in 1983, the new floating jetty, which can be seen in Shelley Kjonstad’s new picture, was built. It is possible the picture was used for some comparison in 1985.
Sailing in Durban goes back to the city’s first regatta planned for Queen Victoria’s birthday on May 24, 1858, but because there was not enough water it was postponed to the 28th. From that the Natal Yacht Club was born assuming the title “Royal” in 1891. The original RNYC jetty was opposite Field street.
In 1892 a group split off to form the Point Yacht Club after a row about uniforms, but constant harbour development saw the yacht club moved many times, ending up at the yacht mole opposite Royal Natal.
The floating jetty, opened in September 1983, can accommodate 66 craft. It cost about R300 000 and had been financed entirely by the yachtsmen.
After finding her way into a number of buildings, Kjonstad couldn’t quite reach the same vantage point for the modern picture which shows substantial changes. Included is the reclamation of a piece of land behind the yacht mole, and the restaurant site which for many years was New Café Fish, and today is 9th Ave Waterside, had yet to be built.
The Independent on Saturday