So often, the most interestingly named places have ho-hum origins. Take Curry’s Post, a pretty area in KwaZulu Natal''s Midlands. I imagined that some KZN boys at some point cooked up a feast for the Settlers, the main course of which was a steaming, blow-your-head-off Durban curry made from local spices. But no, that place was simply named for a Mr & Mrs Curry and family who lived there way back when. And yes, I know that historically my story doesn''t make sense, but it is more original, no?
So I was delighted to discover that Coffee Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches along South Africa’s Wild Coast, boasting but a few huts, a trading store, basic camping site and one hotel in amongst the rolling hills, was not named for some long-forgotten Governor Coffee.
The story goes as follows: One misty night (well we don’t know if it was misty, or at night, but it sounds more romantic - and the area is known for its mysterious mistiness) a cargo ship ran aground and spilled a shipment of coffee beans all over the shore. Locals tell us that some of these beans took root and began growing into baby coffee bean trees but, alas, the conditions were not suitable and they did not survive.
(Pic: Hole in the Wall. Coffee Bay. By sideshow_nyc. Creative commons license)
Now that’s what I call a good ‘how the dorp got its name’ tale. The facts are not set in stone but it is the unofficial, official origin given by historians.
By the way, the beach is safe for swimming, and there''s some good surf there too. The landmarked Hole in the Wall (pictured above) is just 8km down the road.
