Gearings Point

 Gearing’s Point is one of the centrally located historic sites in Hermanus, situated on the western side of the Old Harbour. This well-known landmark was named after Mr Sydney Charles Gearing  (1856-1924) or, more likely informally refers to the entire Gearing family who holidayed in Hermanus for several years. The family stayed in a small stone cottage near the Old Harbour on a plot that was formally owned by one of the founding families of Hermanus.

The history behind Gearing's Point is that it was used as a lookout for fishermen who were coming into Old Harbour with their catch of the day. Not infrequently, wives and children would also gather anxiously as bad weather, or a serious storm was raging or approaching. Then fears ran high and shouts and cries were heard if one or other of the boats seemed to be damaged or could not be seen at all.  There is no record of fishermen’s lives lost in Hermanus, but it occurred often enough to be in the townspeople’s minds every time the boats went out.

Today Gearing’s Point is now formally laid out and a favourite whale watching site among tourists. It is the towns main promenade with ample railing room and lookout points to scour the bay for whales. If the Point gets a little crowded, visitors can walk along the paths and find a patch of grass or empty bench on which to sit, this also makes for the perfect spot for a picnic.

Gearing Point is one of the venues for the Fynarts Festival and hosts the “Sculpture on the Cliff” exhibition and at any time the popular tourist spot is dotted with outdoor art pieces that range from the bold to the unusual.

Things to see and do

  • Whale Watching
  • Rock Dassie (please do not feed them)
  • Coin Operated Telescope
  • Picnic Spots
  • Sculptured Art
  • Promenade
  • Hermanus Cliff Path

Admission

No admission Fee

Open 24 hours

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