Sea+Point

Sea Point is a sea-side Cape Town suburb. The area is known for being the sole Cape Town suburb with high rise buildings, and as such has made Sea Point a desirable residential spot. With a population of about thirteen thousand, each house is in close range of one another, and apartment building tending to lie on the beach front. The suburb was originally founded by the Norman family the Le Sueur’s, as Francois le Seuer was requested by the Cape Town’s governor to act as his spiritual advisor in 1739. The entire family joined Francois and they settled where Sea Point exists today. The family’s estate from when they arrived, named Fresnaye, still stands today in the suburb.

Notably, South African politician Saul Solomon was influential in the development in Sea Point. Solomon founded the Round Church, or Solomon’s Temple, in 1878 which became home to four different religions at once. However, in the 1930s, the church was destroyed by order of the city council. During Apartheid, Sea Point was classified as white-only community, but a spike in colored population arose in the late 1990s. Also in the 1990s, the suburb saw a huge increase in criminal activity, including drug dealing and prostitution. While the rate steadily decreased entering into the 21st century, the area was still considered dangerous until a boom in foreign investors occurred in the late 2000’s.

Today, Sea Point is known for its beach front promenade, a huge multi-purpose walkway. The promenade is enjoyed by both citizens and tourists alike, with pools and cafés for everyone to enjoy. The pools are more highly recommend for swimming than Sea Point’s beaches are as many of the beaches are treacherous to navigate. Along the coast is also a plaque dedicated to Charles Darwin for his geological observations of the area. The rock formations of Sea Point, including those observed by Darwin, are internationally famous for being mostly comprised of basalt from the Precambrian era of history.