This weekend, the Table Bay Nature Reserve will offer free entry to the public attending the Milnerton Aquatic Club’s 24-Hour Endurance Sailing Challenge, which will be hosted at the Rietvlei water area. Read more below:

Entry to the facility will be free for the event taking place on Saturday, 2 April, and Sunday, 3 April 2022.

While the general public will not be permitted to practice water sports while the 24-hour sailing challenge is taking place, spectators and visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to access the Table Bay Nature Reserve free of charge.

Due to limited parking, spectators and visitors are encouraged to use public transport or to walk, if possible.

‘I’m glad that we get to host this event after nearly three years when the Covid-19 pandemic had a severe impact on our way of living and enjoying events. This is a great opportunity for residents and tourists to visit the nature reserve and to be spectators at the sailing challenge, all at no cost,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

The City of Cape Town’s Environmental Management Department will control access to the nature reserve. For safety reasons no dogs, alcohol, kites or drones are allowed in the nature reserve.

Table Bay Nature Reserve is one of 21 nature reserves managed by the City’s Environmental Management Department. The reserve protects about 880ha of a variety of permanent and seasonal wetlands, as well as Cape Flats Dune Strandveld and Cape Flats Sand Fynbos vegetation types.

Besides the water sport activities at Rietvlei, the reserve also offers opportunities for wildlife photography, bird watching, nature-based environmental education programmes, as well as shore-based fishing, picnic and braaing at designated areas. The reserve is home to about 412 plant species, 31 mammals, 196 birds, 33 reptiles, nine amphibians, and 14 fish species.

Furthermore, the gatehouse is currently being revamped, and it has been barricaded to prevent any serious impact on the event and/or normal reserve operations.

The construction is scheduled to take approximately 55 working days to complete, pending unforeseen delays. Public access will be free for the duration of the construction period.

Source: City Of Cape Town