Kleinzee, die juweel van Namakwaland.
Kleinzee is langs die Diamantkus geleë, 60 km suid van Port Nolloth en 120 km vanaf Springbok, idiaal vir reisigers wat die Namakwaland-streek besoek.
Die dorp was op ‘n tyd gelede deur die media verwys as ‘n “spookdorp” nadat die diamantmyne gesluit het en meer as die helfte van die inwoners wat oorgebly het aanbeweeg – gewoonlik word myndorpe “mynversteurings” genoem, gesloop en herwilder – maar De Beers het Kleinzee laat verklaar as ‘n openbare dorp en opwindende ontwikkelings is in plek gestel om die klein dorpie aantreklik vir toeriste te maak.
Die dorp is deel van die Skeepswrak en Madeliefie-roete wat voorsiening maak vir 4X4-roetes wat deur ongerepte strandveld, ‘n klein natuurreservaat wat meer as 100 spesies en 25 families plante het, wat al die prag van Namakwaland toon, skeepswrakke en die Buffelsrivier wat deur Kleinzee “vloei”, maar meeste van die tyd net ‘n droë rivierbedding is. Moet nie hierdie rivier verwar met sy naamgenoot in die Weskaap wat verantwoordelik was vir die Laingsburg vloed nie. Hierdie rivier (Noord Kaap) vloei ongeveer net elke tien jaar.
Kleinzee, the jewel of Namaqualand.
Kleinzee is situated along the Diamond Coast, 60 km south of Port Nolloth and 120 km from Springbok, perfectly suited for travellers visiting the Namaqualand region.
Kleinzee was once referred to as a “ghost town” by the media after the diamond mines closed and more than half the population left moved on – normally mining towns are called “mining disturbances”, bulldozed and rewilded – but De Beers had Kleinzee declared a public town and exciting developments were put in place to make the small town attractive to tourists.
The town is part of the Shipwreck and Daisies Route which allows for 4X4 trails which explore routes through pristine Strandveld, a small nature reserve which has in excess of 100 species and 25 families of plants, showing all the splendor of Namaqualand, shipwrecks and the Buffels River which “flows” through Kleinzee, but most of the time is just a dry river bed. Do not confuse this river with it’s namesake in the Western Cape that was responsible for the Laingsburg flood. This river (Northern Cape) only flows approximately every ten years.