Gansbaai and De Kelders Geological Excursion - 30 Aug 2025

Gansbaai Penguin Sanctuary Earth-Age Display, Walker Bay Eastern-margin, and De Kelders Caves Geological Excursion

Saturday 30 August, 2025

The excursion will originate at the Gansbaai Penguin Sanctuary Earth Age Display to set the scene for the geological history (some 500 million years) to be covered in the course of the day, structures and Anthropological highlights that will follow.

Start-time is 08h00 for 09h00 at the Gansbaai Penguin Sanctuary and will finish mid-afternoon, with a refreshment/break at the Kelders at about 13h00.

At the Penguin Sanctuary participants will experience the 4.6 billion year Earth Age Display highlighting the formation and history of the key geological events that shaped, and continue to shape, our fascinating globe, as well as covering the local 600 million year geological display of the southern Cape geological construction and timelines.

Following the Penguin Sanctuary, the Excursion will include a walk along parts of the eastern-edge of Walker Bay between Gansbaai and The Kelders to examine the Table Mountain Series (TMS) rocks and their complex post-depositional faulting, fracturing and warping, ending at the fascinating network of caves formed in the Bredasdorp Group limestone at the interface with the underlying TMG sandstones. The important hydrogeology and shallow aquifers of the area will be highlighted and discussed.

The afternoon session will focus on the Kelders Caves, and include a pleasant and informative ~1 km walk westward along Walker Bay to view the Bredasdorp Group mega-dune remnants. The Kelders Caves will provide a fascinating insight into the exceptional anthropological records of the southern-Cape coast (see YouTube video linked below).

Bring your snacks, picnic lunch, hot coffee (in case it is a chilly day) and refreshments, and enjoy the opportunity to watch whales for those wishing to experience the sea, sand and scenery, while others swim in a subterranean pool. Families and children are most welcome.

Costs: The informative Excursion Guidebook and registration fee is R300.00 per person, with no cost to students and scholars. Entry to the Cape Nature Walker Bay Reserve is R60.00 per adult and R40.00 per scholar at the gate; a Wild Card secures free entry. There is an additional cost of R50.00 per person for a unique opportunity to enter the privately owned “Drup Kelder” which forms part of the tour.

There is adequate parking at the localities we will stop and visit, including Cape Nature Walker Bay Reserve, and participants will be asked to complete the OGG Indemnity form. To register and reserve your place on this Excursion, please contact Overberg Geoscientists Group.

Bank details follow for those who have not paid the R300 registration fee (previously R250.00):

Bank details:

STANDARD BANK
OVERBERG GEOSCIENTISTS GROUP NPC
ACC NO: 10168933800
CURRENT ACCOUNT
BRANCH CODE: 051001
SWIFT ADDRESS: SBZA ZA JJ

Links:

Our First Home’ video - Dr Curtis Marean, Dr Hayley Cawthra and Dr Richard Cowling, discuss the anthropology, environments and resources related to the emergence of behaviourally modern humans (i.e. Us) who inhabited the caves and plains of the southern Cape coastal region: YouTube link

Article - Ancient tools from South Africa’s Robberg Cave reveal connections between prehistoric people: Read here

Kelders Caves, Walker Bay Nature Reserve.