Second Beach Memories:

These memories of holidays and days on Second Beach are told by Tabankulu resident and regular holidaymaker to Port St Johns, Allan Moncur:

“I was born in Tabankulu in 1949 and my dad would drive us down to Port St Johns for holidays in our Oldsmobile.  We would stay at the 'Resthaven', owned by Shumi Goss.  We would go for a swim at Second Beach which had a hell of a hill on the way to it. Some vehicles would need to reverse up it as the petrol ran back in the tank and could not be pumped to the engine. At Second Beach was a restaurant and you could hire belly-boards made out of plywood, brightly painted, and there were also deckchairs and umbrellas. The meals there were great as well.  Later Second Beach had municipal huts built for hire but 'Resthaven' was still our spot.

Years later, on 16th December I would drive from Tabankulu and meet with a young bunch from Port St Johns. Can't remember their names, but we would be at the beach then go back to various homes. One was near the police station, another up the hill towards the airstrip. Funny enough, no alcohol was needed for a great day.

One time a surfer from our 16th December group was riding the waves at Second Beach when he came in at one hell of a speed. We asked him what was up. He said he had just seen a shark’s fin near him that made the water turn brown and that was enough reason to move!

 Another time we were watching two guys trying to paddle out to sea and they were getting washed towards the rocks on the left of the beach. Then they disappeared from sight and later one of them came running along the beach to tell us his mate was in trouble around the corner. We scrambled for ropes and ran over the hill to where he was. Fortunately he was washed out onto the rocks."

 
“Second Beach - my mom would rouse us her daughters for early-morning swims at Second Beach.  Gorgeous!  Even went for moonlight swims, although not in deep water, ever alert to dangers!"   (Ethel Clarke Donaldson)

"My dad was born there.  They lived at Second Beach.  He used to walk to school in the village from a tender age.  There was a 'test hill' on the way to Second Beach which was so steep that all the cars used to have to reverse up."  (Peter Turner)

A lazy day at Second Beach, Port St Johns.  Photo

from My Port St Johns Weekend of Discovery by Glen Vincent