The Beach

Swimming, tanning, book reading, fishing, sand boarding (Morgans Bay only), kite flying, body boarding, surfing, touch rugby, beach cricket, beach soccer, volleyball, dog walking, jogging, sand castle building, horse riding, shell collecting, beachcombing and good old fashioned relaxing; our beautiful beaches are waiting for you.

Morgans Bay has a safe swimming lagoon for the little ones, and both Kei Mouth and Morgans Bay have swimming beaches protected by lifeguards. In summer, when the rivers are flowing, you will have to cross the Quko river at Double Mouth Nature Reserve to reach its stunning beach. Make sure you go at low tide.

Fishing

The area is popular with anglers and offers superb fishing both at the coast and in the estuaries, particularly at the mouth of the Kei River, which is navigable for several kilometres upstream. Experienced anglers can head for the Morgan Bay cliffs where there are some good fishing ledges.

The Kei Mouth Angling Club holds regular competitions. Contact Pieta Pretorius on 082 921 0319 for more info. The shops in Kei Mouth and Morgans Bay are stockists of fishing tackle and licenses.

Fish caught in the area include: Kob (Kabeljou), Spotted Grunter, White Steenbras (Pig-Nose Grunter), Galjoen, Hottentot (Bronze Bream), Rock Cod, Elf (Shad), Musselcracker, Poenskop (Black Steenbras), Skipjack (Springer), Stumpnose and Zebra.

The Morgan Bay Dam (100m from Yellowwood Forest) is stocked with Bass and Tilapia.

Please note: A marine reserve extends from the Nyara River, near Cape Henderson, to the Kei River where fishing from any type of vessel at sea (including spear-fishing) is prohibited for 3 nautical miles (5.5km) from the shore.

Bird Watching

From the seashore to dams and marshes, grasslands, rivers and estuaries, coastal bush and urban areas, the area lends itself to the proliferation of birds.

Sunbirds, Hornbills, Bulbuls, Barbets, Weavers, Canaries, Waxbills and others abound in the gardens of Kei Mouth and Morgans Bay. Centenary Dam, opened in Kei Mouth's centenary year, is home to many species of Water Fowl, as well as Blue and Crowned Cranes. The Fish Eagles can often be heard calling as you paddle the waters of Morgan Bay's scenic lagoon. You will also find Goliath Heron, Crowned Cranes, Water Dikkop, Kingfishers, Plovers, Reed Cormorants, Darters and Herons here.

When you're feeling hungry, head for Yellowwood Forest, where you can enjoy delicious pizza under the Yellowwood trees, while keeping an eye out for the Woodhoopoes, Orioles, Woodpeckers and Forest Weavers.

Mountain Biking

From Kei Mouth take a ride past Whispering Waves along the seafront and out to the Cape Morgan Lighthouse, or cycle past the Golf Course and turn left at the Eco Centre where you can explore the old Titanium Mine buildings.

In Morgan Bay a ride along the scenic cliff-top paths is highly recommended, from there it's on to the beautiful Double Mouth Nature Reserve where bicycles don't pay a parking fee.

Mountain Bikes are by far the best way to explore the area; however, they are not available for hire, so bring your own.

Double Mouth Nature Reserve

Double Mouth Nature Reserve, so named because it lies at the mouth of the Quko River and its confluence with a smaller tributary, is a pristine coastal nature reserve and has what must surely be one of the most picturesque campsites in all of South Africa. From the car park its a 15-minute walk along the shoreline to Bead beach; site of a 16th Century Portuguese shipwreck, it's the perfect place to do a little treasure hunting for Ming porcelain and Carnelian beads. The area is also very popular with fisherman.

The reserve is located at the end of Morgan Bay's cliff-top road (4 kilometres). Motorcycles and Quads are not permitted. There is a parking fee.

Dolphin and Whale watching

Pods of Dolphins can be seen surfing the waves year round, but their numbers really increase during the winter months, when pods stretching for hundreds of metres can be seen as they search for the shoals of the Sardine Run. It is also around this time of year that the Humpback and Southern Right Whales begin to arrive from Antarctica. Not a day goes by that they are not seen jumping out of the water or slapping the surface with their tails. The whales don't come too close to shore though, so bring your binoculars and climb the cliffs at Morgan Bay or the Lookout platform in Kei Mouth to get a better view.

Rock Climbing and Abseiling

Morgan Bay is home to the only established sea cliff climbing in South Africa. The climbing is on Dolerite and is characterised by an abundance of vertical cracks. It is one of excellent quality and has a very rough texture. The routes are widely scattered over several faces, pinnacles and buttresses that are located at different levels above the ocean. Most of the routes are vertical or just on-balance. The routes are generally fairly short (about 10-15m) and tend to follow crack lines. They range in grade from 11 to 26 with a majority being between grades 17 and 22. All but two of the routes are trad lines and most of them can be top roped if necessary. There are currently almost 400 routes with a potential for many more.

For more information and route guides visit www.kzn.mcsa.org.za/morgan/mb-rds.html

The same route guide can also be found in the coffee shop at: Yellowwood Forest