Crossing the Breede River on the pont at Malgas has always been a special occasion. In operation since pioneering Overberg trader Joseph Barry built the first wooden pontoon boat here in 1830, a later iteration held the title of the oldest operational hand-drawn pont in the country until it was replaced with a diesel-powered ferry in 2021.

But today the short passage seems even more romantic than usual. Of course, my rose-hued outlook may have something to do with a wine-tasting I’ve just enjoyed at the rustic Sijnn (pronounced “sane” — Khoi for “riverbank”) wine estate, a few kilometres back on the heights behind me...

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