Plettenberg Bay

Region: Caves West of the Tsitsikama National Park

Oumatijie Arch

At first glance, access to the eastern edge of the bay appears impossible at sea level, as the sloping quartzite beds dip directly into the sea. Closer inspection reveals that the bedding plane directly behind the cliff has been removed, leaving a 60m long archway as passage to the other side of the bay. A second, much shorter arch allows further progress along the coast.

The cave was formed when the sea was at least about 20m higher than it is today. A soft layer of shale was removed by wave action, leaving the current tunnel slot. The roof of both entrances of the cave could not support itself, and collapsed, leaving a tunnel under one of the bedding planes, with an unstable rubble cone at each end.

Caves