Lost Treasure Discovered In Plettenberg Bay

In 1630 an ailing Portuguese carrack, the São Gonçalo, with water already in her holds and scurvy ridden crew, sought shelter in the calm waters of Bahia Formosa (Beautiful Bay), currently known as Plettenberg Bay. Only a small portion of the crew dared venture onto the feared shores of the “Dark Continent” to set up a base camp. Seven weeks later a howling gale struck, pounding the ship against the rocks of Robberg Peninsula. 400 people disastrously lost their lives that night. 100 survivors found themselves stranded in a paradise teeming with game, fish, shellfish, fowl, honey, forests, fertile soil, rivers and fresh-water springs. Good relations were established with the local Khoisan nation and a bartering system emerged. Two small boats were constructed and the group split in two with one heading east planning to return to India and the other to Portugal via the Cape of Good Hope. A year after being stranded the survivors stepped from the 5 km stretch of pristine beach into their boats with their remaining treasure, risking life and limb to make their way home. Little did they realize, but they were leaving the greatest treasure of all behind. The sands of time covered the tragic wreck of the São Gonçalo.
          
Now, four centuries later, you will have the opportunity to tender on the treasure that was left behind: a trophy property on the world-renowned Robberg Beach, measuring 42,825m² (4.28ha or 10.58acre) with 184m (603ft) of beachfront. The highest offer will be considered on the on Thursday the 14th of January 2010.
 
Says Hein Pretorius, the principal of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty Plettenberg Bay, “This property is truly a gem with a staggering Erf Size of 42,825m² (4,28 hectares or 10.58 acres), it has the potential to be developed into an eminent private residential estate, an extreme-luxury hotel or a world leading ecologically sensitive residential development. Due to its prime location on Robberg Beachfront it is one of the best & most valuable positions on the South African coastline. Close to a wide variety of adventure & leisure activities, world class beaches, an airport, restaurants, shops, indigenous forests, and a whole lot more, the buyer of this prime piece of real estate will definitely benefit from living life right on the beach but enjoying all the amenities that one can ask for.”

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