Blending Wine and Eco Adventures in a Pontoon Boat Cruise at Benguela Cove
Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate, a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Conservation Champion and South African ecotourism wine destination, is pairing award-winning wines with a new Eco Boat Cruise on the Lady Bonnie pontoon boat.
Johann Fourie is the winemaker at the Hermanus wine farm in the Walker Bay wine region, in the Western Cape Winelands of South Africa. He says:
“For the Eco-Cruise at Benguela Cove, we have paired the Benguela Cove Vinography Sauvignon Blanc 2020. The Sauvignon Blanc has a refreshing profile that is ideal for a cruise along the lagoon and estuary. Tropical fruit aromas complement the natural surroundings and wildlife you’ll see on the cruise. This wine also pairs perfectly with oysters, which you can enjoy at the estate’s Oyster & Seafood bar after the cruise.”
The Lady Bonnie pontoon cruise offers visitors an educational experience as they explore the Bot-Kleinmond Estuarine System, ranked 8th most important estuary in South Africa due to its habitat importance, zonal type rarity, and biodiversity. The boat tour is designed to prioritise fun, with low environmental impact.
The pontoon is equipped with two 40hp 4-stroke Honda outboards, minimising sound and pollution, and features a detachable fuel tank to prevent impacts on water quality. The vessel is certified for 12 passengers and two crew members, and the tours last no longer than 60 minutes.
Set within a protected nature reserve and UNESCO-designated Kogelberg Biosphere, the wine farm is committed to environmentally responsible farming practices and the conservation of threatened habitats in South Africa’s Succulent Karoo and the Cape Floral Kingdom.
Our Eco Boat Experience
The boat tour is led by a qualified skipper and knowledgeable staff, ensuring a safe and informative experience for all. The Lady Bonnie is also wheelchair accessible, child-friendly, and dog-friendly, making it a perfect family experience.
The Eco Boat Cruise enables visitors to appreciate the natural landscape and wildlife of the Bot River Estuary while promoting the conservation of these natural resources for future generations, says the estate owner, Penny Streeter OBE.
The Bot-Kleinmond Estuarine is a haven for diverse bird and fish species, as well as the small buck, mountain leopards and wild horses that also make appearances on the estate. Among the 86 bird species recorded in the estuary, some are globally threatened, such as the Bank Cormorant.
Visitors might see any number of species which include: the Cape Shoveler, Yellow-billed Duck, Blue Crane, Chestnut-banded Plover, Black Harrier, African Marsh Harrier, Red-knobbed Coot, African Oystercatcher, Caspian Tern, Kelp Gull, Great White Pelican, Cape Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Bank Cormorant, Greater Flamingo, Spur-winged Goose, Great Crested Grebe, Great Crested Tern and Sandwich Tern.
The estuary is home to over forty fish species, including the endangered Bot River Klipfish listed on the IUCN Red List. Other species present in the estuary include Cape Silverside, Barehead Goby, Cape Halfbeak, Leerfish, White Steenbras, and Stumpnose.
Hermanus Wine Farms
Benguela Cove is one of the award-winning Hermanus wine farms in the Walker Bay wine region, in the Western Cape Winelands of South Africa, producing some of the best South African wines. In addition to the Eco Boat Cruise, Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate offers luxurious accommodation and an extensive range of activities for visitors to enjoy.
Each architect-designed villa features en-suite bedrooms, Wi-Fi, a swimming pool, indoor fireplaces, and an outdoor braai. Guests can also enjoy wine tasting on the estate, cellar tours, wine and chocolate pairing and dining at the Moody Lagoon Restaurant and the seafood and oyster bar.
There are vineyard safaris, art gallery visits and wine blending - as well as adventure golf and the Benguela Splash water park, which features Blackbeard’s Diner for children.
