St. Helena Bay, known as Agterbaai by locals, is a small settlement renowned for being the bay Vasco da Gama first set foot in South Africa circa 1497. Named Bahia de Santa Helena after the Roman empress Saint Helena.
Fed by the nutrient-rich Benguela Current, St Helena Bay is one of the world’s prime fishing areas. As a result Its waters provide a valuable livelihood for the local community, as well as the dolphins and Southern Right Whales which enjoy the calm waters.
The town has turned fishing into a thriving industry. Everything from casting the lines to canning the produce is done along the shores of St Helena Bay. It now boasts the highest concentration of fishing processing factories in South Africa.
I spent a day photographing this process on a recent trip to St Helena.
Observational documentary style photography is something completely new to me, I would love to know what you think! Feel free to see more of my images from South Africa and across the world in my Travel section of my website.
- William
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