CROWDS are expected to flock to Henties Bay on August 28 and 29, when the annual, popular Henties Bay Fish Festival takes place.
The highlight of the festival will be the angling competition, in which the heaviest edible fish will earn the angler N$5 000. Several cash prizes will be awarded for other big fish caught.Anglers will start fishing at 06h00 on Saturday, August 29, and will have until 16h00 to bring in that ‘big one’ before the scales close.According to Estelle Rubow, organisor of the event, fishermen and women can try their luck at any place along the coast between Walvis Bay and the Ugab River. No sharks will be entered though.’Angling permits are compulsory and can be bought in Henties Bay at the Fishing Centre, Swakopmund at the oceanarium or in Walvis Bay and Windhoek at the offices of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources,’ she said.Last year’s winner was Swakopmunder Johan van Wyk, who reeled in a 7,48 kg Steenbras.Festivities will begin on Friday, August 28, at the festival tent on the beach at Henties Bay.’The huge tents will offer shelter against the wind, while providing visitors a view of the sea and beach activities at the same time,’ said Rubow. Most of the various craft and food stalls will also be in the tent.Some of the main events include a ‘Gramadoelas Potjiekos’ competition, which is a Channel 7 Radio event hosted in various towns throughout Namibia. The Henties Bay competition will be on the Saturday at the festival tent, and any visitor can enter until the Friday evening. Rubow said tripe, chicken, fish or meat ‘potjies’ can be entered at an entry fee of N$200 a ‘potjie’ and people can enter as many ‘potjies’ as they want. The winners in each town’s competition will take part in the final competition at the Design For Life Expo in Windhoek from October 2 to 4.The Inland Inflatable Boat Club of Windhoek will once again present a rubber duck race. The boats will enter the water from the beach near the tent and will form an integral part of the festival, according to Rubow.Besides these events, there will also be touch rugby, beauty pageants and entertainment throughout the weekend, with well-known musicians and bands’The idea is to have people enjoy themselves throughout the day and evening,’ she said.Musicians that will perform include local bands such as 4/U and Four Seasons as well as Jo Nichol, Jacque de Coning and Karin Ferreira from South Africa.Entry fees will be N$40 for all ages on Friday; and on Saturday, adults will pay N$80, while schoolchildren will still pay N$40. Weekend passes are N$100 for adults and N$60 for schoolchildren.
