Dassen Island is the nearest land to this marker, a flat, rocky island about ten kilometres to the north-west, and the water around it is some of the coldest and richest on the African coast. The Benguela current sweeps up from the Southern Ocean and brings nutrients that feed a huge web of life. Cape fur seals, cormorants, gannets and African penguins all use the island, though penguin numbers have fallen sharply over the past century, partly because of overfishing of the sardines and anchovies they depend on. The island has a lighthouse from the end of the nineteenth century, and it is a nature reserve not open to casual visitors.
If you want to swim anywhere near here, the coast offers sandy beaches at Yzerfontein, Silwerstroom and Bloubergstrand, but expect shocking cold. The water temperature rarely rises above fifteen degrees, and a few minutes is plenty for most people. Locals in wetsuits dive for crayfish and surf the waves, and on hot days the beaches are crowded, so go in the morning. Yzerfontein is a small village, with a few hundred permanent residents that swell in summer, a harbour for fishing boats, and a long beach where whales can sometimes be seen in spring.
The roads on the way are flat and exposed. The R27 along the coast offers sea views, and in the evening the light on the water is very fine. Gusts from the south-east can be hard on a loaded motorcycle. Inland, the Swartland wheat fields roll away, and there are wildflowers in season. The landscape is open and bare, which makes it a good place to see raptors, and flocks of Cape sugarbirds appear among the flowering shrubs.
Practical needs are straightforward. Fuel is available in Atlantis, Malmesbury and at the larger villages, but is not found at every settlement, so check your range. Bring a windproof jacket and sun protection, and consider a towel for a quick swim.