This authoritative history of the Strandveld reads like a thriller, filled with the adventures of its pioneers and the gripping tales of its shipwrecks. Topics include tales of shiprwrecks, local farms and forebears, plants and birds of the region, the whales and wines and the lighthouse at Agulhas.

How did the influence of Simon van der Stel impact on the spectacular fortunes of Olof Bergh? Was it possible that the spoils of buried treasure plundered from a Portuguese shipwreck on secret instructions from the Governor finally enabled the old soldier to succeed Simon van der Stel as owner of Groot Constantia, the Cape's most prestigious home? Marius Diemont, following on his book, The Strandveld - Africa's Foot of Isolation, about the Cape's southernmost coastal sector, delves into the fascinating history of Olof Bergh, one of the Cape's most colourful pioneers of the 17th and 18th centuries.