With a small bay, Doringbaai (previously Thorn Bay) is a compact version of the settlements hugging the sea on the Cape West Coast. It’s a fishing village, with the Oceana crayfish factory built there in 1925.

It has a lighthouse which started out as an aluminium structure, but has since been refurbished into a traditional concrete lighthouse like the ones you see on postcards. It has a seafaring history, with trading ships anchoring there to offload cargo which was carried to Vanrhynsdorp, surprisingly on camel back. In the 1960s the Oceana crayfish factory unexpectedly closed its doors, which left the town verging on economic collapse.

As one door closed, however, another opened and, in 2007, the Doringbaai abalone farm was established next to the water and kelp of the bay, conducive to abalone cultivation, to ensure the town’s future. And ensure its future it has. Today, the abalone farm employs hundreds of locals, helping to bring down the unemployment rate in the region and improve the lives of families in and around Doringbaai.

Also, since South Africa is the world’s largest abalone producer outside Asia, Doringbaai is actively contributing to the country’s economy, which means continuing support from the government and investment by stakeholders. Growing still, the farm is a great example of what can be achieved by the people of the West Coast and the resources the sea offers.