Author: Sean Lange

Life in Pomene Fishing Village

The life lived in the Pomene Fishing Village – can be described as serenely simple. This piece of paradise is miles from the main EN1 road leading through Inhambane. It’s a dirt road that requires skilful driving, and at 54kms, keeps very many most people well away.

The village is about as big as a football field. Buildings of local reed and thatch material. All sprawled around Chief Sathane’s old concrete mansion – where he has presided for decades. Scattered around the village is the bakery (in a drum), fish drying racks, arts and craft shops, a bar with a fridge (generator power at night only) and many kids and dogs.

Sathane’s real name is Franz. He claims to have gotten his nickname by being such a good soccer player. He also claims to have shot the last elephant in Pomene too. With an Enfield rifle!

Franz was the skipper on the marlin cruiser that used to run out from Pomene Hotel on the point. It was dragged up and down the beach and launched through the surf with a giant winch and set of pulleys and cables.

I uncovered an account of someone who visited at the old hotel in the very early seventies – in a Datsun 120Y. Sathane reports that the now sandy and difficult road was beautiful and built strong with a layer of clay under the top surface (still evident). But then the tanks came and destroyed the road with their tracks.

Other war stories were of the new revolutionary government having their secret parties at the hotel, after they took over from the Portuguese in 1974. But when Admiral Woodie found out, he drove his submarine right up there, launched his stealth Ace crafts painted black, beached his commandos, and shot the place to pieces. More disturbing stories unfold over the fire and many 2M’s – as Sathane drops tidbits of information relating to the history of this sandy peninsula and the war. Sathane had to flee the war, and worked on the mines for a few decades before coming back and re-instating himself as Chief Sathane of Pomene. He has a property in Roodepoort.

But the Chief hardly ever leaves Pomene City any longer. He has the place working like clockwork – transport in and out of Massinga every day. Cold beer. ..what more could he want then?

If you have the beautiful Pomene on your bucket list, get in touch and let’s see what we can work out. We have camping facilities, and some nice little A-frames and the like, for options.

Email me on umzimkulu@gmail.com or click below for more adventure options by The Sardine Team.

https://thesardine.co.za/product-category/fishing-experiences/