The
Langebaan Lagoon was formed by the rising and drop of sea levels during pre-historic times. This is unlike most lagoons which form where fresh water rivers enter the sea. As a result, Langebaan Lagoon is purely a salt water lagoon. , with Langebaan Lagoon to the right (south). Langebaan town is just right of center. As far back as 500 000 years ago, early
Homo sapiens were probably present in the area, living in groups and hunting small game, displacing carnivores, such as lions, from their kills and gathering plant foods. They made fire as protection and for cooking and probably made simple shelters from branches. They used animal skins for warmth and clothing, and also made wooden and stone tools, as evidence of these found here proves.
Eve's footprint is the oldest known footprints of an anatomically-modern human. The area is rich in historical events from the first inhabitants, the
Khoikhoi and
San, to the arrival of the Europeans. The first European to set foot on land was
Vasco da Gama at
St Helena Bay on the West Coast Peninsula in 1497.
António de Saldanha, after whom the bay is named, did not enter those waters at all. Juris van Spilbergen mistakenly named it in 1601 as Saldanha Bay; he thought that he had reached Cape Town – originally named Agoada de Saldanha. Although the
Dutch were the first to claim ownership of the area, the
French were frequent visitors. Foreign nations would claim ownership by planting a post in the ground and formally declaring ownership. One of these ‘posts’ may be seen today near Geelbek claiming the land on behalf of the Dutch East India Company. Such a marker was also found by Gert Hendrik van Wyk on
Schaapeneiland. European settlement was very limited because of the lack of water for 8 months of the year. Many stirring events have occurred in the region over the centuries including two sea battles and a visit by the Confederate States of America’s,
Alabama, in 1863, the most feared warship of its day. Even the five islands in the area, which are administered by the
West Coast National Park, have a history of their own, including battles for ownership, use as smallpox quarantine hospitals, exploits for guano, sealing centres and other activities. The French used Schaapeneiland (close to Langebaan beach) as a storage place for whale oil and seal hides, calling it "Isle à la Biche". More recently, the whaling station was situated at Donkergat and is still visible from the town. A reminder of Langebaan's whaling history is the harpoon gun outside the Municipal Buildings. The town Langebaan was founded in 1922 and used as a whaling station until the 1960s. ==Langebaan today==