A view of Durban's esplanade taken from the Sarie Marais in 1969.
Image: Gerald Butigieg
The old picture today was taken by local Historian Gerald Butigieg who found these snaps of Durban he had taken and posted them in Facts About Durban.
He was on board the Sarie Marais which was an institution in Durban undertaking harbour tours for many decades from the 1970s and still operational today catering for cruises and personal and corporate events accommodating 16 to 56 people on our boats.
The Sarie Marais origin goes back to early 1900s when all the boats were used as transport, ferries and for fishing when it was still Springbok Boating Company and belonged to King & Sons. The Pleasure Cruises came in the early 1970s and then named Sarie Marais Pleasure Cruises. It was a fleet of 4 wooden boats, of which Jolly Roger is the only one left. Jolly Roger was first launched in 1965 and was initially used as a ferry boat to Salisbury Island. The Jolly Roger was used to ferry students and naval soldiers between the mainland and Salisbury Island, which hosted a University and Naval base in the 1970s.
Late last year I was offered a sunset cruise of Durban Harbour by Durban Tourism from which the current picture was shot.
A similar section of Durban's esplanade shot late last year.
Image: Frank Chemaly