The story behind Baggies beach

WARNER Beach has always been referred to as Baggies Beach or ‘Baggies’ for as long as most local residents can remember.

No doubt, the question has crossed many minds: How did the spot acquire its name?

A local photographer captured Baggies Beach during its finest hours with the use of a drone. After the video gained popularity on social media, the name of an ex-local responsible for naming the beach arose.

Former local, Frank Gray grew up locally but now lives in Australia. The passionate surfer told his story of how losing a pair of baggies to an unforgettable wave led to the naming of an entirely different beach.

The understanding of how the name of the south side of Warner Beach’s tidal pool came to be could be controversial for some.

Frank grew up in the Winklespruit and Warner Beach area some 54 to 55 years back.

At a very young age he took to surfing, which became and still is his passion today. Staying in St Winifreds, Frank used to surf there often as it was just a quick five minute walk down the road, over the railway line, past the old St Winifreds station and down a dusty road past the local Moths hall onto the beach.

“It was one of these occasions while surfing with a mate Peter Crowe, that I wiped out and my baggies came off. I started referring to that spot as ‘baggies’.

Some years later, youngsters started referring to the immediate south side of the Warners tidal pool as baggies,” said the surfer.

Who and how that came about he can’t really say.

“My assumption is, like with many early surf spots – not well known – is that there was speculation as to where the actual Baggies Beach was and so the South side of the tidal pool was assumed by newcomers as the rumoured Baggies Beach,” assumed Frank.

Surfers of Frank’s time actually referred to what is now accepted as Baggies (Warner Beach) as ‘crane’ beach.

“During the construction of the Warnadoone flats, a huge yellow crane was parked near the beach for what seemed like forever,” said the surfer.

Glen D’Arcy and Vic Borchards were also local surfers at Warners in those early days. Most of the time, they would surf to the North side of the tidal pool, to the immediate right of the rocks, which was generally referred to as ‘pulpit’.

The round buoy on top of a pole on rocks, which is still there today, serves as a marker to guide fishing boats.

Any other interesting photos and information with regards to the history of Warner Beach over that time will be greatly appreciated. Email them to southcoastsun@dbn.caxton.co.za or drop them off at the South Coast Sun offices in Doonside.