Besides being a political prison with Nelson Mandela topping the list of convicts previously held there whenever the island is the subject of discussion, the 574 hectare and 12 kilometre circumference piece of land sitting on the South Atlantic Ocean, 13 kilometres away from Cape Town city is home to 129 bird species, 78 of which are truly indigenous. Tourist attractions include the annual paralytic Olympics' competitions known as 'Freedom Swim' held on May 1, or workers Day.
The whale-infested waters are no intimidation to the athletes as they swim across to Blouburg Strand about half way to the coastline. Since two years ago, no swimmer has beaten the record by Natalie du-Toit who covered the 7.5 kilometre distance in one and a half hours. The proceeds from the event are given to a charitable organisation that would have been identified by the patrons. The competition has in recent years been an attraction pulling varied visitors to the area in winter. Those who know the Cape Town weather well would rather visit in summer to enjoy the beaches. "Each swimmer is accompanied by a boat in case of emergency. No way, the sharks would not live in this cold water, remember this is the Atlantic not Indian Ocean! The whales yes, but sharks will die from hypothermia," explained Mphumelele Phakhati, or MP as he is fondly known. On the island also stand features such as the holy shrine of the Muslims, Church of Good Shepherd - the only building that was not brought down when everything else was in 1931 - to eradicate leprosy, mainly because the Anglican community that owns it refused. The old European style guesthouse sits next to the ocean and it has accommodated very important dignitaries including Mandela who has been to the island five times since his release in 1990. Of recent, the same guesthouse was home to Federation International Football Association executives, who needed a serene place to break the deadlock in some disputed matches in the just-ended 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa. "This is the place where the final determination of that game was made. You see how important Robben Island is?" teased MP. The Robben Island Primary School is known for a sturdy 100 percent pass rate - whether it is because teachers and students are as equally determined as influenced by those who were imprisoned on the island; that remains unknown. Every day, the earliest boat from mainland harbour is always full of teachers and students sailing the 13 kilometre stretch one way. The harbour at Robben Island is teeming with ships and on the island; buses are ready to take visitors around. The Irish town provides a unique sight to the tourist as the presence of the culture is impressed clearly in the architecture, particularly the imposing church popularly known for hosting high-profile weddings of who-is-who in South Africa. The Irish doctors, nurses and missionaries came in big numbers at the outbreak of leprosy to nurse the sufferers.
