A lively party with food and fizz aplenty was held in the Port Elizabeth harbour last Thursday to celebrate the official opening of the all-new Nelson Mandela Bay Yacht Club.
Tourism and Transnet bigwigs rubbed shoulders with politicians and special guests such as EP Cricket’s Donovan May and the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants.
Everyone either sipped cocktails or bubbly, or kept the portable G&T bar properly on the hop while enjoying a steady stream of canapes and live music on the ground floor at the back of the smartened up venue overlooking the harbour.
Some VIP’s (moi included!) also did a quick cruise of the bay on Stampede Cruises’ slick, 38-foot power catamaran, and spotted a humpback whale with its calf within mere minutes of leaving the harbour.
Guests then headed up the stairs for some excellent sushi on the semi-enclosed deck while chilling to the cool-cat sounds of Occasion DJs. Dinner followed in the revamped restaurant with its world-class view.
he place was packed but the waiters coped well, swiftly descending with huge platters of fried fish and calamari, steak, salads and more.
The restaurant specialises in seafood and sushi, but also has steaks, burgers and chicken. For light eaters there are wraps and salads.
It’s true many will miss the “old” Algoa Bay Yacht Club but the time had surely come for a changing of the guard.
Finecorp Trading 113 was awarded the tender in February. Its founder, Justin Carelson, hails from Helenvale, and for him and his team the club is an important – and long-overdue – empowerment initiative.
GM Ruben Rosales, a Chilean by birth, says numerous renovations were done and the venue has already been visited by several past club members, along with new patrons.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Yacht Club is on 041-582-2605 and is now also open for breakfast from 8am.