{{Distinguish|Port St. John}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Port St. Johns | image_skyline = Port St. Johns, town centre.jpg | image_caption = The town centre | pushpin_map = South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa#Africa | coordinates = {{coord|31.6288|S|29.5369|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = [[Country]] | subdivision_name = [[South Africa]] | subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of South Africa|Province]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Eastern Cape]] | subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of South Africa|District]] | subdivision_name2 = [[O.R. Tambo District Municipality|O.R. Tambo]] | subdivision_type3 = [[List of municipalities of South Africa|Municipality]] | subdivision_name3 = [[Port St Johns Local Municipality|Port St Johns]] | subdivision_type4 = Main Place | established_title = Established | leader_title = Councillor | area_footnotes = <ref name="census2011">{{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/291168 |title = Main Place Port St. Johns |work=Census 2011}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 8.03 | elevation_m = 7 | population_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" /> | population_total = 6441 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto <!-- demographics (section 1) -->| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011) | demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" /> | demographics1_title1 = [[Bantu peoples of South Africa|Black African]] | demographics1_info1 = 94.7% | demographics1_title2 = [[Coloureds|Coloured]] | demographics1_info2 = 3.5% | demographics1_title3 = [[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]] | demographics1_info3 = 0.6% | demographics1_title4 = [[White South African|White]] | demographics1_info4 = 1.1% | demographics1_title5 = Other | demographics1_info5 = 0.1% <!-- demographics (section 2) -->| demographics_type2 = [[First language]]s (2011) | demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" /> | demographics2_title1 = [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]] | demographics2_info1 = 89.7% | demographics2_title2 = [[South African English|English]] | demographics2_info2 = 6.2% | demographics2_title3 = | demographics2_info3 = | demographics2_title4 = | demographics2_info4 = | demographics2_title5 = Other | demographics2_info5 = 4.1% <!-- blank fields (section 2) --> <!-- Other information -->| timezone1 = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]] | utc_offset1 = +2 | postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in South Africa|Postal code]] (street) | postal_code = 5120 | postal2_code_type = [[Post-office box|PO box]] | postal2_code = | area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in South Africa|Area code]] }} '''Port St. Johns''' (or '''Port Saint Johns''') is a town of about 6,500 people on the [[Wild Coast Region, Eastern Cape|Wild Coast]] in the [[Eastern Cape]] province of South Africa. It is situated at the mouth of the [[Umzimvubu River]], {{convert|220|km|-1}} northeast of [[East London, Eastern Cape|East London]] and {{convert|70|km|-1}} east of [[Mthatha]]. Port St. Johns was the birthplace of Capital Radio 604.

==History== This town is thought to have been named after a [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] ship (the ''[[São João (ship)|São João]]''),<ref name="Paradise">van der Merwe, E. and Costello, K. ''Port St. Johns, "Paradise in Pondoland" (2nd edition)''.</ref> which was actually wrecked at [[Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal|Port Edward]].<ref name="About.com">About.com African History: ''8 June 1552 – Portuguese Ship São João Wrecked off the KwaZulu Coast'': http://africanhistory.about.com/b/2008/06/08/8-june-1552-portuguese-ship-sao-joao-wrecked-off-the-kwazulu-coast.htm, retrieved 17 August 2011.</ref> Later seafarers mistakenly identified the mouth of the Umzimvubu River as the site of this wreck.<ref name="Paradise"/>

In the mid-1800s the local Mpondo Chief, Ndamase, allowed a few white traders to settle at the mouth of the Umzimvubu River. When Chief Ndamase died in 1876, the Mpondo Great House in [[Lusikisiki]] tried to take over the area. On 17 July 1878, Chief Ndamase's oldest son Nqwiliso, reacted by ceding the western bank of the Umzimvubu River to the [[Cape Colony]] in return for being recognised as an independent ruler and he and his people were promised protection.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/nqwiliso-cedes-land-cape-government|title=Nqwiliso cedes land to Cape Government &#124; South African History Online}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.portstjohns.org.za/history.htm | title=History - Port St Johns | date=12 March 2020 }}</ref> The river mouth was used as a port, however this activity was abandoned in the 1940s due to [[siltation]], which caused the river to become too shallow for vessels.

The town was the principal port of the defunct Republic of [[Transkei]] (1976-1994).

== Geography, climate and geology == [[File:Coastline - Port St. Johns 01.jpg|thumb|left|the coastline north of Port St. Johns]] Port St. Johns is situated on the [[Wild Coast Region, Eastern Cape|Wild Coast]] on a coastline of about 270&nbsp;km long. It lies at the mouth of the [[Mzimvubu River]], a river flowing through a gorge known as the "Gates of St John" into an estuary located on the [[Indian Ocean]]. On both sides of the river ravine are high [[sandstone]] mountain peaks: ''Mount Thesiger'' (342 metre above sea level) and ''Mount Sullivan'' (304 metre), named after two British Military officers.

It is the main settlement in the [[Port St. Johns Local Municipality]] which forms part of the [[O.R. Tambo District Municipality]] in [[Pondoland]] of the former [[Transkei]]. According to the [[South African National Census of 2011|2011 census]] it had a population of 6,441, of whom 90% where [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]]-speaking.<ref name="census2011" />

In the area near the town, some of the most significant [[Travertine]] deposits in South Africa are found. About 10&nbsp;km west of Port St. Johns, sandstone is excavated for architectural use.<ref>[http://www.geoscience.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=460:travertine-port-st-johns-eastern-cape&catid=43:our-activities&Itemid=40&qh=YToyOntpOjA7czoxMDoiZ2VvbG9naXN0cyI7aToxO3M6OToiZ2VvbG9naXN0Ijt9 Travertine - Port St Johns, Eastern Cape. auf www.geoscience.org.za]</ref>

The climate is [[humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] ([[Köppen-Geiger climate classification system|Köppen]]: Cfa).

<div style="width:75%"> {{Weather box |metric first=yes |single line=yes |location=Port St. Johns |Jan record high C = 31.7 |Feb record high C = 32.8 |Mar record high C = 35.0 |Apr record high C = 34.4 |May record high C = 34.4 |Jun record high C = 32.8 |Jul record high C = 33.9 |Aug record high C = 36.5 |Sep record high C = 39.2 |Oct record high C = 41.1 |Nov record high C = 37.7 |Dec record high C = 33.5 |year record high C = 41.1 |Jan high C = 25.1 |Feb high C = 25.4 |Mar high C = 24.8 |Apr high C = 24.0 |May high C = 23.1 |Jun high C = 22.0 |Jul high C = 21.4 |Aug high C = 21.1 |Sep high C = 21.2 |Oct high C = 21.7 |Nov high C = 22.9 |Dec high C = 24.3 |year high C = 23.1 |Jan mean C = 22.4 |Feb mean C = 22.7 |Mar mean C = 22.0 |Apr mean C = 20.8 |May mean C = 19.4 |Jun mean C = 18.0 |Jul mean C = 17.4 |Aug mean C = 17.5 |Sep mean C = 18.1 |Oct mean C = 18.9 |Nov mean C = 20.1 |Dec mean C = 21.4 |year mean C = 19.9 |Jan low C = 19.6 |Feb low C = 19.9 |Mar low C = 19.2 |Apr low C = 17.6 |May low C = 15.7 |Jun low C = 14.0 |Jul low C = 13.4 |Aug low C = 13.9 |Sep low C = 15.0 |Oct low C = 16.0 |Nov low C = 17.3 |Dec low C = 18.7 |year low C = 16.7 |Jan record low C = 12.2 |Feb record low C = 11.1 |Mar record low C = 8.2 |Apr record low C = 11.1 |May record low C = 8.9 |Jun record low C = 5.6 |Jul record low C = 6.7 |Aug record low C = 6.1 |Sep record low C = 6.7 |Oct record low C = 7.8 |Nov record low C = 7.2 |Dec record low C = 7.9 |year record low C = 5.6 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 117 |Feb precipitation mm = 130 |Mar precipitation mm = 147 |Apr precipitation mm = 86 |May precipitation mm = 66 |Jun precipitation mm = 38 |Jul precipitation mm = 40 |Aug precipitation mm = 49 |Sep precipitation mm = 87 |Oct precipitation mm = 119 |Nov precipitation mm = 120 |Dec precipitation mm = 121 |year precipitation mm = 1120 |unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm |Jan precipitation days = 14.3 |Feb precipitation days = 12.3 |Mar precipitation days = 11.9 |Apr precipitation days = 8.6 |May precipitation days = 5.7 |Jun precipitation days = 3.4 |Jul precipitation days = 4.6 |Aug precipitation days = 6.0 |Sep precipitation days = 9.1 |Oct precipitation days = 13.5 |Nov precipitation days = 14.0 |Dec precipitation days = 14.2 |year precipitation days = 117.6 |time day = 14:00 |Jan humidity = 80 |Feb humidity = 80 |Mar humidity = 81 |Apr humidity = 76 |May humidity = 72 |Jun humidity = 65 |Jul humidity = 66 |Aug humidity = 70 |Sep humidity = 75 |Oct humidity = 78 |Nov humidity = 80 |Dec humidity = 79 |year humidity = 75 |source 1 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]]<ref name = DWD> {{cite web | url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_686740_kt.pdf | title = Klimatafel von Cape Hermes / Saint Johns; Prov. Eastern Cape / Südafrika | work = Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world | publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst | language = de | access-date = 19 November 2016}}</ref> }} </div>

== Tourism and road access == Port St. Johns is known as the centre of tourism on the Wild Coast.<ref name="Paradise"/> It is known for deep sea fishing and shore angling. Near to the town are three beaches.

From [[Mthatha]] in the west and [[Flagstaff, Eastern Cape|Flagstaff]] in the north the [[R61 road (South Africa)|R61 road]] connects to Port St. Johns. A smaller road leads the last 5&nbsp;km into town. Port St. Johns has an airstrip on top of Mount Thesiger.

The Pondoland Park is a national park and forested area 500&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> in size, including the Umzimvubu river mouth and stretching north along the coast up to the provincial border with [[KwaZulu-Natal]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southafrica.info/about/sustainable/pondoland-park-020905.htm |title=National park for the Wild Coast - SouthAfrica.info |access-date=2012-05-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902104805/http://www.southafrica.info/about/sustainable/pondoland-park-020905.htm |archive-date=2012-09-02 }}</ref>

Tours targeting world famous "[[sardine run]]" are popular as well.<ref>Offshore Africa Port St. Johns. [http://offshoreportstjohns.com/product/the-sardine-run-6-nights-5-days/ Sardine Run ocean safari]. Retrieved on October 01, 2017</ref>

{{Gallery |title=Port St. Johns |width=160 | height=170 |align=center |footer= |File:Port St. Johns and the Umzimvubu River mouth from the old runway.JPG | alt2=Port St. Johns and the Umzimvubu River mouth from Mount Thesiger |Port St. Johns and the Umzimvubu River mouth from Mount Thesiger |File:Typical Port St. Johns flora.JPG | alt3=Typical Port St. Johns flora | Port St. Johns flora |File:The hill on top of which the old runway is located.JPG | alt4=Mount Thesiger | Mount Thesiger }}

==See also== *[[List of shark attacks in South African territorial waters]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{wikivoyage inline|Port St Johns}} * [http://www.psjmunicipality.gov.za/ Port St Johns Municipality] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20040826155743/http://www.psj.co.za/walks/index.htm Walking trails in and around Port St Johns], planned and mapped by [[Ben Dekker]] (archived).

{{OR Tambo District Municipality}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in the Port St Johns Local Municipality]] [[Category:Populated coastal places in South Africa]]