Meet the Locals: Karin from Cape Town
In a scenic corner of Cape Town, Karin Schermbrucker has created a cozy family home for families as active and adventurous as hers.
Photographs by Rudi Geyser
The Local
A few months ago, Karin Schermbrucker found herself out paddling into the waves off Jeffrey Bay while a panel of judges on shore sounded a buzzer to signal the start of an international women’s longboarding competition. The water was cold off the southern tip of South Africa at this meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, but Karin was used to it from years of surfing Cape Town’s chilly waters. She’d never surfed competitively before, but instead of noticing how nervous she was, the artist, mother, and thrill-seeker felt exhilarated.
“I’ve always enjoyed surfing for the sake of surfing,” she said. “But I really enjoyed pushing myself.” Schermbrucker didn’t win the competition, but she did make it to the South African championships.
Karin started surfing at age 22, shortly after she’d moved to Cape Town from her native Johannesburg to go to school. That year, her brother died in a plane crash. The tragedy plunged her into depression and a loss of faith. Then, one day, a friend reached out. “He was a surfer and he said, ‘I want to show you the ocean.’ He took me out surfing. I fell in love with the sea and never looked back,” she said. “I found my spirituality again. I reconnected with myself. I reconnected with God and I reconnected with my brother.” Ever since then, surfing has been a passion, a sport, and a source of renewal for Karin.
It’s also a respite from Karin’s busy work life as a professional photographer and her home life with husband Rob, daughter Emma, and son Ethan (not to mention a golden retriever named Floyd, a cat named Mila, several chickens, and three tortoises). The family lives in an open “eco estate” called Bokkemanskloof on one side of Table Mountain National Park, whose 2,000-foot mesa towers over the city. “It’s wonderful because no one can build there, and there are hiking trails throughout the park,” Karin said. “I just put on my trail running shoes and walk out the door and I’m already on a mountain trail.”
Karin is usually on the go, often on business trips to photograph the work of nonprofit organizations across Africa and the Middle East for giants like UNICEF. Her vivid photos have chronicled the lives of mothers living with AIDS, children recovering from malnutrition, and communities working to obtain safe drinking water.
“My friends say, ‘How do you manage witnessing such tragedy and poverty?’ And it’s true that I get to see humanity at its worst, with the challenges and the suffering. But more often I get to see humanity at its best. I’m very passionate about women’s rights, and I get to meet these women who are changing the world and use my camera to tell their story. It’s always very humbling.”
Karin and Rob’s company, Slingshot Media, makes photo series and films, which Rob produces. They also founded a nonprofit called Photography for Change. The couple goes into underserved communities to give elementary-age children disposable cameras and teach them how to take photos as a way of chronicling their lives and hopes for the future. For some kids, it’s the first time they’ve ever used a camera.
Her Home
When work slows down, Karin and her family rent their home to guests so they can enjoy the open road. One of their favorite destinations is the Republic of Mozambique, which Karin has been visiting since she was a child. The Schermbruckers usually make a road trip out of it, driving up the east coast of South Africa through the famous Kruger National Park to see rhinoceros, wildebeest, zebras, elephants, giraffes, and lions roaming free. Then they head to Mozambique, a coastal republic of about 29 million people that’s rich in uncrowded surf spots.
The family roams by car or camper, often for weeks or months to celebrate Christmas and New Year. The chickens stay at home with the guests if they’re all right with that, Karin said; most people love having fresh eggs ready in the morning. The majority of guests who rent the airy, three-bedroom, country-style home are families who appreciate the fact that the house is kid-friendly and even has a dedicated play space in the garage specifically cordoned off for free-rein creativity and mess. There’s a swimming pool for hot days and a deck for evenings together. “It’s not a massive house; it’s a little wooden house that’s perfect for families,” Karin said.
Her Neighborhood
“Everyone is really mindful about the community here,” Karin said. “People greet each other and know who is who.” In the afternoons, she said, the street is full of kids skateboarding and riding their bicycles against the backdrop of Vlakkenberg Mountain. “It’s a really special place. I feel like it’s not very easy to find a lifestyle like this.” Even though Bokkemanskloof Estate has a set-apart quality, the house is still close to activities in town, such as wineries, restaurants, and the beaches at Llandudno and Hou Bay. Karin considers Llandudno one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but she often ends up at an equally beloved spot at Muizenberg, where the waves are smaller and she can teach her son and daughter how to catch some waves of their own.
Karin’s Cape Town Picks
Massimo’s Restaurant: “Just 1 kilometer down the road from our house, this kid-friendly restaurant has the best pizza in Cape Town and great ambience.”
La Cuccina: “This is our local deli down the road. It has great organic, healthy food and amazing coffee.”
Clay Cafe: “This is an art cafe just 1 kilometer down the road from our house where the kids can eat, play, and paint beautiful ceramics. It’s a must if you have kids!”
Hout Bay Harbour Market: “This is a great local neighborhood market with delicious food and art. It’s located in a fish market and open on Saturday and Sunday.”
Table Mountain and the Aerial Cableway: “You can climb up Table Mountain or go for a ride in the cable car. It’s a must-do for any tourist visiting Cape Town.”
The District Six Museum and/or Robben Island: “Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island for 18 of the 27 years he spent in jail. This is a must-see to truly embrace and understand the tragic history of South Africa.”
About the author: Breena Kerr is a Maui-based freelance writer and journalist whose work appears in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, The Washington Post, CNN, and the BBC.
About the photographer: After living in the U.K. and achieving a BA in photography at University College Falmouth, South African photographer Rudi Geyser returned home to seek inspiration and gain a sense of identity through his work. Based in Cape Town, Geyser aims to explore narratives around lesser-told stories, particularly on the African continent.
