Article by Mervyn Emms in 1975

Thousands of visitors to the V&A Waterfront have seen the huge Cannons mounted on immense gun-carriages on the Ramparts and at the entrance of the Chavonnes Battery Museum, but hitherto few have known anything about their history. These seven cannons are part of the largest selection of Muzzle Loading Cannons and inside the Museum are fascinating models and detailed displays and exhibits and Cannons that still fire a shot of black power.

The grand old Castle of Good Hope and its coastal Cannon batteries like the Chavonnes Battery were the watchdogs that guarded Table Bay and its road-stead from invaders in the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries. Foreign ships making landfall at the Cape were expected to fire a salute of blank shots on entering the bay, not only to signal their friendly intentions but also as a greeting. The salute would be answered...

Jenny Stromvoll was awarded WINNER of the Compact Camera Category in the 2017 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition. Her image, ‘I’ve got my eye on you’, was taken in Mozambican waters with a Cannon camera. She recently visited the Underwater Photographer competition photo exhibition at the Chavonnes Battery in Cape Town to view her handiwork.