Ocean Watch
Dangling limpets and silver dancing girls provide food for thought
Marine biology student Natalie dos Santos learns how many amaMpondo live off the sea and wonders if there might be limits to the feast it provides.
This is your captain speaking: harbour ban lifted… sort of
Transnet National Ports Authority has provisionally lifted its ban on fishing and commercial diving in Durban harbour, but warned port users they did so at their own risk.
Marine science student inspired to make film to save to the Wild Coast
A DURBAN marine biology student hopes to be become a game setter in saving the Pondoland Marine Protected Area (MPA) from heavy minerals mining. RALPH MAKADI and CRAIG BISHOP report. Natalie dos Santos is among a cohort of young marine biologists and intrepid Roving Reporters embarking on expeditions and hikes to promote alternatives to heavy minerals mining along South Africa’s wild coast. The initiative, Developing Environmental Watchdogs, arises from Roving Reporters’ recent Wild Swim expedition organised in association with
Ten more swimmers join the Wild Friends campaign trail
A group of Capetonians are swimming a 22km relay from Cape Point to Simonstown tomorrow to support conservation efforts in the sensitive northern Wild Coast eco-system which is under threat from dune mining and over-fishing. The 10 swimmers will head off at around 10am wearing costumes, goggles and caps only and will make their way along the hazardous False Bay coastline in two groups to Seaforth Beach, Simonstown. Led by world-renowned open water veteran, Andrew Chin, they’re raising funds for
Pulling out all the strokes to save the Wild Coast
A group of sea-sunned, East London open water swimming obsessives are also pulling out all their strokes to support eco-tourism, marine conservation and associated environmental journalism training in the Pondoland Marine Protected Area which has been earmarked for heavy minerals mining. “Living here, we have easy access to the Wild Coast, and have all retreated there along 4×4 tracks and beach trails over many decades,” said Wild & Free swim convenor, Dr Mandy Uys. “We have loved this wild frontier,
Volunteers bag tons in Beachwood cleanup
Volunteers are clearing storm debris from Durban’s beaches. They tackled the Beachwood Mangroves at the weekend and are now turning their attention to Toti and the city’s central beaches
System failure: sewage spill shuts Durban beaches
Bathing has been banned in South Africa’s surf city, writes Fred Kockott. This report was updated on 11 May.
Wild swimmers and Gwede Mantashe converge on Xolobeni
As swimmers and safety crew prepare for this week’s Wild Swim, Luke Riley reports that sharks in the sea are not the only threats that need to be addressed.
Crash-dive course in shark awareness
Amid the countdown to a pioneering Wild Coast conservation swim, Luke Riley, reflects on how important shark awareness has become for all those involved.
Swimmers promote alternatives to mining the Wild Coast
Over five days, eight people will swim 22 km in the Pondoland Marine Protected Area First published by GroundUp By Luke Riley A legendary charity swimmer has thrown his rubber cap and goggles in the ring, signing up for a “wild swim” to promote alternatives to heavy minerals mining on South Africa’s pristine Wild Coast. 59-year-old Stan Kozlowski, who has helped collect more than R12 million for conservation and other good causes over the years, has now joined an eclectic
