Strong winds strip beaches of sand

12 Jan 2015

Concerns are growing over the state of Nelson Mandela Bay's Blue Flag beaches after climate change has been blamed for sand being stripped off some of the city's biggest seaside tourist attractions.

Source: Wikipedia

Stones, pebbles, rocks and debris have been visible on the city's beaches for the last month due to strong southeasterly winds that have been blowing large amounts of sand into the ocean.

Environmental management acting director Godfrey Murrel said he was concerned about the phenomenon as there were predictions that the rest of the year would be mostly dry.

"I am worried going into a drought period coupled with these strong southeasterlies which could mean problems."

Nationally, there are 45 Blue Flag beaches including Port Elizabeth's Kings and Humewood beaches, while Hobie Beach has been awarded "pilot" status.

Hobie and Humewood beaches were the ones worst affected by the southeasterlies.

Murrel said sand being blown out into the ocean was not a new problem as he remembered the same thing happening at Pollok Beach opposite the Something Good restaurant as a child.

"I remember municipal trucks bringing in sand, but with the weather we are currently having this will be a fruitless exercise.

"We will not achieve anything by trucking in sand as it will just be blown back out again."

He said while it was happening on most beaches, the more popular tourist beaches were hardest hit.

Murrel said that every coastline required a balance of easterly and westerly winds in order to replenish sand that is swept into the sea.

"This all has to do with climate change because this time sand is being taken, but it is not being replenished.

"Our current weather conditions are not bringing this sand back in again.

"There has been a very slow improvement though."

Ward councillor Dean Biddulph said he had discussed the possibility of delivering sand to the affected beaches but said it would be a costly exercise.

"We have had one or two weeks of good westerly winds so there has been some improvement.

"It looks a lot better than it did at the beginning of December but I believe there will still be more of an improvement as this is a seasonal occurrence."

Biddulph said he did not believe the beaches' Blue Flag status would be affected.

Source: Herald

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