The South African coastline is over 3000 kilometres long and reaches from the Orange River on the west coast to Kosi Bay on the east coast.
My own interaction with the South African shoreline only spans a small part of the total area, my father grew up in Simons Town and went to work in the South African Navy dockyard at an early age, he also joined the Navy and as such we were a family that moved due to his work.
For a short time the West Coast was home to us too; two of us three children were born in coast-facing towns. I can remember catching hermit crabs on the private beach of a naval
base near Saldanha, weekend visits to Melkbosstrand, going topless as a small child in Tietiesbaai, eating sand-sprinkled egg mayo sandwiches on a sand dune in the wind and holidaying in Pearly Beach and Betty's Bay. All very Western Cape, so much still to explore, I know.
There numerous field guides that exist, there are many more resources with stories about the shore, here are a few resources for you to look for.
One of the best sources is popular and authoritative and photograph-filled Two Oceans: A Guide to the Marine Life of Southern Africa.
Filled with more than 2200 species. My own copy is older but I found it on local online sellers so it must still be in print.
The publisher's online site mentions the book has new photographs, revised distribution maps and updated species names.
This book was invaluable when Cape Town Nature Journaling went rockpooling with a marine biologist earlier this year.
A good layperson's source is Everyone's Guide to Sea Fishes of Southern Africa, which is by the same author, Rudi van der Elst as the more authoritative A Guide to the Common Sea Fishes of Southern Africa.
Filled with glossy photographs, it describes more than 230 of the most common fish species found in southern Africa's coastal waters.
A book I do not have in my book-loving hands is the SASOL My First Book of Southern African Ocean Life meant for children, which also contains text in English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Xhosa.
Full of illustrations and information on distribution, feeding habits, life cycles and how dangerous the species are, this is an excellent book as an introduction to young oceanography enthusiasts.
Reading the Tales of the Shorelines
One of South Africa's first recognised travel authors is the writer and journalist Lawrence G Green (1900-1972) whose books tell the tales of the people, places and activities of South Africa - titles which come close to the shores of South Africa are:
The Coast of Treasure (1933)
The Coast of Diamonds (1937)
To the River's End (1948)
Tavern of the Seas (1950)
South African Beachcomber (1958)
Thunder on the Blaauwberg (1966) and
Harbours of Memory (1969).
Another South African author is T.V. Bulpin (1918-1999) whose titles tell of South African travel and history. Titles that tell of the shore are:
To the Shores of Natal (1953)
Discovering Southern Africa (1980) and
Tavern of the Seas: The Story of Cape Town, Robben Island and the Cape Peninsula (2003)
Not to be confused with the TV series I mention below, is the travelogue Shorelines (2006) and its follow up, Coast to Coast. I found it at the local library and it is described as:
Shorelines is all about diamond divers, surfers, skippers home from the sea, fishermen, smart baboons, dodgy developers, Rastafarians, Cadillac collectors, forest adventurers, Xhosa nannies, sushi chefs, Zulu shield-makers, abalone poachers and a modern-day Robinson Crusoe.
Watching the Shorelines
In 2009 there was an excellent two season TV series called Shoreline, described as:
Shoreline is a South African nature travel series ... in which three expert presenters - a marine biologist, an archaeologist and an historian - explore South Africa's coastlines from their unique perspectives, uncovering the archaeological, biological and anthropological features of each region.
It has been re-run a few times on SABC but not frequently enough, there are two episodes I found on YouTube:
Podcasts about the Ocean
So many podcasts exist for marine conservation, but here are a few highlights
🌊 Aquadocs
🌊 Fancy Scientist: Animals, Science, Lifestyle
🌊 So you want to be a Marine Biologist by Kara Muzia
Visiting the Animals of the Shorelines
Go down to the beach and nature journal, but if you want to ensure seeing some of the stars of the shorelines do remember to visit the following places:
🪼 uShaka Marine in Durban
🪼 Bay World in Nelson Mandela Bay
🪼 Boulders penguin colony in Simons Town
🪼 Whale watching in Hermanus between July and November
🪼 Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town
Source to Sea: The Litterboom Project
Over 1,275,000 kilograms of plastic intercepted since the start of
The Litterboom Project in 2016.
The Litterboom Project has as their mission to go far beyond just intercepting waste that finds its way into rivers and then to the shores - through their Source-to-Sea approach, they tackle plastic pollution with a comprehensive, upstream solutions. They have a programmes for:
Interception - where their River Wardens are the last line of defence, intercepting pollution before it reaches the ocean. By working closely with reclaimers—the backbone of South Africa's recycling efforts—they create economic opportunities within communities while pushing for increased recycling systems to divert plastic from landfills.
Education - From schools to communities, they spread environmental awareness and support practical waste solutions. Education is about more than sharing knowledge; it is about taking action together—improving systems, changing habits, and creating lasting impact, one community at a time.
Innovation - With their Wastepreneur programme, they transform collected waste into products of lasting value, creating pathways for local entrepreneurs to build financial independence and explore untapped recycling streams. From plastic with limited recycling options, Wastepreneurs develop products that drive community incentives and reimagine plastic’s potential. Though it is a work in progress, early success has shown how creativity and collaboration can change lives and help solve environmental challenges.
Watch their social media to be included in Beach Jams where clean ups take place, in 2024 they have had beach jams at the following places:
🐳Virginia Beach
🐳Milnterton Lagoon Beach
🐳Umdloti Beach
🐳Salt Rock
🐳Umgeni
🐳Kalk Bay Harbour
🐳Umhlanga
🐳Glenashley
🐳14 December 2024 there will be a big cleanup of the mangroves in Umgeni
What sources do you recommend for marine information?
When last did you visit the beach?
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