The annual Spring Dip at Nahoon Beach will go ahead on Tuesday morning despite thousands of dead sardines washing ashore.
Organiser Barbara Briceland said Nahoon Beach had reopened after a shark sighting prompted its temporary closure on Monday, and the event would proceed at 6.20am, although participants were being encouraged to make their own decision about entering the water.
“Whether you decide to dip or not, please still join us on the beach to celebrate the first day of spring. Let’s get our toes wet, walk along the beach, and watch the sun rise.”
Briceland said swimmers wearing electrical shark deterrent devices would form a semi-circle in the shallows.
“We are a resilient and adventurous lot! See you there.”
Two surfers spotted a shark close to the shoreline at Nahoon Beach on Monday morning, with the shark reportedly following one of them before becoming stalled by a gulley.
City lifeguard Andrew Mills subsequently closed the beach as a precaution.
The sighting came as large numbers of dead and dying sardines continued to wash ashore along the Buffalo City coastline and farther north along the Wild Coast.
Local environmentalist Kevin Cole warned that the abundance of sardines could attract predators closer to shore.
“Reports coming in of lots more sardines still washing ashore along the coast, may bring predators like sharks closer inshore, so I think an extra bit of vigilance should be exercised,” he said.
Cole will attend Tuesday morning’s event and speak briefly about the sardine deaths.
The Spring Dip will also collect cash and pet food donations for Pet Pals.
The mass sardine die-off has now been reported from the Western Cape through Gqeberha and into Buffalo City and parts of the Wild Coast.
The Daily Dispatch will publish a full report on Tuesday examining the scale of the die-off, what scientists believe may be causing it and the potential consequences for marine life, fishing and the Eastern Cape coastline.
