What can you expect to find when you visit Sardinia Bay? As already mentioned, the facilities are limited. Part of a preserved natural area, Sardinia Bay does not have any mega developments claiming proximity to the beach’s shoreline. It does, however, have a well-constructed lifeguard club building. The waters are regularly and keenly watched by a number of trained lifeguards who take turns ensuring that the beaches waters are kept safe. These lifeguards also sometimes assist in launching boats into the sea here since there is no pier. Behind the club building, the public toilets take the form of rent-a-loos which are not particularly popular with the locals. There are two unprotected showers where you can wash the sand off before heading home at the end of the day. There are built in toilets further away from the main parking area behind the sand dunes but these are often difficult to reach. Other facilities include a few braai (barbeque) areas, picnic tables and stairways.

One of the best aspects of Sardinia Bay is the beach’s proximity to a protected natural area. The Chelsea Downs Nature Reserve is accessible to the public without the need for a permit, but should be respected and protected at all times. It has a number of walking and horse riding trails, small watery alcoves and plenty of vegetation and wildlife. The sand dunes are accessible to sand boarders though care should be taken not to ride over natural vegetation. The beach is also open to dog lovers but surfers should take care since there are strong undercurrents further off shore.

Sand is not as easy to move as you might think. Even very strong winds can’t lift the sand any higher than three feet above the ground. As the wind blows, it lifts small sand grains a few feet off the ground, then drops them. When they hit the ground, they bump into other sand grains and cause them to jump up and be caught by the wind. It’s almost as if the sand is playing leap-frog, jumping and bumping along. This kind of jumping movement is called saltation. You can see this kind of movement on the windward side of the dune, or the side facing the oncoming wind. But what about the leeward side of the dune, protected from blowing wind? What causes the sand to move on that side?

As the tiny sand grains slowly work their way up the windward dune face, they finally reach the crest, or top of the dune. They fall over the crest and start to pile up because they are protected from the wind. Now gravity steps in to move the dune. As more and more sand grains pile up, the angle of the leeward face becomes steeper and steeper. A pile of loose material, like sand, can only hold a slope of about 34 degrees. When the slope gets greater than 34 degrees, gravity pulls the loose sand down. Small avalanches occur. The sand might run down the leeward face like a waterfall, or the whole side might slip at once. When the entire face of the dune slips, it’s called slumping.

How fast a sand dune moves depends on a number of things. Of course, the speed of the wind is a big factor. Wind that is blowing 45 miles per hour(about 24km/per hour) will move more sand than at 15 miles per hour(about 72km/per hour). The size of the dune is also important. Smaller dunes with less sand move much more quickly than large ones. The vegetation also plays an important role. The dunes get caught on the plants that grow in the basin, and that slows them down.

There are 4 types of dunes.The first ones to form, the “baby” dunes, are called embryonic dunes. They are usually not more than 20 feet. high.Transverse dunes form long ridges of sand, and can be very tall. They move much more slowly – usually between 8 to 12 feet a year. Barchan dunes are crescent shaped. This dune looks like a new moon. The arms or horns of the barchan dune always point in the direction the wind is blowing. Barchan dunes are also very large, and move between 8 and 12 feet per year. The last type is called a parabolic dune, and looks like an inside out barchan dune. The movement of this dune has been slowed down by vegetation, and rarely moves more than 5 feet per year.

The letter in the Herald of 21st August, “Take action on Sardinia sand”, refers.

Firstly, I must point out that the two issues raised by the writer are completely different, requiring totally different strategies and action plans.

As the Ward Councilor, I have to be aware and act on many complex issues and the writer obviously has no idea of the background to either of these issues noted in his letter, so let me expand on both of them.

Firstly, the Schoenies common is a quick fix. It is Metro land and no-one can block off a municipal access route and deny the public access onto public land. It was great that over 30 Schoenies residents arrived in the howling wind to ensure that the Metro official heard their complaints. These residents are passionate about their village and they wanted to ensure that the common remained a public area. The offending rocks have already been moved and this is thanks to the intervention of Mr Godfrey Murrell of Environment & Health, who responded and acted. This was great service by a Metro official and costs were minimal.

This was a serious issue, as it could be likened to a land grab. I am not sure where the “traditions” issue comes from, but these public spirited residents certainly wanted the open public spaces kept open and accessible for all.

Secondly, the Sardinia Bay road problem is a complex issue that needs detailed studies, planning and stakeholder participation. It certainly will not help to just “use a front-end loader for a day”. I am afraid it is more involved and Metro officials have already tried this approach with no long term success.

To date over R200 000 has been spent on moving sand off the roadway, and it has all been in vain. To keep on doing it would be wasting public funds. Metro officials must also consider the implications of the MFMA regarding fruitless expenditure!

What is needed is a long term solution. The Environmentalists evidently warned ten years ago that the dune would eventually envelop the road. It has now happened. In fact, the sand dune moved 5metres in the past year. Every strong westerly wind moves it even more. Long term forecasts are that the dunes will soon cover the toilet block and within a few years the lifesaving clubhouse will be under threat.

NEMA, the National Environmental Management Act, states that natural processes may not be interfered with, especially in the coastal zone. Moving sand dunes stop for nothing, and we cannot hope to even slow the advancing sand. It is coastal nature!

We have to consider all the options, as there is just no short term solution, besides formalising the existing gravel carpark to the left of the toilet block. It means that visitors to the beach will have a long walk to the waters edge. Any short term bypass road will last a few months before being covered by sand. Any excavation of the vegetated sand dune will create even more unstable conditions, shortening the lifespan of any remedial work.

All stakeholders must be involved in the long term process, and the Metro budget and planning processes have to be considered. A new access road, with carparks and facilities behind the existing ridge, will cost about R2million. Boardwalks will be needed to access the beach. The Sardinia Bay Surf Lifesaving Clubhouse, and the Ski Boat Club, will have to be relocated to near the top of the ridge, and all of this will cost money, if an EIA approves such developments.

This will take many months, and Summer is but one month away!

Three other complicating factors that need to be mentioned are developments in the area, Madiba Bay and crime. About 600 new houses are being constructed in the hinterland of this beach, and these residents will all want to use this beach. Peak days in Summer already attract about 2000 bathers, so all the infrastructure will be placed under pressure. Lifesavers will be needed too, as Sards is a dangerous swimming beach.

This whole area is within the footprint of Madiba Bay, so the implications of spending Metro money on an area designated for their lease must be carefully considered. The team from Madiba Bay must also be consulted and included in all these processes.

Fianlly, crime has already reared its head, with the mugging of a woman by a gang of six last Friday. She escaped unharmed, but the remoteness of the beach area puts all walkers and swimmers at risk. The gang of culprits are still at large, so be warned! Do not visit this beach alone.

Where I do agree with the writer is that Sardinia Bay is our best beach. It is one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches along our coastline, and the Sardinia Bay Surf Lifesavers have provided fantastic voluntary services to the bathing public over the past 35 years. Now we have to assess the situation and make the right decisions to ensure that future generations are able to access the beach and enjoy it. Detailed processes must be followed and short term inconvenience cannot stand in the way of long term benefits.

It would be great to just have a loader on standby, with unlimited funds, to keep on clearing the road, but it will not happen. Unfortunately!!

Rest assured, Metro officials and I are sympathetic to the needs of the public and we are all working towards a solution that will benefit all.

Cllr Stanford Slabbert
Ward 1

(this letter was published on the MyPE Forum Website. ALL Credit to Author and original Website)

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