news & articles

It has come to our notice that Estuary Care is not registered with SARS to have donations we receive treated as deductions from the taxable income of donors.

The past few months have been largely spent in planning and building an organisation that covers as much of the responsibility that our name suggests.

The residents of our communities woke up to wide scale destruction and damage following storm surges and gale force winds over the weekend of the 15th September.

Change is vital in any organization as it shows growth, passion, and commitment from its members.

Estuary care in South Africa has a long history of evolving efforts to protect and preserve these important coastal ecosystems.

In the ever-changing landscape of the natural world, human interaction has always been a double-edged sword – creating challenges for the environment whilst equally striving to secure a better future for the future.

Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 22 December at 10:00 at the Kenton Bowling Club, Recreation Road. We are very pleased that Dr Amber-Robyn Childs will address the meeting on her research into tracking the movements of dusky kob both in estuaries...

Eastern Cape climate warning as Agulhas current drifts off Thank you Mike Loewe and DispatchLIVE for kind permission to include this article in our Newsletter. Weird upwellings of frigid water between East London and Port Alfred are affecting local climate, says...

Members of the Estuary Care Committee are out and about making sure that our signs are up to date, the tow paths for which we are responsible are in good order and as usual picking up litter.Here is Dennis Dallas checking along the east bank of the Boesmans...

We cannot survive without the support of members and of donors who contributed so generously towards the funds needed to continue the work of Estuary Care.

It is a privilege to have an article written especially for Estuary Care by Dr Edward Butler on his research into Salt and the potential effects of climate change in our local estuaries.

One of the consequences of the Covid Lockdown and resulting unemployment crisis has been a significant escalation in the number of subsistence fisherman using both the Boesmans and Kariega Estuaries on a daily basis.

The article below which gives background to the ‘Towards Zero Plastics to the Seas of Africa’ conference is informative and thought provoking. Thank you Dr Tony Ribbink of Sustainable Seas Trust.

A powerful and inspiring video on what can be achieved through belief and perseverance.

We oppose the self-serving ambitions of the KSDNA. Are you with us?

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Thursday 23 December 2021 at 10:00 via Zoom. Welcome: The Chairman Stuart Clarkson opened the meeting and extended a warm welcome to all members and visitors. He also extended a special welcome to our guest speaker, Dr...

A new bench at the Kariega carpark and repairs to the fenceNick Albrightson has installed a new bench at the Kariega carpark and he and his team repaired the white fence polesIn February Dave Curran and his team, Siyanda Ngqina, Alex Jokana and Oscar Zulu...

Many of you might recall the fascinating, informative and compelling article (including beautiful photos) written by Dr Louw Claassens on the findings of their research into the Critically Endangered Pipefish which are found in the Kariega and Boesmans estuaries. ...

We are privileged to have Dr Angus Paterson speak at our AGM: Date:  Wednesday 23 DecemberTime:  10:00Venue:  Kenton Tennis ClubTopic:  New technology for a new era – Marine science in SA for the next decade Dr Paterson is the Director of the South African...

David Curran and Stuart Clarkson were recently invited to participate in a SANOCEAN virtual workshop convened by the SANOCEAN project team to share challenges and enablers for the future management of our estuaries. SANOCEAN is a bilateral research cooperation...

To all the users of Kariega and Boesmans Estuaries, whether local, visitors and/or holiday makers. By adhering to the rules around safety and etiquette you are helping us help you. Safety – South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)CertificatesEach and every...

Estuary Care has organised the placement of a few benches recently and two are on order for December. Ted Gilfillan has helped with the application for another one to be placed at the Kariega Car Park. The benches are made from recycled plastic and are provided...

In preparation for the December holiday season and expected influx of boat users, Kevin Riddin, Ken Rogers and Dave Curran recently ‘refreshed’ channel marker signs in both estuaries.

In 2020 alone, 1.6 billion disposable masks entered the ocean. This is equivalent to 7% of the size of the Great Garbage Plastic Patch and may take over 450 years to biodegrade.  At this rate, there risks being more masks than jellyfish in the ocean. COVID-19 has...

The Estuary Care Committee would like to send out a plea to all recipients of the newsletter to pay their annual subscription fees and to also encourage all other people they know who enjoy the Kariega and Boesmans Estuaries to join and pay their annual fee. The...

Work on the Kariega Jetty continues.

We found a badly damaged concrete and wooden bench at the Kariega Estuary car park.

Dr Louw Claassens, formerly from the Knysna Basin Project has relocated to Palau and is now a Researcher/Science Officer for the Palau International Coral Reef Center.

As our plastic problem grows, we turn to simple solutions to make a difference.

We begin the June 2021 newsletter with an important update from our Chairman, Stuart Clarkson. Dear Estuary Care Members and Friends In our last newsletter I reported on our ongoing efforts to secure a sustainable and low risk solution to the ongoing accretion of...

Congratulations to everyone involved in ensuring that Algoa Bay in South Africa is declared a prestigious Whale Heritage Site Lloyd Edwards, owner of Raggy Charters said ‘becoming a Whale Heritage Site will ensure that visitors to the Algoa Bay marine area are...

Our September 2018 Estuary Care Newsletter featured an article on Lewis Pugh. He had completed what he called The Long Swim which was from Land’s End in Cornwall to Dover in Kent to raise awareness about the health of the worlds oceans.  Read it hereA recent...

Dave Curran (top), with the help of Don Thomson (bottom) repaired and replaced a number of channel markers in the Kariega Estuary earlier this year.They also replaced the rock marker, which Dave had made, in the Kariega Estuary.Dave and his team install rocks...

In view of the Covid crisis this past year the committee has decided to cancel the AGM and in lieu of this the following will take place

In January Dave Curran with the help of Don Thompson and their team set out to replace various channel markers in both estuaries.  Dave also made a replacement rock marker which was installed in the Kariega...

As was reported in the previous newsletter the Kariega Slipway Jetty broke loose in a storm and was retrieved by an Estuary Care team. After a covid interrupted process Chester Wilmot, Nick Albrightson and Dennis Dallas completed an extensive repair and...

A huge ball of plastic was found above the high tide mark between Middle and Main Beaches.  It probably washed ashore but we were determined it would not be washed back into the sea.  Our Chairman Stuart came to the rescue and removed...

Over the years Estuary Care has assisted members of the public with the purchase and placement of benches in memory of loved people (or pets!) or simply as a replacement for an existing municipal bench which has become worn or broken down. The procedure to be...

An article by Nina de Villiers Nina is part of Dr Louw Claassens’ team researching the status of the Estuarine Pipefish in the Boesmans and Kariega Estuaries. She has written a fascinating article on Seagrass: essential underwater meadows. and the importance of...

Dr Louw Claassens and her team came back to Kenton in March 2020 (before lockdown) for a follow up visit on their research into estuarine pipefish found in the Kenton and Boesmans Estuaries.  Louw sent the following report. Conserving the Critically Endangered...

Ted Gilfillan, with his wife Rem by his side, has steered the Boesmans Kariega Estuary Care Management Forum (Estuary Care) for many years. He is stepping down as chairman and we are very pleased that he remains on the Committee as Treasurer. Ted was a dedicated...

Exploring our Estuaries: a book for residents and visitors toKenton on Sea & Boesmansriviermond..The launch of the ‘Estuaries Book’ on 16 December 2019 was a happy occasion and a great success.  In fact, it appears that many people thought the book would make...

Exploring our Estuaries: a book for residents and visitors to Kenton on Sea & Boesmansriviermond. This is the cover of our book about the Kariega and Boesmans estuaries. Please join us for the launch of the book at the House Planner on Monday 16th December 2019...

You might recall that Marcella Marinelli’s plaque above Shelly Bay was relocated last year. As a follow up our Chairman, Ted Gilfillan who is a committee member of the Bushman’s Kariega Trust (BKT) reports that: ‘The committee of the Bushman’s Kariega Trust first...

Due to a gale force westerly wind which coincided with the high spring tide on 30th October, Kenton and Boesmans experienced exceptionally high seas and storm surges.Thank you Lydia Palmer for the above videos The seawalls along Middle Beach were severely damaged...

There is endless, often heated debate about dog faeces on the beach and in and around our estuaries. We hear ‘leave it, its biodegradable’, ’just bury it’, ‘throw it into the sea or estuary….’. Then there’s the debate on whether it should be covered in sand and...

Annabé Pretorius of Plastix 911 says; The easiest is to look at the environmental message on the bag – the environmental claim.  If they are genuinely biodegradable, it will have reference to any of the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) or EU...

Remember the nurdle spill in Durban Harbour in 2017. Click here to read "What is a Nurdle"Thank you to the Sunday Times for allowing us to repost this article.  (To view a larger copy of the below article, please click...

Roger Carthew from the Rotary Club Kenton-on-Sea saw the article (click here to view) in the autumn issue of the NSRI magazine.  He approached the Rotary Club and proposed that a pink buoy should be placed at the Kariega slipway.  This was unanimously adopted by...

Our slipways, towpaths, paths and jetties are looking good! Nick Albrightson has been working throughout the year on preserving our slipways, towpaths paths and jetties.  He has repaired stone walls and drainage systems at the estuaries.  And he has erected our new...