Cyclone Filipo hits Vilankulos – Captain Duarte Rato with video report
Cyclone Filipo hits Vilankulos – Captain Duarte Rato with video report: This cyclone has left all of us gobsmacked. She was so subtle as she brushed through Beira and headed south. She stalked up to Inhassoro. And then pounced on Vilankulos just after midnight. With even more energy and vengeance than last year’s tempest.
Winds got up to 200 kmh or so. Nothing is verified except for this report from Duarte this morning. Which includes stills and videos from the aftermath this very morning.
Heading South
Filipo has set her sights on Durban as she swooped over Tofo mid-morning too. She should be in Maputo by tonight and then dissipate towards Durban by dropping all its cargo. Rain. Rain. And more rain.
The north coast of KZN Natal is gonna get rained on hard again. Mpumalanga too.
And then tomorrow afternoon she will descend on Durban and hopefully by then have run out of steam.
Side effects
The side effects are the current heat waves we are experiencing all around the cyclone’s far fringes.
Spare a Thought
For the Mozambican communities who have to endure these regular storms. Now it’s all got to be put back together. To be ready for the next one. For just like a Mozambican chappa ride – there is always a worse one coming.
Cyc;lone FilipoCyc;lone FilipoCyc;lone Filipo takes out the power grid in Vilankulos
It’s a Prawn!: for the first season in two years, the prawns are back in the Umzimkulu Estuary! So I went down with a camera and dropped it in. Under the jetty is an ideal spot for prawnies to hide during the day. There were hundreds of the tiniest little guys about 2 to 4 cm long. And a trio of mature adults. That can look really intimidating up close like this.
Enjoy the video and pay close attention to what you might think the identity of the prawns therein…
These estuaries are rich ecosystems that harbour diverse species, including prawns. And shrimp. Yes, there is a difference but we get both models in the Umzimkulu fortunately. The coastal environments where freshwater from rivers meets and mixes with saltwater from the ocean are called transitional zones and are teeming with life. This is where we fish. And learn…
Prawn ID Lineup
The unusual suspects…
Which Prawn did it in the Umzimkulu Estuary
After thorough research and sampling, we can with confidence say that all of the following prawns/shrimp, can be found in the Umzimkulu Estuary:
Prawns of the Umzimkulu
Prawns of the Umzimkulu
Palaemon Capensis – this cute and tasty little prawnie is also known as the CapeRiver Prawn and thrives in freshwater. It’s commonly found in estuaries and rivers. And is endemic to the Eastern Cape and immediate surrounds. Only gets about 8cm or so. Delicious.
Palaemon Monodon is the big old African Tiger Prawn. These huge prawns actually live out in the ocean most of the time. They breed out deep. But I have them on my underwater cameras, swimming into the estuary with a blue incoming tide. Free swimming and out in the open!
Macrobrachium: Macrobrachium petersii – the river giant prawn prefers brackish water and can tolerate varying salinities. It’s a large and robust prawn species. Macrobrachium rude, another member of this family, also inhabits estuaries and coastal rivers. Both of these guys have seriously long and powerful pinchers up front. And they are prepared to use them! On you! And on each other as they literally duel for territory around the jetty at the Umzimkulu Marina. Females have small front pinchers whereas the males have them longer than their whole bodies. They will bite you!
Metapenaeus monoceros: the highly-sought after Ginger Prawn. Aka Speckled, brown, or pink prawn. Everybody in the estuary is after one of these guys. They also get quite big at about 20cm max.
Fenneropenaeus indicus: The Indian prawn grows to a length of about 22 cm and is is delicious. Known by many names around the world – Indian white , Tugela , white , banana , Indian banana and red leg banana prawn.
We have undertaken to analyse in detail each of our prawn species in a future publication. Watch this space!
In the meantime our guy in the video is…
Southern River Prawn
Southern River Prawn – aka Macrobrachium petersii
And it would seem that his companions were females of the same family. They look much the same but have smaller front pinchers.
Ecological Significance
These prawns play essential roles in our estuarine ecosystems. They serve as chow for various fish, birds, and other aquatic organisms. Additionally, they contribute to nutrient cycling and help maintain ecosystem balance.
For many years the prawns disappeared from the Umzimkulu Estuary. And they evidently still skip years. They might just be a really good indicator of the health of any estuary. And the fact that the prawns disappear completely sometimes, outlines the cyclical nature of our eco-systems.
Down in the Cape, we have recently discovered a forum group who willingly used glyphosate in their very own estuary?! We are investigating further at the moment.
Under no circumstances can we allow any more glyphosate into our estuaries. It affects the entire environment and changes the river bed. Making it unsuitable for the many molluscs, worms and other vital organisms. And prawns…
The estuaries of South Africa and the world are precious and deserve our protection. Let’s continue to learn, appreciate, and conserve these vital ecosystems!
Vivier, L. (2006). Prawn community structure in the subtropical Mfolozi–Msunduzi estuarine system, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. ¹.
Collections of freshwater shrimps along the southern coast of South Africa. ².
Prawns – Marine Life – South Africa. ³.
Know your Estuaries – Coast KZN. ?.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 2024/02/27 (1) Prawn community structure in the subtropical Mfolozi–Msunduzi estuarine …. https://www.academia.edu/12460614/Prawn_community_structure_in_the_subtropical_Mfolozi_Msunduzi_estuarine_system_KwaZulu_Natal_South_Africa. (2) Collections of freshwater shrimps along the southern coast of South Africa. https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA00445096_379. (3) Prawns – Marine Life – South Africa. https://southafrica.co.za/prawns.html. (4) Know your Estuaries – Coast KZN. https://www.coastkzn.co.za/themes/estuaries/know-your-estuaries/. (5) Prawn Farming in South Africa. https://southafrica.co.za/prawn-farming-in-south-africa.html. (6) 5.1 ESTUARIES – Coast KZN. https://www.coastkzn.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/KZNSOCR_Section_5.1_1-1.pdf.
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Baby Oyster Catchers have hatched in Part 4 of the JBay Boardwalk Saga
Baby Oyster Catchers have hatched in Part 4 of the JBay Boardwalk Saga.
Enjoy the video…
Part 1
“Jislaik daar is eiers hierso!”
When Brucifire arrived on the scene of the angry and disturbed mama Oyster Catcher, the workers building the all-new boardwalk down the beach in Jeffreys Bay, had the sense to surround the two eggs, with rocks. It was a beautiful display of respect for the Oyster Catcher family-to-be.
It would have been far more prudent however, if the people paying for the boardwalk, would have already scouted the area for nesting birds. And any other natural occurrences that should never be messed with.
Part 2
“People teaching people how to be people.”
That’s just the nicest translation, or adaptation of the African word Ubuntu. And Bruce holds back his frustration fairly well as people…people…just walk right on by the birds nest.
Some with dogs!
He tries to educate them. But ignorance prevails…
Part 3
“Haolis”.
Mama Oyster Catcher is still on the job, even though so many disrespectful people – completely oblivious to nature, just come too close.
Construction on the boardwalk has seemingly come to a halt at this point in the saga.
Part 4
“Twins!”
We have a set of twin baby Oyster Catchers. Brucifire got a photo in from far off. As he did not want to disturb our already ruffled mama.
They are so cute. And vulnerable as they got to work their way from beach life to rock life. Where they will be relatively safe from their main predator.
Dogs!
Bruce reports that this problem is far and wide. Especially prevalent down south. Where dead baby chicks – killed by dogs, are found too often.
Please keep your dogs on a leash or go to “Dog Beach”, down the way.
We want a pleasant Part 5 when we celebrate the chicks coming of a week’s age.
Professor Anthony Turton is on the scene in Onrus. Where a veritable environmental catastrophe is playing out in the rightly named Hemel en Aarde Valley. Just upriver from Onrus Estuary. This article and accompanying video explain the situation in relevant detail.
There are many lessons to be learnt from this situation. Enjoy the video…
With Professor Anthony Turton
Onrus Valley Wetlands
The prevailing natural flood pulse of the dainty little Onrus River had over the last 40 000 years created an extraordinarily beautiful wetland upriver from the estuary. A functioning tribute to the delightful and free-flowing estuary. Hosting both the flood pulse. And the tide pulse.
The wetland we are chatting about today resulted from large deposits of peat. Peat is made from the roots of wetland plants. This peat does an excellent job of both filtering and most importantly, slowing down of flood waters. This is nature’s way of holding off the periodic torrential rain and flooding that we can get in Southern Africa. Wetlands. That can soak up and impede the flow of so much water.
Human disaster
In 1970s the De Bos dam was built to provide drinking water to Hermanus.
Downriver of this dam, an environmental collapse was initiated. In the Hemel en Aarde Valley.
The dam destroyed the natural flood pulse. The peat dried out. Dry peat is combustible so an underground fire started. The peat beds are now destroyed.
The storm flow is now so violent that it’s destroying the road adjacent to the wetland. Undermining the substrate leading to the collapse of the whole road berm.
Nobody knows what to do to fix it. So the government is using red tape to prevent efforts to stabilise the situation. But they simply don’t have a viable plan.
Epitaph
The peat bed is now gone and the Onrus estuary has silted up. The Onrus Estuary is now a Class D estuary.
This is an environmental disaster playing out in the Western Cape right now.
Sewage takes the Vaal River: as the main artery through the Vaal system, this vitally important river performs many vital biological functions.
Many animals and organisms rely on the Vaal River for survival. So that they can in turn perform their recipricol biological functions.
This is how the environment keeps floods in check all on its own. With these natural wetland and river systems. That absorb and inhibit the outright flow of any major flood event.
Bring on the ANC
Who inherited a world-class reticulation and public water infrastructure from the previous government. Extraordinarily high standards at a global level. The very best scientists. Well-spent budget. Incredible infrastructure that produced infallible results.
That over three decades, have been all but completely blotted out. By the cadre deployment that the ANC thought it would use to access every single government cheque-book in the land.
Which it did. And now the sewage we entrusted the ANC to deal with as government – flows into our rivers. And into the ocean. Causing red tides and untold ecological damage.
Water Lettuce
As beautiful as this evil apparition may appear, it is the direct result of the ANC discharging sewage straight into the Vaal River. During every load-shedding session.
Warnings were issued. Articles were written. Videos were made. Nobody at the ANC listened or gave a damn.
And so as the sewage filled up the Vaal River system, the oxygen-depleting organisms started at the sewage. As they processed more and more of the sewage, they used up all the oxygen. Everything then dies.
And the water lettuce moves in.
It covers the surface completely. Ruling out all hopes of photosynthesis down below. By this time all the fish and organisms in the river are gone.
The river is dead.
Roundup (Glyphosate)
And so in this instance we see an aeroplane spraying Monsanto Roundup straight onto the water lettuce and into the Vaal River.
Glyphosate doesn’t play well with rivers. When it rains, glyphosate washes into water bodies, disrupting aquatic ecosystems. Fish, frogs, and algae…are all affected.
Microbial Mayhem: Glyphosate changes soil properties, affecting the growth of microorganisms. Some of these microbes become downright dangerous.
Persistence: Glyphosate lingers in the soil for months, depending on factors like climate and soil pH.
Biodiversity Blues: Researchers have found that Roundup can trigger biodiversity loss. Ecosystems become vulnerable to pollution and climate change.
More Controversy…
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Tango: Glyphosate has danced its way into legal battles. Some studies suggest a link between glyphosate exposure and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Mineral Mix-Up?: Does glyphosate mess with plant nutrition? Studies are currently underway.
Solution
Get rid of the ANC and fix the country’s ailing sewerage systems. Even here in Port Shepstone, the main sewage processing plant has been inoperable recently. The sewage is now pumped directly into the Mbango River and Estuary.
Where the exact same process as described above in the Vaal, will repeat itself.
One dead river after the next.
Does anybody know where our drinking water comes from then?
