The Halocline revisited with Professor Anthony Turton
The Halocline revisited with Professor Anthony Turton: ‘Halocline’ – the scientific name for the dirty-water-line that we all hate to love.
Sure it’s dirty and polluted nowadays. But it never used to be. Before humans started really breeding around here (for a political cause nonetheless), the brown water that came down in every flood, served its vital role, without the sewage and pollution of said humans.
The roles of the Halocline
As the halocline moves in and out of the estuary, on a macro scale due to the flood pulse – and on a micro scale when the tide pulse takes over in the dry season, it performs a multitude of roles.
Balances the PH of the ocean: in rainy season this large-scale operation by the halocline dumps thousands of tonnes of alkaline material into the ocean which importantly brings the acidity of the ocean back in line.
Biological triggers: as the halocline moves in and out of the estuary that it’s plume comes from, a multitude of marine species use this change to either spawn with or hunt to.
Structure: As Professor Turton elaborates, the ocean is vaste, and the halocline represents a huge change in environment when it accesses the ocean – fish come from afar to capitalise on this periodic staging.
So we are super-blessed to be here on the Kwazulu-Natal South Coast. And to be a part of this natural occurrence. Almost could be called a phenomenon. That happens non-stop right in front of our eyes. If not for the Professor, we would still be complaining about it!
Unfortunately, the halocline these days has a tarnished reputation. It has been smeared by the brush of the prevailing party. As sewage and other non-organic pollution is mercilessly sent down each and every river in South Africa, to the sea, this huge failing manifests itself in one of our greatest and most-loved resources…
The beach
All this organic and non-organic pollution is not simply dissolved away by the ocean. No chance. Counter-currents and wave action make sure that most of the solids end back on the beach. And the liquid pollution stays with itself as salt water is more dense and does not simply mix with the polluted water. No, that stays on top, where the visiting tourists get to enjoy it the most when they swim in the ocean.
This is how you get tepid estuaries and beaches that are completely unsafe to swim in. Sure, when the rains abate after having washed most of the evidence away, things get beautiful again. But for most of the year, the municipalities just easily win over the public. And pollution goes unchecked. And people get sick.
Water Tests
Are carried out by municipalities. But one day is most definitely not the same as the next. If you test one beach, by the time you publish those results, the composition of the water at those beaches will have changed.
Especially Durban where the nature of the beaches and the bay means that water circulates therein for ages before finally being discharged.
Do not believe anyone who says it is safe to swim in brown water. Especially if it’s government.
The real pandemic plaguing society is blind belief in authority. Question everything. From your municipality, to pharma, to corporate activities to any search result page on YouTube. Question it. And decide for yourself after processing as many pertinent facts as you can. Covid brought this fact out clearly for everyone to see.
“It is much easier to fool a man, than to convince him that he has been fooled.” – possibly Mark Twain
When it clears up and the brown water finally dissipates, check in with us here at Umzimkulu Adrenalin where we can safely get you out there and into the action.
Learn about more failed municipalities at Water Woes on YouTube.
If you go down to the beach today: you might be in for a big surprise. The floodwaters bring a helluva LOT of stuff from inland to the sea.
Islands of trees. All kinds of infrastructure. So much flotsam and jetsom. And…
Snakes, spiders, sewage and pathogens!
Snakes
Yip! They get washed down with the floodwaters. They can actually swim quite well. But they get tired and going with the flow sometimes is the only way for them. Or they get into a tree or an island. We get these weird thickets of floating vegetation that look like islands going by. All the time in the floods. Out to sea, and washed up on the beach.
So, you could easily walk into a snake on the beach, after ANY flood. This has happened very many times!
Spiders
Got nowhere to go in a flood. Except down the valley. So the minute they see a floating object, or something fixed…like a log, boat or a kayak, they assemble en masse.
Actually…these insects, walk on water when they see a platform. We watched today as the spiders and ilk made for the swing bench here at the Umzimkulu Marina all morning. Skipping across the surface in sheer desperation to get out of the raging waters. And away from the many, many fish that just suddenly appear when it floods here. The fish were swimming all over the garden. Wish I knew what they were but they were big.
Then, in clear sight, a kingfisher appeared. And joyously picked off the buffet of delicious-for-birds treats on the bench. And the kayaks.
Sewage
The Harding Farmers Dam has burst it’s banks (read more about that here) and all that terrifying water is on its merry way here. To Port Shepstone, and the rest of the tourist-dependant Hibiscus Coast.
You can smell it everywhere.
Pathogens
All this sewage, which is meant to go to a plant and be treated, is now, under direct ANC guidance, discharged directly into the rivers and the environment (Harding). This means that if you get a cut or a scratch, and you go in this water, you could get REALLY sick.
The ONLY good news is that the Agulhas Current is screaming mad at the moment. She has come right in close and literally is sandwiching the brown water against the coast. She will eventually prevail against the constant onslaught and the counter-currents and will whip the evidence away.
KZN Flooding: cancel all beach ideas for now – in video…
The storm came over us really early in the evening. As it got dark kinda thing. Proper lightning and thunder. But it moved north and started it’s relentless march to Durban. It was reported going over Banana Beach. Then Hibberdene.
Durban
Then Durban got hit hard. And all the areas inland of us simultaneously got pelted. So much so, that at 2 am this morning, the waters here in the Umzimkulu River, started to rise. By 3 am it come up an entire metre. By 4 am, even more.
The waters kept rising until about 8 am, at which point the extra-low tide started influencing the river. And by 10 am the river itself slowed down a tad…dropping a total of a metre or so.
The current situation is a fast-flowing river of rapids, carrying enormous amounts of flotsam and jetsam.
Other rivers
After that display from Mother Nature, every single river in KZN must be wide open now. I know that down here where we are that certainly is the case.
And aside from the flotsam and jetsom, this water has a dirty little secret. It carries all kinds of dangers within itself. Waste from hospitals. Raw sewage left untreated by the ANC. Oil and grime from the streets. Faeces from animals.
Sure, it is all going out to sea now…which is how the ANC get away with their abuse of the system. Even Harding just be clean after that deluge.
Catching Kob: Our fish – the kob – could be a more relevant national fish than the galjoen. We get kob right the way from Mozambique to Namibia.
And everybody loves to catch a kob!
Since kob can be found out deeper, where ski-boats have been targeting them in waters between 10 and 40 metres, and in the surf zone, and in our estuaries – we have divided this Catching Kob how-to into three seperate parts.
Deep-sea
Rock and surf.
And Estuary
But first, a quick kob gallery…
Kob Gallery
Sean Calitz 25kg Kob at Port St. Johns with MYDO and BruBaitsJust shoot them if you can!Gerrard-Powell-his-two-daughters-and-a-100lb-KobKoblet by Josh Herrison near Port St JohnsA fun little kobbie about to be released down on the Sandspit in Port ShepstoneThe TWO wise men -according to Bruce! You only need to catch one of these magnificent fish – in your whole life!And it’s Chris Lepan again with another Umzimkulu Estuary kob.Jos Jantjies with a tasty kob caught down at Kabeljauw’s, down the point, in Jeffreys Bay (c) artsurfer.nlSimon fish and his first cast MYDO caught kob in The Transkei
Deep-sea
Kob feed at odd times. And sometimes they don’t feed at all, even when you can see them clearly to be there. I have seen kob underwater – huge kob, lined up in tight formation, wallowing behind the surf zone. Baits all around them. And they won’t touch anything! And then other times, the kob could bite so hard, commercial boats of old would literally sink themselves loading too much fish. Luckily this heinous practise of hauling out fish for profit, is not really practised any more. And the stocks of kob have stabilised, albeit at a fraction of the numbers of before. Hopefully, the more stringent regulations governing the selling of kob might ease the population back to strength. Unfortunately, it’s up to the current political controls in charge of DAFF. Which does not paint a pretty picture at all.
Back to catching kob…launch anywhere up and down the South African coastline, and kob could be on your target list. They really are literally everywhere.
Live Bait
Some spots are blessed with a constant supply of liveys. Mackerel are by far the favourite. Although a little live shad is close behind. Really serious anglers are keeping live bait alive, in cages and tanks in the harbour. So that when they go fishing, no time is spent gambling on catching live bait. Not sure how legal this is, but it’s really effective. Especially for night fishing, since time is always limited.
IGFA allows two single hooks on a trace. Which is a tad risky when fishing with live bait, since a tangle might be in the offing. So, a nice metre length of soft leader, a good 9/0 hook, two swivels and a sinker – is all you need. Drop that rig rigged with a live mackerel onto a showing and hold on tight. Normally at a bit of depth, and the running trace on the sinker snoot, the fish hook themselves when fished with a live bait.
Frozen Bait
Fishing with frozen sardines or mackerel also works. But only when the fish are hungry. This is when advantage can be taken of the IGFA suggestion of two hooks per trace. But. Be aware you may end up with two big kob hanging onto your line!
Lures
Turns out that kob love a plastic bait. A paddletail. Colour not so important. But weight is. You will need a solid 2 or 3 ounces to get down there. Bounce it around on the bottom and hold on tight!
Rock n Surf
Circle hooks have really changed things for the better. The trace used is simple. A single 8/0 to 12/0 circle hook on a metre of soft leader. You can throw out a grapnel sinker and slide your bait if the conditions allow. You need a bit of height above the water for that. Or just tie it all up and throw into the channel between the shorebreak and the middle break. Kob hunt in the absolute shallows in the surf zone. You do not have to cast very far at all.
Live Bait
A live mullet or shad puts you square in the game to catch your trophy kob. Although, if you could get any other live baits, like mackerel, pinkies or mozzies, you would be in the same game.
If your live bait is going to be battling a current, you will need to rig him from the nose or top of the head. Two hooks can help but a single – preferably a circle hook, with the bait nicely fastened on, is the outright winner for successful hookups. Keeping a big needle and a roll of wax thread is a very good habit for live bait fishing. The fish last so much longer when carefully tied to the circle hook. About a centimetre away from the bait. Much like marlin fishing. If the water is calm and the sea is flat, with no current, then put the hook in at the tail area, so the bait can swim away from you.
Once again, sewing the hook on with wax thread is so much better all around for everything. And it is a good feeling to let your hard-working live bait go without injury, at the end of a slow session.
Frozen bait
Well you can fish a frozen bait much like a live bait. A whole sardine is the go-to bait and has caught shoals and shoals of kob.
Belly bait
A decent belly, freshly cut from a shad or mackerel, is a deadly kob bait. You might want to master the art of the pencil bait. Highy recommended.
Lures
Kob have been an enigma to many, for a very long time. What would they be thinking, taking a hard plastic clangy lure, in the middle of the night, cast out there from the beach? Sure, I understand the soft and silent paddle tail, relying on its tail vibrations to get the message out there – but those noisy lures – Eish, they work too!
Kob also take a spoon. A very slow spoon. Literally dragged along the bottom. The Sheppy Bomber spoon, an infamous design from down south, has been revered far and wide for catching kob. Similair S-Bend spoons with half bronze and half silver have been reliable over the years.
Estuary
Catching kob in our estuaries here in South Africa is over-the-top fun. Challenging for sure. But catching koblets (kob of up to about 5kgs or so) on light tackle and lures is insanely entertaining.
Check this video of my Dad catching 3 at the same time!
Flicking and trolling lures
Tie up a little tiny paddletail, and off you go. The smaller the better. The lighter the better.
Live bait
These little koblets love a live mullet. Its got to be small though, like 3 or 4 inches maximum. To make them perform properly, I thread my live baits under the skin with a needle. And then tie my circle hook to the thread. And then when the day is over, you can let that little soldier go without having done him harm to his vital bits like his mouth and nostrils.
Fresh bait
You need to master the construction of a pencil bait, to get these fish to take a hook inside. Pencil baits are designed especially for shy feeders. Like these little kob. And the spotted grunter that are found with them.
Use a MYDO Silver Bullet fillet trace made up with nylon to make a really interesting pencil bait. You could use a MYDO Shad Trace made with wire too. Especially if those teethy shad come into the scene. A good compromise would be to use wire between the hooks, adding some rigidity to your pencil bait. And then a nylon leader.
The fish approach the juicy long pencil bait, and start to feed from the sides. They don’t get much and soon enough they get greedy and move down to the end of the bait. Which is easily sucked in giving you chance to set the tiny hook hidden in the end of the bait.
Kob lures by MYDO
These are recommendations from MYDO lures for catching kob off the boat, the beach, or in the estuary…
If you stay with us here at the Umzimkulu Marina in Port Shepstone, you will be right in the middle of all the kob action. We have many secret rock and surf fishing spots in really close proximity. And the estuary right our front for all day fun and fishing. Kids love it here!
Also check out Umzimkulu Adrenalin, for lots of things to do in the Port Sheptone area.
Second Bluefin Tuna taken on a MYDO Baitswimmer: yip! It happened again. A slightly smaller fish, at 63kgs…but taken on 40lb braid! By none other than MYDO Mediterranean Agent David Kosta! Fishing ace out!
Bluefin One
Mark White of Port St. Frances got the first one. A bluefin tuna. The southern variety. Swim to New Zealand and back often!
This fish was caught some time ago…but we kept the MYDO part of this amazing double-whammy, a secret, until now. We wanted at least one more before we touted our lures as good for targeting Bluefin Tuna.
Mark White in a very happy place106kg bluefin tuna taken on a MYDO off Cape St FrancesUsing the MYDO Baitswimmer as a down rigger, Mark White got the first ever bluefin tuna on a MYDO
Double-whammy! Mark and his mate also caught a decent broadbill at about 100kgs too – on the same MYDO rig – on that same day.
The rig consisted of a big old MYDO Baitswimmer, with a nice long nylon leader, to a big old squid bait. In other words, the MYDO was deployed as a downrigger. Simple leads to organised and this rig does just that.
Bluefin Two
David Kosta strikes again! He fishes the MYDOs the regular way…over to David…this was very recently (yesterday), in the Mediterranean.
“I have a Solo skippers ticket. It means I can go by myself out to sea. That afternoon, I got some fresh bait in the form of couple of 500gr couta caught by one of the gill nets. I left the harbor at 3:30 knowing I have 2 hours before it’s completely dark. Once I rigged the couta on the 4.5 Mydo I was happy to see that it swam very well with 2 vmc 3/0 trebles. I was using 61 pound Malin wire as I was hoping for couta. 15 minutes later the port Rod had a big bite, taking about 100m of line. I tighten the drag to about 6kg and started working. There were a few 50m runs and I thought it was a big couta. After 20 minutes when I couldn’t even see the fish , I decided it was a shark… 5 minutes later I managed to see a silver flash so It went back to the “biggest couta I ever seen…” but secretly I started hoping It is something else that we’re reported jumping in that area 2 days earlier. I few minutes later, I saw it, got it close enough for my 100cm bamboo gaf and pulled it in. 40lb braid, 60lb fluorocarbon leader. 30 minutes.”
David Kosta doing all the work solo…and the gaff goes in to the 63kg bluefin tunaThe northern bluefin taken in the Mediterranean yesterday
This the 63kg Bluefin Tuna (two left pics). From the northern population – these guys swim across the Atlantic to North America and back every year.
Which is what ICCAT (International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna) refused to acknowledge when performing their assigned duty of making up conservation recommendations to lawmakers. In another case of gross corporate greed, the exact people who were being appointed to look out for the tuna populations, were being manipulated (paid) by the corporates. And crooked scientists who were happily being paid to sell the corporate narrative. That these fish were not the same population.
