From Neon Waves to Coastal Tragedy: The Elands Bay Walkout

From Neon Waves to Coastal Tragedy: The Elands Bay Walkout: The ocean often masks its danger with breathtaking beauty. Recently, photographer Steve Benjamin captured a mesmerizing display of bioluminescence at Elands Bay. The waves glowed with an electric neon blue, creating a surreal scene. However, this celestial light was actually an ominous warning. Within 24 hours, the shoreline transformed into a graveyard as thousands of West Coast Rock Lobsters (crayfish) marched out of the sea in a desperate bid for survival.

All photos by Steve Benjamin who was on the scene – (20+) Facebook

The Science of the “Walkout”

A “walkout” is not a choice; it is a final act of survival. When the ocean becomes a “dead zone,” these crustaceans are forced onto the sand to breathe. But what turns a thriving bay into a tomb? According to Professor Anthony Turton, an environmental advisor frequently featured on The Sardine News, the answer lies in the delicate balance of oxygen and nutrients.

The Role of the Bloom

The bioluminescence Steve Benjamin photographed was caused by a massive Algal Bloom. Microscopic organisms, likely dinoflagellates, flourished in the warm, nutrient-rich waters. While beautiful at night, these blooms are the architects of disaster.

Why the Oxygen Vanishes

The oxygen depletion happens in a two-stage process:

Exponential Growth: The algae multiply rapidly, consuming vast amounts of space and surface nutrients.
The Great Decay: When the algae die, they sink to the seafloor. This is where the true “oxygen devourers” appear. Millions of aerobic bacteria begin to decompose the dead organic matter. These bacteria consume every available molecule of oxygen in the water column.

The night before…

Where Do These Organisms Come From?

Professor Turton explains that while red tides are natural in the Benguela upwelling system, their intensity is often anthropogenic (human-caused).

Source	Contribution	Effect
Natural Upwelling	Deep, cold, nutrient-rich water.	Provides the initial “fuel” for the algae.
Agricultural Runoff	Nitrogen and phosphorus from farms.	Over-fertilizes the bay, leading to massive blooms.
Sewage Discharge	Untreated waste from coastal settlements.	Creates “ideal conditions” for toxic species to thrive.

As Turton notes on The Sardine News, when sewage pours into these systems, it creates a “cesspit” where pathogens and toxins flourish. This nutrient loading turns a natural event into a systemic environmental collapse.

The Aftermath: A Warning to the Public

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) has activated its West Coast Rock Lobster Contingency Plan. Officials are currently working to relocate live lobsters to oxygen-stable areas.

Crucial Safety Note: Do not consume any washed-up seafood from Elands Bay. The “Red Tide” often contains neurotoxins that are heat-stable. This means boiling or freezing the crayfish will not make them safe to eat. Ingestion can lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning, which is potentially fatal.

The aftermath…

How We Can Help

We must address the root cause: our failing water management systems. By reducing nutrient loading from sewage and runoff, we can mitigate the severity of these “dead zones.”

Understanding an HAB (Harmful Algal Bloom)

To understand the origin of these “oxygen-devouring organisms,” we must look at both natural oceanography and human impact. Professor Anthony Turton often argues that we cannot view these events as purely “natural” anymore. While the Benguela current is naturally productive, human activity acts as a high-octane “top-up” for these toxic blooms.

1. The Localised Supply: The “Sandveld” Runoff

Most experts, including those featured on The Sardine News, point to localised sources as the primary culprit. Elands Bay is at the mouth of the Verlorenvlei, a vital estuarine system.

Agricultural Runoff: The surrounding Sandveld area is heavily farmed. Nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilisers wash into the Vlei and eventually into the bay.
Local Sewage Failures: Small coastal towns often have struggling wastewater treatment works. Professor Turton frequently highlights how “sewage return flows” introduce raw nutrients directly into retentive bays.

2. The “Cape Town” Hypothesis: Is it possible?

The idea that pollution travels from Cape Town (roughly 200km south) is scientifically plausible but complex.

The Current Flow: The Benguela current moves northward. Therefore, a massive “plume” of untreated sewage from Cape Town’s marine outfalls (like Green Point) could theoretically be carried up the coast.
The Retentive Trap: St. Helena Bay and Elands Bay are known as “retentive zones.” This means once nutrients enter this area, the coastal geography traps them. They do not wash away; they settle and ferment.

3. Professor Turton’s Perspective: The “National Cesspit”

Professor Turton’s work suggests we are seeing a cumulative effect. He argues that South Africa’s coastline is becoming a “sink” for untreated waste.

The Nutrient Overload: Even if the Cape Town plume dilutes, it contributes to an overall increase in the “nutrient baseline” of the West Coast.
The Trigger: When natural upwelling brings cold, nutrient-rich water from the deep, it meets this “human-enriched” surface water. This creates a “perfect storm” for a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB).

The Verdict: Where does it come from?

It is likely a combination. The natural upwelling provides the foundation. However, the localised runoff from the Verlorenvlei and the failing sewage infrastructure in West Coast municipalities provide the “tipping point.” This localised “bad runoff” turns a standard algal bloom into a deadly, oxygen-stripping event.

So, well, who would have guessed it then…

Municipal failure.

Here is a detailed infographic that illustrates the complete environmental cascade from nutrient input to the creation of a dead zone, as experienced during the Elands Bay crayfish walkout.

This visual breaks down the process into five stages:

Stage 1: Excess Nutrient Input: How human activity, such as agricultural runoff and sewage, introduces high levels of Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) into the water system (Eutrophication).
Stage 2: Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Formation: The “neon waves” phase, where rapid proliferation of algae (Cyanobacteria/Dinoflagellates) creates dense surface mats.
Stage 3: Post-Bloom Effects: The consequences of the bloom, including reduced light penetration that kills submerged vegetation.
Stage 4: The Algal Crash & Die-Off: When nutrients are depleted, the massive algal biomass dies and sinks to the bottom.
Stage 5: Bacterial Decomposition & Hypoxia: The critical final stage where abundant bacteria consume the dead organic matter. During this process, their respiration consumes massive amounts of Dissolved Oxygen (DO), creating the Hypoxia (< 2 mg/L) that forces the crayfish onto the beach.

The graphic also illustrates the ultimate consequences and impacts, including ecological death, migration of species, and the creation of “Dead Zones.”

Thanks for reading and learning with us here at The Sardine News. This incident has been logged on the 2026 Sardine Sightings Map, which has been augmented this year with the recording/logging of ecological disasters like this one.

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