Floods and cyclones
KZN Floods: The Morning After Roundup and Cyclone Alert – that was a serious downpour last night here in Port Shepstone! Over 100 mm is all we know since that’s all our weather gauge measures and it was overflowing. The Umzimkulu River is swollen and angry in most places. In the midst of the downpour, she was rearing up and looking really threatening.
It is worth noting that the southwest winds blew for four days straight before this deluge. And it was so hot and humid that entire time!
The hectic sheet rain of last night has stopped and the river has calmed down to a march. She is still billowing out brown water into the sea and will be doing so for a few days to come. Along with the other big rivers like Umkomaas and even Scottburgh. Dashing any and all hope for fishing, surfing or diving this weekend.
So although the weather looks to be fantastic in the forecasts (and according to The Bear of the Master Watermen website) – just don’t go in that ocean!
There are very many dangers in and around the sea and surf at the moment. Even a walk on the beach can be hazardous. Many snakes get washed down in these floods and end up being washed back in through the surf zone. And right onto the beach!
It is raining as I write this, but we are back to that lovely gentle soaking Natal rain we don’t mind so much. But who knows…so batten down the hatches and let’s see where we end up!
Because…
Yip, another south-Indian Ocean tropical depression has been upgraded and given a name. Honde. Just another cyclone you might think? But no this one is very different.
Honde formed below Madagascar. Bounced around down there for a week or so as she gathered steam, and then veered up into the Mozambique Channel without any hesitation. Where she is sitting right now pondering her attack vector.
This is far from normal cyclone behaviour. The normal guys start at the very top of Madagascar and then make their way south-east to drop their payloads. And then they dissipate down past the southern tip of Madagascar. No, this guy Honde is operating in reverse, starting at the bottom and heading north?!
Hopefully this does not materialise into another natural disaster but in these crazy weather times, you just have to plan for the worst-case scenario, every time.
Ian Logie is a local pro fishing guide that we get to work with here at The Sardine News occasionally. He operates in the greater Port SHepstone area. His reports and insights are invaluable but when he sent me this one yesterday, it ended up turning out to be quite a story.
You can watch that video right here…
Floods of a different sort…thank you Ian for sending that information in.
Makes you think doesn’t it? A staff compliment of 1200 plus, R2 000 000 000 a year, and we still have potholes and sewage in our lives. Well, that’s RNM. UGU have another 1400 plus, costing another whack. And the bush verges on the road past here are way beyond any reason. And…and…and…they are all fighting about money whilst no work gets done.
We have started the 2025 Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.
2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps going.
Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. Last year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! This year we have had two sailboat incidents already. PLUS, we have already logged some sardines!
Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps…
2024 Sardine Map
2023 Sardine Map
2021 Sardine Map
Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining surf reporting
Master Watermen – news from way down deep
The Sardine News – neva miss a single sardine
FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus
MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical sport fishing
Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely
Water Woes – complain about your municipality here
umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za – will get you right out and onto the edge
thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
masterwatermen.co.za – news from under water
fishbazaruto.com – dreams
brucifire.co.za – surf retorts
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