msc Archives - The Sardine News

MSC Musica Checks In at Durban Natal South Africa

MSC Musica Berthing in Durban Today 7am 25 November 2024

MSC Musica Berthing in Durban Today 7am 25 November 2024 : impressive sight this morning as Panama registered MSC Musica steals the early show out of Durban in KZN, with a well-coordinated pink sky for a backdrop.

The vessel has recently returned from up north. Where they must really have appreciated the past week of fantastic weather for the eastern seaboard of southern Africa.

You can learn all about the MSC Musica and what they are up to at…

https://www.marinetraffic.com

And a few photographs by Adam, right on the spot, in Durban this early morning.

Spectacular!

Synoptic Analysis

A whole week of southwest winds ahead! A remarkable forecast as those two eager cold fronts team up to deliver their payload of low-pressure air and moisture-rich atmosphere here to us in KZN all week. We may be in for some rain and even a little cold patch. But this is an idyllic forecast and it counters the easterly spurning high pressures we have been experiencing over the last week or so.

Deep Sea Fishing

The dorado have arrived on time and have been politely greeted by the seasonal brown water plumes generated by recent rains. In fact, ALL the summer gamefish have been present and accounted for over this last week.

And this week coming up looks to be an absolute cracker. Will not be surprised to see a few king mackerel appearing on the catch reports.

Rock n Surf

Well, there are some proper shad around. And in numbers, it seems! But with 6 days to go for the season to legally start, they got to go back!

Not that anyone will check. The authorities are a complete joke. They are absolutely nowhere even if they are somewhere. Just tell them it’s a Kentucky Fried Shad and they will be happy.

Indlela Yokuphila: The Soul’s Journey (ZULU)

Ok, now let’s move onto a more spiritual and natural realm…thank you to Professor Tony Turton for sending this to us for publication.

Moving stuff…

Empatheatre – please follow this link to Like and Subscribe to a noteworthy cause…

Food for Thought

Sardines and Sighting Maps

It has been a fantastic sardine run this memorable 2024. And all the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. This year’s map has been viewed 191,000 times and just keeps growing.

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. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado! And recently a capsized KZNSB boat! We have been updating the map with recent catches too…

These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

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

Websites

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 deep down
fishbazaruto.com – your dreams are out there

The great KZN nurdle disaster

Cameron Johnstone the admin of Salt Fishing South Africa group on Facebook has compiled an excellent report on the great KZN nurdle disaster, which occurred recently.

MSC Shipping are squarely in the spotlight as they allowed this ecological tragedy to unfold unchecked. The nurdles, which are little plastic beads heading for industry, spilled out into the Durban harbour entrance, as the MSC ship ran aground in inclement weather. The ship was saved but when it drove into the harbour, it crashed into another ship, and the containers carrying the nurdles ruptured as they tumbled off the MSC ship and into the water. Literally nothing was done by MSC or port authorities or anyone, to curb the spill.

This has happened before elsewhere in the world, costing millions in clean-up operations. Here in Durban, the powers that be, and the perpetrators, simply do nothing. For days after the incident, the nurdles were allowed to spill out unchecked. As many as three containers full hit the water. Allegedly only one was recovered, and no-one is forthcoming with information at all.

Cameron’s report is detailed and accurate. In a spate of admirable investigative journalism, Cameron and friends uncovered the series of still photos, illustrating the incident in full colour. He deserves any support or assistance he can get. Right now the nurdles have spread up and down the KZN coast, into the Transkei, and even further way down deep into Cape waters.

Cameron and his efforts have resulted a cleanup operation to remove as many nurdles as possible, from the environment right now. This is where you can help. At this relatively early stage, we can hopefully make a difference in the overall percentage of nurdles spilled out into the ocean. They do float so – head on down to your local beach and start collecting! Keep them. Follow Cameron’s group for further instructions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/381842378579887/

The harm that nurdles can do, aside from the obvious as in fish eating them, can be found in detail, in Cameron’s report at the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/381842378579887/permalink/1393896187374496/

Report by The Sardine News