Marine Coastal Conservation

A ghost town and many ghostnets

Sarah Taylor from Marine Coastal Conservation (MCC) writes:

A recent walk along the coast from Buffeljagsbaai towards Pearly Beach was an eye-opener – such stark beauty, an abundance of birdlife, a ghost town… and such a lot of trash as well!
Ghostnets, crayfish cages and heaps of other fishing-related paraphernalia, bottles, plastic drums and bags line what once was a pristine beach. Also, following the shoreline, we found a wave of seemingly never-ending nurdles (plastic pellets used in the manufacturing industry).
In fact, you can hardly walk a few metres without seeing more and more rubbish, with the near-endemic African black oystercatchers, kelp gulls and Cape fur seals in the background. It is sobering.
We removed what we could carry that day, but regular efforts are needed here to restore its natural beauty, as few people appear to frequent this stretch of coastline.
As part of the 100km Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse charity walk, which kicks off this week from Cape Agulhas to Danger Point, we will also be cleaning-up this section of coastline. As both a founding member of MCC and a Lighthouse Lady, I encourage others walking in this area please to take an empty bin big bag or two with you and help remove some of the waste. Much of it also comprises small plastic waste that is easier to carry.
On another note, it was an eerie experience visiting the Plaatjieskraal ghost town for the first time. Built in the 1980s as a resort, it was abandoned in in the 1990s and has since been partly reclaimed by the dunes. It is an interesting and unexpected tourist attraction, like having our very own Kolmanskop! Many thanks to coastal and fynbos walking guide Billy Robertson for showing us this area.
We live in one of the most exquisite parts of this beautiful continent. Let’s help to keep it that way! If any volunteers would like to join future MCC clean-ups in this and other areas, please contact me on WhatsApp +27 72 505 2707.
Photos: Sarah Taylor @ MCC
• The L2L is from 5-8 March 2026. To find out more and to donate to L2L, see https://lighthouse2lighthouse.co.za/

EFT details:
Account Name: Lighthouse Ladies
Bank: ABSA Branch: 632005
Savings account number: 931 063 9996
Reference: Donor’s name & walker: Sarah Taylor

Mini clean-up around Rotary View

This morning, Marine Coastal Conservation (MCC) partnered with Overstrand Mayor Archie Klaas and representatives from the OM cleaning team, Hermanus Public Protection (HPP), Hermanus Business Chamber (HBC), Rotary International and members of the public for a mini clean-up in central Hermanus.

In one hour, we cleaned as much litter as possible from the area around and below the Rotary View deck near Swallow Park.

The clean-up was driven by the urgent need to remove large amounts of plastic after the recent heavy rains, as all the stormwater drains in the town - fed by waste in the streets - were overflowing with waterfalls of trash - literally, 'Vuilvalle'.

The Rotary View area is also in the heart of historic Hermanus and a popular area for tourists and locals to watch whales and dolphins, walk along the iconic Hermanus Cliff Path, have a picnic or take a break from work in town. As such it is also the site of considerable amounts of trash like fast food packaging, broken glass and hundreds of cigarette butts , much of which is blown or swept into the ocean and surround Fernkloof Nature Reserve along the cliff-front.

Many thanks to all of those who participated and lent a hand to help keep our town and its special marine and fynbos environment as beautiful as possible. Our gratitude also to Coca Cola Peninsular Beverages for the cooldrinks and water and to Plastics|SA for the collecting bags. Thanks to the OM for trucking away the many bags of trash!

Photos: Sarah Taylor @ MCC

Overstrand Municipality

Rotary International
Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages Plastics|SA