Beaches - Bonanza of Beauty and Bliss

The Blue Flag Beaches of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

zoom The early morning sun lights up Margate's Blue Flag beach.

Blue Flag certification started as an environmental and tourism campaign in Europe to assure visitors that certified beaches are clean, safe and environmentally sound. Blue Flag status is only awarded to those beaches that achieve excellence in water quality, environmental education and information, and adhere to international safety standards. High levels of cleanliness, the quality of facilities (toilets and showers) and professional lifeguard services are key criteria for the awarding of Blue Flag status to beaches.

When South Africa joined the campaign in 2001 it was the first country outside of Europe to participate. Eight South African beaches were awarded Blue Flag status for the 2002/3 season, including five in the Zulu Kingdom: Margate Main Beach, Ramsgate Beach and Marina Beach near Southbroom on the South Coast; South Beach in Durban, and Willard Beach in Ballito.

A number of other beaches in the Zulu Kingdom were awarded pilot Blue Flag status for the 2002/2003 season. Pilot status is allocated to beaches that have applied for but have not yet been awarded the coveted Blue Flag. These include Alkantstrand in Richards Bay, Umhlanga Beach (North Coast), and Scottburgh and Hibberdene beaches (South Coast).

Internationally, Blue Flag is coordinated by the Foundation for Environmental Education. In South Africa, the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa manages the campaign in partnership with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

Raise the Blue Flag!

Margate Beach: A mile long beach on the South Coast, ideal for swimming, bodyboarding and surfing. There is also a famous fishing spot off a specially-constructed pier. Margate is a vibrant holiday town with dozens of restaurants, bars and shops, plus accommodation to suit any budget.

Ramsgate Beach: Ramsgate is a quaint village just south of Margate. A quiet beach with picnic facilities in a park-like setting provides a peaceful haven from the bustling beach towns. An easy walking trail extends southwards from Ramsgate towards the picturesque Southbroom beach and lagoon.

Marina Beach: A long sandy beach and tidal pool between Southbroom and San Lameer. It is close to the Trafalgar Marine Reserve and Mpenjati river mouth and lagoon.

Willard Beach: This is the main swimming beach in Ballito, 'Pearl' of the North Coast. A 2.4 km boardwalk follows the shoreline southwards providing an opportunity for an easy stroll with spectacular views of bays and coves. A more rugged trail extends northwards from Willard to Shaka’s Rock which takes you through a hole in a cliff – best attempted at low tide.

South Beach: Part of Durban's world famous 'Golden Mile', South Beach is ideal for swimming and surfing, especially for kids as it is protected from the powerful westerly winds and large waves by the Bluff.

The 2004/2005 Blue Flag Beaches for South Africa, announced on the 22nd of October 2004 - World Marine Day - show a real increase in the number of Blue Flag Beaches and also of pilot beaches.

In 2004, a Blue Flag was raised on a Cape Town beach for the first time, when both Mnandi beach on the Strandfontein coast and Clifton 4th beach were awarded a Blue Flag.

Another 12 South African beaches were also awarded Blue Flags for the next year. The South African beaches that have received awards for the 2004/5 season are:

* Umhlanga Rocks Main beach * South beach, Durban * Hibberdene beach, south coast KZN * Lucien beach, south coast KZN (new) * Margate * Ramsgate * Marina/San Lameer beach, south coast KZN * Well's Estate, north of Port Elizabeth (new) * Humewood, Port Elizabeth * Dolphin beach, Jeffrey's Bay (new) * Grotto beach, Hermanus * Kleinmond beach, near Hermanus (new) * Mnandi beach, Strandfontein (new) * Clifton 4th beach, Cape Town (new)

Deputy minister of environmental affairs & tourism, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, presented the flags to the various mayors and councillors of the local authorities managing the Blue Flag beaches at the Annual Blue Flag Award Ceremony held at Mnandi beach.

The number of beaches entering the campaign as pilot beaches (the obligatory one-year developmental phase all Blue Flag beaches have to undergo) has also grown for the upcoming season, with seventeen beaches participating as pilot beaches. They are:

* Uvongo Beach (KZN) * Scottburgh Beach (KZN) * Kelly's-Beach, at Port,Alfred (Eastern Cape) * Bikini Beach, Gordon's Bay (Western Cape) * Muizenberg Beach (Western Cape) * Strandfontein Beach (Western Cape) * Camps Bay Beach (Western Cape) * Lappiesbaai Beach, Stillbaai (Western Cape) * Santos Beach, Mossel Bay (Western/Eastern Cape) * Herold's Bay, near George * North Beach, Port Elizabeth * Anstey's Beach, Bluff near Durban * Addington Beach, Durban * Bay of Plenty Beach, Durban * Country Club beach, Durban * Battery Beach, Durban * Bronze Beach, Umhlanga

KZN once again outstripped the other coastal provinces with the high standards of its beaches!

For the 2005/6 season, the number of Blue Flag beaches grew yet again. The deputy minister of environmental affairs and tourism, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, awarded Blue Flag status to 20 SA beaches in October 2005, at the annual Blue Flag ceremony, held this time in the Eastern Cape.

A Blue Flag is an international award given to beaches that meet excellence in the areas of safety, amenities, cleanliness and environmental standards.

Mabudafhasi said: “I am proud to announce that for the 2005/6 season, we will have 34 beaches participating in the campaign. In October 2001, we had three full status beaches and a handful of pilot beaches.”

The beaches for thje 2005/6 season are:

*Umhlanga Rocks Main Beach

*South Beach, Durban

*Anstey’s Beach on the Bluff near Durban

*Bay of Plenty Durban

*Addington Beach

*Gonubie Beach, East London

*Kelly’s Beach, Pott Alfred

*Wells Estate, Port Elizabeth

*Humewood, Port Elizabeth

*Dolphin Beach, Jeffrey’s Bay

*Lappiesbaai Beach, Stilbaai

*Grotto Beach, Hermanus

*Bikini Beach, Gordon Bay

*Mnandi Beach, Strandfontein

*Clifton 4th Beach, Cape Town.

Several other KwaZulu-Natal beaches were granted Pilot Blue Flag Status and are required to demonstrate in their pilot year that they met all of the 25 criteria are: -

Westbrook Beach

Umhloti Beach

Bronze Beach

Country Club Beach

Battery Beach

North Beach

Amanzimtoti Main Beach

Now begins the hard work of getting everything completed and in place by May 2006 for the annual appraisal.

The following beaches were given conditional Blue Flag status pending the results of water quality testing:

*Hibberdene Beach, South Coast KZN

*Lucien Beach, South Coast KZN

*Uvongo

*Ramsgate

*Marina/San Lameer Beach South Coast KZN

At the official national Blue Flag launch, held in Durban in mid-October 2006, the official Blue Flag beaches were announced for the 2006/7 season. The Blue Flag beaches were:

*Bronze Beach

*Umhlanga Rocks Main Beach

*Bay of Plenty Beach

*North Beach

*South Beach

*Addington Beach

*Anstey's Beach

*Lucien Beach

*Ramsgate Beach

*Marina Beach

Outside of KZN, the following were also declared as Blue Flag beaches:

*Gonubie Beach

*Kelly's Beach

*Well's Estate

*King's Beach

*Humewood Beach

*Dolphin Beach

*Lappiesbaai Beach

*Grotto Beach

*Mnandi Beach

*Bikini Beach

*Kleinmond Beach

*Hawston Beach

*Clifton 4th Beach

All of the above beaches for the 2006/7 season qualified for their Blue Flag status despite the far more stringent application of the criteria, including those pertaining to water quality.

On Tuesday 30 October 2007, the launch of the new season of the Blue Flag programme in South Africa took place at Wells Estate, St George’s beach, north of Port Elizabeth.

The Wildlife and Environment Society of SA (WESSA) who manage the programme in South Africa , is proud to report that 21 beaches have received Blue Flag accreditation for the 2007-8 season.

The South African beaches that will receive the award are:

- Bronze beach, Umhlanga - Umhlanga Rocks Main beach - North beach, Durban - Bay of Plenty, Durban - Westbrook beach, north of Durban - Addington beach, Durban - Margate beach - Ramsgate main beach - Marina beach, Southbroom - Kelly’s beach, Port Alfred - Wells Estate, Port Elizabeth - Humewood beach, Port Elizabeth - King’s beach, Port Elizabeth - Dolphin beach, Jeffrey’s Bay - Lappiesbaai beach, Stilbaai - Grotto beach, Hermanus - Kleinmond beach, near Hermanus - Hawston beach, near Hermanus - Bikini beach, Gordon’s Bay - Mnandi Beach, Strandfontein Cape Town - Clifton 4th beach, Cape Town

Positive news for the Blue Flag programme is that there are currently 21 pilot beaches embarking on plans to achieve full status accreditation in 2008-9. The growth in the number of Blue Flag beaches augurs well for the future and especially for visitors coming to South Africa for the Soccer World Cup in 2010. Blue Flag beaches along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline, with their warm Indian Ocean waters and 365 day a year swimming conditions, will be ideal places for soccer fans to chill out and relax. Pilot Blue Flag beaches for the 2007-8 season are:- Kariega Main beach, Kenton-On-Sea Amanzimtoti beach Umhloti (north of Durban) McDougall’s Bay (Port Nolloth) Yzerfontein Main beach Alkantstrand (Richards Bay) Hobie beach (Port Elizabeth) Pollock beach (Port Elizabeth) Strandfontein beach (Cape Town) Camps Bay Muizenberg beach Big Bay beach (Cape Town) Fish Hoek beach Trafalgar beach (Hibiscus Coast) Pumula beach (Hibiscus Coast) Robberg beach, Plettenberg Bay Hondeklipbaai, northern Cape Gonubie beach, East London South beach, Durban Lucien beach, Hibiscus Coast Anstey’s beach, Bluff Durban

Despite significant damages to many of the Blue Flag beaches as a result of the high seas and stormy conditions over the past few months, South Africa beaches continue to achieve world-class standards and an ever-increasing number of beaches are now flying the international eco-label, the Blue Flag. Those Blue Flag beaches that were damaged are all gearing up for the new season of Blue Flag.

Blue Flag is an international annual award given to beaches that meet excellence in the areas of safety, amenities, cleanliness, environmental information and environmental management. The Blue Flag programme is currently run in almost 40 countries globally and interest in the programme continues to grow. There are now almost 3,500 Blue Flag beaches and marinas around the world. In South Africa, the programme is run by WESSA on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). In partnership with participating local authorities, Blue Flag helps to contribute to the aims of the White Paper on Sustainable Coastal Development.

For more information on Blue Flag, visit www.blueflag.org or contact the Blue Flag National Coordinator, Alison Kelly on alisonk@wessa.co.za or 033-3303931.

For more information please do not hesitate to complete a query form .

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