Breaking Point

WHEN THERE WAS BEACH: Seal Point had a large beach in 1982. Photo Prof. Richard Cowling

A large section of beach at the bottom of Seal Point at Cape St Francis, on the high tide, is gone because shore-front homeowners are dumping thatch and vegetation to stabilise the dunes. Some have seen the boundary of their property expand by up to one hundred metres towards the sea. They have, in effect, encroached on land from demarcated Public Open Space.

Most of the popular corner beach has disappeared, and there is no more beach for people to hang on at high tide. This is the most popular section of beach in the area, served by the two main beach car parks. The next car park is at Ducks, about 2km north of the main beach car park. Ducks is a beach that is unsafe for swimming and has no lifeguards. There are often big fish in the area as well. A huge problem looms.

Surfers tend to be somewhat selfish and apathetic, looking for nothing but the next set. But at Cape St Francis they are pissed off right now, and rightfully so. Over summer, they might be hassling for waves on the point, but often their families like to chill on the beach.

Top Right: Prof. Richard Cowling

BREAKING POINT: Seals locals got together for a physical and symbolic protest. Photo Supplied

Everyone knows that there is no beach at St Francis Bay around the corner to Cape St Franicis, and that is on any tide. Encroaching development that stops sand movement has been going on for 40 years now. The Long Term Beach Restoration project is hopefully going to kick off soon to help restore the beaches there.

It is a lesser known fact that local property owners at Cape St Francis have been stabilising the dunes in front of their homes to preserve views, to prevent sand blowing onto their homes, and to extend their front gardens. It has gone on for years. The result is a one hundred metre stretch of stabilised dune that has trapped the sand, so that it cannot move and flow with the winds and the tides.

Last week the locals decided that enough was enough, and headed out to try and start the process of regaining their beach. There were men, women and children. There were dogs. Local surfers were there. A few elderly people were grabbing thatch and dragging it down the dune. Some people had rakes and boots, others were barehanded and barefoot. Everyone climbed in and did what they could.

WORK PARTY: Cape St Francis locals get down to business pulling out thatch and vegetation.

Part practical, part symbolic, the dune clearing mission did one thing – it opened up the eyes of the locals as to the extent of the damage. The whole beach is held under those dunes, stabilised by non-natural processes, and it needs to be released. Local landowners have even set up large irrigation systems, pumping water for days on end on what is demarcated Public Open Space. There are benches and tables and neatly mowed front lawns on what is Public Open Space.

At this point in time, there is a 20-foot wall of sand, the edge of the dune. It now extends into the high-water mark. At high tide, there is a considerable backwash coming off the berm, big enough to wash a dog out to sea on the weekend. The dog was saved, but with the upcoming summer holidays, there is a genuine threat to human life. An unnatural backwash like this could quickly sweep up a small child and wash him or her out.

BREAKING THE SEAL: Residents take matter into their own hands, literally speaking.

The authorities are aware of the situation, but little has happened so far. The wheels move slowly at a governmental level. To say that the local community is livid would be an understatement.

Understandably, homeowners want to protect their investments, and dune stabilisation and the planting of vegetation around beachfront houses happens all over the world. Still, a few metres would probably see people turn blind eyes. To steal a beach, however, without any thought of the community, is simply not on.

This is a breaking story.