Not even the threat of rain or the icy north-westerly wind could deter the crowd of Kleinmond residents who gathered to assist in the beach clean-up operation that took place at Kleinmond Main Beach and Lagoon on Saturday, 16 September 2017.
The event which forms part of the International Beach Clean-up Day project saw the group joining a global throng of nearly 12 million people; reported to be the biggest volunteer effort to protect the ocean. The industrious Kleinmond bunch certainly did their bit to contain the increasingly damaging effects of litter and pollution on marine life and the eco system.
On Tuesday, 19 September Overstrand Executive Mayor Rudolph Smith in turn opened the Paddavlei Clean-up in Hawston with a warm and insightful address, that was well-received by the group of Hawston Primary School learners, Overstrand’s environmental and waste management teams, councillors, municipal officials, Whale Coast Tourism and various stakeholders in attendance.
Alarmingly, statistics have shown that plastic in particular has been found in 62% of sea birds and almost all sea types. Another concerning point is that with plastics being non bio-degradable and breaking down into ‘microplastics’ that either float or sink to the seabed, there is the constant risk of these particles being ingested by marine animals and making its way up the food chain to eventually be consumed by humans. An increasingly insidious problem that, by most accounts, has become a health hazard and proven to be detrimental in many ways to a number of living species.
However, on a local level beach clean-up projects such as those recently embarked upon along the Overstrand coastline and waterways, is encouraging as it affords the opportunity to make a difference and contribute to global environmental conservation efforts in this regard.
With September being Tourism Month, it was also a chance for Whale Coast Tourism to showcase the facility and others in the Hawston area. Some interesting facts mentioned included Hawston originally being called Haw’s Town after the civil commissioner of Caledon, Charles Haw; after it was founded in 1859 by Samuel Dyer who lived and worked off the island off Gansbaai now known as Dyer Island, he relinquished the right to the island in exchange for property where Hawston is today; and the number of churches demonstrates the importance of religion to the community.
Significantly, the Griqua Church is a national monument being older than 68 years and St. Andrew’s Church, which overlooks Paddavlei, was originally built in 1902 before being rebuilt again in 1970. Currently, Love. Ability shop, a venture of the Overberg Wheelchair Association, has premises adjacent to St. Andrew’s and provides a safe workplace that generates a steady income for persons with disabilities.