Grandma
Granny’s Pool – originally a sheltered bathing area formed by two natural rock outcrops, the area became the natural launching site for the first ski boats off Umhlanga. Today it is used by local fishermen and the Natal Sharks Board.
Tag: foam
Agitated
Potentially hazardous waves can be caused by severe weather, like a hurricane. The strong winds and pressure from this type of severe storm cause storm surge, a series of long waves that are created far from shore in deeper water and intensify as they move closer to land. Other hazardous waves can be caused by underwater disturbances that displace large amounts of water quickly such as earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions. These very long waves are called tsunamis. Storm surge and tsunamis are not the types of waves you imagine crashing down on the shore. These waves roll upon the shore like a massive sea level rise and can reach far distances inland.
Turmoil
A rip current, often simply called a rip, is a specific kind of water current which can occur near beaches with breaking waves, such as an outflow gap between sandbars. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water which moves directly away from the shore, cutting through the lines of breaking waves like a river running out to sea, and is strongest near the surface of the water. A rip current forms because wind and breaking waves push surface water towardsthe land, and this causes a slight rise in the water level along the shore. This excess water will tend to flow back to the open water via the route of least resistance. When there is a local area which is slightly deeper or a break in an offshore sandbar or reef, this can allow water to flow offshore more easily, and this will initiate a rip current through that gap.
