Marine Coastal Conservation

02/03/2026

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

18/02/2026

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

23/11/2025

Thank you to Marine Dynamics Whale Tours and Dyer Island Conservation Trust for treating Coastal Conservation founding members Glynn, Bradley and Sarah on a Marine Big Five whale-watching tour. On our trip, we were fortunate to see southern right whales (mums and calves), Bryde's whales, Bronze whaler sharks, Cape fur seals, the endangered African penguin, and many cormorants and gulls. It was an absolute treat and a great educational experience, thanks to guiding biologist Sandra Herbst and an excellent boat and base crew. We value what you are doing to help protect our marine biodiversity, educate visitors and boost employment in the conservation and tourism sectors. Photos: Sarah Taylor @ MCC

18/11/2025

🎁✨ Give the Gift That Saves Coastal Marine Wildlife! ✨🎁

This festive season, spread joy and make a real difference – every MCC merch order directly helps save the endangered African penguin and supports other urgent conservation efforts! 🐧🌊

Order your ladies' tees, 🐧 plushy penguin toys, hoodies, kiddie shirts, caps and more by 9 December to guarantee Christmas delivery.

⭐ All profits go 100% to protecting our ocean, coast, and marine life. 🐧

🛒 **SHOP NOW - STOCK RUNNING OUT:**
mcc.shop.simplyblu.co.za/shop

💙 When YOU buy,
WE restock and rescue!
Help us turn inventory into conservation action.

*Share, tag a friend, and help us sell out for the penguins!* 🐧

🐧 Every sale = cash for penguin rescue! 🐧

🎁✨ **LIMITED STOCK - ORDER NOW!** ✨🎁

Local orders can be picked up in Hermanus, once you notified.
All other products couriered to your door by Aramex for R100.

16/11/2025

16/11/2025

Super-successful snap community clean-up in Hawston!

Marine Coastal Conservation facilitated a clean-up with the very inspiring SA Sea Cadettes - TS Birkenhead and members of the Hawston and broader Overberg community.

In two hours, we netted 55 big bags filled with mostly glass, much of it broken, and heaps of plastic and rope collected along the coast between the Hawston swimming pool and the Hawston harbour.

Thank you so much to everyone who volunteered their time and energy, and also to Devery Plaatjies, Bradley Grootboom, Michellis Page and Gilroy van der Ross for taking all the trash to the municipal dump.

Big thanks to Plastics SA for donating the collecting bags and to Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages for the very welcome drinks afterwards.

Photos: Sarah Taylor @ MCC


SafeBeat Training Co.
Plastics|SA
Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages


SANCCOB saves seabirds
African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary - APSS
Hisense South Africa
CapeNature
Overberg Tourism
Overstrand Municipality
Arnie Afrika
Carl Wastie

14/11/2025

14/11/2025

MCC SNAP BEACH CLEAN-UP

Join Marine Coastal Conservation and the TS Birkenhead Sea Cadets on Saturday, 15 November 2025 at 8am for a one-hour clean-up blitz of the area from the Hawston swimming pool parking lot to the Hawston Harbour.

Meet at the MCC flags in the Hawston swimming pool parking lot from 7.45am. Trash collecting bags and cooldrinks will be provided, courtesy of Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages . Bring gloves if you’d like, a hat and a great attitude!

WhatsApp Sarah at 072 505 2707 for more information.

10/11/2025

Six endangered African penguins were released at the Stony Point Penguin Sanctuary, Betty's Bay on Saturday by CapeNature and SANCOB. It was very moving to watch their wddle and then swim back into the wild. Many thanks to CapeNature for including Marine Coastal Conservation in the event. We made some wonderful connections, new conservation campaigns were conceived and we also sold some MCC merch to help fund the work that we do!

Get your orders in for Christmas as soon as possible, to avoid disappointment, and be part of the solution : ) Here is a link to our online shop.
https://mcc.shop.simplyblu.co.za/

Video by MCC's Sarah Taylor.

10/11/2025

Six endangered African penguins were released at the Stony Point Penguin Sanctuary, Betty's Bay on Saturday by CapeNature and SANCOB. It was very moving to watch their wddle and then swim back into the wild. Many thanks to CapeNature for including Marine Coastal Conservation in the event. We made some wonderful connections, new conservation campaigns were conceived and we also sold some MCC merch to help fund the work that we do!

Get your orders in for Christmas as soon as possible, to avoid disappointment, and be part of the solution : ) Here is a link to our online shop.
https://mcc.shop.simplyblu.co.za/

Video by MCC's Sarah Taylor.

10/11/2025

NEWS: Holland & Barrett just became the first major UK retailer to stop selling krill oil

The health giant will phase out all krill products by April 2026, after working with to highlight how krill fishing threatens the Antarctic food chain. Whales, penguins and seals depend on krill to survive.

Instead, the company will help customers switch to vegan, algae-based omega-3, just as powerful, but ocean-friendly.

“True wellness doesn’t stop at the body; it starts at the source and with the world we share”
-Jessica Long, Sustainability Director,