#Mosselbay - Images: About 200 seal pups washed up on beaches in the Mossel Bay area. #roughsea #springtide #surfsurge

About 200 seal pups have washed up on beaches in the Mossel Bay area. This is a normal occurrence when rough sea conditions is experienced. However please do not swim in areas where seal puppies have washed up on beaches. There is the possibility of an increase in shark activity due to the abundance of food. There is no shark nets at beaches in Mossel Bay and bathers must adhere to lifeguard warnings. It is overcast and cool today in Mossel Bay. Rather visit Mossel Bay shopping emporiums and other interesting areas today. Local authorities are currently busy collecting the baby seals. The public should under no circumstances collect or touch baby seals as they can inflict a severe bite. Reports have also surfaced that people are taking baby seals home. This is an illegal practice. Rather assist the local authorities in telling them where baby seals are located. The public can call SAPREC Wildlife Rescue Service, Address: Voorlopersingel, Mossdustria, Mossel Bay, 6500 Phone: 082 364 3382 for assistance.

Images: Dewald Bodenstein with thanks to @MosselBayZA who forwarded the images to @SAWXREP

WARNING: SPRING TIDES 23rd Dec. 2014 #LifesavingSA #ripcurrents #Springtide

Lifesaving SA is warning South African beachgoers to exercise extra caution when swimming in the sea over the next three days because of strong rip currents that will be experienced over this time.

The strong rip currents are caused by extreme high and low tides. The extremes result in a bigger than normal change between tides, resulting in a larger volume of water drainage between high and low tides. This increased drainage of water forms strong rip currents that wash people further out in the surf and are the leading cause of drowning in the sea.

Precaution No 1: Swim in an area protected by lifeguards. This way you will be rescued if you are washed into a rip current.

What to do if you get into trouble in the sea:

• ·         Stay calm. People drown because they become exhausted by panicking.
• ·         Wave one arm above your head to signal for assistance. Use your other arm to help tread water.
• ·         Conserve your energy so that you stay afloat until you are rescued.
• ·         If caught in a rip current, and you are a strong swimmer, swim parallel to the shore towards breaking waves. Once in the wave zone, you will be pushed back to shore. If you are a weak swimmer, go with the current – it will take you further out initially, but will dissipate at which point you will be able to make your way across to the wave zone or simply wait to be rescued. Rip currents are narrow and fade out further out to sea.

IMPORTANT: Don’t attempt to rescue another person without using flotation. Would be rescuers, that don’t have flotation are often drowned by their victims. Call for assistance. Dial 112 from your cell phone or 082911, or 084124.

 

NSRI urging extreme caution around the coast

SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS -  The NSRI warns in a statement that the full moon spring tide peaks on Tuesday 9 September and this being the third super moon in a row very strong rip currents are predicted to be present around the coast over the next 7 days.

Bathers and shoreline anglers are most at risk.

It is feared that good weather being experienced during this Spring Tide, around 9 September, and rough sea conditions will put more people at risk and extreme caution is advised.

Spring Tide happens twice every month, at full moon and at new moon.

Spring Tides bring a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide, causing stronger than normal rip currents, for a few days leading up to the full moon or new moon, peaking on the day of the full moon or new moon and lasting for a few days after the full moon or new moon.

There are two high tides and two low tides every day. During spring tide the twice daily high tides are higher than normal and the twice daily low tides are lower than normal and while rip currents are always present the spring tide creates stronger than normal rip currents.

Rip currents are caused when the water reaching the shoreline in waves, swells and sea currents needs to find a way to retreat back into the sea and this is achieved in rip currents (a river of water retreating through the incoming swells back out into the sea).

There are two types of rip currents, permanent rip currents, found alongside islands, rocky outcrops jutting into the sea, at river mouths, in between reefs and alongside harbour walls and piers, are found constantly occurring in the same place allowing the water reaching the shoreline to retreat back into the sea in the permanent rip current.

Temporary rip currents, found along beach fronts (along the shoreline), are forever changing their position and are unpredictable and can form suddenly along a beach front without warning at different places along the shore front throughout the day.

During Spring Tide these permanent rip currents and temporary rip currents are stronger than normal and although rip currents at all times pose a danger to bathers they pose the greatest danger during the Spring Tide.

Bathers are at risk of being swept out to sea by rip currents while swimming or wading in water along the beach front. Even bathers wading in shallow water who find themselves trapped in a rip current that forms suddenly are at risk of being swept out to sea by rip currents.

Bathers caught in a rip current should not panic. Simply stay afloat by treading water (moving your arms and legs in circular movements), don’t try to swim against the current as it will only cause you exhaustion and let the current sweep you out to sea but at your first opportunity swim parallel to the beach front until you are free of the rip current and then use the incoming waves to get back to shore.

While this is happening scream for help and wave your arm to alert people on the beach to raise the alarm.

Swim at beaches where lifeguards are on duty and obey the instructions of the lifeguards and only swim within the safe swimming zones lifeguards mark (using their red and yellow flags).

Children should have responsible adult supervision around coastal and inland waters.

Anglers fishing along the shoreline, particularly along rocks on the shoreline, are at greatest risk during the Spring Tide where incoming waves during the high tides engulf higher than normal over rocks.

Anglers should not turn their back to the sea and should be vigilant and cautious of the wave action at all times while fishing.

Boaters, paddlers, sail boarders and anyone launching any kind of craft onto water should wear their life-jackets at all times while on water and carry easily accessible safety equipment - red distress flares, communications cellphone or VHF radio with fully charged batteries in water tight plastic sleeves, a waterproof torch, highly visible neon coloured clothing, a referee whistle worn around the neck, and let a responsible person know your time of departure, your exact intended route and your estimated return time and check in with the responsible person on your safe return. (If you are overdue the responsible person should raise the alarm without hesitation).

Everyone living along the coast or visiting the coast should have their local Sea Rescue Emergency phone number programmed in their phone.

For more information visit the web page www.nsri.org.za.


- Mossel Bay Advertiser

The next supermoon in 2014 is July 12

According to the definition of supermoon coined by an astrologer, Richard Nolle, over 30 years ago – and popularized only in the past few years – the year 2014 has a total of five supermoons. They are the two new moons of January, and the full moons of July, August and September. Follow the links below to learn about the supermoons of 2014.


By that definition, the year 2014 has a total of five supermoons. The first supermoon, for 2014, came on New Year’s Day, with the January 1 new moon. The second came with the new moon of January 30, 2014. The full moons of July, August and September will also be supermoons, by Nolle’s definition. Thus, the next supermoons – aka perigee full moons – in 2014 are:
Full moon of July 12 at 11:25 UTC
Full moon of August 10 at 18:09 UTC
Full moon of September 9 at 1:38 UTC
The full moon on August 10, 2014, will present the closest supermoon of the year (356,896 kilometers or 221,765 miles).

Spring tides will accompany the July, August and September supermoons. Will the tides be larger than usual at the July, August and September 2014 full moons? Yes, all full moons (and new moons) combine with the sun to create larger-than-usual tides, but perigee full moons (or perigee new moons) elevate the tides even more.
Each month, on the day of the new moon, the Earth, moon and sun are aligned, with the moon in between. This line-up creates wide-ranging tides, known as spring tides. High spring tides climb up especially high, and on the same day low tides plunge especially low.
The July, August and September extra-close full moons will accentuate the spring tide, giving rise to what’s called a perigean spring tide. If you live along an ocean coastline, watch for high tides caused by these full moons.
Will these high tides cause flooding? Probably not, unless a strong weather system accompanies the perigean spring tide. Still, keep an eye on the weather, because storms do have a large potential to accentuate perigean spring tides.

What is a supermoon?
What did astronomers call these moons before we called them supermoons?
When are the next supermoons in 2014?
Spring tides will accompany the July, August and September supermoons.
Dates of closest full supermoons in past and future years
What is a Black Moon?

- EarthSky

Beware: March 2014 Equinox and High Tides

Image: Waves at Umdloti, Kwazulu Natal in March 2007 (Click on image for larger view.)

With equinoxes comes very high tides. These occur a day or two after the full or new moon nearest to the equinoxes. Equinox tides combined with strong winds and high seas caused by a cyclone off the coast of Madagascar resulted in severe damage along the Kwazulu Natal coast in March 2007. The entire east coast of KwaZulu Natal was subjected to the awesome natural force of giant 10m waves and it took a violent lashing from the power of the sea.

Be prepared for high tides and people living close to coastal and tidal areas should expect the highest tides of the year this week. The weather is a major influence on whether the tides will cause problems. However, it is important that everyone living on the coast or in a tidal area is aware of the risk and is prepared.  Bathers should be very cautious of rip currents normally associated with high tides.  Several drownings occurred recently in Mossel Bay as a result of rip currents. Be aware and do not swim in areas were rip currents are active.

Autumnal Equinox - 20 March 2014 - Mossel Bay

The Autumnal Equinox will take place on the 20 March 2014 in Mossel Bay.  The above image reflect the sun and moon times for the day.

Everything you need to know: Vernal or spring equinox 2014

The March equinox signals the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. It marks that special moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator going from south to north. In 2014, this equinox arrives on March 20 at 16:57 UTC, or 11:57 a.m. Central Daylight Time for us in the central U.S.

For the remainder of the 21st century (2001-2100), the March equinox will fall on March 20 or 19. Yet it won’t first occur on March 19 until the year 2044, and it won’t happen on March 21 until the year 2102. The March equinox last took place on March 21 in 2007.

If you’re curious (or confused) about the various dates of this equinox, you’re not alone. In a nutshell, it’s because the tropical year, as measured between successive March equinoxes, doesn’t have an even number of days (365.242 days). Our calendar, on the other hand, has an even 365 days in a common year and 366 days in a leap year.

The centennial year 2000 is a leap year, bringing about earlier dates for the March equinox in the 21st century (2001-2100). However, the suppression of the leap year in the centennial year 2100 pushes the dates upward again in the 22nd century (2101-2200).

Here’s what we all know about this equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is rising earlier now, and nightfall comes later. Plants are sprouting. Winds are softening. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, people are enjoying the warmer days of spring. South of the equator, autumn begins. Follow the links below to learn more about the vernal equinox.

What is an equinox? The equinox is an event that happens in Earth’s orbit around the sun. Simultaneously, it happens on the imaginary dome of our sky. The imaginary celestial equator is a great circle dividing the sky into Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The celestial equator wraps the sky directly above Earth’s equator. At the equinox, the sun crosses the celestial equator, to enter the sky’s northern hemisphere.










Our ancestors didn’t understand the equinoxes and solstices as events that occur in the course of Earth’s yearly orbit around the sun. But they surely marked today as being midway between the sun’s lowest path across the sky in winter and highest path across the sky in summer.

Today, we know each equinox and solstice is an astronomical event, caused by Earth’s tilt on its axis and ceaseless motion in orbit.

Because Earth doesn’t orbit upright, but is instead tilted on its axis by 23-and-a-half degrees, Earth’s Northern and Southern hemispheres trade places in receiving the sun’s light and warmth most directly. We have an equinox twice a year – spring and fall – when the tilt of the Earth’s axis and Earth’s orbit around the sun combine in such a way that the axis is inclined neither away from nor toward the sun.

At the equinox, Earth’s two hemispheres are receiving the sun’s rays equally. Night and day are approximately equal in length. The word equinox comes from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night).
But, since Earth never stops moving around the sun, these days of equal sunlight and night will change quickly.

Where should I look to see signs of the equinox in nature? The knowledge that spring is here – and summer is coming – is everywhere now, on the northern half of Earth’s globe.
If you live in Earth’s Northern Hemisphere, you’ve likely been noticing the earlier dawns and later sunsets for some weeks now.

Also notice the arc of the sun across the sky each day. You’ll find it’s shifting toward the north. Birds and butterflies are migrating back northward, too, along with the path of the sun.

The longer days bring with them warmer weather. People are leaving their winter coats at home. Trees are budding, and plants are beginning a new cycle of growth. In many places, spring flowers are beginning to bloom.

Does the sun rise due east and set due west at the equinox? Yes, it does. And that’s true no matter where you live on Earth, because we all see the same sky.

No matter where you are on Earth, you have a due east and due west point on your horizon. That point marks the intersection of your horizon with the celestial equator – the imaginary line above the true equator of the Earth.

At the equinoxes, the sun appears overhead at noon as seen from Earth’s equator, as the illustration at right shows. This illustration (which is by Tau’olunga) shows the sun’s location on the celestial equator, every hour, on the day of the equinox.

That’s why the sun rises due east and sets due west for all of us. The sun is on the celestial equator, and the celestial equator intersects all of our horizons at points due east and due west.

This fact makes the day of an equinox a good day for finding due east and due west from your yard or other favorite site for watching the sky. Just go outside around sunset or sunrise and notice the location of the sun on the horizon with respect to familiar landmarks.

If you do this, you’ll be able to use those landmarks to find those cardinal directions in the weeks and months ahead, long after Earth has moved on in its orbit around the sun, carrying the sunrise and sunset points northward.

So enjoy the 2014 spring equinox on March 20 – an event that happens on our sky’s dome – and a seasonal marker in Earth’s orbit around the sun!

Bottom line: In 2014, the vernal equinox comes on March 20 at 16:57 UTC, or 11:57 a.m. Central Daylight Time for us in the central U.S. Everything you need to know about the equinox, here.

How to translate Universal Time to your time zone
2014 equinox: Sun rises due east and sets due west
A Chinese perspective on the spring equinox

- EarthSky

UPDATE: Mossel Bay Weather, Emergency and Disaster Observation Holiday Alert 2013/2014 - NSRI - Great coverage for WaterWise Eden:

Great coverage for WaterWise Eden: 

On the 4th of December the Eden Express carried a fantastic story on Liza Wigley, our Wilderness based WaterWise Instructor. Sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Liza has taught over 14 000 children about water safety in four months. Thank you to Eden Express journalist Gabi Falanga for recognising Liza’s work and for promoting water safety.

(Click on images for larger view.)

- NSRI

RE: High Spring tides prompt flood warning for parts of the South African Coastline - MSBWX

Spring High tide and a Late Winter Storm at Small Bay , Cape Town . ( Near Ons Huisie )

by: Paul Watson

 

Click HERE for images of coastal flooding due to high spring tide.

 

Like they say in the classics: "MSBWX did warn people living at the coast of possible coastal flooding....!!

General: NSRI cautionary advice

SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - A long weekend, the full moon Spring tide, stormy weather and the South African Heritage Day celebrations combine to bring cautionary advice from the National Sea Rescue institute (NSRI) to sea users and inland water users:

The NSRI urges sea users and inland water users to exercise extreme caution in and around water this long weekend.

Boaters and paddlers at sea and on inland waters, bathers at beaches and at dams, rivers, lakes and swimming pools and anglers fishing from the coastline and along the banks of flooded rivers, swollen dams and lakes are urged to exercise extreme caution over this long weekend.

Very rough sea conditions can be expected to last well into next week following the series of cold fronts converging over the coastline. This coupled with the full moon Spring tide will result in dangerous sea conditions along the entire coastline.

Spring tide happens twice during every month of the year at full moon and at new moon and lasts for a few days leading up to the full moon and the new moon, peaking on the day of the full moon and the new moon, and lasting for a few days after the full moon and the new moon. Spring tides affects every coastline bringing higher than normal high tides, lower than normal low tides and hence stronger than normal rip currents.

There are two high tides and two low tides every day of the year. Rip currents have two distinct patterns: They form naturally at different places constantly throughout the day along the coastline causing a strong current of water to be swept out to sea against the incoming waves. At some places, like at river mouths, piers, rocky outcrops, reefs and at islands, rip currents are a constant fixture. Rip currents are most severe during the twice monthly Spring tides. It is not uncommon for people wading in shallow surf to be swept off their feet and swept out to sea by rip currents, particularly during the Spring tide.

Anyone caught in a rip current should not panic and should simply make every effort to stay afloat while the rip current sweeps him/her out to sea. Do not fight against the current. Stay afloat by treading water - moving arms and legs in circular movements. Wave an arm towards shore and scream for help to alert people on the shore that you are in trouble. At your first opportunity swim across the beach front, parallel to the coastline, until you are free of the rip current and then use the incoming waves to get back to shore.

Boaters and paddlers should wear their life-jackets at all times when on water, carry and be familiar with the use of safety equipment, let a responsible person know their departure time, their exact planned route and their return time, stick to your planned intentions, and have the Sea Rescue emergency phone number stored in your phones.

Bathers should go to beaches when and where lifeguards are on duty and swim within the demarcated safe swimming zones posted by the lifeguards on beaches.

Anglers should never turn their back on the sea while fishing from the shore and be aware of and stay well clear of the high water mark especially during the Spring tide.

Children should have responsible adult supervision around all water - swimming pools, the sea, rivers, dams, lakes and even pools of water collected from storm rain.

Alcohol should not be consumed when embarking on water activities.

Boaters and paddlers on capsized craft should make every effort to not try to swim to shore but rather to stay with the floatation of their capsized craft.

It is strongly advised that people witnessing someone in trouble in water that they do not try to rescue the victim themselves for fear that they may get into difficulty themselves. People who see someone in trouble in water should call the emergency services and stay on the scene so that you can pin point, to the arriving rescue teams, the exact location of the person or persons in difficulty. Do not try a rescue effort yourself unless you have already alerted the emergency services and then only if you are a very good and competent swimmer, have swimming aids, like flippers, and have floatation devices with you to aid in any rescue effort.

The NSRI also urge an extreme safety conscious approach around swimming pools and inland water ways.

Water activities require a safety conscious and responsible approach at all times.

- NSRI

Year’s fastest sunsets happen around the equinoxes

Here’s a natural phenomenon you might never have imagined. That is, the sun actually sets faster around the time of an equinox. The fastest sunsets (and sunrises) occur at or near the equinoxes. What’s more, the slowest sunsets (and sunrises) occur at or near the solstices. This is true whether you live in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. And, by the way, when we say sunset here, we’re talking about the actual number of minutes it takes for the body of the sun to sink below the western horizon.

Why does the sun set so quickly around the equinoxes? At every equinox, the sun rises and sets due west. That means – on the day of an equinox – the sun hits the horizon at its steepest possible angle. In other words, the sun is dropping almost straight down from above. Meanwhile, at a solstice, the sun is setting farthest north or farthest south of due west. The farther the sun sets from due west along the horizon, the shallower the angle of the setting sun. That means a longer duration for sunset at the solstices.

What can I see in the sky after sunset? After the quick sunset on Friday, September 20 – or any night around now – be sure to look westward for the close pairing of the planets Venus and Saturn. These two are in the same field of view of your binoculars from September 15 to September 21. Venus is by far the brighter of these two solar system worlds, though both Venus and Saturn will be easily visible to the eye alone around 45 to 60 minutes after sunset.

If for any reason (poor sky conditions?) you can see dazzling Venus but not Saturn, use binoculars to observe Saturn and Venus in the same binocular field together. But don’t wait around. At mid-northern latitudes, Venus and Saturn follow the sun beneath the horizon about one and one-half hours after sundown. In 2013, the Southern Hemisphere’s spring equinox falls on September 22 at 20:44 (8:44 p.m.) Universal Time.

The fastest sunsets of the year are happening now, around the time of the September equinox. At evening dusk in September 2013, the planets Venus and Saturn appear close in the western sky.

- EarthSky

High Spring tides prompt flood warning for parts of the South African Coastline - MSBWX

Seaside towns around the SA Coastline should be preparing for the weekend when extra high tides are expected along the SA coastline.  Coastal fooding already occurred in the Strand area.

Image: Gordonsbay Security cam (Click on image for larger view.)

 

Image: Beach Road, Strand  - Sandra Lizamore

At the moment several severe weather warnings has been issued for today and the weekend.  People living near the sea have been advised to keep an eye out for changing conditions. Flood warnings has already been issued.

Higher than normal spring tides are expected this weekend. Spring Tide: 19 - 23 September 2013 are taking place close to the spring equinox on September 22. During an equinox the sun crosses the equator creating an extra tidal pull which could make already high tides even higher. Tides are expected to be higher than usual, however, if the high tides happen at the same time as high winds or storms, the defences may be unable to cope and some areas could end up flooded and under water.

Twice daily, the tide comes in, and each day it will be approximately 50 minutes later than the previous day. Astronomically, this is because as the Earth moves around on its axis every 24 hours, the Moon during the day and night moves through one-thirtieth of its orbit around the Earth. This means that it will be approximately one-thirtieth in a different position  24 hours later.

Tides are created by the pull of the moon and the sun on the world's oceans. The tidal force of the moon is greater than that of the sun, so the water on the side of the earth closest to the moon is pulled more strongly. As the earth rotates, different parts of the oceans are exposed to the moon, which is why tides ebb and flow.
When the sun is in line with the moon, the pull is greater so the tides are larger than normal. These are called spring tides and, despite the name, happen twice a month throughout the year. When the sun earth and moon form a 90 degree angle they work against each other causing tides that are smaller than normal. These are called neap tides.

The height of spring tides depends on the distance of the moon from the earth - the smaller the distance the larger the tide.

In September 2007  abnormally high tides caused by cyclonic activity, about 500km off the KwaZulu-Natal coast, the March equinox and the 18-year alignment of the sun, moon and earth, devastated homes, businesses and public infrastructure.

Not much can be done to stop the flooding, but plans are in place to deal with it and limit the damage it causes. Local authorities are on stand by and Disaster Management is ready to initiate its flood incident management procedures if necessary. These include issuing warnings, operating flood defences and, if necessary, evacuating people from the areas at greatest risk.

If the weather forecast does change, there are a number of precautions people living close to the sea can take. Moving valuable items upstairs, having sandbags ready and moving vehicles to high ground can all help limit the damage caused if flood defences are breached. Residents of coastal areas should remember to keep an eye on weather forecasts this weekend

Beware of high spring tides, rough seas and high swell over the next couple of days. 

- MSBWX

September Equinox: Sunday, 22 September 2013, 22:44 SAST

There are two equinoxes every year – in September and March – when the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night is nearly equal. Seasons are opposite on either side of the equator, so the equinox in September is also known as the "spring (vernal) equinox".

On the day of the equinox, the center of the Sun spends a roughly equal amount of time above and below the horizon at every location on the Earth, so night and day are about the same length.

The word equinox derives from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night). In reality, the day is longer than the night at an equinox. Day is usually defined as the period when sunlight reaches the ground in the absence of local obstacles. From the Earth, the Sun appears as a disc rather than a point of light, so when the center of the Sun is below the horizon, its upper edge is visible. Furthermore, the atmosphere refracts light, so even when the upper limb of the Sun is 0.4 degree below the horizon, its rays curve over the horizon to the ground.

In sunrise/sunset tables, the assumed semidiameter (apparent radius) of the Sun is 16 minutes of arc and the atmospheric refraction is assumed to be 34 minutes of arc. Their combination means that when the upper limb of Sun is on the visible horizon, its center is 50 minutes of arc below the geometric horizon, which is the intersection with the celestial sphere of a horizontal plane through the eye of the observer.

These effects make the day about 14 minutes longer than the night at the Equator and longer still towards the Poles. The real equality of day and night only happens in places far enough from the Equator to have a seasonal difference in day length of at least 7 minutes, actually occurring a few days towards the winter side of each equinox.

This happens either on September 22, 23, or 24 every year. On any other day of the year, the Earth's axis tilts a little away from or towards the Sun. But on the two equinoxes, the Earth's axis tilts neither away from nor towards the Sun, like the illustration shows.

Sources:

Wikipedia
Google
Time and Date dot com