Beach, Bluebottles and Sunburn
Trip Start
Nov 15, 2007
1
6
8
Trip End
Dec 10, 2007
Durban,
South Africa
Thursday, November 29, 2007
We headed off to our favourite swimming beach, North Beach, and got settled down for some sun, sand and sea.
No sooner were we settled when the announcement came over the PA system, "beware the bluebottles in the sea, their sting can be very painful"! This was too ridiculous for words.
We spent a while lying on the beach enjoying the warmth of the sun and kept cool by the gentle breeze. After a while we were getting hot and, even though there were still bluebottles around, we decided to join the other mad swimmers and risk the sting (thankfully we were spared that treat)
Bluebottles on the Beach
. It was great to be swimming in the ocean again.The sea was pretty rough with a really strong side-wash so the lifeguards had their work cut out for them. We saw one man rescued by a lifeguard, he had gone too far out and could not get back in so he had to be picked up on a board and brought in. Once he got over his fright I think he was a bit embarrassed as he walked up the beach quite sheepishly. For the rest of the day the lifeguards were constantly blowing their whistles to get peoples attention to move them back into the designated swimming area.
I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that we got quite badly sunburnt. It seems we left our brains at home today and forgot that the African sun and a cool breeze is a dangerous combination. Not something we will do again anytime soon!
