  East London Beaches:
Buffalo City, as East London is charmingly known, not only lies on one of the most sublime
coastlines of the world - think warm Indian Ocean waters and sub-tropical weather that
allow visitors to enjoy the climate all year round - it also basks gloriously between the
Nahoon River in the north and the Buffalo River to the south of the city, and the phrase
‘unspoilt beaches’ was termed with East London’s beaches in mind. Regarded
as one of the most consistent surfing coastlines in the country, it is also said to have
the best of everything!
Central beaches:
Eastern beach, which lies just past the aquarium opposite Marina Glen, is not
only one of the city’s most central beaches, it’s one of the most popular as
well and includes changing rooms, take-away options and glorious seas, great sand and
‘epic’ waves for surfers - although rather dependent on the sand banks, which
build up off boulders and pebbles along the shore. Be warned that Eastern Beach is one of
‘the’ beaches come New Year’s Eve and some 400 000 people can descend on
the shore.
Nahoon beach is a surfer’s and swimmer’s paradise and is arguably East
London’s most popular beach - we’re talking kilometres of (mostly) uncrowded and
unpolluted sand and sea that produces some of the best waves, particularly at the famous
Nahoon reef where surfing can be fairly tough, hence its having served as a venue for many
of the national surfing competitions. The Nahoon River mouth is not only a favourite haunt
amongst fishermen and safe swimming for those a little afraid of the pounding surf, but it
also provides access upstream at low tide.
Lying on the eastern side of the Buffalo River on the south end of the esplanade in The
Quigney, Orient beach used to be known as the Sandy Beach until 1907 when
a Russian vessel called the SS Orient ran aground on the shore. It’s extremely safe
– the breakwaters of the harbour mean that the surf is usually quite gentle here -
and provides a real ‘meal’ of your day at the beach - there’s the Orient
pier on which to stroll, the Water Tube, a filtered children’s pool, changing
facilities and a refreshment kiosk. It’s also very close to local hotels and shops,
which means it’s a favourite amongst holiday makers, but there are plenty of large
surrounding areas of green lawn, which means that there is usually room for everyone, even
during peak season.
Other beaches – all within 30 minutes’ drive:
Bonza Bay’s beach lies just off the Quinera Lagoon giving you the
best of both worlds - wonderful fishing, birding and swimming opportunities as well as
mounds of golden sand. It’s a wonderful place to be in the sun, with long stretches
of sand on which to walk. The dunes here provide lovely little secluded nooks in which to
picnic.
Cove Rock, whilst not renowned for its swimming, is nonetheless one of the
country’s most remarkable sandstone formations that serves as a wonderful venue for
breeding seabirds, a whale watching vantage point, a perfect fishing spot and a great
place for observing nature and simply ‘being’ on the beach. Surfers and divers
enjoy Cove Rock and it makes a great 45 minute beachfront walk from Lagoon Valley.
Igoda Beach is a great wide open beach with well-forested sand dunes and a river
that provides safe bathing. Access from the little village of Winterstrand provides safe
parking and it’s a lovely place for a picnic. The road to Igoda runs alongside a
nature reserve, so combining a beach morning with a late afternoon stroll through the many
flowering plants in late spring and early summer is a worthwhile pastime.
Although Gulu Beach is essentially frequented by recreational anglers, it
makes for a wonderful day trip during summer, when the wide open beach at the seaward end
of the Gulu River offers safe swimming conditions with life guards. It’s a beautiful
beach that isn’t very popular, so you’re almost guaranteed of undisturbed beach
time.
Other beaches include Kidds beach, Leechers, the beaches along the West Bank of the city
like Shelly Beach and Fullers Bay - where the waterworld complex offers swimming, sailing,
water-skiing, boardsailing and boating. One would be remiss for not mentioning Gonubie
beach, for although not a local beach, it’s proximity to East London (it’s just
25 kilometres north of the city at the mouth of the Gonubie River) and its blue flag
status make it a ‘must’ to visit. The beach not only has a wonderful boardwalk
that provides fantastic views across the sea, but the river mouth provides hours of
beachcombing, man-made tidal pools and abundant vegetation. |
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