Durban | Wide Eyed In Wonder

Oh, this is one of my favourite beaches! I’ve been going to Umdloti Beach just north of Durban since I was a kid. The shallow tidal pool is a favourite of families because it’s relatively safe for small kids. Just don’t get too close to the enclosing rocks because a large wave could suck a person beyond them. By and large, it is safe and lifesavers are close by.

A to Z challenge Umdloti Beach — ©2021 Regina Martins

It’s still a favourite getaway spot for Chè and me, and we have a favourite Airbnb we usually stay at. It’s a small village with a supermarket, coffee shops, some good restaurants, and takeaway places. Just remember not to leave any windows open because the monkeys will climb in and steal all your food. The last time I got to the window just in time before the little thief could climb in through the shutters – they will squeeze in, lured by the anticipation of a tasty meal. That’s them in the photo below …

The last time I was there dune rehabilitation was in progress. The beaches had been eroded by particular severe storms in recent years. Parts of the promenade was also damaged at the time.

The southern part of the long beachfront is wild and the beaches are not guarded by lifesavers. The currents are strong and the seabed drops rather dramatically close to the surf line so you got to be a really strong swimmer and know how to navigate the waves to swim at this part of the beach.

The walks along the beach are marvellous and sunset brings out the collectors with their metal detectors, scouring the wave line for trinkets, coins and … (?)

Kite surfers love the wild part of the surf.

I just love this place 🙂

Blogging from A to Z posts – my favourite ones so far are D is for Durban, J is for Johannesburg, R is for Raleigh and S is for Sagres:
T is for Trou au Cerfs
S is for Sagres
R is for Raleigh
Q is for Quatres Bornes
P is for Port Louis
O is for Okahandja
N is for New York
M is for Marrakesh
L is for Lisbon
K is for Kanchanaburi
J is for Johannesburg
I is for Istanbul (Magnetic Istanbul)
H is for Hua Huin (party town)
G is for Ghent
F is for Flic en Flac
E is for Erawan Falls
D is for Durban (Memories)
C is for Chiang Mai
B is Bangkok
A is for Ayutthaya

For a kid who lived inland in Johannesburg, the annual trip to the beach was something I looked forward to all year. My folks had a sky blue VW Beetle at the time – each year, two parents, three kids and all their luggage fitted into this small car rather well. Such was the excitement of seeing the ocean that even at the end of an eight-hour road trip we still competed as to who saw the sea first. That’s kids for you.

Now Durban is vast, the third-largest city in South Africa, but the only place I cared about was the beach and the beachfront. It was a place of wonder – pools everywhere: splash pools, deep pools, shallow pools, pools everywhere. Funfair rides, water rides. Vendors selling sarongs, swimsuits and slops of all colours. Hawkers selling carved African statues, leather bags and beaded jewellery. The decorated rickshaws a unique attraction that I never got to ride on (yet), their owners calling to new customers. The Durban beachfront was, and still is, a patchwork of colours, textures, sights and sounds that made this little girl’s holiday.

A to Z challenge Durban — ©2021 Regina Martins

Previous posts:
C is for Chiang Mai
B is Bangkok
A is for Ayutthaya

Mozambican-born Portuguese South African; reflecting on travel, writing, editing, life, family and change that has social impact; chief wide eyed in wanderer, wonderer and bottlewasher

Wide Eyed In Wonder

Category Archives: Durban

Blogging for A to Z: U is for Umdloti Beach

Like this:

Blogging from A to Z: D is for Durban (Memories)

Like this:

Mozambican-born Portuguese South African; reflecting on travel, writing, editing, life, family and change that has social impact; chief wide eyed in wanderer, wonderer and bottlewasher

Follow Wide Eyed In Wonder