Durban’s known for its beaches – not only from an annual holiday-migration point of view but also in the everyday living, surf-before-work kind of way. We sent our Photo Editor, Teagan Cunniffe, to capture some of its more atmospheric scenes for the December 2016 issue of Getaway magazine.
Delight – a group of schoolchildren from Limpopo travelled 876kms to see the sea for the first time.
Stand up paddlers heading out to the sea, the profile of Durban city in the background.
The colours of late afternoon and early morning, as the sun rises over the sea and sets over the city.
A Zionist walks out into the water in an early-morning cleansing ceremony.
Dedication from the Durban Surf Lifesaving Club – chilly winter waters and vigorous exercise as they train for an upcoming Championship.
There are five lifesaving clubs between the Umgeni River Mouth and uShaka Marine World. They work hand-in-hand, in combination with eThekwini municipality, to ensure swimmers’ safety.
A famous sight – the Seine Netters pulling in nets near Durban Underwater Club.
Surfers Not Street Children, an organisation that uplifts and empowers kids. They also provide surf therapy, teaching children how to surf, giving them an outlet into nature and community.
Hazy mornings with rough seas barely deter regular early-morning swimmers.
Walking out along the pier on North Beach and jumping into the waters below is the quickest – but not the safest – way for surfers to get out onto the open waters.
Screams and shouts follow you as you walk along the shoreline – the sounds marking joyful abandon at the ocean.
Many routinely head out for a swim along the backline, armed with short fins as they swim amongst the surfers.
The water is used by all – surfers, swimmers, fishermen, spiritual devotees, kids and the elderly. Everyone is welcome in these warm waters that form part of Durban’s core identity.
This story first appeared in the December 2016 issue of Getaway magazine.
Our December issue features 5 awesome summer adventures in South Africa. On sale from 21 November.
This article, Portrait of a beachfront, was originally posted on the Getaway Blog by Teagan Cunniffe.