Fears of Thompson’s tidal pool draining

Beachgoers, snorkelers, morning swimmers and environmentalists have heard with dismay the news that the tidal pool at Thompson’s Bay may have to be drained.

This comes as work started at the popular beach this week to repair collapsing infrastructure such as the embankment and the small bridge which fell apart last year.

Late last year the Courier reported that a crack had developed in the one wall, causing water to slowly drain out and exposing the top rows of coral which eventually began to bleach and die.

The pool is believed to be home to one of the southernmost coral colonies in Africa.

According to KDM marine safety manager Steve Honeysett, work on the pool has not yet started but a diver was employed to assess the pool’s release valve on Tuesday.

Also read: No end in sight for N2 roadworks?

A sign at the beach stating that the pool would be closed yesterday (Tuesday) had since been removed.

“At the moment we are still only talking about the possibility of draining the tidal pool,” Honeysett said.
“The valve that was previously used to empty the pool hasn’t worked for years so that would be the first thing that needs looking at.”

Honeysett said that originally, the pool would have been drained once a year, but that had stopped happening. He said there was some concern about the possible effects on the marine life in the pool.

“I think the fish will likely just go straight out the valve and back into the sea if we do drain it and crustaceans and the like will survive in the pools of water that will remain behind. Look, even if it is eventually drained, with each high tide more water will wash into the pool. What I am concerned about is the coral.”

However, Tidal Tao’s Michelle Morris isn’t as optimistic.

“The truth is, not only will the coral be lost after draining the pool, but the whole ecosystem in the tidal pool will collapse,” Morris said.

“A prime example would be the Salt Rock tidal pool. We use to see incredible life in that pool; we found the very rare elegant pipefish which made their home there (the elegant pipefish is a member of the seahorse family), and nudibranchs (the most beautiful sea slug, full of colour and character), some of them being unknown to science.”

Morris said they made a list of all the marine life before the draining of the pool and today there were hardly any of those creatures left – only a handful of fish species.

“It might take years to bounce back to what it was,” she said.

The Dolphin Coast Conservancy’s Di Jones said she was firmly opposed to the possibility of draining the tidal pool.
“The biodiversity of the pool is very unique, if it is drained it will decimate the micro ecosystem that has developed over the years,” Jones said.

According to Jones, at present KDM does not have authorisation from the department of environmental affairs to drain the tidal pool.

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