Sandi Holley and Di Smith at the COP 17 Rally signing petition for climate change

Once again Mother Nature forced her hand when we were on the North Coast of Kwazulu-Natal recently.

Guy, Matt and I had decided to take a walk along the beach in the drizzle. Throughout the night there had been heavy rains. I mentioned to Guy and Matt that I was amazed that with all the rain, the lagoon had not burst its banks as it is prone to do at Prince’s Grant when the rains are heavy.

Lagoon breaks through at Prince's Grant

Within minutes of my comment I shouted: “Oh, my gosh!  there she goes”.  I raced back to the cottage to grab my camera and these photographs tell the story.

Lalitha, Di and Matt looking on in awe at the force of nature

We stood in awe as we watched the force of water break through the beach and swirl into what had previously been a clean sea. Within seconds the ocean on both sides of the breakthrough was discoloured and filled with debris. We noticed birds starting to swirl over the water looking for dregs washed into the sea from the lagoon. A fish eagle swooped down from the tall trees where it is prone to nesting. It settled itself on a dead branch not far above the level of the water, on the lookout for barble or mullet being swept down to the sea.

As the waves crashed onto the beach, pods and seeds from the mangroves and other water plants were washed up with the debris along the beach.

I marvelled at the force of Mother Nature.  If only man would support the environment and allow nature to take its natural course we could live in harmony with the perfection that God has created.

Where once there was beach there now is a river to the sea