City undertakes annual beach lowering at Fish Hoek, Muizenberg, Gordon’s Bay and Bikini Beach

06 September 2023

The City of Cape Town’s Coastal Management Branch will commence with the annual beach lowering programme today, 6 September 2023, at Fish Hoek beach. Thereafter, the project team will proceed with the work at Muizenberg, Gordon’s Bay and Bikini Beach.

Beach lowering or re-profiling is important in maintaining ecological stability in highly altered coastal systems, specifically as it relates to mitigating and managing windblown sand. This work is also important to ensure recreational users continue to enjoy the coastal environment, and that infrastructure remains free of sand as far as possible. 

'Work is to commence in Fish Hoek today, and if all goes as planned, all of the beaches should have been lowered by the end of November, when the team completes the project at Bikini Beach. The team aims to have all these beaches lowered ahead of the festive season. These beaches will be mechanically lowered prior to the summer wind season to reduce windblown sand problems, and we plan to do this annually. Lowering of beach levels takes place annually and enables greater areas of the beach to be wet during high tides, therefore limiting the potential for wind-blown sand to inundate adjacent roads and infrastructure,' said the City's Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

The following areas along the beach will be lowered:

• Fish Hoek beach: from Jagger's Walk, in front of the Galley restaurant, to the stormwater outlet in front of the main parking area
• Muizenberg beach: from Surfer's Corner to the Zandvlei River mouth
• Gordon's Bay beach: from the Spur restaurant to the end of the parking area in the north
• Bikini Beach: the entire length of the beach
  

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office