Dune reshaping under way in Big Bay

The Big Bay beach level has dropped significantly due to a number of storm surges in recent months which have caused the dunes to erode.

The City of Cape Town will reshape an artificial dune system at Big Bay beach to make the space safe for visitors ahead of the summer peak season.

A portion of Big Bay beach has been closed to the public from yesterday Tuesday September 13 to Saturday September 17, while heavy machinery operates in the area.

A City statement said the Big Bay Beach level had dropped significantly due to several storm surges in recent months which had eroded a large part of the frontal dune.

The remaining dune had been left with a steep cliff-face next to the beach with rubble strewn along the beach and embedded in the cliff.

This posed a hazard to visitors, which the dune reshaping would address.

“The reshaping project will be undertaken within a narrow 4m belt of the frontal dune. It will affect an approximately 250m section of dune between the northern-most and southern-most wooden staircase on the beachfront (close to) the Eden on the Bay development,” said mayoral committee member for community services, Anda Ntsodo.

“This section of the beach will be closed for the duration of the work.”

Once the reshaping is completed, vegetation will be planted and the area fenced.

The City also plans to repair the broken boat-launch ramp so that rescue craft can reach the beach easily, although it hasn’t set a date for this work.