This is greek to us.............

Sometimes the sign writers can be very creative. This one was spotted on the way to the canals at St Francis Bay.

Kromme River

Just before you get to St Francis Bay, you cross the Kromme River and get a beautiful view of the river and adjacent wetlands. The river has become a popular holiday area, with many new built homes along the river bank. The white buildings in the distance are the houses on the canals, at the river mouth.

Coastal Erosion

Since we discussed coastal erosion on the PE blog today, and St Francis is in the midst of a bit of a crisis because of this, we thought it apt to feature it here too. This shot was taken in January 2007, from the beach car park at St Francis Bay. Since then it has got worse, and in a recent storm, some of the roads leading to the beachfront properties were washed away, as well as the ablution block here and the foundations of some houses are beginning to be undemined.

When we went there for the first time in the mid 90s, we went for a walk along the 2 km wide sandy beach all the way to the Kromme River Mouth and back. Now it is impassable in many places, as the sand has been eroded away by currents, and due to the development and cutting off of the migratory sand river dunes from the rest of the coast, it is not being replaced. All sorts of expensive and controversial plans have been put forward to fix it, but as there are not enough funds, nothing has been done. At last, there may be light at the end of the tunnel, and a cost effective scheme which has been successful along the North Sea coast is being looked at. Let's hope something comes of it soon, as this situation can't be left to continue as it is for much longer.

February Theme Day: When people think of St Francis they think of...

The distinctive thatched houses with white walls, basking in the sun. Laid back holidays, fishing, surfing and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere surrounded by blue sea.

Many other City Daily Photo Blogs around the world are also participating in this theme, pop in and pay them a visit.

Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA

Chokka

Chokka is a small squid like creature that used to be caught as bait in the fishing industry. Then some brilliant marketing person decided to sell it as a delicacy, and now Calamari is sold throughout the world as a seafood treat.

It is a highly regulated industry here, because it is plentiful off the coast between port Elizabeth and St Francis, and the fisheries department would like to keep it that way, so strict quotas are in place. Calamari is now known as 'white gold' to the fishermen, who can make huge amounts of money during "chokka season".

There is a lively working harbour at Port St Francis, as well as the yacht basin we showed you yesterday, and a fleet of chokka boats such as these are moored there. You will see large halogen lights strung across the boats, these are used to attract the chokka at night, they swarm up to the light and are caught in nets.

In the background is the pretty little village of St Francis Bay, with its characteristic white thatched houses.