Mike Frew shares hope for Umhlanga after seeing a pod of dolphins, one year after the devastating flooding that swept across Durban.
Umhlanga, South Africa (14 April 2023) – Mike Frew (49) took to the waves before work and was left in awe as a massive pod of dolphins swam back and forth between the beaches of Umhlanga. He took a moment to swim alongside them and reflect on the beauty of them, one year after the area was struck by flooding.
Mike, who has worked in the surfing industry for the last 3 decades fell in love with the sport when he was 14 years old; he has a deep passion for the pastime. He heads to the waves whenever he can and finds his moments of beauty and peace out in the water.
On a recent surf at Main Beach this week (13 April 2023), Mike was out in the water when a pod of Bottlenosed Dolphins passed by. The moment inspired him to look back on the year that many in Durban and its surrounds had been through. He said the beach was clean and the water unpolluted, it was a good day to be a surfer and a dolphin!
“I was so stoked that to capture the conditions and dolphins yesterday as KZN (and Durban in particular) has had it very tough the last few years with Covid, then the frightening riots and looting and then in 2022 we were hit with the devastating KZN floods. All of which have negatively affected our infrastructure, economy, morale and tourism.
However, things are starting to look and feel a lot better, there has been a sense of rebuilding, the ocean has cleaned up and KZN is finally seeing an uptick in tourist numbers again.
Despite all the drama in the news, loadshedding, politics and everything else we deal with day to day, there are still moments and places we can enjoy that are incredibly uplifting for one’s spirit – like what I captured yesterday at Umhlanga Rocks.”
Mike, who has lived in KwaZulu-Natal all his life, has a wife and two sons in high school. Living in Umhlanga has helped him achieve his wildest dreams and he still gets to compete in a surfing competition or two. Building his career around the water, he felt a great sense of joy in the dolphin sighting.
Mike captured the moment, swimming alongside the pod when it came past (twice) and shared some insight about the dolphins that enjoy the water along the Umhlanga beach line.
“The water was really warm, clean and while out surfing, a big pod of dolphins made their way through the lineup between the surf spot called Cemetery in front of the Whalebone Pier and down towards Bronze beach.
The dolphins found off Umhlanga Rocks in Durban are known as the bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). These marine mammals are one of the most commonly sighted species in the waters off Durban and are easily recognized by their distinctive curved mouths, which resemble the shape of a bottle.
Bottlenose dolphins are social animals that live in groups called pods. These pods can range in size from just a few individuals to as many as 100 or more, and they often work together to hunt and catch fish. These dolphins are known to be very intelligent and have been observed exhibiting complex behaviours, such as using tools and teaching their young.”
Mike’s video and outlook one year after the flooding brought a smile to our faces! We love that he shared the sighting and totally agree, it is lovely to be able to enjoy the beaches and nature again!
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