With December in full swing, Kaysers Beach is without its biggest tourist drawcard — its beach. It remains closed nearly five months after a whale carcass washed up on the shore. The whale first stranded on the beach in July.
At the time, East London Museum principal natural scientist Kevin Cole said the best course of action was to allow the carcass to decompose naturally, noting that the rocky shoreline where the whale landed made removal difficult. Cole said butchering the carcass would release large amounts of blubber and muscle tissue into the environment, creating further complications. As a result, residents have been left without access to the beach and endured unpleasant odours from the decomposing whale.
The prolonged closure has frustrated the community, with repeated attempts to have the beach reopened unsuccessful. Kaysers Beach Ratepayers’ Association chair Leon Schmidt said residents had proposed several alternatives to remove the carcass, but all had been rejected by the Buffalo City Metro (BCM). “Residents offered solutions such as burning the carcass, which was denied by the council, layering it with compostable materials to aid decomposition, which was brushed off, and supplying private assistance with heavy machinery to lift and remove it for disposal,” Schmidt said.
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“Environmental and health concerns around removal have been the council’s main reason for inaction, which is understandable. “But what about the environmental and health impacts currently being imposed on our small village? “The odour is sometimes stomach-turning, and fluids escaping from the carcass are polluting the surrounding area, making beach swimming impossible.
“This has seriously compromised the welfare of residents and visitors alike. The carcass could take years to decompose naturally, leaving Kaysers Beach with a long-term problem.”
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