The coastal guide of South Africa will take you on a magical journey along South Africa's coastline while exploring the beauties and hidden secrets of our natural heritage. The 3000km stretch of coastline in South Africa has contrasting climates and habitats that in turn accommodate an enormously rich and diverse array of plants and animals. The west coast has cold, nutrient-rich waters, kelp forests and low-growing, succulent scrub along the dunes, while on the east and north coasts conditions are more tropical with higher rainfall, warmer waters, greater marine diversity and tall, dense coastal forests. The coastal guide of South Africa is a basic guide to our coastline's biodiversity, from dune to ocean, developed in order to offer beach enthusiasts, holidaymakers and recreational anglers a simple guide for identifying the plants and animals most frequently or commonly seen or caught along South Africa's coastline. Although it does not cover all the species, it is a good introduction for those people who would like to begin to identify and understand some of the coastal life we come into contact with while using the beach.
We also hope that this guide will create an awareness and appreciation of the diverse and contrasting biodiversity found on our rich and beautiful coast, including background information on tides, habitats and coastlines.