Love it. Save it. Dive it.
DUC is proud of its association with Breathe – an NPO dedicated to inspire future generations to reconnect with nature and be conscious of their impact on the earth. Breathe wants to encourage curiosity about where things come from (such as water, electricity, food, clothing) and where things go (such as waste management), and to consider how to eliminate single use plastic from our lives.
2026 is here and we will CONTINUE our monthly reef-clean snorkels at DUC, BUT on a bad weather days we will have an option to do an informal, guided forest walk at one of Durban’s incredible forest locations. (Pigeon Valley, Palmiet, Krantzkloof and Umdloti are just a few of these hidden gems!)
Keep an eye on our social channels to be sure not to miss out!
Monthly Reef Clean up
We will continue to add environmental-themed clean-ups, talks and presentations encouraging conversations around the critical subject of the state of our planet, and at the same time celebrate the beauty of nature itself.
Credit to Billi-Jean Parker and Ocean Planet Media and link to Breathe Ocean ConservationAnd Breathe Ocean Conservation
Monthly Reef Clean up Dates
Vetch’s reef, named after the engineer in charge of creating a northern breakwater for Durban Harbour in the 1860s, is one of Durban’s hidden gems. It is popular with scuba divers, snorkelers, and even surfers and paddlers when the weather is right.
Today, Vetch’s reef hosts one of the largest subtidal mussel populations on the Durban coast. The reef is also rich in red-bait, as well as other animals. Sadly, much of the waste from Durban Harbour gets trapped in the coral of Vetch’s reef, while the rest washes up on adjacent beaches, separated by piers. The reef is now facing a dual-threat of long term / permanent damage due to plastic pollution from the river and harbour and from Municipal sand pumping schemes.
The reef has been colonised by diverse fauna – several species of coral, limpets, sponges and a variety of sub-tropical fish, including surgeonfish, flute fish, Crescent tail wrasse (Thalassoma lunare), Goldbar wrasse (Thalassoma hebraicum) and Bird wrasse (Gomphosus varius); Sergeant major (Abudefduf saxatilis); various butterflyfish, including Threadfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon auriga) and Racoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula); Blacktail (Diplodus capensi); Boxfish (Ostracion cubicus) and Coachman (Heniochus diphreutes).
