WESTERN COVE HISTORY
Page 9
2025
Page 9
2025
MORE HOUSES
In 2025 more houses were built at Western Cove; the total
is now about 65. In addition a number of vacant properties had
caravans parked on them.
Kevin Burner of "Specialised Paving & Tiling", based in Penneshaw, does more than paving and tiling. He also erects retaining walls and fences and is here building a fence 2.1 metres high at Western Cove.
Kevin Burner of "Specialised Paving & Tiling", based in Penneshaw, does more than paving and tiling. He also erects retaining walls and fences and is here building a fence 2.1 metres high at Western Cove.
TOXIC ALGAE
In
May 2025 many dead rays and other fish washed up on Western Cove beach.
I counted eight in the space of 200 metres and local resident Fred
Peters said he counted 17 rays further east along the beach.
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A
major algal bloom began in South Australian coastal waters in
March. The first species detected was the unicellular,
photosynthetic, dinoflagellate Karenia which can cover large areas, but soon included other toxic algae. The algal bloom
began in the south-east of SA and reached, Fleurieu, Spencer Gulf
and Kangaroo Island by early May. Extensive fish deaths in many species
occurred and dead fish
floated on the ocean or got washed up on beaches. Some oyster-growing areas had to be
shut down. People at beaches or
surfing experienced headaches, breathing problems and other
reactions and were advised to avoid areas where such symptoms occurred.
Seals, sharks, sea worms and cephalopods were also affected and all sorts of slow-moving marine life unable to swim away. The algae kill by damaging the gills and internal organs. One report says: "Thousands of benthic sharks and rays have washed up dead or dying, many showing signs of internal haemorrhage... On one Kangaroo island beach alone, 100 sharks and rays were observed in a single day."
Behind this event were South Australia's above average autumn air and ocean temperatures, calm seas, mild winds, and inorganic nutrients pushed into the coastal waters by the Murray River.
Similar mass deaths of marine creatures from toxic algae blooms have occurred along other coasts in recent years.
Strong winds and choppy seas on May 25-26 and again in July got the Sealink ferry cancelled. The inclement weather and cooler conditions were expected to break up the algal bloom but didn't. It continued to expand, including north into Spencer Gulf and Gulf of St Vincent. The algae Kerenia mikimotoi gets energy from both photosynthesis and dissolved nutrients, and each cell is able to divide every few days. It soon dominated the algal bloom and experts could not say when the situation would improve.
The strong winds also produced exceptionally-high tides which at the east side of Western Cove advanced into the coastal forest almost to the Esplanade. Fred Peters has lived at Western Cove for more than 40 years and said he has seen local tides this high only seven times.
Seals, sharks, sea worms and cephalopods were also affected and all sorts of slow-moving marine life unable to swim away. The algae kill by damaging the gills and internal organs. One report says: "Thousands of benthic sharks and rays have washed up dead or dying, many showing signs of internal haemorrhage... On one Kangaroo island beach alone, 100 sharks and rays were observed in a single day."
Behind this event were South Australia's above average autumn air and ocean temperatures, calm seas, mild winds, and inorganic nutrients pushed into the coastal waters by the Murray River.
Similar mass deaths of marine creatures from toxic algae blooms have occurred along other coasts in recent years.
Strong winds and choppy seas on May 25-26 and again in July got the Sealink ferry cancelled. The inclement weather and cooler conditions were expected to break up the algal bloom but didn't. It continued to expand, including north into Spencer Gulf and Gulf of St Vincent. The algae Kerenia mikimotoi gets energy from both photosynthesis and dissolved nutrients, and each cell is able to divide every few days. It soon dominated the algal bloom and experts could not say when the situation would improve.
The strong winds also produced exceptionally-high tides which at the east side of Western Cove advanced into the coastal forest almost to the Esplanade. Fred Peters has lived at Western Cove for more than 40 years and said he has seen local tides this high only seven times.