According to Captain Nigel Campbell, South African Marine and Safety Authority (Samsa) spokesperson, the Kiani Satu was faced with heavy seas on her homeward journey and she continued to take on water.
When her fate became apparent, the salvage tug, Smit Amandla, was instructed to tow the ship out to sea, to waters 1 000m deep. Campbell explained that the temperature in these waters (between 3°C and 5°C) was cold enough to hopefully "solidify" the 300 tons of oil she is carrying.
Campbell said that now that the Kiani Satu has sunk, she becomes the responsibility of the Department of Environmental Affairs, who will monitor the possible danger of any further oil pollution.
Vernon Gibbs-Halls, Biodiversity and Coastal Management, Eden District Municipality explained that the cleaning-up operations came into full force on Monday, "conservationists are encouraged by the natural cleaning operations of the ocean, dissipating the oil with the force of its waves and making a visible impact on the oil left on the beach," he said.
Despite the assistance from the ocean, Gibbs-Halls said that in the aftermath of the oil spill, "the concern about the marine life and the influence or effect of the oil and cleaning-up operations takes top priority."
Penguins, gannets and cormorants
By Tuesday, Francois Louw, South Africa National Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) development and marketing coordinator reported that a total of 217 seabirds had been found covered in oil and are currently being cared for by SANCCOB rehabilitation teams stationed at Tenikwa Awareness and Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre's premises as well as Cape St Francis.
Included in the rescued oiled birds are 51 African penguins, 165 Cape gannets and one white-breasted cormorant.
Gibbs-Halls indicated that: "Most penguins have been found near the Sedgefield, Glentana and Plettenberg Bay area. Some were found as far east as Tstitsikamma and as far west as Still Bay."
According to Louw, 97 of the 165 affected Cape gannets were found on Thursday 15 August by South Africa National Parks (SANParks) rangers who are currently stationed on Bird Island, west of Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape.
"A scientist has taken samples at the ship as well as from several birds on Bird Island and a comparative fingerprint analysis will be made. If the oiled birds at Bird Island are indeed contaminated by the Goukamma incident, the ship's insurers will take full responsibility for their clean-up," Gibbs-Halls said.
He added that all along the Southern Coast a number of conservancies, bird clubs, many volunteers and staff from SANCCOB, CapeNature, SANParks and the Eden District Municipality have been working around the clock to monitor the beaches for birds or mammals that may be affected by the oil spill.
The SANCCOB rehabilitation teams reported that the rescued penguins and seabirds, although heavily oiled, were in a good condition.
"So far only one penguin death has been reported along with two seals, two gannets and 14 cormorants," said Gibbs-Halls.
Whales, dolphins and seals
Marine scientist, Dr Ken Findlay observed the humpback whales from the air during an oil spill and found that they steer clear. It appeared that they can smell and detect oil and then avoid it.
"In the Southern Cape we have the southern right whales at this time of year and we are assuming that they will act in the same way as there were no observations of whales or dolphins within the oiled areas, but there were air sightings of whales and dolphins just outside of these," said Dr Mandy Lombard, marine scientist, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
A few seals have been observed to be covered with oil.
Reporting oiled mammals and seabirds
"We urge the public to report any oiled seabirds to SANCCOB directly (Wilna Wilkinson 082 326 4143) and to Eden Biodiversity and Coastal Management (Vernon Gibbs-Halls 072 670 5108) and they will arrange for collections," said Venessa Strauss, conservation director, SANCCOB. Special penguin boxes are available at Ebb and Flow, George/Wilderness area for members of the public to drop-off birds.
Despite being successfully re-floated off the sandbank, the Kiani Satu now heads out to her watery grave 100 nautical sea miles off the coast. Photo: Barend Maarsingh
ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
'We bring you the latest George | Garden Route news'
