If you are driving to Umhlanga this December holiday, and you enjoy swimming in the ocean, there are eight tidal pools that you should consider to visit. There are a few things more exciting than splashing into the warm waves on the North Coast, which will be a swim in a tidal pool. Swimming in the ocean is exciting but can also be dangerous. A tidal pool offers a safe saltwater pool to swim in an environment sheltered from the currents and big bashing waves. There is nothing scarier than getting bulldozed by a wave into the ocean floor. The ocean waves are powerful, and the sea currents are strong. Even experienced strong swimmers have been caught out by the sea currents while diving and swimming into the waves.
A tidal pool offers a safer environment for the whole family to enjoy the warm salt water in a natural protected sea pool. In Umhlanga, to the north of the Whalebone pier, Grannies Tidal Pool offers the perfect area to splash into the saltwater. Two parallel reefs run at 45-degree angles away from the shore, creating a channel between them. It forms a natural sea pool almost 25 meters across, protected from the large breakers. This swimming area is one of the safest places to swim in the ocean, with the Umhlanga surf Lifesaving Clubhouse positioned right above the granny pool swimming spot.
A tidal pool is a beautiful natural environment for the whole family to enjoy an ocean swim and keep an eye on the family. It is safer than the ocean, protected from currents and waves. A tidal pool offers a beautiful environment to swim and snorkel in. There are thousands of living creatures and fish between the rocks and the tidal pool floor. There are small pieces of coral and beautiful colourful fish swimming between the rocks, nibbling as they swim and move past you. Tidal pools are protected marine properties, not allowing any fishing or catching of any species living in a tidal pool. It is a protected ocean life environment to create a safe area for species to regenerate. A tidal pool, accompanied by adults, is an ideal environment for children and beginners, who can snorkel in excellent safety conditions. Many sea urchins and scorpionfish inhabit the seabed. These species are not dangerous, as long as you don’t provoke any sealife or living creature with tentacles.
The top eight exciting tidal pools to see while booked at the North Star Micro Hotel in Umhlanga.
1. Thompsons Bay
Thompsons Bay is a beach on the Dolphin Coast, and the tidal pool is full of life. This popular pool attracts many swimmers and snorkelers. The tidal pool is home to many fascinating ocean species. The tidal pool is home to one of the southernmost coral colonies in Africa. The tidal pool at Thompsons Bay is a thirty-minute drive from the North Star Micro Hotel.
2. Salt Rock
The tidal pool is just a few hundred meters north of Salt Rock beach. The tidal pool is home to many fish species that can be spotted while snorkelling and swimming in the pool. The drive to Salt Rock tidal pool will take just over thirty-minutes from the North Star Micro Hotel.
3. Tinley Manor
The Tinley Manor tidal pool is a little off the beaten track.
The pool lies below a hill and is big enough to view all sorts of sea creatures. The drive will take close to forty minutes from the North Star Micro Hotel.
4. Chakas Cove
This hidden little tidal pool is truly one of the gems of the Dolphin Coast.
Chakas Cove tidal pool is not as large as Thompsons Bay or Tinley Manor, but the tidal pool is home to a vast array of beautiful ocean life.
The Chakas cove tidal pool is below Salt Cafe. Chakas cove tidal pool is a thirty-minute drive from the North Star Micro Hotel.
5. Salt Rock Grannys Pool
The grannies pool below Siggis, a well-known local spot. This tidal pool is the ideal spot for children to learn to snorkel and to swim in saltwater while enjoying the fish in the tidal pool and the sea life on the beach. The tidal pool is a thirty-minute drive from the North Star Micro Hotel.
6. Ballito tidal pool
The Ballito tidal pool is a beautiful tidal pool facing into the ocean and the waves rolling in. There are many small and shallow rock pools ideal for kids to splash in. You can view many ocean life species like mussels or limpets sticking on the pool walls. There is a large pool and smaller kiddies pools to swim in. The Ballito Tidal pool is a thirty-minute drive from the North Star Micro Hotel.
7. The secret tidal pool
The tidal pool is between Willard Bay and Thompsons Bay. The tidal pool is a quaint and small tidal pool for the discerning saltwater enthusiast.
This tidal pool is a small ocean water tub ideal for a family to splash in.
Take a beach walk and tip into this little tidal pool for a cooldown. Willard Beach is a thirty-minute drive from the North Star Micro Hotel.
8. Umdloti
The Umdloti tidal pool is a natural tidal pool. There is more ocean life in the Umdloti tidal pool because of the natural flow of water and species into the ecosystem. This tidal pool is a fifteen-minute drive from the North Star Micro Hotel.
The majority of tidal pools on the north coast is in the Ballito area. If you are an avid snorkeler, saltwater swimmer, underwater photographer, or drome photographer, a tidal pool is a must-visit. It is a safe way for the whole family to enjoy a day on the beach and cool down in the shallow tidal pool area while keeping an eye on each person. A tidal pool is a home to thousands of colourful fish and ocean species finding comfort in the protected area of the rocks and walls in the tidal pool. Tidal pools offer beautiful scenery with many dazzling light opportunities in the morning and at sunset to capture moments by the sea.
