Please note that this is a staging site.
DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052227
South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Basin-wide Array (SAMBA) Monitoring Line in the South-East Atlantic Ocean on Algoa Voyage 210, September 2014

The South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Basin-wide Array (SAMBA) Monitoring Line in the South-East Atlantic Ocean was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 210, 15 to 29 September, 2014. This cruise had a primary scientific objective of extending the SAMBA mooring line, the offshore section of the Cape Point long-term monitoring line, and deploying the four offshore tall moorings. Four tall moorings were recovered, serviced and re-deployed on the SAMBA transect, incorporating ADCP’s and Sea-Bird Microcats.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052225
South Coast Mooring Cruise on the Algoa Voyage 208, July 2014

The South Coast Mooring Cruise was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 208, 9 to 24 July 2014. Two ADCP current moorings and a thermistor chain were deployed along the Cape Point Monitoring line. Cape Recife ADCP current mooring was recovered. Four ADCP current moorings were recovered and serviced in Algoa Bay. Port St. Johns ADCP current mooring was recovered. Port St. Johns Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD)/bongo survey lines were completed. SVP drifters in the Agulhas Current core were deployed. ALEX real-time surface buoy and current meter mooring of Port Edward were deployed.The South Coast Mooring Cruise had two scientific objectives: (1) Service, maintain and extend the in situ operational oceanography network currently deployed around South Africa and (2) to investigate the dynamics of the Port St Johns eddy and biological implications. Between 1988 and 2011, environmental and plankton sampling was conducted every summer along the South Coast during the annual pelagic...

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052224
Walters Shoal Cruise on Algoa Voyage 207, May 2014

The Walters Shoal Cruise was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 207, 15 May to 11 June 2014. The purpose of this cruise was to survey the oceanographic conditions and plankton distributions around Walter Shoal seamount, from beyond the 1000m contour line across the plateau.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052222
Moorings and Monitoring Lines Cruise: Cape Point and Port St Johns on the Algoa Voyage 204, November 2013

The Moorings and Monitoring Lines Cruise: Cape Point and Port St Johns was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 204, 25 November to 6 December, 2013. The South Coast Mooring Cruise had two scientific objectives: (1) Service, maintain and extend the in situ operational oceanography network currently deployed around South Africa and (2) to investigate the dynamics of the Port St Johns eddy and biological implications. On this cruise, the French ADCP SAMOC mooring was deployed. The Cape Recife mooring was recovered and serviced. The Cape Morgan moorings were retrieved. The Port St. Johns CTD/bongo survey lines were completed. The Port St. Johns ADCP was serviced. The SVP drifters and Argo floats were deployed in the Agulhas Current core. Four new ADCP moorings were deployed in Algoa Bay.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052220
Mooring Cruise on the Algoa Voyage 199, June 2013

The Mooring Cruise was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 199 from 29 June - 3 July, 2013. The area covered includes Slangkop, off of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa to Port Edward, south of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052219
Port St Johns Conductivity Temperature Depth (CTD) and Bathymetry Survey on Algoa Voyage 198, May 2013

The Port St Johns Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) and Bathymetry Survey was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 198, 8 May - 13 May, 2013. This cruise has two scientific objectives: (1) to investigate the dynamics of the Port St. Johns eddy and biological implications and (2) to investigate the existence of mesoscale eddies in the Agulhas Current. In the case of the former, Oceans and Coasts was asked to provide input to the recent spate of shark attacks off Port St. Johns. Very little is known about the oceanography except that Roberts et al (2010) discovered during a cruise a lee-trapped cyclonic eddy off Port St. Johns that caused substantial slope upwelling. The cold upwelled water is nutrient-rich and appears to provide a biological pump to the local ecosystem. This cruise will deploy an ADCP in a depth of approximately 80 m to determine the frequency of appearance of this eddy coupled with Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) lines to measure the biological implications....

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052218
Western Indian Ocean Sustainable Ecosystem Alliance Cruise on Algoa Voyage 197, April 2013

The Western Indian Ocean Sustainable Ecosystem Alliance Cruise was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 197, 1 to 29 April, 2013. Long-term offshore ecosystem monitoring in the SWIO started with the establishment of a shallow (18m) UTR network by ACEP. The ASCLME project adopted the UTR network and together with NOAA, NIOZ, DEA and ACEP instituted an annual mooring cruise. A wide range of state-of-the-art in-situ instruments from various international programmes and initiatives were deployed during the ASCLME cruises. ASCLME's partnership with NOAA, NIOZ, DEA, BCRE, ACEP and IFREMER are helping to delpoy and maintain sophisticated long-term monitoring equipment through the region. These multi-national, multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary cruises further enhance regional capacity through joint training activities, access to data and information sharing.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052315
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Dedicated West Coast Cetacean Distribution and Abundance Survey on the Algoa Voyage 188, November 2011

This dedicated West Coast Cetacean Distribution and Abundance Survey was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 188 from 10 to 20 November, 2011.The main objective of this cruise was to develop and test approaches to a dedicated cetacean cruise. This objective, along with the research aims and proposed methodologies are consistent with internationally acceptable protocols. This work provided hands on experience of logistical and technical cetacean specific problems with dedicated cetacean cruises. This cruise was conducted from the Algoa and two smaller boats. This work precluded the long-term monitoring surveys that were conducted annually from 2012.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052247
African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) from Algoa Voyage 176, January 2010

The Algoa sailed from Durban on 22 January 2010 to conduct a hydrographic survey of the Natal Bight as part of the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) II. A total of 16 shore-normal transects were occupied between Scottburgh and St. Lucia.The sampling locations are indicated in Figure 1 of the Cruise Report. The aim of the synoptic survey was to determine the nutrient sources of the Natal Bight ecosystem, and to characterise the focus sites across the Bight. Unfortunately, due to instrument failure, a planned ADCP transect between St. Lucia and Durban could not be completed.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052246
Leg 1 of the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) II on the Algoa Voyage 177, July 2010

The Algoa sailed from Durban on 16 July 2010 to conduct a hydrographic survey of the Natal Bight as part of the winter African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) II. A total of 16 shore-normal transects were occupied between Scottburgh and St. Lucia. The aim of the synoptic survey was to determine the nutrient sources of the Natal Bight ecosystem, and to characterise the focus sites across the Bight.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.10100620
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Seasonal flow cytometry counts of picoplankton from the west coast of South Africa (May 2015 to February 2017)

Little is known about the distribution and abundance of picoplankton in coastal waters off southern Africa. This data set is part of a PhD study in which picoplankton were sampled from two depths at four sampling lines along the west coast of South Africa in May, September and November 2015, February, May, August and November 2016, and February 2017. Cell counts were made using a BD Accuri C6 flow cytometer and a BD LSRII flow cytometer. The data set contains cell counts for Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus and Picoeukaryotes.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052214
African Coelecanth Ecology Programme (ACEP) Cruise on the Algoa Voyage 130, July 2004

The African Coelecanth Ecology Programme (ACEP) Cruise was on the Algoa Voyage 130, July 2004. The area covered includes the Western Indian Ocean; South African East Coast; Delago Bight - Mozambique; Tanzanian Coast; Comoros.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26500008
Integrated Ecosystem Programme: Southern Benguela (IEP:SB) on the Algoa Voyage 267, November 2019

The Integrated Ecosystem Programme: Southern Benguela (IEP:SB) was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 267, November 2019. Multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional platform to undertake relevant science in the Southern Benguela; also functioning as a platform for collaboration and learning. All projects aim to develop an ecosystem indicator that can be used to effectively monitor and understand the Southern Benguela i.e physical, chemical, planktonic, microbial, seabird and benthic ecosystem indicators, used for ecosystem-based management.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052217
St Helena Bay Monitoring Line (SHBML) on the Algoa Voyage 195, March 2013

The St Helena Bay Monitoring Line, which now falls under the Integrated Ecosystem Programme: Southern Benguela, was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 195, 4 to 8 March, 2013. The St Helena Bay Monitoring Line was initiated as a BENEFIT-driven project on "shipboard monitoring" which linked with similar lines run in Namibia and Angola. The aims are to obtain seasonal and interannual information on the hydrology and productivity of the area. Data on harmful algal blooms, low oxygen water and intrusions of Agulhas Bank water along the west coast will also be collected. A long-term, multi-decadel time-series (from 1951 onward) of information already exists for this important region and has continued in the form of the IEP:SB to detect long-term changes in the hydrology and the plankton, which are important for the detection of regime shifts.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26500019
Carbonate chemistry time-series from discrete sampling at thirteen sites in Algoa Bay, South Africa, 2018 - 2020

Coastal monthly carbonate chemistry data and other associated physico-chemical parameters from Algoa Bay, on the temperate south coast of South Africa. Eight offshore and five inshore sites were sampled. Temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen were measured at each offshore site, and temperature was measured at each inshore site. At each offshore and inshore site, a single sea water sample was collected at the surface for later analysis of pH and total alkalinity (TA) in the laboratory. Remaining parameters of the carbonate system (including pCO2) were calculated in the software program CO2SYS (Lewis and Wallace, 1998) using pH and TA as input parameters. Temperature, salinity, silicate and phosphate concentrations were included in the calculations as supplemental data which may influence carbonate speciation.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26500012
Compilation of validated and processed data (deck, flow and count) from the St Helena Bay Monitoring Line (SHBML) on the Africana Voyage 181, August 2003

Compilation of processed and validated data of mesozooplankton along the St Helena Bay Monitoring Line (SHBML) (now under the Integrated Ecosystem Programme: Southern Benguela (IEP:SB)) on the Africana, Voyage 181, from 12 to 13 August 2003. This includes the validated flow, processed counts and validated ship`s information. This is ready for analysis by a user. This is a long-term monitoring line conducted off the coast of Elands/St Helena Bay on the west coast of South Africa. SHBML started in 2000 as a BENEFIT-driven project on "shipboard monitoring" which linked with similar lines run in Namibia and Angola. The aims were to obtain seasonal and interannual information on the hydrology and productivity of the area. It was incorporated under the IEP:SB in 2013 consolidating a long-term, multi-decadal time-series (from 1951 onward) of information for this important region and has continued monitoring in the form of the IEP:SB. The programme is a multi-disciplinary, collaborative...

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26500003
Compilation of validated and processed data (deck, flow and count) from the St Helena Bay Monitoring Line (SHBML) on the Africana Voyage 269, January 2011

Compilation of processed and validated data of mesozooplankton along the St Helena Bay Monitoring Line (SHBML) (now under the Integrated Ecosystem Programme: Southern Benguela) on the Africana, Voyage 269, from 11 to 13 January 2011. This includes the validated flow, processed counts and validated ship`s information. This is ready for analysis by a user. The St Helena Bay Monitoring Line was initiated as a BENEFIT-driven project on "shipboard monitoring" which linked with similar lines run in Namibia and Angola. The aims are to obtain seasonal and interannual information on the hydrology and productivity of the area. Data on harmful algal blooms, low oxygen water and intrusions of Agulhas Bank water along the west coast are also collected. A long-term, multi-decadel time-series (from 1951 onward) of information already exists for this important region and has continued in the form of the IEP:SB to detect long-term changes in the hydrology and the plankton, which are important for...

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052310
Port Nolloth weather station data

Weather station data from Port Nolloth measuring the rainfall, temperature, humidity, and wind speed. Coastal, land based automatic weather stations situated in the West Coast of South Africa (Cape Columbine, Elands Bay and Port Nolloth have been actively collecting data for various project since 1982 until today at different locations. These instruments provide useful meteorological information for understanding coastal dynamics such as upwelling, ocean current movements and air sea exchange.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052307
Elands Bay weather station data

Weather station data from Elands bay measuring the rainfall, temperature, humidity, and wind speed. Coastal, land based automatic weather stations situated in the West Coast of South Africa (Cape Columbine, Elands Bay and Port Nolloth have been actively collecting data for various project since 1982 until today at different locations. These instruments provide useful meteorological information for understanding coastal dynamics such as upwelling, ocean current movements and air sea exchange.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052304
Columbine weather station data

Weather station data from Columbine measuring the rainfall, temperature, humidity, and wind speed. Coastal, land based automatic weather stations situated in the West Coast of South Africa (Cape Columbine, Elands Bay and Port Nolloth have been actively collecting data for various project since 1982 until today at different locations. These instruments provide useful meteorological information for understanding coastal dynamics such as upwelling, ocean current movements and air sea exchange.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.15712023
Simulated advection patterns of Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardinops sagax larvae across South Africa's inshore Marine Protected Areas

Larval anchovy and sardine dispersal patterns in South Africa's exclusive economic zone (2010 - 2014) by Rasehlomi et al. (2025), published in Frontiers in Marine Science, investigates the dispersal of larval anchovy and sardine (https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1508479). We simulated larval dispersal patterns using a simplified model within the Java-based ICHTHYOP particle tracking tool. This model compared outputs from the 3km grid resolution CROCO model and the 8km-resolution Global Ocean Reanalyses (GLORYS). Virtual particles were released from the surface of 14 inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), from iSimangaliso MPA (on the east coast) including the Agulhas Bank (on the south) to Childs Bank MPA (on the west coast). Releases occurred on October 1st for five consecutive years, starting in 2010. These particles drifted for 30 days, with their positions recorded every 30 minutes. Particles that exited the model's boundaries or became stranded on beaches were excluded from...

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.12652023
Cape Canyon Suspended Particulate Matter CTD water sample

The Cape Canyon, situated on the western continental shelf of South Africa, stands as the country's largest bathymetric feature. Despite its prominence, understanding of the food web dynamics within the system and the significance of the benthic community for higher trophic levels remains incomplete. In response to this knowledge gap, the DFFE: Oceans and Coasts launched a multidisciplinary expedition aboard the RV Algoa. The expedition aimed to characterise the physical environment and investigate food web connections in the vicinity of the Cape Canyon by analysing isotopic signatures in suspended particulate matter (SPM) relative to those found in benthic tissue samples. Prior to dredge operations, conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) water samples were collected at each dredge station. However, due to the inherent challenges associated with sampling in canyon systems, not all dredge operations were successful in obtaining samples, resulting in an unbalanced design where...

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.05322023
Benthic invertebrate presence data, in and around the Cape Canyon (Southern Benguela Upwelling region)

Canyon research is still an emergent field in South Africa and the true potential of canyons as biodiversity hotspots has seldom been studied in an integrated context. In response to this, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment: Oceans and Coasts collected benthic data to better understand benthic species profiles within and around the Cape Canyon. This equated to 39 stations (whereby 13 were canyon and 26 non-canyon) and yielded 180 species.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.15032022
South African estuarine erosion risk lines

These datasets contain five estuarine erosion risk lines relating to potential erosion caused by flooding from the inland for estuaries in the South African Northern Cape Province, Western Cape Province, Eastern Cape Province and KwaZulu-Natal Province. Refer to the Technical Report to the National Coastal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, November 2020, Section 4.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.14032022
South African estuarine flood risk lines

These datasets contain five estuarine flood risk lines relating to flooding from the inland for estuaries in the South African Northern Cape Province, Western Cape Province, Eastern Cape Province and KwaZulu-Natal Province. The classification from 'very low' to 'very high' was based on expert knowledge. Refer to the Technical Report to the National Coastal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, November 2020, Section 4.

Geographic extent

Temporal extent