Human recreational patterns on beaches with different levels of development

Three South African beaches, King's Beach, Joorst Park and Sardinia Bay, with different levels of development, were selected to study the recreational use patterns over a holiday cycle by means of aerial photography and questionnaire surveys. King's Beach was classified as developed, Joorst Park as semi-developed and Sardinia Bay as undeveloped on the basis of the number of facilities present. Differences in popularity, use patterns, size and age composition of visitor groups, times of peak visitor abundance, types of accommodation and transport used, distance travelled and time spent on the beach were observed. The most developed beach consistently received the most visitors (of higher socio-economic level) as determined by visitor abundance at 11:00, except on New Year's Day, when the semi-developed Joorst Park received the highest numbers of visitors (6500). This beach, frequented mainly on public holidays by visitors of a low socio-economic level from the nearby township, remained relatively unused during the rest of the holiday season. The other beaches, in contrast, were more continually used by visitors with private cars. Visitor group size was largest at the semi-developed Joorst Park. Visitors older than 50 years were more abundant at the undeveloped Sardinia Bay than at the other beaches, seeking the peace and quiet that this beach provides. Camping was most prevalent amongst the visitors to Joorst Park due to lack of other cheap accommodation there. Also, visitors to Joorst Park stayed on the beach for longer periods and a higher percentage of the respondents travelled long distances to the beach than on the other beaches. Although recreation patterns were linked to the level of beach development, other factors not related to beach development, such as cultural/ethnic background, political/historical influences, socio-economic level of beach users and distance of the beach from the visitor's home also played an important role. Environmental education emerges as one of the most urgent needs to properly manage dune and beach use in South Africa.