Durban

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Charts

S.A.N

1031 - Durban Harbour

1030 - Approaches to Durban

BA

577 - Approaches to Durban

643 - Durban

Weather

Durban's climate is sub-tropical throughout the year with high humidity levels at certain times and you will find that most restaurants and hotels permit casual wear with the exception of those that are very up-market.

Sources for Weather forecasts:

• Regional Weather Comprehensive weather information.

Passages

• Durban to East London
• Durban - Richards Bay - Madagascar
• Durban - Richards Bay - Maputo
• Durban - Australia
• Richards Bay to Durban
• South East Asia to South Africa

Also see South Africa.

Communication

• SA Maritime Net: The South African Maritime Net operates 7 days a week, and provides weather reports from around the coast, and maintains contact with boats off the coast of South Africa and up into the Mozambique channel. There are two regular schedule times as follows:
  • 06:30 UTC: Starts on 14316 kHz for 5-10 minutes, and then moves to 7,120 kHz.
  • 11:30 UTC: Starts on 14316 kHz for approx. 30 mins and then moves down to 7,120 kHz.
• Note: There are 2 radio stations associated with Durban Harbour:
  • Call VHF16 - Durban Radio - situated in Pinetown, 16 km inland and handles radiophone calls, puts out weather reports and will relay messages to Durban Port Control if necessary.
  • Call VHF16 - Durban Port Control - controls commercial and private vessel movements in and around Durban harbour.

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Navigation

Arriving at Durban Port

During the day Durban is easily identified, but the coastal resorts north of Durban could raise expectations of an early landfall. Keep your eyes open for the Umhlanga Rocks lighthouse (GpFl(3)W 20 sec) and bear in mind that this is about 8M north-east of Durban. Be careful not to confuse this with the Cooper light (Fl W 10 sec), which is about 4M south-west of Durban. About 1.5M north of the harbour entrance is the Anchorage Beacon that is a narrow beam, Fixed White.

NOTE:- the red lights on the Dish Aerials [Conspic.] above Umhlanga Rocks are usually visible long before the Umhlanga Rocks lighthouse comes into view.

The harbour entrance is marked with lights on the North Pier (Fl G 3 sec) and South Breakwater (GpFl (2)W 5 sec). On the top of the Bluff, on the south side of the channel is the Signal Tower, which controls shipping movements into and out of the harbour.

Contact the Signal Tower in advance by VHF radio and warn them of your arrival. Request permission to enter the port when approaching the entrance. The Signal Tower keeps listening watch on VHF 16/9 and SSB 2182 kHz to establish radio contact with the Signal Tower call 'Durban Port Control'.

Lights

Lights on top of the Signal Tower are used to warn approaching vessels of shipping movements through the entrance channel:

• NO LIGHT - Channel clear for use.
• RED LIGHT - Ship leaving harbour - KEEP CLEAR OF ENTRANCE.
• GREEN LIGHT - Ship entering harbour - KEEP CLEAR OF ENTRANCE.
• RED - FLASHING - Harbour entrance CLOSED to shipping.

These lights may be activated some time before the ship enters the channel. Please wait until the channel is clear and the light is out before proceeding. ALWAYS' call 'Durban Port Control' on VHF 9 for final permission to proceed through the channel.

Channel Passage

Passage down the channel is marked by a pair of leading lights

• White (Occ 4 sec 44m 14M) over Red (ISO 2 sec 22m 12m). At night these lights can be difficult to identify due to the numerous other lights in the vicinity.

Foreign yachts may be met at the end of the channel by the South African Police Services Coast Patrol (usually very helpful), which will escort the yacht to a holding area. Alternatively, Durban Port Control may advise you to proceed to the International Jetty at Durban Marina.

Entrance

Durban is a port of entry for South Africa. For details see Entrance: South Africa.

The onus is on you to contact the following departments within 24 hours of your arrival

• Customs
• Immigration
• Port Health
• Portnet
• (Help with formalities [and forms] is available from Durban Marina)
  

On arrival visitors raft up in the Visitor's Area, close to the Royal Natal Yacht Club (beyond the "Cafe Fish" restaurant, the building with the blue roof on the yacht mole), and contact the Durban Marina office for clearance and registration. Durban Marina controls 350 pontoon berths and over 200 swing moorings.

[email protected]; Tel: +27 (31) 301 2176; Fax: +27 (31) 305 4514; Website

Departure

Before clearing out, the owner/skipper must request permission from Immigration to sign on any crew members previously signed off. Completed departure forms and passports must be submitted. Once approval is granted the lodged guarantees will be returned. It is advisable to do this a few days prior to departure to avoid last minute problems.

When completing clearing procedures, crew lists, passports and a completed departure form will be required. Immigration must be told of the intended time of departure. Often an official will come down to complete formalities just prior to departure. If the time of departure is changed then the Immigration Department must be notified at least 2 hours before the original time of departure. Clearance for foreign yachts can only be obtained Monday to Friday.

Customs & Immigration

Customs

Goods to declare: Tobacco & cigarettes, Spirits, Wine, Saccharin, Narcotics, Beer, undesirable books/objects, Firearms, Articles for sale, or gifts.

Note: Yachts should have a sealable locker/container if wishing to hold stores in excess of the allowance or for restricted goods (including firearms). This concession is only allowed once per person during a period of 30 days and is subject to an absence from the Republic of not less than 48 hours. Residents returning to South Africa after a period of less than 6 months do not receive duty-free allowances on new or used golf clubs, television sets, watches, firearms and fur skin apparel.

Customs is within walking distance of the Marina

Customs & Excise Building

Cnr. Stanger street & Victoria Embankment, Durban; Phone: +27 (31) 367 6100

Immigration

Those persons requiring South African visas can obtain them from any South African Consulate including the Consulate in Reunion. These can be obtained separate from your passport if so required. Ownership papers and a letter from the master accepting responsibility for the crew are necessary when getting visas. South African ensigns are not available from the Consulates at present, but can be purchased from marine stores in Durban on arrival.

The Immigration authorities must clear everyone aboard any yacht arriving from a foreign port and foreign vessels inbound from another South African port. Durban Marina office will arrange for the Immigration Officer to see you at their office.

The skipper/owner must write a letter requesting permission if signing off crew. This is presented to the Immigration Department, together with a completed ARRIVAL form, passport, air ticket or bank guarantee, and visa or request for temporary permit for each crewmember. The application is then submitted for approval (Durban Marina will assist with procedures). It is the master's responsibility to ensure that written authorization is obtained before a crewmember leaves his vessel.

Note: Anyone wishing to visit a neighbouring country must obtain a re-entry visa before leaving Durban.

Immigration Offices:

Security Complex

Permit Offices

Cnr. Bayhead & Iran Roads, Bayhead (towards the Bluff turnoff)

PORT CONTROL (PORTNET)

Small Craft Control Department

Deputy Port Captain's Office

111, Point Road, Durban; +27 (31) 61 8411; (Durban Marina will assist you to contact this office)

PORT HEALTH & STATE VETERINARIAN

Officials from the Port Health Department will only visit a yacht on arrival if it comes from a Yellow Fever port or, plague infected port. The yacht skipper is however required to complete the MARITIME DECLARATION OF HEALTH form as part of the immigration department procedures. All crewmembers arriving from Yellow Fever areas must produce valid Yellow Fever certificates. Animals and plants must not be taken ashore until cleared by the State Veterinary Authority.

The address for both the Port Health and State Veterinary departments is:

18 Stanger Street, Durban; +27 (31) 368 6011

Berthing

Durban is a very large and busy commercial port. Yachts go to the marinas.

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

Anchorages

Amenities

Facilities
Water	In Durban Marina, and Royal Natal Yacht Club
Electricity	In Durban Marina, and Royal Natal Yacht Club
Toilets	In Durban Marina, and Royal Natal Yacht Club
Showers	In Durban Marina, and Royal Natal Yacht Club
Laundry	In Durban Marina
Garbage	Bins in Durban Marina, and Royal Natal Yacht Club
Supplies
Fuel	In Durban Marina
Bottled gas	?
Chandlers	For a FULL, current listing of businesses of interest to cruisers (and boaters in general), download the free PDF document of Welcome to Durban - a Sailor's Guide Cruising Connections - New & used charts, cruising guides, marine publications, flags, etc. 100 meters from the yacht mole. [email protected] Fonz Marine Electrical - Autohelm & RayMarine service agents. Marine electrical installations, marine electronic equipment, switch panels. First Floor, 3 Morrison Street, Durban. Ph. (031) 368-5222, Fax. (031) 368-5202 Bluff Yacht Club has a slipway too
Services
Repairs	Internet
WiFi in Royal Natal Yacht Club	Mobile connectivity
?	Vehicle rentals
?

Provisioning

Give the names and locations of supermarkets, grocery stores, bakeries, etc.

Eating out

Give the name of recommended restaurants, tavernas, pastry stores, etc.

Transportation

• Shaka International Airport (IATA: DUR, ICAO: FALE), abbreviated KSIA, is the primary airport serving Durban
• Durban is well-served by railways

Tourism

History

Give a short history of the port.

Places to Visit

During your stopover in Durban, visit a Game Reserve (Safari Park), for which South Africa is justifiably famous, or visit an authentic Zulu village or historic sites in the company of a tour guide. Cruisers can get information from Cruising Connections

• Sunbird Tours (Recommended) - Arrange your own customised minibus tour accompanied personally by experienced tour guide Barry Bowditch - half-day, day, 2 day, week, whatever! Game Reserves (Safari Parks), Historical sites, Midlands Meander, Zulu Village, mountains, golf tours, etc. Pickup from the Durban yacht mole or Richards Bay. Design your own tour! Ph: 082 256 0006, Email
• Natal Sharks Board, Umhlanga Rocks. The only organisation of it's kind in the world. Informative audio-visual presentation, shark dissection, curio shop and boat tours. Ph: (031) 566 0400
• Natal Maritime Museum, Small Craft Basin. Artefacts, memorabilia, as well as tugboats and a minesweeper. Ph:- (031) 311 2230
• Tourism Durban. The official Durban Tourism website.
• Kzn Tourism The official regional tourism website

Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

• Cruising Connections Tony Herrick has assisted 1,000's of cruising yachtsmen passing through South Africa over the years - he is a "minefield" of local information. He is himself a circumnavigator. Email

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

• Durban at the Wikipedia
• Durban at the Wikivoyage
• Noonsite
• Durban Port SA Harbours website.

References

• Welcome to Durban - A Sailor's Guide (free download), by Tony Herrick
• Southern African Cruising Notes (covers Richards Bay to Cape Town), By Tony Herrick

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