By Nangamso Mabindla
20 March 2007

EAST Londoners are already back to taking their usual strolls along the Esplanade as the beaches calm down following some unusually high tides over the past few days.

The city was not spared the rough seas that hit land along the Indian Ocean coastline. Waves of eleven metres in height smashed into the Esplanade and other beaches around East London, leading to the closure of the link road to the Esplanade.

This morning municipal workers were busy cleaning the sand and logs washed on to the link road by the huge waves. The beaches are still unsafe for bathers, although a statement from the Port Elizabeth branch of Weather South Africa reads that conditions will get better today and improve over the rest of the week.

"The East London beaches' tide will still be high today but sea conditions will get better this week as temperatures return to normal."

It said that the city should experience "nice and sunny conditions", with temperatures reaching 23° today and 24° on Wednesday.

"Rough seas are expected today but should calm down overnight. On Thursday temperatures should go up to 27° and cool down on Friday to about 24°. East London should experience some thunderstorms, but temperatures should be back to normal for the rest of the week."