The National Sea Rescue Institute has appealed to the public to be cautious around the coastline during the Super Blue full moon Spring tide that has already begun and peaks during the full moon period over the 30th and 31st of August.
This Blue Moon (a blue moon is a rare second full moon during the same month) will be a supermoon, meaning the moon is closer to earth than is normal.
And it is the third of four supermoons in a row and this one will be the biggest (closest) full supermoon of 2023.
This coincides with planet Saturn, that can seen in the sky near to the moon, also in her planetary position closest to the earth for 2023.
The idiom “once in a blue moon” is used to describe a rare but nonetheless recurring event – so it doesn’t mean the moon will actually be blue.
According to NASA, blue moons aren’t actually all that rare, recurring every 2.5 years or so.
A blue supermoon, however, happens far less frequently. The last blue supermoon was in December 2009, and the next one won’t be until January 2037.
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As is normal this full moon brings the Spring tide – where high tide is higher than normal and low tide is lower than normal.
Spring tide can have an increased affect on the strength of rip currents and caution is advised.
The NSRI is appealing to bathers, coastal hikers, shoreline anglers, boaters, sailors, paddlers and the maritime community to be cautious around our coastline during this full blue supermoon’s Spring tide.
The full affect of this Super Moon Blue Moon Spring Tide peaks during the full moon period over the 30th and 31st of August / and then gradually begins to decline over the next few days into the new week.
Together with winter rough sea conditions that are prevailing around our coastline with cold fronts that have past in recent days and weeks and with storms prevailing deep sea off the South African coastline – NSRI are appealing to the public around our coastline to be cautious during this Spring tide.
