Why we are all nearly buried at sea whether we like it or not!
The Forest Hill Cemetery in Gqeberha was recently closed due to flooding raising the water table too high for burials to take place. Translation – dig a couple of feet and hit water.
Now the run-off of that water from the graves of our dearly departed goes downhill, across the road, past, under and around the Boardwalk towards the Stormwater outfall on Hobie Beach, with some making it to the Shark River down Happy Valley and out to sea [see illustration below].
It is safe to say then that the run-off from the graves passes through our dearly departed and takes little bits of them along for the ride.
At one stage that water flowed into the Shark River, then into the lake at Boardwalk (since removed).
Let me hasten to add that the assorted bits of ancestors would have been taken up via the natural filtering and by the various plants and underground worms etc.
So, the possibility of actually recognising the bits of ancestors in the stormwater run-off is remote.
Much like the fact that the water we drink has been recycled so many times that certain people say that the water we drink could have passed through a Dinosaur penis at one stage and yet we still drink it as we trust the process.
Related: Why No Burials? | Affected Municipal Cemeteries Re-Opened for Burials
