carried by truck to the railhead at Bitterfontein in preference to shipments direct from the port. Diamond mining With ore shipments declining, the Port was revived in 1926 with the discovery of alluvial diamonds along the coast to the north and south of the town. A rush of prospectors and investment re-established Port Nolloth as a substantial service centre, even as copper shipments ceased altogether in 1944. The inability of larger vessels to enter the port led to a series of disasters as ships attempted to anchor offshore rather than seek shelter in poor weather. In April 1947, the 205-ton South African freighter Border ran aground to the south of the port while attempting to ride out a storm. In December 1950, the 400-ton freighter Bechuana suffered a similar fate. In the years following these wrecks, efforts were made to improve port access with the underwater blasting of the coastal reef. The attempt was partially successful but the bay remained a challenging prospect. Demand for port access also declined in the 1970s as the volume of diamond exports decreased. The diamonds in Port Nolloth are now almost all gone and divers are struggling to make a living. It is very rare that a big haul gets mined with a value over R500 000 in any given trip. Income now average between R30 000 and R40 000 per month for the more experienced divers. Closure of the Port After 1976, large-scale shipping at Port Nolloth was reduced to a single tanker, the Oranjemund, which visited the port fortnightly to exchange supplies for fish and diamonds. 61 metres long but with a draft of only 4.4 metres, the Oranjemund was well-suited for the navigational difficulties of the bay. However, the gradual reduction in diamond discoveries made the long voyage from Cape Town uneconomic, and the Oranjemund was withdrawn from service in 2006. Port activity now consists of minor fishing vessels and recreational boating. Silting of the harbour floor has further reduced the draft, and only the smallest vessels can access the 67-metre quay. Climate The cold Benguela Current in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of South Africa moderates the climate of the coastal region to a huge degree. The average daily maximum in summer is only just above with a variation of less than 4 degrees between the hottest and coldest months of the year at Port Nolloth. On average