A woman in South Africa was left horrified after unknowingly swimming through what appeared to be raw sewage at a popular Cape Town beach.
Michelle Sky Hayward, 33, a former professional kitesurfer and content creator, was enjoying her usual morning dip at Bloubergstrand beach on July 9 when she noticed the water looked and felt different than usual. She recorded a video of her swim and later posted it on TikTok — only for her followers to reveal the disturbing truth.
"I had no idea that it was sewage," Hayward told What’s The Jam. "When I got into the car, my husband said it looked like I had sewage on my face, and we joked about it, not knowing that it was, in fact, true."
The initial video, which showed her swimming in murky brown water and smiling at the camera, quickly gained traction online. Viewers pointed out the unusual colour and texture of the sea, prompting Hayward to investigate further. She followed up with a response video, sharing screenshots of the shocked and disgusted comments she received.
"When I was swimming in it, I had no idea that it was sewage," she reiterated in the clip, which has since gone crazy viral.
“I noticed the water looked darker than usual, especially in that particular spot,” she recalled. “I had been swimming there many times before, and the water was usually always very clear, but this time it was brown and murky. It was also a bit warmer than usual, so I stayed in for a lot longer than I usually would.”
“It definitely got in my mouth. I was going underwater and playing around in the foam,” she admitted. “I tasted some when a wave was breaking near me, and it tasted a lot more salty than usual.”
Hayward’s video showed brown-coloured fluid on her face and neck, and she could be seen holding her phone up while foam lapped around her. Some of it entered her mouth as she joked about the taste.
It was only after reading viewer comments that the gravity of the situation dawned on her. One user commented, “That foam is turds,” while another wrote bluntly, “SEWAGE WATER!!”
Other reactions included: “Girl, I would be crying for a week straight.”
"Darling, is that safe?"
"Swimming in sewage."
"Was coming to comment to NOT touch the foam."
"Is she ok? Cus that AIN’T sea foam."
"If this is in fact true, I’d go to the ER and get some bloodwork."
"True it’s kaka foam."
Locals reportedly confirmed to Hayward that they had seen news reports about a sewage leak affecting the same beach, although no official statement has been issued confirming the contamination.
Despite the harrowing ordeal, Hayward said she has not experienced any illness since the incident. "So far, I seem fine," she said.
She acknowledged that many viewers were divided over what exactly she had swum through — with some debating whether it was raw sewage, decaying ocean matter, or natural sea foam. "The comments were divided over what I was swimming in, but generally, everyone was quite disgusted by the foam," she said.
Still, the incident has not shaken her passion for the ocean. "My love for the ocean runs deep, and nothing will stop me from swimming and enjoying the water," she said. “I love kitesurfing, stand-up paddle boarding, and of course, swimming — and nothing is going to change, despite this horrific experience."
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