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ABSTRACT
The World Glory incident in 1968 created the first documented oil spill in the oceans around South Africa. The tanker was broken in two during bad weather 100 km northeast of Durban, sinking and spilling oil which initial assessments concluded would be kept safely offshore by the fast-flowing Agulhas Current. However, an eddy that had been located east of Durban for at least two weeks carried the slicks shoreward within a few days. Prompt action by authorities, coupled with benign weather conditions, prevented the oil from reaching the shore and a disaster that could have impacted significantly on the recreational and economically important region of Natal (as it was then known).