The unsubtle changes happening at Entebbe beaches

I know a guy who last went to the beach (Nabinoonya beach) in 1999 when he was at Makerere University. He's been chasing the paper nonstop since the 2000s and forgotten to live. The city has swallowed him. The shiny concrete jungle has blinded his innate yearning for nature. Unfortunately, he's not one in a million. 

Ugandans generally tend to lean into their careers, making money and paying school fees and general adulting that they completely forget to seek out nature. 

Yet, God seems to have sprinkled aspects of heaven in nature and keeping away from it keeps us away from ultimate goodness. Being one with nature inspires creativity in us probably because we plug into the infinite mind that created all creation. And yet some people have not been to the beach for 25 years. 

I say all that to make the case for regular beach visits for more reasons than one. Now onto the changes that have happened to the beaches of Entebbe in the time you have been ignoring them. 

Rising water levels

While we were locked down during the covid 19 pandemic, the lake decided to eat up the beaches of Entebbe. Some beaches lost as much as 70 percent of their sand surface areas. Many have had to build stone walls to push the water away from the buildings, just to keep the waves away and reserve a place where people can sit and have a drink. 

The shrunken beaches have reduced their beauty, making them less attractive to revellers. If this is Climate change, then the beach owners are feeling it more than the rest of us. It's been bad for business, no doubt. 

Low turnout

Gone are the days when the beaches would be packed with young lovers walking around half-baked. It's not clear whether the vagaries of the weak economy are to blame for this or because the beaches have considerably reduced due to the rising water levels. 

The numbers are a lot smaller, and the vibes too are not as heightened as one would hope. But it's a beach, not a night club. 

The fewer people the better at the beach sometimes. Because then you have less disturbance as you watch the waves as you feel the creative juices rise up deep down. 

Green filth

Entebbe town is starting to show signs of overpopulation after all. Just five years ago, there was a marked difference between the water on Kampala beaches and the waters on Entebbe beaches. The water in Kampala was green with filth while the water in Entebbe tended to remain undefiled. That is no more, sadly. 

The green filth has taken over Entebbe, likely pushing away beach goers. Today, the cautious revelers sit as far away from the water as possible, drinking their evening away, instead of enjoying the beauty of the water. Well, at least the water should be the primary entertainment at the beach. But it's becoming harder and harder. Fewer and fewer people, especially teenagers, are willing to get into the water. 

The party is still alive

The only thing that is still intact at these beaches is the party. The visitors maybe fewer than ever before and they may not venture into the water but they come here to party. The music is still loud and the beers are still flowing. The beach still inspires people to want to enjoy a drink even if it is 10 O’clock in the morning.