Abstract
Sea-surface temperatures at Humewood Beach, Algoa Bay, are often taken to be representative for the eastern Cape coastal environment. However, during recent ichthyoplankton research, temperatures at sampling stations around the bay were, on occasion, found to differ considerably from those recorded at Humewood Beach. Authors compare temperature records for Humewood Beach and a site on the northern shore of Algoa Bay over a year, to illustrate the extent and frequency of spatial and temporal variability. Possible explanations for this variability are advanced with reference to local wind data and temperature-depth profiles.