Rachael Finlayson Beach Baths - Durban

An enormous 300-foot by 75-foot open-air swimming pool (later named after Rachel Finlayson) was opened in 1912.

In 1907, the South African Swimming Championships and Currie Cup water polo tournament were hosted by the Natal ASA for the first time, using the West Street Town Baths in Durban.

There were sell-out crowds of 350 people over the eight-day event, despite complaints about the shallow depth being unsuitable for water polo, and the length that had to be specially modified to make the pool 25 yards long. Although the original building has been demolished, the (empty) swimming pool still exists.

After the national Championships were again held in Durban in 1911, the Durban Corporation, as the municipality in Durban was then known, built the 100-yard-long Beach Bath on the beachfront in 1912, which was filled with saltwater. A temporary barrier was used to make a 55-yard competition pool.

Nationals were held at the Beach Bath on ten different occasions after that, culminating in the 1976 event where 20 national records were set. The salt water makes swimmers more buoyant than in fresh water, which helped produce the record haul of national records.

When the new indoor Olympic-size pool was built at King's Park in 2009, the Beach Baths fell into disrepair. It was upgraded in 2022 and used for the national Masters Swimming Championships in 2025.

Once iconic Durban beachfront pool now an eyesore

03 May 2017

A two-year upgrade to restore one of Durban’s iconic beachfront swimming pools to its former glory has ground to a halt and now it is just an eyesore.

The Rachel Finlayson pool - once a major beachfront attraction – now stands empty‚ surrounded by overgrown grass and shrubs. Stagnating water from recent rains is pooled at the bottom.

An upgrade worth more than R4-million began in 2015 and was‚ according to reports‚ supposed to be completed within a year.

Municipal spokesman Tozi Mthethwa said: “The work on the Rachel Finlayson swimming pool was halted in order to allow the City the appropriate time to procure a finishing contract within this financial year.”

Democratic Alliance councillor Peter Graham‚ who sits on the city’s security and emergency services sub-committee‚ described the state of public pool as “shocking”.

“When you have a budget allocated‚ it’s for the entire project. I want to know where are the pubic funds that have been spent on this...? It’s so far from finished. It hasn’t changed in about three years. There are two security guards sitting there. This is another example of complete wastage of ratepayer’s money‚” he said.

“It looks as if any attempt to restore this icon of the Durban beachfront where so many of us did 1000’s of lengths in the 70’s and 80’s has been abandoned. When grass and shrubbery can be seen growing through the building material it is plain for the world to see the city has lost interest.”

Graham said the city’s treatment of the public asset was “completely unacceptable”.

Masters swimmers make a splash at SA champs

The overall winning club of the champs was Synergy Masters Swimming Club, a KZN-based club.

March 16, 2025

THE Rachel Finlayson Pool on Durban’s beachfront was a hive of activity recently when it hosted the 40th South African Masters Swimming Championships.

Incredibly, it was at this very site where the inaugural championships were held in 1985.

Speaking to Northglen News, Carina explained the significance of the venue for this particular championship.

“We had a handful of internationals who entered but it was mainly competitors from around South Africa. In all, we had 380 swimmers who entered. We were hoping for more but the change of venue may have played a part. The initial plan was to host the event at Kings Park Swimming Pool, but because it is undergoing renovations we had to change to Rachel Finlayson. It’s incredibly special to be hosting the 40th edition of the championships at the same pool where it all began. This venue holds great historical significance for our swimming community, and it’s a privilege to celebrate this milestone in such a meaningful setting,” she said.

A concise history of the Rachel Finlayson Swimming Pool.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2336287406636020/user/100009125964031

Origins — “Beach Baths” and Early Years

The facility now known as the Rachel Finlayson Pool began life in 1912 as the Beach Baths — an open-air saltwater swimming pool built along Durban’s iconic beachfront. It was one of the city’s first major public swimming facilities, constructed by the local municipality (then Durban Corporation) to provide a safe, accessible place for seaside bathing and aquatic sport.

Measuring approximately 300 ft by 75 ft, it was filled with seawater and became a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.

Temporary barriers allowed a 55-yard competitive pool to be marked out within the larger baths, enabling the hosting of swim competitions.

Over the decades, the Beach Baths became a central social and sporting hub, hosting numerous swimming events and drawing thousands of swimmers — including national swimming championships held there repeatedly through the mid-20th century.

Renaming: Rachel Finlayson’s Legacy

The facility was later renamed Rachel Finlayson Pool in honour of Rachel Finlayson, a pioneering figure in South African aquatic sport:

She founded the Cygnus Ladies Swimming Club in 1909.

She coached and served as official chaperone to South Africa’s women swimmers for 27 years, including at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.

At those Olympics, Durban swimmer Kathleen Russell — part of the team Finlayson supported — won a bronze medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay.

Because of Finlayson’s contributions to community sport and swimming development, the renaming acknowledged her impact on Durban’s social and sporting life.

Middle 20th Century Development

Through the mid-1900s, the Rachel Finlayson Pool remained one of Durban’s major public swim venues, enjoyed by generations of beachgoers and competitive swimmers. It stood alongside other aquatic facilities like Kings Park and local community pools.

In 1963, Durban removed the Water Chute — a concrete slide into the pool’s deep end — after safety incidents, illustrating a long history of adapting the facility for safety and public use.

Over time, as indoor indoor competitions and more modern aquatic complexes developed, the role of the pool shifted more toward leisure, training, and local swimming meets.

Decline and Extended Closure

By the early 2000s and 2010s, maintenance challenges and evolving requirements for competitive facilities took their toll.

An upgrade in 2015 was initiated by the eThekwini Municipality (Durban’s local government) — intended to modernise and repair the pool — but it faced major delays and project setbacks. Contractual and workmanship issues caused the works to stall, leaving the pool closed for several years and becoming an eyesore amid overgrown vegetation.

Residents and councillors criticised the slow progress and questioned the use of public funds, especially given the pool’s cherished history and value to the coastal city’s residents.

Renovation and Reopening (2022–2023)

After protracted delays, the municipality appointed contractors in late 2022 to complete the long-paused renovation works.

On 23 December 2022, Durban mayor Mxolisi Kaunda officially reopened the Rachel Finlayson Pool to the public after it had been closed for around seven years. The reopening was timed for the busy festive season and marked a significant restoration of the facility.

The project had seen more than R4 million in investment dedicated to upgrading and repairing the pool infrastructure.

Brief closures have occurred since, including a temporary shutdown in June 2023 after a vehicle damaged the perimeter fence, but repairs were promptly made and it was reopened again.

Recent Competitive Use and Community Role

Beyond leisure swimming, Rachel Finlayson Pool continues as a competitive venue and “historic jewel” for aquatic sport in South Africa.

It was selected as the location for the 40th South African Masters Swimming Championships in March 2025, marking a full-circle moment — the event was first held at this site in 1985.

Its longevity ties contemporary competitive swimming to Durban’s rich aquatic heritage.