Hierdie streeksduikgids is bedoel om die reeds gekwalifiseerde te bied skuba duiker met inligting om duike in die waters van die Kaapse Skiereiland en Valsbaai te beplan, hetsy as plaaslike inwoner of besoeker. Inligting word verskaf sonder om te benadeel, en is nie gewaarborg nie akkuraat of volledig. Gebruik dit op eie risiko. Brei dit uit of verbeter dit as u kan.
Die streek wat beskryf word, is binne 'n daguitstappie per pad vanaf enige deel van die land Kaapstad, in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid-Afrika en bevat meer as 280 genoemde duikplekke waarvoor posisies aangeteken word, wat baie is vir enige bestemming.
Gedetailleerde inligting oor individuele duikplekke word verskaf in die subartikels wat van die Duikplekke afdeling. Die inligting in die webwerfbeskrywings wissel van oppervlakkig tot baie gedetailleerd, afhangende van wat daar oor die werf bekend is. Daar is miskien 'n kaart. Die badmetriese kaarte van SURGMAP word bygewerk sodra nuwe data vir die opname versamel word, en word gekarteer deur die kontoere te swem en 'n GPS-boei te sleep. Hulle is redelik akkuraat - binne 'n paar meter gewoonlik - en betroubaar vir wat getoon word, maar selde volledig. Dit is heel moontlik dat 'n paar hoë toppe gemis is. Daar is geen waarborg dat u dit nie sal ontdek deur dit met u boot te slaan nie. Laat weet ons asb.
In sommige gevalle sal 'n subartikel oor duikwebwerwe verskeie webwerwe bevat wat naby is, aangesien baie van die inligting vir almal algemeen sal wees. In ander gevalle, wat meestal wrakplekke betref, sal twee aangrensende terreine elk sy eie subartikel hê, maar as twee of meer wrakke in dieselfde posisie lê, of met 'n aansienlike oorvleueling, sal dit in dieselfde subartikel beskryf word.
Verstaan
Algemene topografie
Die Stad Kaapstad is gestig aan die noordelike punt van die Kaapse Skiereiland, 'n smal bergagtige landstrook van hoogstens 11 km breed en net meer as 50 km lank. Die noordelike grens is die kus van Tafelbaai, 'n groot oop baai met 'n enkele eiland, Robbeneiland, in sy mond.
'N Ongerepte kuslyn dui die westelike grens langs die Atlantiese oseaan aan. 'N Aantal klein baaie word langs die kus aangetref, met een enkele groot, Houtbaai, ongeveer halfpad. Verder suid vernou die skiereiland totdat dit by Kaappunt tot 'n einde kom. 'N Reeks berge met Tafelberg op 1 085 m aan die noordelike punt vorm die ruggraat van die skiereiland. Die hoogste punt van die suidelike skiereiland is Swartkop, op 678 m, naby Simonstad. Die skiereiland het redelik steil hellings langs die grootste deel van die kus, met baie smal gebiede van relatief plat land, behalwe vir die westekant van die suidpunt.
Die steil oostelike kant word deur Valsbaai begrens, en hierdie stuk kuslyn sluit die kleiner Smitswinkelbaai, Simonsbaai en Vishoekbaai in, waar 'n strook lae grond tussen albei kante strek. By Muizenberg word die kuslyn relatief laag en sanderig en krom oos oor die suidelike grens van die Kaapse Vlakte na Gordonsbaai om die noordelike grens van Valsbaai te vorm. Van Gordonsbaai die kuslyn swaai ongeveer suidwaarts, en sig-zag langs die voet van die Hollandse Hottentot-bergreeks na Kaap Hangklip, wat op ongeveer dieselfde breedtegraad as Kaappunt is. Die hoogste piek aan hierdie kant is Kogelberg op 1 269 m.
In die plan is die baai ongeveer vierkantig met nogal wankelende rande; dit is ongeveer dieselfde mate van noord na suid as oos na wes (30 km), met die hele suidekant oop na die oseaan. Die oppervlakte van Valsbaai is ongeveer 1 090 km² gemeet en die volume is ongeveer 45 km³ (gemiddelde diepte ongeveer 40 m). Die landomtrek is op 116 km gemeet vanaf 'n skaalkaart van 1: 50 000.
Die onderste morfologie van Valsbaai is oor die algemeen glad en taamlik vlak, skuins liggies afwaarts van noord na suid, sodat die diepte in die middel van die mond ongeveer 80 m is. Die bodem is bedek met sediment wat wissel van baie grof tot baie fyn, met die meeste fyn sediment en modder in die middel van die baai. Die belangrikste uitsondering is 'n lang rif met sedimentêre gesteentes wat suidwaarts strek vanaf die strand tot by die monding van die Steenbrasrivier. Die suidpunt van hierdie nok staan bekend as Steenbras Deep.
Daar is een ware eiland in die baai, Seal Island, 'n dorre en klipperige graniet van ongeveer 200 m lank en 'n oppervlakte van ongeveer 2 ha. Dit is ongeveer 6 km suid van Strandfontein en is op sy hoogste punt minder as 10 m bo seespieël. Daar is ook 'n aantal klein rotsagtige eilandjies wat bo die hoogwatermerk strek, en ander rotse en skale wat die oppervlak nader. Die meeste hiervan is graniet van die Skiereiland pluton, maar oos van Seal Island is dit gewoonlik sandsteen, waarskynlik van die Tygerberg vorming in die baai, alhoewel dit moontlik is dat sommige van die Tafelberg reeks. Die grootste van hierdie rifgebiede is Whittle Rock, 'n onderwater heuwel graniet wat vanaf die sanderige bodem op ongeveer 40 m tot binne 5 m van die oppervlak styg, en 'n deursnee van ongeveer 1 km het.
Buite die baai, maar beïnvloed die golfpatrone daarin, is Rocky Bank, 'n uitgebreide rif van Tafelberg sandsteenrif tussen 20 en 30 m diep bo-op, en skuins af tot dieper as 100 m na die suide.
Streng gesproke is Valsbaai deel van die Atlantiese Oseaan, wat tot by Kaap Agulhas strek, maar in Kaapstad verwys Atlantic gewoonlik na die westelike kus van die Kaapse Skiereiland, en na die oostekant word dit genoem Valsbaai, of die Simonstad-kant. Hierdie byeenkoms sal deurgaans in hierdie gids gebruik word.
Plaaslike topografie
Die grootste invloed op plaaslike topografie is die plaaslike geologie. Ongekonsolideerde afsettings van slik, sand of gruis is geneig om redelik plat te wees. Gordelroos en klein rotse kan steiler hang, en die rotse en groot rotse kan enigiets wees, van effens bokant die omringende ongekonsolideerde bodem tot oorhangende kransvlakke en torsies. Die gesteentesoort, en vir sedimentêre strata, die dip en strike, het 'n groot invloed op die reeks moontlike rifvorms.
Die huidige rifstrukture het as landvorms ontwikkel gedurende die ystydperke, toe dit bo seespieël was, en die granietriwwe is grotendeels gevorm deur die ondergrondse verweringsproses oor selfs langer periodes. Die graniete is redelik oud en is baie saamgevoeg deur tektoniese kragte, en die krake se rante het lank deur die grondwater chemies geërodeer om die hoeke af te rond en diep skeure en slote te vorm, wat later deur erosie blootgestel is. van die saproliet en verder aangepas deur verwering en erosie van die blootgestelde oppervlaktes aan die strukture bekend as kernstene en torsies. Net so het die blootgestelde sedimentêre gesteente geërodeer terwyl dit bo die grond blootgestel is. Toe die seevlak gestyg het tydens die smelting van die ys, het hierdie landvorms eenvoudig oorstroom, en behou baie van hul vorige vorm en karakter. Kus-erosie het riwwe sedertdien verander in gebiede wat blootgestel is aan 'n hoë genoeg energie-golfaksie, en 'n mate van beweging van sediment vind plaas as gevolg van golwe en strome.
Klimaat, weer en seetoestande
Wes-Kaap se klimaat
Die klimaat van die Suidwes-Kaap verskil aansienlik van die res van Suid-Afrika, wat 'n somerreënvalgebied is en die meeste reënval gedurende die somermaande Desember tot Februarie ontvang. Die Suidwes-Kaap het 'n Mediterreense klimaat, met sy reënval gedurende die wintermaande van Junie tot September.
Gedurende die somer is die hoë faktor in die weer 'n hoëdruksone, bekend as die Atlantiese Hoog, wat oor die Suid-Atlantiese Oseaan ten weste van die Kaapse kus geleë is. Winde wat antikloksgewys uit so 'n stelsel sirkuleer, bereik die Kaap uit die suidooste en lewer tydperke van tot enkele dae van sterk wind en helder lug. Hierdie suidoostewinde staan bekend as die Kaapse dokter. Hulle hou die streek relatief koel en help om besoedelde lug vanaf die nywerheidsgebiede en Kaapse Vlakte na die see te waai. Vanweë die suidekant is False Bay blootgestel aan hierdie winde, veral aan die westekant, terwyl Tafelbaai en die weskus van die skiereiland 'n buitelandse wind ervaar. Hierdie windpatroon word plaaslik beïnvloed deur die topografie in die mate dat stormsterk winde kan waai Gordonsbaai , terwyl dele van ongeveer 10 km weg is Somerset-Wes kan 'n snikhete en windstil dag hê.
Die winter in die Suidwes-Kaap word gekenmerk deur steurnisse in die sirkumpolêre westewinde, wat lei tot 'n reeks oostelike bewegende frontale depressies. Dit bring koel bewolkte weer, wind en reën uit die noordweste, gevolg deur 'n daling in temperatuur en 'n verskuiwing na die suidwestewind soos die voorkant verbygaan. Die suidwestewinde oor die Suid-Atlantiese Oseaan produseer die heersende suidwestelike deining wat tipies is vir die wintermaande, wat klop aan die ontblote Atlantiese kuslyn en die oostekant van Valsbaai. Die berge van die Kaapse Skiereiland bied beskerming aan die westekant van Valsbaai teen hierdie wind en teen die suidwestelike golwe - 'n feit wat goewerneur Simon van der Stel beïnvloed het in sy keuse van Simonbaai as 'n winteranker vir die Nederlandse Oos-Indiese Kompanjie skepe vir Kaapstad. Die noordwestelike winterstorms het deur die eeue heen baie skepe wat anker was in Tafelbaai verwoes. Ten spyte van tegniese vooruitgang en verbeterde weervoorspelling, gebeur dit vandag nog, al is dit minder gereeld as in die verlede, en deesdae is die bergingsoperasies meer dikwels suksesvol.
Weer
Die algemene neiging is dat die weer vanuit die weste inkom en met die frontstelsels ooswaarts beweeg, maar daar kan ook meer plaaslike weerverskynsels wees soos donderstorms (skaars) en 'berg'winde, wat warm winde oor die berge van die binneland af. Die weerstoestande kan op enige dag aansienlik verskil tussen verskillende terreine in die gebied wat deur hierdie gids behandel word, alhoewel die algemene neiging soortgelyk kan wees. Reën kan byvoorbeeld in die oggend op die Kaapse Skiereiland val, en teen die middag het hierdie toestande na die oostekant van Valsbaai oorgeskuif en kan die skiereiland opklaar met 'n beduidende windrigtingsverskuiwing van noordwestelik na suidwestelik. Plaaslike variasie in windsterkte kan uiters moeilik wees, en soms moeilik om te glo, aangesien daar op een plek 'n doodse kalmte is en 'n paar kilometer verder 'n huilende wind. Daar is plekke bekend vir blootstelling aan sowel suid-oostelike as noordwestelike winde, en sommige is beskut teen die een of die ander, terwyl die suid-westelike streke die meeste plekke waai, maar gewoonlik nie tot dieselfde uiterstes nie. Waar dit in die praktyk op neerkom, is dat die weersomstandighede op 'n spesifieke tydstip aansienlik kan verskil van dié op 'n duikplek later op die dag.
'N Bergwind word veroorsaak deur 'n hoë hoogte binnelandse hoë druk, gewoonlik in die winter, op die koue, droë sentrale plato-gebiede bokant die groot platorand, tesame met laer druk aan die kus. Die wind stroom in die platorand af en word deur kompressie verhit. Die temperatuurstyging kan oor 'n kort tydperk aansienlik wees. Hierdie warm, droë wind is in die buiteland en beïnvloed nie die duiktoestande nie, maar dit word gewoonlik gevolg deur koel landwinde met lae wolk, mis en motreën, en word dikwels geassosieer met 'n koue front vanuit die weste in die winter. kan sterk westewinde en aansienlike frontreën meebring.
Seetoestande
Golwe en deining
Die golwe wat die oewer van Valsbaai en die Kaapse Skiereiland bereik, kan beskou word as 'n kombinasie van plaaslike windgolwe en swel uit verre bronne. Die deining word geproduseer deur weerstelsels in die algemeen suid van die vasteland, soms aansienlik ver, waarvan die belangrikste die frontale stelsels in die Suid-Atlantiese Oseaan is, wat windgolwe genereer wat dan van hul oorsprong versprei en met verloop van tyd in verskillende sones skei. periode. Die lang tydperk golwe is vinniger en het meer energie en beweeg voor die komponente van die korter periode uit, dus is dit geneig om eers die kus te bereik. Dit staan by die surfers bekend as 'n polsslag, en word gewoonlik gevolg deur die geleidelike verkortingsperiode van minder krag.
Plaaslike winde sal ook golwe oplewer wat hul effekte met die deining sal kombineer. Aflandige winde sal die see as 'n algemene reël platdruk omdat die afstand (afstand wat die wind oor die water gewaai het) gewoonlik te klein is om golwe van groot hoogte of lengte te ontwikkel. Aan wal kan winde daarenteen, as dit sterk genoeg is, 'n kort en nare kapsel veroorsaak wat die in- en uitstap ongemaklik kan maak, en oppervlakkeswem of bootritte onaangenaam.
Die kombinasie van deining en windgolwe moet oorweeg word wanneer u 'n duik beplan. Dit vereis kennis van hierdie toestande, wat deur 'n aantal organisasies met wisselende akkuraatheid voorspel word, in sommige gevalle vir sewe of meer dae voor. Akkuraatheid is gewoonlik omgekeerd eweredig aan die interval van die voorspelling. Dit is gewoonlik redelik betroubaar om twee of drie dae vooruit te kyk, maar kan oor meer as 'n week effens wankelrig wees. Weer is so.
Upwellings
Suidoostelike winde wat aan die kus aan die westekant van die Kaapse Skiereiland en die oostekant van Valsbaai waai, veroorsaak 'n beweging van oppervlakwater na die weste van die kus as gevolg van Ekman-vervoer. Hierdie beweging van water van die kus af word vergoed deur die opwaartse stroom van dieper water.
Hierdie opstuwings is van groot belang vir die duiker, aangesien die oorstroomde water aan die weskus koud en relatief helder is. Aangesien die oorstroomde water 'n hoë voedingsinhoud het, is die opstuwings egter voorlopers van 'n planktonblom wat bekend staan as 'n "rooi gety", wat die sigbaarheid drasties sal verminder. Die temperatuur van die water is geneig om te daal tot onder 12 ° C tydens 'n opwaartse westkus en kan soms 'n koue 7 ° C bereik.
Aan die oostekant van Valsbaai veroorsaak die opstuwings dikwels swak sig, aangesien dit die fyn en lae digtheid sediment wat aan die ander kant van die baai voorkom, veral in die vlakker gedeelte naby Gordonsbaai, kan versteur. Die water is ook relatief koud, maar gewoonlik nie so koud soos aan die westekant van die skiereiland nie, en die temperatuur kan gedurende 'n dag of twee van ongeveer 19 ° C tot 12 ° C daal.
Getye
Die plaaslike getye is maanoorheersend, semi-dagelik en relatief swak, en daar is geen sterk getystrome aan die Atlantiese kus of in Valsbaai nie. Die gevolglike getyvloei is van weinig belang vir die duiker, wat hoofsaaklik effense veranderinge in die diepte op die duikplek het, en variasies op die hindernis wat kelpblare naby die oppervlak bied, wat die inspanning wat nodig is om deur die kelp te kom, kan beïnvloed. die oppervlak. In hierdie verband is dit oor die algemeen makliker by hoogwater.
Lansering van die boot by sommige glybane kan moeilik wees by laagwater, wat soms duikskedules kan beïnvloed, en die lente laag is ongeveer op die tydstip van die eerste lansering (ongeveer 09:00 tot 09:30).
Die maksimum getyafstand in Kaapstad is ongeveer 1,86 m (springgety), en by Simonstad 1,91 m, met minimum reekse op beide plekke van ongeveer 0,26 m (seintye).
Watertemperatuur
Die gemiddelde somertemperatuur van die Atlantiese Oseaan buite die Kaapse Skiereiland is tussen 10 ° en 13 ° C. Die onderste temperatuur kan 'n paar grade kouer wees. Die minimum temperatuur is ongeveer 8 ° C, alhoewel daar aanspraak gemaak is op so laag as 6 °, en die maksimum ongeveer 17 ° C.
Die gemiddelde winteroppervlaktemperatuur van die Atlantiese Oseaan langs die Kaapse Skiereiland is tussen 13 ° en 15 ° C. Die onderste temperatuur aan die kus is baie dieselfde.
Die gemiddelde winteroppervlaktemperatuur van Valsbaai is ongeveer 15 ° C, en die onderste temperatuur is dieselfde of 'n bietjie laer. Die gemiddelde somertemperatuur van Valsbaai is ongeveer 19 ° C. Die onderste temperatuur is gewoonlik 1 ° tot 3 ° C laer as in die winter, maar 10 ° tot 12 ° C is nie onbekend nie.
Strome
Strome word gewoonlik nie as 'n probleem beskou op die meeste duikplekke in hierdie streek nie. 'N Vlak oppervlakstroom kan gedurende 'n kort tydperk deur sterk wind geproduseer word, wat 'n ongemak kan wees as dit na die buiteland gaan. Die diepte van die stroom hang af van hoe lank die wind waai, en wanneer 'n skielike wind opkom terwyl 'n mens duik, is die stroom vlak en kan 'n duiker terugkeer na die oewer op 'n diepte van 3 tot 6 m onder die grootste deel van die stroom. Getystrome is weglaatbaar en word slegs op enkele geïsoleerde duikplekke ervaar, soos: Windpompstrandtydens die getye van die lente as daar 'n deining is. Hou in gedagte dat 'n oppervlakstroom wat deur wind aangedryf word, links van die windrigting sal vloei as gevolg van Coriolis-effekte, en die hoek sal toeneem en die sterkte sal afneem met die diepte.
Twee plekke wat beduidende strome kan ervaar, is aan die monding van Valsbaai, by Rocky Bank en Bellows Rock, waar wervels uit die Agulhas-stroom gereeld 'n lig- tot mediumsterkte stroom lewer, wat sterk genoeg kan wees om duikers in die vlak rondom Bellows Rock ongemaklik te maak. Soms word strome van tot ongeveer 'n knoop ervaar op duikplekke in die buiteland in Valse Baai suid van Simonstad, en aan die Atlantiese kus naby Duiker Point en Robbeneiland. Hierdie strome is gewoonlik aansienlik swakker aan die onderkant en hou gewoonlik nie veel duikers in nie, alhoewel dit die gebruik van 'n DSMB vir die oppervlak belangriker maak, aangesien 'n mens redelik ver kan ry, selfs op 'n normale klim met 'n veiligheidsstop. . Hierdie oppervlakstrome kan aan die begin van die duik meer ongemaklik wees, aangesien dit u verby die streeplyn sal neem as u nie vinnig wil afdaal nie. Dit moet gedoen word sodra die lyn in sig is. Afhangend van die slapheid in die skietlyn, sal die boei ook wind of afwaarts van die merk af wees. 'N Bekwame skipper sal in aanmerking kom en die duikers stroomop van die boei laat val.
Weerdata
Real-time weerdata is beskikbaar vir Valsbaai vanaf a weerboei bedryf deur die Sentrum vir Waarnemende Oseanografie. Huidige en 7-dae historiese data word getoon vir lug- en see-oppervlaktemperatuur, windsterkte en -rigting, en barometriese druk. Die posisie van die boei kan wissel, maar teen Oktober 2012 was dit op 34 ° 11'19 "S, 18 ° 27'03" O. (ongeveer 700 m oos van Simonstad se hawe)
Die voorspelling van die weer en seetoestande
Die voorspelling van duiktoestande in hierdie streek is redelik ingewikkeld. Daar is webwerwe soos Boeiweer, Surf-voorspelling en Windguru wat redelike betroubare voorspellings bied vir wind en deining. Dit gekombineer met inligting oor onlangse toestande van watertemperatuur en sigbaarheid, sal 'n redelike betroubare voorspelling van toestande 'n paar dae voor die tyd moontlik maak. Die plaaslike Golwskap webwerf en brandersverslag is ook 'n waardevolle verwysing met 'n kenmerkende Suid-Afrikaanse atmosfeer, maar soos die ander, is dit hoofsaaklik bedoel vir branderplankryers, en duikers moet 'n bietjie interpoleer.
Sig kan aan die Atlantiese kus baie vinnig (oornag) opklaar as gevolg van strome en relatiewe growwe sedimente. Aan die westekant van Valsbaai is dit 'n bietjie stadiger, en dit kan 'n paar dae, selfs weke, aan die oostekant van die baai duur, waar die sedimente fyn en lig is.
Satelliet-see-oppervlaktemperatuur en chlorofil-data is ook beskikbaar op die internet en kan help om die oppervlaktetoestande te voorspel, maar hoeveel hulle die onderste toestande voorspel, is nie bekend nie.
Totdat u 'n gevoel vir hierdie prosedure ontwikkel het, is dit handig om tweede opinies te kry van mense of organisasies met ervaring.
Sommige plaaslike duikbestuurders het 'n beter reputasie as weervoorspelling as ander, en daar is party wat byna altyd sal beweer dat die toestande goed is of was. Die Blou flits weeklikse nuusbrief is so goed soos enige ander en beter as baie. Dit sal verwys na die voorkeurgebiede langs die Kaapse Skiereiland, insluitend die westekant van Valsbaai. Vir inligting aan die oostekant van Valsbaai, kan u Indigo Divers bel.
Die mariene ekologie
Die biostreke
Kaappunt aan die punt van die Kaapse Skiereiland word beskou as die grens tussen twee van die vyf seestrandgebiede in Suid-Afrika. Ten weste van Kaappunt is die koel tot koue gematigde Suidwestelike Kaapse biostreek, en in die ooste is die warmer gematigde Agulhas-binnestreek. Die Kaapse pouse word beskou as 'n relatief duidelike verandering in die biostreek, en dit kan duidelik gesien word aan die verskil in die seelewe tussen die Atlantiese kus van die skiereiland en Valsbaai.
Die habitats
Vier hoofhabitats bestaan in die see in hierdie streek, wat onderskei word deur die aard van die substraat. Die substraat, of basismateriaal, is belangrik deurdat dit 'n basis bied waaraan 'n organisme homself kan veranker, wat baie belangrik is vir die organismes wat op 'n spesifieke plek moet bly. Rotsagtige oewers en riwwe bied 'n vaste vaste ondergrond vir die aanhegting van plante en diere. Sommige hiervan kan kelpwoude hê, wat die effek van golwe verminder en voedsel en skuiling bied vir 'n uitgebreide verskeidenheid organismes. Sandstrande en onderkante is 'n relatief onstabiele ondergrond en kan geen kelp of baie ander boontiese organismes anker nie. Uiteindelik is daar oop water, bokant die substraat en vry van die kelpwoud, waar die organismes moet dryf of swem. Gemengde habitatte word ook gereeld aangetref, wat 'n kombinasie is van die bogenoemde. Die habitats word in die volgende gedeeltes in meer besonderhede beskryf.
Klipperige oewers en riwwe
Die oorgrote meerderheid van die gewilde duikplekke in die plaaslike waters is op rotsagtige riwwe of gemengde rotsagtige en sanderige bodem, met 'n beduidende aantal wrakke, wat gelykstaande is aan rotsriwwe vir die klassifikasie van habitat, want in die algemeen is mariene organismes nie besonders die materiaal van die substraat as die tekstuur en sterkte geskik is en dit nie giftig is nie. Vir baie mariene organismes is die substraat 'n ander soort mariene organisme, en dit is algemeen dat verskeie lae saam bestaan. Voorbeelde hiervan is rooiaaspeule, wat gewoonlik bedek is met sponse, ascidians, bryozoans, anemone en buikpotiges, en perlemoen, wat gewoonlik bedek word deur soortgelyke seewiere as dié wat op die omliggende rotse voorkom, gewoonlik met 'n verskeidenheid ander organismes wat leef. op die seewier.
Die soort rots van die rif is van groot belang, want dit beïnvloed die verskeidenheid moontlikhede vir die plaaslike topografie, wat op sy beurt 'n invloed het op die verskeidenheid habitatte en dus op die verskeidenheid inwoners.
Granietriwwe het oor die algemeen 'n relatief gladde oppervlak in die sentimeter tot desimeterskaal, maar is dikwels op die meterskaal hoog opgemerk, sodat dit makrovariasies in habitat bied vanaf relatief horisontale boonste oppervlak, naby vertikale sye, tot oorhange, gate en tonnels, op 'n soortgelyke skaal as die rotse en uithoeke self. Daar is relatief min klein splete in vergelyking met die totale oppervlakte.
Sandsteen en ander sedimentêre gesteentes erodeer en verweer baie anders, en afhangende van die rigting van die dompel en die steilheid en die steilheid van die duik, kan dit riwwe produseer wat relatief plat tot baie hoog is en vol klein skeure is. Hierdie eienskappe kan onder verskillende hoeke van die kus- en golffronte wees. In sandsteenriwwe is daar baie minder klein holtes en deurdringings, maar baie diep maar lae byna horisontale skeure. In sommige gebiede is die rif hoofsaaklik gholfrond tot klein rotse. In hierdie geval is die tipe rots van min belang.
Die kuslyn in hierdie streek was aansienlik laer gedurende die jongste ystydperke, en die detailtopografie van die duikplekke is grotendeels gevorm gedurende die periode van blootstelling bo seespieël. As gevolg hiervan is die duikplekke meestal baie soortgelyk aan die naaste landskap bo seespieël.
Daar is opvallende uitsonderings waar die rots bokant en onder die water van 'n ander soort is. Dit is meestal in Valsbaai suid van Smitswinkelbaai, waar daar 'n sandsteenkus met granietriwwe is.
Kelpwoude
Kelpwoude is 'n variasie van rotsriwwe, aangesien die kelp 'n redelike sterk en stabiele ondergrond benodig wat bestand is teen die hoeveelheid herhaalde golwe wat die kelpplante sleep. Die Sea bamboes Ecklonia maxima groei in water wat vlak genoeg is om dit met sy gasgevulde pype na die oppervlak te laat strek, sodat die fronds 'n digte laag net onder die oppervlak vorm. Die korter kelp met splitwaaiers Laminaria pallida groei meestal op dieper riwwe, waar daar nie soveel kompetisie van die seebamboes is nie. Beide hierdie kelpspesies bied voedsel en skuiling vir 'n verskeidenheid ander organismes, veral die Sea bamboes, wat 'n basis is vir 'n wye verskeidenheid epifiete, wat weer voedsel en skuiling bied vir meer organismes.
Die Blaas-kelp Macrocysta angustifolia kan ook op 'n paar plekke gevind word, meestal naby Robbeneiland. Dit is een van die min plekke ter wêreld waar drie soorte kelp op dieselfde plek voorkom.
Sandstrande en onderkante (insluitende sjellie-, klippie- en gruisbodems)
Sanderige bodems lyk met die eerste oogopslag redelik dorre gebiede, aangesien hulle nie die stabiliteit het om baie van die skouspelagtige rifgebaseerde spesies te ondersteun nie, en die verskeidenheid groot organismes relatief laag is. Die sand word voortdurend beweeg deur golfaksie, in 'n mindere of meerdere mate afhangende van die weerstoestande en blootstelling van die gebied. Dit beteken dat sitbare organismes spesifiek aangepas moet word by gebiede met relatief los substraat om daarin te floreer, en die verskeidenheid spesies wat op 'n sanderige of gruisbodem voorkom, sal van al hierdie faktore afhang.
Om hierdie redes is sand- en gruisbodems gewoonlik nie gewild onder beginners en besoekers nie, wat gewoonlik aangetrokke is tot die meer skouspelagtige terreine, maar vir die duiker wat belangstel in die volle verskeidenheid van die mariene omgewing, kan dit 'n verfrissende en boeiende variasie bied. aangesien daar baie organismes is wat slegs op hierdie onderste soorte voorkom. Hulle kan meestal langs rifgebiede gevind word, maar daar is 'n paar plekke wat oorwegend sanderig is.
Sanderige bodems het 'n belangrike vergoeding vir hul onstabiliteit; diere kan in die sand ingrawe en binne die lae op en af beweeg, wat voedingsgeleenthede en beskerming teen roof kan bied. Ander spesies kan gate skep waarin hulle kan skuil, of kan voed deur water wat deur die tonnel getrek word, te filter of deur liggaamsdele wat by hierdie funksie aangepas is, in die water bokant die sand uit te brei.
Rooi getye
Aan die weskus van die skiereiland en in 'n mindere mate aan die oostekant van Valsbaai, kan die suidoostelike winde die diep, koue, voedingsryke waters laat opwaai. Dit gebeur gewoonlik in die somer wanneer hierdie winde die sterkste is, en dit, in kombinasie met die intense somerlig, bied toestande wat die vinnige groei van fitoplankton bevorder. As die opwaartse gevolg word deur 'n periode van ligte wind of aanlandige winde, kan sommige soorte fitoplankton so dig blom dat hulle die water inkleur, veral 'n rooierige of bruinerige kleur, wat bekend staan as 'n rooi gety.
Afhangend van die betrokke spesie, kan hierdie rooigety om verskeie redes massa-vrektes vir seediere veroorsaak. In sommige gevalle kan die organismes al die beskikbare voedingstowwe verbruik en dan sterf, wat rottende reste agterlaat wat die water van suurstof uitput, wat die dierelewe versmoor, terwyl ander bloot so dig kan word dat hulle die kieue van seediere verstop, met 'n soortgelyke effek. 'N Derde groep is van nature giftig, en dit kan veral problematies wees, aangesien sommige filtervoedingsoorte immuun is vir die gifstowwe, maar dit in hul weefsels ophoop en dan giftig sal wees vir mense wat dit mag eet.
Rooigetye het ook 'n meer direkte effek op duikomstandighede om die sigbaarheid te verminder. Die vermindering van die sigbaarheid kan wissel van 'n ligte effek in die oppervlaklae tot 'n ernstige verminderde sig tot aansienlike diepte.
Rooigetye is miskien klein en gelokaliseerd en duur gewoonlik 'n paar dae, maar dit is in uiterste gevalle bekend dat dit van Doringbaai tot Kaap Agulhas, enkele honderde kilometers na beide kante van Kaapstad strek, en dit neem weke om uitmekaar te gaan (Maart 2005).
Toerusting
Standaard toerusting
Die meeste duikplekke in hierdie streek is relatief vlak en kan op die lug gedoen word met gewone duikuitrusting, wat insluit:
- 'N Volledige natpak van minstens 5 mm dikte, kap, stewels en handskoene.
- 'N Silinder met tuig, reguleerder en dompelpomp.
- 'N Dryfkompensatorstoestel (BCD).
- Masker en snorkel.
- Vinne.
- 'N Afbreekbare gewigstelsel wat korrek gekalibreer is vir die res van die toerusting.
- 'N Duikrekenaar of 'n dieptemeter en timer met dekompressietabelle en duikplan.
Hierby kan u voeg:
- Enige verdere toerusting wat u of u sertifiseringsagentskap verpligtend mag ag, soos 'n sekondêre reguleerder, 'n laedruk BCD-opblaas, mes, ens.
- Enige toerusting wat u persoonlik verkies, soos kamera, seintoestel, polsblad, droë pak, katrol- en oppervlakmerkerboei, alternatiewe gastoevoer, kompas, ens.
Aanbevelings
- As u vinne volle voetsakke het (geslote hak) en u natpakstewels sagte voetsole het, kan dit nodig wees om skoene te dra om by die duikplek by die ingangspunt te kom. Oop hakvinne en stewige stewels word aanbeveel vir die meeste duike in hierdie streek, want die grond is geneig om rof te wees en skoene is dalk nog nie waar u dit gelaat het as u terugkeer van die duik nie.
- 'N Standaard oppervlakmerkerboei word nie aanbeveel as daar groot kelpgroei is nie, want dit sal gereeld vassteek en eindelose ergernis bied. 'N Ontplooibare of' vertraagde 'oppervlakmerker is beter op sulke plekke en is altyd 'n goeie ding om op 'n bootduik te dra.
- Om een van die bogenoemde items uit te laat, is op eie risiko. Daar is duikers wat nie kappies, of handskoene of stewels dra nie, of voel dat 'n snorkel of BC nie nodig is nie, of dat hulle in 'n 3 mm-pak kan duik. Try this on an easy dive first, where you can get out quickly. It may work for you – there are divers who manage in each of these cases, but you have been warned.
Additional equipment
For each dive site there may be additional or alternative equipment required or recommended, which may improve the dive experience or improve safety at that site. The most commonly recommended items are:
- Compass
- Dry suit
- Light
- Nitrox
- Reel with DSMB
Use of a compass is recommended wherever it may be desirable to swim back to shore below the surface to avoid wind or boat traffic, or to keep below the kelp fronds. It is required for the compass navigation routes.
A dry suit is recommended for most dives on the Atlantic seaboard, or in general if the dive is deeper than about 20 m and the water is colder than 13°C. An appropriate undergarment is required for the dry suit, at this is what provides the insulation. With a suitable combination it is possible to enjoy an hour's dive in comfort at a water temperature of 8°C, when most of the divers in 7-mm wetsuits are cold after 30 minutes. If your face and head are particularly sensitive to cold, a full-face mask will keep your face warm.
Recommendations for a light are for daytime dives, as lights are considered standard equipment on night dives. Backup lights should be carried on night dives from a boat. Underwater flashers may not be well received by the other divers as they are extremely annoying. If you feel you must use one, warn the others and stay away from those divers who do not wish to have a light continually flashing in their peripheral vision and distracting them. A strobe which may be switched on in an emergency is another matter entirely, and is accepted as a valuable safety aid.
The equipment recommendations are for divers who are competent to use those items, and if you are not, you should consider whether your competence is sufficient to dive the site without this equipment.
No recommendations are made regarding equipment for wreck penetration dives and deep dives. If you do not know exactly what equipment is required and have it with you, or are not competent in its use, you should not do the penetration. Depth, wrecks and caves are nature’s tools for culling reckless divers.
Recommendations for gas mixtures are generic. You must choose the appropriate mixture based on your qualifications, competence and the dive plan. Nitrox mixtures are generally recommended to increase dive time without obligatory decompression stops, and Trimix to reduce narcotic effects. Nitrox is available from many of the dive shops, and charter operators will usually provide cylinders filled with the blend of your choice if given sufficient notice. Trimix is more difficult to arrange, as not many filling stations keep Helium in stock, so it may require a bit of shopping around.
Decompression dives should generally only be planned by divers who are familiar with the site, and are competent and properly equipped for the planned dive. Recommendations in this regard are outside the scope of this article, and it will be necessary to discuss any planned decompression dives well in advance with the dive operator, as only a few of them are competent and willing to support planned decompression dives, and those will usually require strong evidence of your competence to do the dive, and advance notice of your dive plan.
Exotic equipment
Diving equipment other than open circuit back mounted scuba with half mask and mouth-grip demand valve is considered to be exotic for this section.This would include surface supplied breathing apparatus and full face masks, used as standard equipment by commercial divers, and rebreathers, seldom used by commercial divers, but frequently used by military divers and gaining popularity with Technical recreational divers.
Also considered as exotic equipment is side-mount scuba and diver propulsion vehicles (scooters), as they are not used by many recreational divers.
Generally speaking, any use of surface supplied diving equipment will require special preparation and logistics, which are not available from the listed service providers, but are perfectly legal for use and technical support is available from the suppliers to the commercial diving industry in Cape Town.
Rebreathers are relatively uncommon, but are used by a few local aficionados, and sorb is available over the counter at a few suppliers. There is even one charter boat which regularly runs dives for mainly rebreather divers. Expect to be checked out for skills and certification before being allowed to join these dives, so it would be advisable to make prior arrangements. Technical support is available for a limited range and parts will usually only be available from overseas agencies. Most of the local dive sites do not really justify the expense and relative risk of rebreathers, and they are mostly used by divers who also use them in other places where they are more of an advantage, and by those who just enjoy the technology. They are not available for rental, except in some cases as part of a training package.
Full-face masks will not be a problem, provided you can show your ability to provide buddy support if diving with a partner (some charters will insist that you dive with a buddy). Technical support and parts are available from local agencies for most of the more popular models used for commercial and technical diving, but you may have to wait some time if parts are not in stock. The use of a full-face mask can be a particular advantage when the water is cold, and if you have one and prefer to use it, by all means bring it to Cape Town.
Side mount scuba is relatively uncommon in Cape Town, but there should be no problems if you chose to use it. Do not expect boat crews to know how to help you kit up, but they will probably respond well to explanations. There is a growing number of local side-mount aficionados, including several instructors for side-mount.
Diver propulsion vehicles (scooters) are rare but not unknown. Check with the charter boat whether will be space on board for your unit, and don't expect to find one for rental.
Decompression and bailout sets are not considered exotic, but are not easily available for rental. Bring your own, or ask around. Some of the service providers carry a small range of cylinders suitable for sling mount, but may not have the gas mixture you want in stock. Almost all the local divers that carry decompression or bailout cylinders routinely have their own equipment
Duikplekke
The dive sites described in these articles include some which are well known favourites and have been dived frequently and by many divers for decades, and also newly described sites, which may only have been dived a few times, and by a few divers. There are also sites which have been known for years, but seldom dived due to their relative inaccessibility, and a few which are basically not particularly interesting, but have been included in the interests of completeness, as the information is available, and occasionally people want to know what they are like. With a few exceptions, the information provided is based on personal observation at the sites by Wikivoyagers. All photos of marine life and features of interest were taken at the listed site.
Geographical information is provided in as much detail as is available. Sites are geolinked, which allows them to be identified on various internet map systems. Positional accuracy is usually good. The maps provided should be usable, to scale, and accurate, but are not guaranteed either to be correct in all details or complete. Clicking on the thumbnail will open a link to a higher resolution image.
Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula
Introduction and some tips on diving the Atlantic coast.
This coastline from Table Bay to Cape Point is exposed to the south westerly swells generated by the cold fronts of the Southern Ocean. The continental shelf is narrow in this part of the coast and swells are not greatly influenced by the narrow band of shallow water, so they retain most of their deep-water energy. These swells pound this coast most of the winter, and to a lesser extent in summer, so diving in this region is mostly a summer activity, and the frontal weather patterns far to the south are more important than local weather for swell prediction.
North westerly winds are a feature of the approach of a cold front, and in winter they can be very strong for a few days before swinging to southwesterly as the front passes. These north westerly winter storms were responsible for many shipwrecks in Table Bay and other parts of the west coast, and the associated wind waves can be severe. However the fetch is short and these onshore wind waves do not last long after the storm. They do mess up the visibility though, and this effect lasts for some time after the waves have dissipated.
The south easterly winds are longshore to offshore in this area and tend to knock the swell down a bit. They also cause an offshore displacement of the surface water, which results in deeper water rising to take its place. This upwelling brings colder, initially cleaner water to the inshore areas, and can produce conditions of 20 m visibility and temperatures down to 8°C, though more usually 10° to 12°C. The diving is wonderful if you are sufficiently insulated. Out of the water, however, it is commonly fine and hot, with blazing sunshine high ultraviolet levels and air temperatures in the high 20 and 30° Celsius. This means you will be overheating until you get in the water, hence the comment that summer diving in Cape Town is one easy step from hyperthermia to hypothermia.
There is no escaping the need for a well-fitting, thick (preferably 7 mm), wet suit or a dry suit with an adequate undergarment for these conditions if you intend to stay for more than a few minutes. Carrying a bottle of water with your equipment to wet the outside of your suit before or after putting it on will help keep the temperature down due to evaporative cooling, specially on a windy day. Overheating after leaving the water is seldom a problem. The alternative option of kitting up at the water’s edge requires a shore party to look after your clothes, etc., while you dive, so it has become less common. Do not leave equipment unattended if you wish to see it again.
An upwelling is frequently followed by a plankton bloom, often called a red tide. This will reduce visibility considerably, particularly near the surface. Often the water will be much clearer below the surface layer, though the light levels may be a bit dim and the colour relatively green, or even brownish. The phytoplankton will bloom while the sun shines, so it is much more developed in summer.
The south-easter is an offshore wind at some sites, and besides its influence on temperature and visibility, it also affects the swim back to shore after the dive. The south-easter can appear seemingly out of nowhere on a previously cloudless and windless day, and build up to near gale force in the time you are underwater on a dive, though it is usually predictable, so take note of weather forecasts, and in any case, allow sufficient reserve air to swim back a few metres below the surface. A compass is extremely useful if you do this as it allows you to swim shallower, which is good for air consumption, decompression and warmth. A depth of 3 to 5 m is recommended for a long swim home. The strong south-easter in these cases produces a short, steep wind chop with white-caps which does not penetrate to any significant depth, but the constant slapping of waves and the spray in the air can make snorkelling unpleasant and difficult. There may also be a shallow offshore wind drift (surface current), but this takes some time to develop and gets rapidly weaker with depth and is not usually a problem below about a metre depth inshore. Further offshore the wind induced current can take you several hundred metres during a decompression stop, at a rate of about 0.5 to 1 kph.
When boat diving a deployable surface marker buoy (DSMB) is useful to both facilitate controlled ascent and accurate decompression or safety stop depth, and as a signal to the boat that you are on your way up. In strong wind conditions it will also improve your visibility on the surface, specially if your equipment is all black, so it is worth carrying even if only as a signalling device. Bright yellow has been shown to be best for all round visibility at sea, but orange and red are fairly good too.
Robben Island
These sites are all boat dives. There is no other practical way to get to them, as they are all several kilometres from the mainland across major shipping lanes.The waters around Robben Island were proclaimed a Marine Protected Area in 2019, so a permit is required to dive there. The boat operator will have to have a permit for the restricted area. Details of how this will be done are not yet known.
Local geography:Robben Island is a low, rocky shored island in the mouth of Table Bay. The island and surrounding reefs are rock of the Tygerberg series of the late Precambrian Malmesbury group. These are folded sedimentary rocks, frequently with very steep dip, which often weather to form rather jagged outcrops.
The sites include:
- 1 MV Treasure: S33°40.45' E018°19.95' (approximate)
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Depth: 30 to 50 m
- On 23 June 2000 the damaged Panamanian registered bulk ore carrier sank off the coast of South Africa approximately 7 nautical miles north of Robben Island.
- The vessel lies upright on a fairly level bottom at about 50 m depth. The superstructure was removed shortly after the sinking by sawing it off at about 30 m depth with a cable towed by tugs as it was a hazard to shipping.
- 2 Robben Island steamer wreck: S33°49.886', E018°21.524' (approximate centre of wreckage)
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Depth: 30 to 36 m
- Unidentified wreck of a steel steamship about 48 m long in reasonable structural condition.
- 3 MV Afrikaner: S33°50.012' E018°20.686'
- Boat access only. Deep wreck dive. Depth 43 to 50 m
- The 61 m fishing vessel struck Whale Rock in 1993 and sank while being towed away from the rock.
- 4 Whale Rock: S33°50.112' E018°22.858'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: Mostly less than 10 m
- A large shoal area of rocky reef, usually with a break over the pinnacle, which is the last resting place of a few ships.
- 5 SS Hypatia: S33°50.10’ E018°22.90’ (Turner 1988)
- Wreck and reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: Shallow, maximum probably about 15 m
- British Houston Line steamer of 5 728 tons, built in 1902. Wrecked on Whale Rock in Table Bay on 29 October 1929 in fog while on a voyage from Beira to New York with a cargo of blister copper and chrome ore.
- 6 MV Daeyang Family: S33°50.388' E18°23.133
- Wreck and reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 15 m
- A large Korean ore carrier which was wrecked on Whale Rock on 1 March 1986 when anchors dragged in heavy weather. The wreckage lies at a depth of about 15:nbsp;m
Table Bay
- 7 MV Winton: S33°52.1514' E18°29.1828 (Engine block)
- Wreck dive. Boat access, though shore access is feasible. Close to surf line. Maximum depth about 6 m.
- Wreck of a small steel freighter on a flat sand bottom.
- 8 MV Gemsbok: S33°53.0' E018°20.5'
- Boat access only. Deep wreck dive. Depth about 57 m on the sand.
- The 50 m 313 tonne buoy tender MV Gemsbok capsized and sank about 4 km from Green Point Lighthouse on 2 Seprember 1975 while transferring an anchor chain of a cargo vessel. The chain snagged and the weight of the chain caused the vessel to capsize and sink within minutes. The wreck lies on its starboard side.
- 9 Highfields: S33°53.13’ E018°25.83’ (Bow)
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Close to major shipping lane at harbour mouth. Maximum depth 24 m.
- Wreck of a steel barque which sank after a collision in 1902.
- 10 SS Cape Matapan: S33°53.233' E018°24.533' About a kilometer north of Granger Bay harbour
- Wreck and reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth 25 m. The wreck is close to the shipping lane and there are no landmarks nearby.
- Wreck of a steel fishing boat which was sunk in a collision in 1960 in heavy fog.
- 11 RMS Athens: S33°53.85’ E018°24.57’
- Wreck and reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth about 7 m
- Union Company iron steam screw barque of 739 tons, built in 1856. Wrecked between Mouille Point and Green Point on 17 May 1865 during a north-west gale while trying to steam out of Table Bay. The site can be identified by the remains of the engine-block, which is visible above the water.
- 12 SS SA Seafarer: S33°53.80’ E018°23.80’
- Wreck and reef dive. Boat access recommended. Depth: Fairly shallow. Mostly between 5 and 9 m.
- The 8000-ton Safmarine freighter SS South African Seafarer was wrecked in a north westerly gale on 1 July 1966, and lies in front of the Green Point lighthouse.
- 13 Two Oceans Aquarium: S33°54.476’ E018°25.074’
- Shore access only. Confined water. Maximum depth 6 m
- Visitors may dive in the Predator tank, which is a large oval tank, or the Kelp Forest tank, which is roughly square. There are large windows, almost full height on one side, through which you can observe the other visitors watching you if you get bored with the fish.
Sea Point
Local Geography:There is a narrow coastal plain at the base of Signal Hill and Lion’s Head. The contact zone between the intrusive granites of the Skiereiland pluton and the sedimentary greywackes and shales of the Tygerberg formation of the Malmesbury series is in this area.The northern sites are on the Tygerberg rocks, which are steeply dipped and form parallel ridges and gullies, while Bantry Bay is on the granite, and has the characteristic corestone topography of rounded boulders and outcrops with sand bottom in deeper areas.
The sites include:
- 14 Drie Ankerbaai: S33°54.36’ E018°23.85’
- Reef dive. Shore access. Depth: Shallow
- A small sand bottomed bay with reef to both sides. Easy access.
- 15 Seepunt Ridge Pinnacles: S33°54.905' E018°21.421'
- Reef dive. Boat access. Depth: 17 to 27 m
- An isolated pair of corestone pinnacles on a low granite ridge.
- 16 Bantrybaai: S33°55.56’ E018°22.65’
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access Depth: Less than 10 m
- This little bay is at the southern end of Sea Point, towards Clifton.
Clifton
Clifton Rocks is generally considered a shore dive, but the Paws are quite a distance offshore and are only dived from boats. Parking in Clifton is often a problem, particularly in the kind of weather in which you may wish to go diving. Weekdays will be better and early morning will help. The offshore dives avoid this problem by using boats from Oceana Power Boat Club slipway, which has its own parking problems, though not quite as serious.
Local geography:The suburb of Clifton is built on the rather steep slopes of the base of Lion’s Head above Clifton Bay. There are four beaches in the bay which are famous for white sand, shelter from the south easter and cold water. North Paw is offshore of the headland to the north, and South Paw is offshore from Clifton Rocks, on the south headland. Access to the area by road is from Sea Point to the north and Camps Bay to the south.
The reefs of Clifton are granite corestones of the Skiereiland pluton. In this area the granite base of the mountain extends to approximately the height of Signal Hill, and is capped by sandstones of the Graafwater and Table Mountain formations. Occasional rounded granite outcrops can be seen on the mountainside, which is mostly deeply weathered granitic saprolite, with some sandstone scree.
The sites include:
- North Lion’s Paw: S33°55.854’ E018°21.849’ (Exposed Rock)
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: 15 to 23 m.
- A spectacular site in good conditions. A popular part of the site is the cave rock, which is slightly offshore from the exposed rocks.
- 17 North Lion's Paw Northern Pinnacles
- 18 North Lion's Paw Monty's Pinnacles
- 19 North Lion's Paw Eastern Pinnacle
- 20 North Lion's Paw Barry's Pinnacles
- 21 North Lion's Paw Cave Rock
- 22 North Lion's Paw Main Reef
- 23 South Lion's Paw: S33°56.308’ E018°21.890’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 20 m.
- An extensive reef of granite corestones marked by the large outcrop which extends above the water.
- 24 Clifton Rocks: S33°56.346’ E018°22.222’
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth about 14 m.
- A large area of granite corestones, bounded to the north by sand bottom. The reef extends to seaward from the shoreline at the point.
- 25 Cleeve se tonnel: S33°56.540' E018°21.894'
- Reef dive. Boat access. Maximum depth about 20 m.
- A large corestone pinnacle with a long low tunnel
Camps Bay
Local geography:Camps Bay is in the corner made by Lion’s Head and Table Mountain. Access is over Kloof Nek from the city bowl, and round the coast from Sea Point via Clifton to the north, and from Hout Bay via Oudekraal to the south
The reefs of this area are like those of Clifton.
The sites include:
- 26 Bakoven Rock: S33°57.555’ E018°22.204’
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth 17 m.
- This site is generally considered a shore dive. Parking is limited so it is most conveniently dived during the working week when there is less competition for space, otherwise get there early.
Oudekraal
This area includes some of the best and most popular shore dive sites on the Atlantic seaboard. Most can also be dived from a boat, and this is of particular importance to divers with restricted mobility on shore, as there is generally a rugged bit of coast to negotiate and in some cases a long climb. There is also a moderate to long swim at some of the sites, and at some states of the tide, heavy kelp inshore.
Local geography:The coastline at the base of the Twelve Apostles range just south of Table Mountain is steep, and south of Camps Bay, virtually undeveloped. Fortunately for divers, the coastal road is not far above sea level in the north of this area, and though there are not many off-road parking areas, the road is wide enough to park along the side.
This is an area of pale grey Skiereiland Granite corestone outcrops and boulders with some Table Mountain Sandstone boulders which have rolled down the mountainside to the water’s edge. The mountainside below the sandstone cliffs is deeply weathered granite saprolite with occasional corestone outcrops. The cuttings at the roadside display the granular yellow-brown saprolite with a thin soil covering. The underwater topography is almost entirely corestones exposed by erosion, surrounded by samd, and is a continuation of the granite boulders and outcrops at the water’s edge.
North Oudekraal
The sites include:
- 27 Dreadlocks rif: S33°58'22.05" S18°21'42.59"
- Reef dive. Boat access. Depth: 1.5 to 20 m.
- A relatively new site. First survey 30th January 2010. This granite ridge peaks about 1.5m from the surface at low tide, but the tip is small and seldom breaks. Bottom on low granite at about 20m. Colourful and diverse invertebrate cover, and notable for the relatively large colonies of Dreadlock hydroids.
- 28 Geldkis Blinder: S33°58.67’ E018°21.62’
- Reef dive. Boat or shore access. Maximum depth about 20 m.
- A relatively infrequently dived site. The highest rock on the reef is a blinder beyond Geldkis rock which occasionally breaks the surface at low tide. Huge boulders and outcrops, and a few swimthroughs.
- 29 Aardbeentjies: S33°58.725’ E018°21.658’ (approximate)
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth about 15 m.
- The two smaller rocks to the north of Geldkis rock. Several small caverns and swimthroughs.
- 30 Geldkis: S33°58.73’ E018°21.61’
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth about 15 m.
- A large group of rocks with lots of overhangs, swimthroughs and chimneys. The Dutch East Indiaman Het huys te Craijestein was wrecked on the rocks in the bay at Oudekraal on 27 May 1698 in thick mist. Three chests of treasure disappeared and the name "Geldkis" (money-chest) appears on maps of the area and is now applied to the offshore rocks.
- 31 Boardroom: S33°58.761’ E018°21.151’
- Reef dive. Boat access, though possible from shore. Maximum depth about 21 m near the pinnacle, but deeper water nearby. about 10 m on top.
- A very large boulder with a large swimthrough cave and a large overhang in an area of high profile boulder reef.
- 32 Het Huis te Kraaiestein: S33°58.85’ E018°21.65’
- Wreck and reef dive. Shore access. Maximum depth 10 m.
- Remnants of the Dutch East Indiaman Het Huis te Kraaiestein of 1,154 tons, which was wrecked in the bay at Oudekraal on 27 May 1698 in thick mist while trying to find the way into Table Bay. Some cannon, anchors and a few baulks of timber are all that are usually visible above the sand.
- 33 Sampioen-toppunt: S33°58.781’ E018°21.521’
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth 17 m.
- A submerged granite tor (stacked group of large corestones) between Geldkis and Justin’s Caves. The pinnacle is surrounded by lower outcrops separated by sandy gullies.
- 34 Sandy Cove: S33°58.90’ E018°21.65’
- Reef dive. Confined waters. Shore access. Maximum depth 4 m
- A shallow sheltered cove at Oudekraal, suitable for open water training exercises, refresher courses and testing equipment when you don’t need depth. Entry area for several other sites.
- 35 Justin's Caves: S33°58.85’ E018°21.50’
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth about 13 m.
- A group of big granite corestone outcrops and boulders with several swimthroughs, overhangs, caves and deep narrow gaps between the rocks. Spectacular in good visibility, colourful reef life.
Central Oudekraal
The sites include:
- 36 Antipolis: S33°59.06’ E018°21.37’ (Bow section)
- Wreck and reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth about 10 m.
- The tankers "Romelia" and "Antipolis" were under tow on 28 July 1977 during a north westerly gale when the tow cable to the "Antipolis" snagged on the sea bed. In the ensuing confusion the cables broke and the two ships were driven aground by the wind. The "Antipolis" ran aground at Oudekraal and was later cut down to water level.
- 37 Klein Pannekoek: S33°58.91’ E018°21.09’
- Reef dive. Boat or shore access. Maximum depth about 15 m.
- A group of large fairly low and flat rocks visible offshore to the west of the "Antipolis" and north of Coral Gardens.
South Oudekraal
The sites include:
- 38 Groot Pannekoek: S33°59.13’ E018°20.75’
- Reef dive. Boat or shore access. Maximum depth about 15 m
- A large flattish outcrop of granite, which extends a short way above the sea level at all tides. Some overhangs, crevices and small caves.
- Koraal tuine (Oudekraal): S33°59.270' E018°20.782' (The pinnacles)
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth 17 m
- A spectacular dive in good conditions. Huge granite boulders in groups with open patches between them. There are overhangs, small caverns, a few swimthroughs, and many deep gaps and crevices. Extensively covered in colourful reef life. Possibly the best shore dive on the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula on a good day.
- 39 Koraal tuine
- 40 Coral Gardens Offshore Pinnacle
Llandudno
These sites can be accessed from the shore or by boat. Parking is limited, but the area is reasonably secure. Some walking is required, but no serious climbing as the parking is near the sea level.
Local geography:The small residential suburb of Llandudno is built on the moderately steep slopes of the Cape Peninsula below the peak of Klein-Leeukop, where the coast road (M6 – Victoria Drive) from Camps Bay crosses over the neck to Hout Bay. There is only one way into Llandudno by road, which is from the M6 near the top of the pass.This is an area of granite corestone reefs with sand bottom.
The sites include:
- 41 13de Apostel: S33°59.486' E18°19.922'
- Reef dive. Boat access. Depth: 10 to 24 m.
- A large granite pinnacle on an area of low granite reef with occasional sand patches.
- 42 Llandudno Reef: S34°00.037' E18°19.897'
- Reef dive. Boat access. Depth: 10 to about 30 m, on sand
- An unsurveyed granite reef, with several pinnacles, outcrops and gullies.
- 43 Logiesbaai: S34°00.25’ E018°20.53’
- Reef dive. Shore access. Maximum depth probably about 10 m.
- A small rocky cove to the north of Llandudno beach.
- 44 MV Romelia: S34°00.700’ E018°19.860’ approximately
- Wreck and reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 24 m.
- The tankers Romelia en Antipolis were under tow on 28 July 1977 during a north westerly gale when the tow cable to the Antipolis snagged on the sea bed. In the ensuing confusion the cables broke and the two ships were driven aground by the wind. Die Romelia ran aground at Sunset Rocks, Llandudno, where its back was broken by the heavy surf and the ship split in two. Later the bow section sank, leaving the stern mostly above sea level on the rocks. Over the years the stern section has also broken up and is no longer visible above the water.
Oude Schip headland
Local geography:Oude Schip headland lies at the foot of the Karbonkelberg between Sandy Bay to the north and Leeugat to the south, It is a low rocky headland of Peninsula granite, with several reef dives and one known wreck. It is a fairly exposed section of coast but protected from the south easterly winds by the mountain. The sites are only accessible by boat as there is no road access to this part of the shore, and most are too far offshore to safely swim.
This is an area of granite bedrock of the Skiereiland pluton, The reefs are exposed corestone outcrops and boulders, with sand patches in the deeper areas
The sites include:
- 45 Steps: S34°01.330’ E018°18.600’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 20 m.
- An area of high granite reef with deep gullies. Not actually in Leeugat, but just north of Oude Schip headland.
- 46 MV Harvest Capella: S34°01.600’ E018°18.750’
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 15 m.
- An area of mostly flattish granite reef with a few ridges and some wreckage of a steel motor fishing vessel, some of which has washed up onto the point and is visible from a distance. Not actually in Leeugat, but on the north shore of Oude Schip headland.
The Blue Flash Reefs
- 47 Rachel's Reef: S34°01.431' E018°18.151'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth between about 3 and 21 m.
- Rachel's Reef is a compact granite pinnacle with surrounding high profile reef.
- 48 Humpback Ridge: S34°01.548' E018°18.142'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth between about 4 and 21 m.
- A fairly massive granite pinnacle in the middle of a more extensive north-south ridge rising to about 12 m. Humpback whales have been seen near these reefs on several occasions.
- 49 Wilhelm's Wall: S34°01.502’ E018°17.931’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth between about 12 and 31 m.
- A granite ridge somewhat more than 50 m long with sheer faces to the north and south, a flattish bottomed gully to the south, and another, more broken ridge south of the gully. Colourful sessile invertebrates on the sides and seaweeds on top.
The Middelmas reefs:
- Hakka Reef (Middelmas): S34°01.747’ E018°18.328’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 21 m.
- 50 Die Middelmas is a rock that projects several metres above the water at all tides, to the west of the Oude Schip peninsula.
- 51 Hakka Reef Southeast pinnacles is off this rock.
- 52 Hakka Reef Sven's Caves pinnacles is nearby at a set of pinnacles near a sand patch.
- 53 Twin Towers: S34°01.920’ E018°18.330’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth about 20 m at the tops of the pinnacles to 34 m on the sand.
- A small but tall double-peaked granite pinnacle on a narrow base reef and surrounded by sand.
Leeugat (Maori Bay)
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Although several of the sites are quite close inshore, this area is in practice only accessible by boat, as the distance to the nearest parking is too far to carry dive gear (about 3 km as the crow flies, more on foot).
Local geography:Leeugat, also known to divers as Maori Bay, lies at the foot of the Karbonkelberg, between the northern headland of Oude Schip, and Duikerpunt to the south. It is a small bay, but fairly deep close inshore, which in combination with the partial barrier afforded by the reefs at the headlands, has provided the wrecks in Leeugat bay with better protection from wave action than those on more exposed parts of the coastline. This means that not only have they lasted well for their ages, but conditions are suitable for diving more often than for many other wrecks on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula.
This is an area of granite bedrock of the Skiereiland pluton, The reefs are exposed corestone outcrops and boulders, with sand patches in the deeper areas
The sites include:
- 54 MV Keryavor and the Jo May: S34°02.037’ E018°18.636’
- Wreck and reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: Not available, probably between 25 and 30 m.
- These two wrecks lie next to each other approximately between the Maori en die Gelderland. Die Jo May sank first and not much of her wooden structure remains. Die Ker Yar Vor was a steel lobster fishing vessel and several chunks of hull structure and twisted sections of plating remain.
- 55 SS Maori: S34°02.062’ E018°18.793’ (Machinery)
- Wreck and reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: 6 to 21 m
- Die SS Maori was a typical British steam cargo vessel of the early 1890s. The ship was wrecked in the bay between Oude Schip and Duikerpunt on 5 August 1909 in thick fog and drizzle while on a voyage from London to New Zealand.
- 56 SAS Gelderland: S34°02.070’ E018°18.180’
- Wreck and reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: 30 to 35 m
- The Ford class Seaward Defense Boat SAS Gelderland was scuttled on 21s ecember 1988, north west of Duiker Point, as demolition trials.
- The vessel was about 40 m long but the main part of the wreckage is now only about 20 m long as the bow and stern sections were blown right off.
- Plan B pinnacle is just to the south of the southernmost wreckage.
- 57 SS Oakburn / MV Bos 400: S34°02.216’ E018°18.573’
- Wreck and reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: Maximum 22 m
- The "Oakburn", a British cargo steamer of 3865 tons, was wrecked on the north side of Duikerpunt in fog on 21 May 1906, on a voyage from New York to Sydney. The Oakburn has pretty much fallen apart, and on 27 June 1994, the French pipe-laying crane barge Bos 400, broke its towline and stranded virtually on top of the older wreck. The Bos has started to break up, and two large sections have collapsed into the sea, though the main crane section is still firmly stuck on top of the rocks.
Outer Hout Bay
This area includes the dive sites between Duiker Point and Duiker Island and the extensive reefs to the south as far as Vulcan Rock and Tafelberg Reef. All of these are only accessible by boat. There are a number of sites being explored in this area: the reefs between Kanobi’s wall and Stonehenge, and a wreck of a lifeboat which was used to salvage materials from the Boss 400 and which lies between Stonehenge and Duiker Island are among these. There are several unexplored pinnacles in the region identified on the SAN charts as bakleiplaas, where the sea is often very lumpy due to the influence of the underwater topography on the swell.
Local geography:The suburb of Hout Bay lies in the valley between the Constantiaberg to the east and the peninsula formed by Karbonkelberg and its lesser peaks to the west. One of these peaks, the Sentinel, gives its name to a dive site at its foot. At the mouth of the valley is the business area of Hout Bay, with its small commercial fishing harbour and marina, and a public slipway used by dive charters and private dive boats for access to most of the southern peninsula dive sites on the Atlantic coast. The slipway is in good condition, wide and accessible, and has a large parking area, which on occasions can be crowded due to heavy use by commercial fishing skiboats.
The bedrock of this area is granite of the Skiereiland pluton, and most of the sites are on corestone reefs of this rock.
The sites include:
Duiker Point sites:
- 58 Die Perd: S34°02.282’ E18°18.324’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: Not available, maximum probably about 20 m
- This rock off Duiker Point extends above the water and is surrounded by rugged reefs of high outcrops and deep gullies.
- 59 Kanobi’s Wall: S34°02.365’ E018°18.138’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 25 m.
- This blinder off Duiker Point is a good site with rugged topography, good biodiversity and large depth variation. Huge boulders are stacked, with tunnels, overhangs and caves of various sizes, and lots of vertical walls, some probably 10 m or more in height.
- 60 SURG Pinnacles: S34°02.375' E018°18.015'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 9 to over 30 m.
- A group of steep granite corestone pinnacles, probably mostly huge boulders, with walls, overhangs and a swimthrough. Deep narrow cracks divide the pinnacles. Spectacular topography, covered with lots of sea urchins and vast numbers of hairy brittlestars, a moderate variety of sponges, noble corals, gorgonians, and patches of cauliflower soft coral. Red bait and Laminaria on the tops of the pinnacles. Surge can be strong when a long swell is running.
- Star Wall: S34°02.466' E18°18.087' (pinnacle)
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: 6 to 32 m.
- This site has the tallest and longest wall known in the Cape Town area and is a dive site well worth visiting. A massive and continuous granite wall of about 25m almost vertical height, extending for a length of 100 m on the south face and 50 m on the south-east face. Very diverse and colourful invertebrate cover on the wall face. The sites are:
- 61 Star Wall
- 62 Star Wall - M&M Cave
- 63 Star Wall - Lollipop Pinnacle
- 64 Sunfish Pinnacle: S34°02.475' E18°18.290' (pinnacle)
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: 7 to 26 m.
- A fairly large pinnacle on a rocky bottom on the way to Duiker Point from Hout Bay harbour, which has been picked up quite frequently on the echo sounders of dive boats passing over it. It has now been dived, and to some extent mapped. The site is quite pretty and should make a pleasant alternative site. Topography is rugged, with high vertical walls on two sides of the pinnacle.
Stonehenge sites:
- 65 Canyon: S34°02.595’ E018°18.073’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 35 m.
- The area is named for a gully between rows of pinnacles. Big boulders and rock outcrops cover an extensive area.
- Stonehenge: S34°02.838’ E018°18.316’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 22 m.
- The area is named for a group of tall rocks which break the surface. Big boulders and rock outcrops cover an extensive area. High profile in the deeper areas, with swimthroughs, holes and overhangs. Heavy kelp in some areas. Included in this area, Stonehenge Blinder, a pinnacle that approaches the surface and breaks in a large swell or at low tide.
- 66 Stonehenge Dusky Pinnacles - Coral Pinnacle
- 67 Stonehenge North
- 68 A-340 Pinnacle
- 69 Stonehenge Central
- 70 Stonehenge South
- 71 Stonehenge Blinder
- 72 Stonehenge Wreck
Seal Island sites:
- 73 Seal Island (Duiker island): S34°03.458’ E018°19.562’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Diepte: vlak, meestal minder as 6 m.
- Die klein rotsagtige eilandjie wat op Dukaereiland op kaarte en kaarte aangedui is, het bekend geword as Seal Island vanweë die inwonende kolonie robbe wat 'n toeriste-aantreklikheid geword het. Dit moet nie verwar word met Seël-eiland in Valsbaai.
Vulcan Rock webwerwe:
- 74 Di’s Cracks: S34 ° 03.855 'E018 ° 18.400' - Groot 14m hoogtepunt - rotsblok bo-op rif. Sowat 300 m noordwes (328 ° magneties) van Vulcan Rock
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 10 tot 30 m.
- 'N Skouspelagtige duik as die sigbaarheid goed is. Baie mure en oorhange, swemgedeeltes en diep, wye skeure. Ryk ongewerwelde omslag. Goeie webwerf vir dramatiese groothoek skilderagtige fotografie.
- 75 Vulcan-rots: S34 ° 03.967 ’E018 ° 18.582’
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Die maksimum diepte is meer as 25 m naby die rots.
- Vulkaanrots is die hoogste punt van 'n groot granietrif en breek die oppervlak by sommige toestande van die gety. Dit is laag en plat bo-op. 'N Skouspelagtige duik as die sigbaarheid goed is.
Tafelberg-rifwebwerwe:
- 76 Tafelbergrif: S34 ° 04.22 'E018 ° 18.93'
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 8 tot 30 m.
- Uitgestrekte gebied van ruie granietplante met 'n hoë reliëf en sandbodem op ongeveer 29 m ten weste. Diep splete en slote. Nie veel oorhang nie, maar baie vertikale gesigte. Baie robuuste en skouspelagtige topografie met goeie sigbaarheid.
- 77 Klein Tafelberg Reef (Slaaibak, seiljagwrak): S34 ° 04.442 'E018 ° 19.191'
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 14 tot 36 m.
- Groot granietplante met groot rotse. Skuur bodem in dieper gebiede. Robuuste en skouspelagtige topografie. Die wrak van 'n GRP-jag lê in 'n inspringing aan die kant van die toppunt. Dit is moontlik om 'n 40 tot 45 m duik te begin vanaf die sand ten ooste van die rif, en teen die rif op te swem in 'n noordwestelike rigting, maar dit is waarskynlik dat dekompressie nodig is as u tot by die vlak toppunt.
- Tafelberg Diep:
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 40 m op die sand.
- Laag tot medium profiel graniet uithoeke, skuins op na die Tafelberg Deep Pinnacle suid van die toppunt by Klein Tafelberg Reef. Dit is moontlik om 'n duik van 50 m te doen en die rif op te swem, maar 'n mate van dekompressie is nodig.
- 78 Tafelberg Diep
- 79 Tafelberg Deep Pinnacle
Houtbaai
Hierdie gebied sluit die terreine tussen die Sentinel en Chapmans Peak in. Die meeste hiervan is bootduike. Die een uitsondering, Sentinel, kan sonder groot probleme per land verkry word, maar het 'n veiligheidsprobleem.
Die Sentinel is 'n tipiese gebied van granietkus, met 'n groot aantal rotse langs die oewer en koronriwwe met die gewone afgeronde profiele. Die wrakke van die Aster en Katsu Maru is op 'n plat sandbodem en die perseel by Die Josie is op relatief ongeweerde graniet aan die voet van die kranse van Lower Chapman's Peak
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- 80 Wagwag:
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Diepte: Meestal minder as 10 m.
- Dit is die plek aan die Atlantiese kus waar die diepte van 30 m die naaste aan die oewer is.
- Die Sentinel word deur sommige as die gebied onder die vertikale kranse beskou, en is 'n gebied met 'n plat rif met baie kelp- en doosjellievisse en 'n paar groot rotse.
- The Pinnacles is 'n groep rotse naby die oewer net buite die Houtbaai-hawe, naby die rioolwerke.
- 81 MV Aster: S34 ° 03.891 'E018 ° 20.955'
- Wrak duik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte 28 m.
- Die 340 ton, 27 m lange motorhengelvaartuig "Aster" was 'n Suid-Afrikaanse geregistreerde kreefvissersboot wat as duikvriendelike kunsrif voorberei is deur openinge in die struktuur skoon te maak en te sny en in Houtbaai naby die wrak van die "MV Katzu Maru" op 9 Augustus 1997. Dit is gebruik as 'n oefenplek vir die deurdringing van wrakke. Die vaartuig staan regop aan die onderkant en begin opbreek.
- 82 MV Katsu Maru: S34 ° 03.910 'E018 ° 20.942' (middel van die wrak)
- Wrak duik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 30 m.
- Die Japanse treiler "Katsu Maru # 25" het 'n ongeïdentifiseerde voorwerp op see getref en is aan die hawe se kant gesteek. Terwyl dit op sleep sleep na Houtbaai, het die vaartuig oorstroom en het dit op 7 Augustus 1978 in die baai gesink. Die wrak lê aan stuurboordkant op die sandbodem.
- 83 Die Josie: S34 ° 04.497 ’E018 ° 21.256’
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 7 tot 17 m.
- 'N Vlak rif onder Chapman's Peak, wat naby Houtbaai-hawe is en geskik is vir nagduike. Een van die min gebiede waar die graniet nie deur verwering afgerond is nie, soos gesien kan word aan die kranse bo die terrein.
Atlantiese Suid-skiereiland
Hierdie gebied sluit die hele skiereilandkus suid van Noordhoek in. Dit word nie gereeld vir ontspanningsdoeleindes geduik nie, want dit is ver van goeie lanseerplekke af en nie baie goeie duikplekke is bekend nie. Daar is verskeie wrakke in hierdie omgewing, veral by Albatross Rocks / Olifantsbospunt. Slegs enkele wrakke is positief geïdentifiseer.
Die webwerwe sluit in
- 84 SS Clan Monroe: S34 ° 08.817 'E18 ° 18.949'
- Wrak en rif duik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 4 tot 8 m.
- Verwoes 'n bietjie noord van die Slangkop-vuurtoring by Kommetjie. Baie selde duik. Vlak plat sandsteenrif, met wrakstukke bedek met koraalalge.
- SS Thomas T. Tucker:
- Wrak en rif duik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: vlak
- Hierdie skip was hoog op die rotse verwoes, en dele van die wrak is aan die oewer sigbaar. Die grootste deel van die wrak is in redelik vlak water.
- 85 Ster van Afrika:
- Wrak en rif duik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: ongeveer 27 m maksimum.
- 86 SS Bia: Boeggedeelte: S34 ° 16.140 'E018 ° 22.812' Hoofdeel: S34 ° 16.217 'E018 ° 22.638'
- Wrak en rif duik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 3 tot 8 m.
- 87 SS Umhlali: S34 ° 16.435 'E18 ° 22.487'
- Wrak en rif duik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 5 tot 8 m.
- 88 Albatross Rock: S34 ° 16.495 'E18 ° 22.197'
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: Waarskynlik minder as 15 m naby die rots.
- Suidwes-riwwe:
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: onseker.
- 'N Massiewe gebied van vlak rif- en kelpbeddings ten weste van die punt van die skiereiland. Dit is die spookhuis van speervissers en kreefvangers en is onontgin op scuba.
Valsbaai-kus van die Kaapse Skiereiland
Inleiding en 'n paar wenke oor die duik aan die Valsbaai-kus van die Kaapse Skiereiland (Simonstad se kant)
Anders as in die res van die streek, is die westekant van Valsbaai beskut teen die westelike westelike ooste, maar in ruil daarvoor neem die Suid-Paasfees kop. As gevolg hiervan word die streek gewoonlik in die winter geduik, wanneer die Suid-Paasfees selde lank of met groot krag waai.
Die winterfrontstorms oor die Suidelike Oseaan produseer deinings wat vertraag word deur die kontinentale plat en rondom die Kaapse Skiereiland gebreek en versprei word, sodat dit meestal parallel met die kuslyn voortplant, en baie van hul energie verloor het teen die tyd dat hulle inbuig na die oewer. Die onreëlmatige vorm van die kus hier beskerm ook sommige gebiede meer as ander. In die algemeen word die dele van die kus wat in 'n noordwestelike en suid-oostelike rigting loop beter beskerm teen die suidwestelike deining as die noordelike na die suidelike dele, dus die keuse van die duikplek hang af van die onlangse weerpatrone.
Gedurende die somermaande waartydens die Suid-Paasfees vaker, langer en oor die algemeen harder waai, is hierdie gebied nie gereeld deelbaar nie en is die sigbaarheid oor die algemeen swakker as in die winter, selfs al is die omstandighede anders geskik.
Die watertemperatuur gedurende die wintermaande in hierdie gebied is oor die algemeen warmer as die Atlantiese kus in die somer, wat 'n mate van vergoeding is vir die korter dagligure en dikwels koue en reënerige weer.
Die watertemperatuur kan wissel met die diepte. Daar is gewoonlik 'n termokline in die somer, en die sig kan onder die termokline aansienlik verander. Die oppervlak kan 18 of 19 ° C wees met 10 of 11 ° C aan die onderkant, maar die verskil is waarskynlik 5 ° C of minder. Toestande op diepte is nie maklik voorspelbaar nie en kan beter of slegter wees as naby die oppervlak. Daar kan 'n plankton blom in die oppervlaklae en 'n skielike verbetering van die sigbaarheid van 3 m of minder tot meer as 10 m in die koue bodemwater. Die diepte van die termokline is ook nie baie voorspelbaar nie, maar is bekend dat dit in die laat somer tussen 12 en 20 m is.
In die winter kan die water van bo na onder dieselfde temperatuur hê, en omdat die fitoplankton minder blom, kan die sigbaarheid en natuurlike beligting beter wees al is daar minder lig.
Tussen die koue en reënfronte is daar gereeld dae met min of geen wind, en ligte tot warm sonskyn, wanneer die water plat en helder is en die duik wonderlik is, en die groot aantal plekke moeilik is om te besluit waarheen daar is soveel keuse. Dit is 'n moeilike lewe hier aan die einde van Afrika, maar iemand moet dit doen.
Die temperatuur van die water gedurende die winter is gewoonlik tussen 13 ° C en 17 ° C, hoewel dit bekend is dat dit so laag as 11 ° C daal, daarom is 'n goeie pak ook hier nodig. In die somer kan die temperatuur bo 20 ° C styg, maar dit is meer waarskynlik dat dit tussen 17 ° C en 19 ° C is.
Die meeste strandduike is relatief vlak, in die orde van maksimum diepte van 8 m tot 15 m, alhoewel dit moontlik is om 'n duik van 30 m te doen as u nie van 'n 700 m swem hou om daarheen te kom nie. Die vlak water maak 'n droë pak minder voordelig, maar om 'n nat pak in die wind en reën snags uit te stoot, druk die droë pak weer op as 'n wenslike opsie. Dit is lekker om die keuse te hê, en baie plaaslike duikers wissel nat en droë pakke uit, afhangende van die duik wat beplan word.
Muizenberg na Kalkbaai
Hierdie terreine is die noordelikste terreine van die westekant van Valsbaai. Hulle is vlak en word blootgestel aan die suid-oostelike winde en golwe, dus word dit gewoonlik as winterduike beskou.
Plaaslike geografie:Daar is 'n smal strook land tussen die berghang en die see wat deur die voorstede van St James en Kalkbaai beset word, en aan die suidelike punt hiervan is daar 'n klein heuwel genaamd Trappieskop. Op hierdie stadium buig die kuslyn na Valsbaai uit voordat hy terugdraai om Vishoekbaai te vorm. Die klein kommersiële vissershawe by Kalkbaai is in hierdie inham gebou.
Dit is 'n gebied waar die kuslyn sandsteen van die Tafelberg-reeks is, en die duik byna horisontaal is, ongeveer 7 ° na die suide. Die gevolglike kuslyn is oor die algemeen rotsagtig, met 'n paar sanderige gebiede, en is verbasend vlak as gevolg van die steilte van die berghelling. Die sandbodem begin op ongeveer 5 m diepte by Dale Brook en nader 9 m by die hawe.
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- 1 Muizenberg-treilwrakke
- Wrakduik, toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 18 m.
- Twee staaltreilers wat in die 1970's of daarvoor vir bomaanvalle gesit is. Hulle is redelik vermors, maar die rompstrukture is matig ongeskonde en swaar toegegroei deur ongewerweldes.
- 2 Dale Brook: S34 ° 07.436 ’E018 ° 27.154’
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 6 m.
- Hierdie webwerf is bekend in die wetenskaplike literatuur vir 'n groot verskeidenheid seelewe, en dit is al lank 'n heiligdom, maar word selde deur sportduikers geduik. Dit is ideaal as 'n snorkelplek vanweë die vlak diepte en 'n groot verskeidenheid riflewe, en is 'n baie aangename duik in kalm toestande. Dit is die naaste terrein vir toegang tot die pad vanaf die grootste deel van die stad aan die oostekant van die skiereiland.
- 3 Kalkbaai-hawemuur: S34: 07.787 'E018: 26.967'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 10 m.
- Beton hawemuur met sand en lae rotsrif aan die basis. Ondersteun is nie baie hoog nie. Laag rif van sandsteen, kolle van klippies en sand op ongeveer 8 tot 9 m.
Vishoek en Glencairn
Hierdie relatief vlak terreine word blootgestel aan suidoostelike wind en deining en word oor die algemeen as winterduike beskou. Alles kan as strandduike gedoen word, hoewel Fish Hoek Reef en Quarry Barge gewoonlik as bootduike gedoen word, want daar is 'n lang swem van die strand af. Grootwithaaie is in hierdie gebied gesien vaar.
Plaaslike geografie:Die laagliggende en relatief plat vallei van Vishoek word aan die suidekant begrens deur die steil hellings van Brakkloofrant en Else Peak, wat ook steil na die see in die ooste hang.
Fish Hoek Reef is 'n entjie van die strand af, en die ander duikplekke in hierdie omgewing is langs hierdie kort rotsagtige kuslyn. Die hoofweg na Simonstad, die M4 en die spoorlyn deel die smal kusstrook. Daar is plek vir 'n paar huise by Sunny Cove, en net verby Quarry het die Else-rivier 'n kleiner vallei met die Glencairn-strand gesny. Die steengroef waarna verwys word, is 'n ongebruikte sandsteengroef aan die berghelling bokant die pad net noord van die duikplek met die naam.
Dit is 'n gebied waar foute veroorsaak het Tafelberg Sandstene strek tot onder seevlak. Die staking is meestal oos-wes en die duik is vlak, van ongeveer 7 ° (suid) by Sunny Cove tot ongeveer 10 ° (suid) by Quarry. Verbinding is egter ongeveer noordwes / suidoos.
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- 4 Vishoekrif:
- Rifduik. Toegang tot boot of strand. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 15 m.
- 5 Sunny Cove: S34 ° 08.68 'E018 ° 26.30'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 11 m.
- Genoem na die treinstasie op die werf. Gematigde reliëf sandsteen gesteentes, rante en slote wat tot 10 minute op die sand lê.
- 6 Steengroef: S34 ° 09.390 ’E018 ° 26.157’ (In- en uitganglys)
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 10 m.
- Genoem na die ou sandsteengroef in die heuwel bokant die pad effens noord. Skuins hellingagtige rante van Tafelberg-sandsteen, ongeveer loodreg op die kuslyn, met af en toe sanderige sakke. Profiel nie baie hoog nie.
- 7 Steengroef Barge: S34 ° 09.395 'E018 ° 26.474' (ongeveer)
- Wrak en rif duik. Toegang tot boot of strand. Diepte 12 tot 14 m.
- Klein wrak van 'n staalbak. Die romp is redelik ongeskonde en lê regop op 'n sanderige kol tussen die riwwe. Twee ruimtes is van bo af oop en die bokant rondom die sye is onbenullig.
- 8 Glencairn Fan Garden: S34 ° 09.418 'E018 ° 26.412' (ongeveer)
- Rifduik. Toegang tot die boot. Diepte 12 tot 14 m.
- Redelik uitgebreide oppervlakte van lae tot medium profiel sandsteenrif met sanderige kolle, en 'n groot aantal gorgoniese seeventilators, meestal die Palmate-seewaaier, maar ook 'n matige aantal Sinuous-waaiers en 'n paar Whip-waaiers.
- 9 P87 wrak: S34 ° 09.570 'E018 ° 26.420'
- Wrakduik, toegang tot die boot. Diepte: Sowat 15 m.
- Wrakstukke van 'n klein marine-patrollieboot. Sy posisie word op SAN1017 aangedui as ¼ nm suid-suid-wes van die Quarry Barge in 15 m.
Simonstad
Die klein baai aan die oostekant van die Kaapse Skiereiland, bekend as Simonbaai, is die mees beskutte deel van die Valsbaai-kuslyn teen die suidwestelike deinings, en is ook beter beskerm teen suidoostelike deinings as enige ander plek aan hierdie deel van die kus. .
Aangesien die hoofankering van die Kaap by Tafelbaai sleg blootgestel is aan die noordwestelike storms van die winter, en Houtbaai oop is vir die suidwestelike deinings, was Simonsbaai die enigste redelik veilige alternatiewe ankerplek binne 'n redelike afstand van Kaapstad, en om hierdie redes is deur die eerste Nederlandse goewerneur aan die Kaap, Simon van der Stel, gekies as die winteranker vir die Nederlandse Oos-Indiese Kompanjie aan die Kaap.
Die stad wat by hierdie ankerplek ontwikkel het, het bekend gestaan as Simonstad, en die ankerplek het ontwikkel tot die hoofkwartier en die werf vir die Suidelike halfrond van die Royal Navy en later vir die Suid-Afrikaanse vloot, wat dit tot vandag toe bly.
Die landelike toegang tot die stad is relatief swak en bestaan uit die kronkelende en smal hoofweg langs die Valsbaai-kus, met die parallelle Boyes-rylaan en die spoorlyn, die nog kronkelender Chapman's Peak-rit aan die Atlantiese kus en die Old Cape Road ( Ou Kaapseweg), 'n taamlike steil en kronkelende pas oor die berge in die middel van die skiereiland. Almal is skilderagtige roetes, maar nie een is regtig geskik vir hoë volume verkeer nie en kan tydens spitstyd irriterend belemmer word. Almal kom op die Valsbaai-kusweg saam voordat hulle Simonstad bereik.
Die duikplekke is redelik beskut teen suid-oostewind en swel, meer nog suid by Long Beach, en is die meeste van die winter en soms in die somer afskeibaar.
Plaaslike geografie:Die stad is aan die voet van die kusberge, wat redelik steil is en baie min redelike plat grond aan die voet van die hange het, maar die baai is vlak en meestal sanderig, met 'n lang sandstrand aan die westekant. Aan die oostekant van die vlootwerf word die kuslyn weer rotsagtig, met ontblote granietkernesteentjies by Seaforth.
Hierdie gebied het waarskynlik 'n sandsteenkus Graafwater reeks, maar nie baie rif word blootgestel op die duikplekke wat meestal op sandbodem is nie.
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- 10 SS Clan Stuart: S34 ° 10.303 'E018 ° 25.842'
- Wrak duik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte 9 m.
- Die "Clan Stuart", 'n Britse rewolwerboot van 3500 ton, het gestrand nadat hy sy anker op 21 November 1914 in 'n suidoostelike storm gesleep het. Die enjinblok van die skip breek steeds die oppervlak.
- 11 Brunswick: S34 ° 10.880 'E018 ° 25.607'
- Wrak duik. Oewer of boot toegang. Diepte: 4 tot 6 m.
- Engelse Oos-Indiër van 1200 ton, gevang deur die Franse admiraal Linois in die Indiese Oseaan en na Simonstad gebring. Het op 19 September 1805 in Simonstad gestrand nadat hy drie ankers tydens 'n suidoostelike storm verloor het. Daar is nie veel oor van die wrak nie.
- 12 HNMS Bato: S34 ° 10.998 'E018 ° 25.560'
- Wrak duik. Oewer toegang. Diepte: 3 tot 4 m
- Nederlandse oorlogskip van 800 ton en 74 kanonne. Die skip is al etlike jare as 'n drywende battery in Simonbaai gebruik. Aan die brand gesteek en op 8 Januarie 1806 van Long Beach, Simonstad, afgesink, dieselfde dag dat die Slag van Blaauwberg begin het. Nie veel van die wrak bly oor nie.
- 13 Lang strand: S34 ° 11.239 'E18 ° 25.559'
- Wrak duik. Onderwaternavigasie roete. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 9 m.
- Genoem vir die lang sandstrand. Met die eerste oogopslag kan vaal, maar noukeurige ondersoek interessante en gevarieerde lewens openbaar. Dit is die plek om na toe te gaan as die toestande elders sleg is. Baie gewilde opleidingswerf, en ideaal om nuwe toerustingkonfigurasies reg te kry.
- Daar is 'n paar klein wrakke wat op 'n kompasnavigasie-roete besoek kan word.
- 14 Simon's Town-aanlegsteiger
- Kunsmatige rifduik. Oewer toegang. Diepte ongeveer 2 m.
- Klein aanlegsteiger op betonstutte. Baie maklike toegang en baie beskut.
- 15 Valsbaai-seiljagklub se aanlegte
- Kunsmatige rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 8 m.
- Jachthaven se jachthaven met 'n klein rif en 'n bietjie wrakstukke. Strek tot by die Simonmuurse hawemuur waar van die wrakke nog swaai.
Riwwe van die Romeinse rots
Die buitelandse duike in die omgewing van Roman Rock is relatief blootgestel aan die suid-ooste, maar is dieper, sodat die effek minder ernstig is as u eers diep is. Sterk suid-oostewind en kap kan die bootrit ongemaklik maak, en hierdie plekke word nie dikwels in die somer geduik as die sigbaarheid gereeld swak is nie.
Plaaslike geografie:Die seebodem is meestal baie geleidelik skuins in hierdie gebied, met massiewe granietplante, wat die duikplekke is. Die sand is geneig om redelik fyn weg te wees van die riwwe af, met growwer skelsand naby die basis van die rotse.
Die buitelandse terreine by Roman Rock, Rambler Rock en Castor Rock is 'n groot granietkernsteen Skiereiland pluton.
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- 16 Doelrif S34 ° 10.619 'E018 ° 27.226'
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte 6 tot 22 m
- Klein graniet- en puinrif met ongebruikte betonvlootkanoniese teikenbasis.
- 17 Livingstone Reef: S34 ° 10.605 'E018 ° 27.571'
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte 14 tot 23 m
- Granietkerfrif van matige grootte met goeie verligting en uiteenlopende ongewerweldes.
- Castor Rock-riwwe: S34 ° 10,74 'E018 ° 27,61'
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 4 tot 20 m
- Uitgebreide rif van graniet. Eintlik 'n baie groot buitewêreld met af en toe hoë gebiede, klein slote, rotse, klein skeurtjies en oorhang. Die rifblad is matig verlig, met relatief vlak sanderige slote, klein oorhange en rotse en het 'n paar steil dele aan die rand.
- 18 Castor Rock - Noordelike toppunt is oor 'n smal sandbodem gaping noord van die hoofrif.
- 19 Castor Rock - Central Pinnacle is op die hoofrif.
- 20 Wonders Pinnacle is aan die westekant van die suidlob van Castor Rock.
- 21 Romeinse rus is aan die oostekant van die suidlob van Castor Reef
- Romeinse rotsriwwe: S34 ° 10,87 'E018 ° 27,60'
- Reef duik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte 21 m.
- Hierdie gebied bestaan uit 'n groep granietplante wat deur sandbodems geskei word, waarvan die vuurtoring die grootste is.
- 22 Roman Rock Noord: 'N Redelik groot, maar relatief lae uitgestrektheid van die rif ongeveer noordwes van die vuurtoring, van geen bekende spesiale belang nie. Vlakste punt op ongeveer 11 m, en ongeveer 18 m op die sand noordwes.
- 23 Romeinse rots: 'N Maklike duikplek om te vind, want dit word aangedui deur die vuurtoring met dieselfde naam buite Simonstad se hawe. 'N Groot granietrif met 'n dieptebereik van 20 m aan die oostekant tot die oppervlak rondom die vuurtoringrotse.
- 24 Spinnekopriwwe: Twee klein, parallelle riwwe ten weste van die Romeinse rots, wat op die vlakste punt ongeveer 21 m tot 16 m van sand opstaan. Hulle word deur 'n smal sandspleet geskei en kan in redelike sig van mekaar gesien word.
- 25 Roman Rock Suid: 'N Klein gedeelte van die rif parallel met die hoofrif ongeveer 100 m suidwes van die vuurtoring, wat vanaf sand op ongeveer 21 m styg tot waarskynlik ongeveer 18 m bo-op.
- 26 Tivoli Pinnacles. S34 ° 10.892 'E018 ° 27.765': Ongeveer 250 m wat 301 ° magneties dra na die Romeinse vuurtoring.
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte 10 tot 22 m.
- 'N Kompakte, hoë profiel rif 'n entjie oos van Roman Rock.
- Friskies Pinnacles
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte 12 tot 22 m
- Twee klein riwwe met 'n hoë hoogtepunt 'n entjie oos van die Castor Rock-riwwe.
- 27 Friskies Pinnacle: S34 ° 10.778 ’E018 ° 27.822’, die groter en vlakker, na die suide, en
- 28 Noord-Friskies-toppunt hoe kleiner en dieper, na die noorde.
- Rambler-rotsriwwe
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte 10 tot 22 m.
- 'N Hoog granietrif oos van die vuurtoring van die Romeinse rots van Simonstad se hawe af. Daar is vier hoofgroepe rotse op hierdie terrein.
- 29 Rambler Rock Noordwes-toppunt: S34 ° 10.924 'E018 ° 27.899'
- 30 Rambler Rock Noordoos riwwe: S34 ° 10.916 'E018 ° 27.996'
- 31 Rambler Rock Suidelike toppies: S34 ° 11.011 'E018 ° 27.918'
- 32 Hotlips-toppunt: S34 ° 11.145 'E018 ° 28.091' (Hotlips Pinnacle)
- 33 Koepel Rock: S34 ° 11.119 'E018 ° 27.776' (Dome Rock-hoogtepunt)
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte 16 tot 25 m.
- 'N Kompakte granietrif suid van die vuurtoring van die Romeinse rots, en wes van die suidelike deel van die Rambler-rotsriwwe.
- Random Rocks Reefs
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. 'N Klein groepie riwwe suid van Rambler Rocks.
- 34 Rudy se ewekansige rotse: S34 ° 11.329 'E018 ° 28.037' (Pinnacle aan die suidpunt) Diepte 21 tot 26 m. 'N Kompakte granietrif.
- 35 Rif met geen naam (klein toppies): S34 ° 11.365 'E018 ° 28.055' (Pinnacle) 'n Gedeeltelike rif met onbekende omvang, waarskynlik redelik klein.
Seaforth na Froggy Pond
Hierdie terreine is oos en suid van die vlootwerf by Simonstad. Hulle is matig vlak en word blootgestel aan die suidoostewind en deinings, dus word dit gewoonlik as winterduike beskou.
Plaaslike geografie:Hierdie terreine is almal gebiede van granietkorrelrif, hoewel daar soms sandsteenklippe kan voorkom.
Die Seaforth-webwerwe sluit in:
- 36 Ammunisiebakke: S34 ° 11.408 'E018 ° 26.985'
- Wrak duik. Toegang tot boot of strand. Diepte: 8 tot 10 m.
- Twee klein staalbakke wes van Phoenix-skoor. Hulle is erg oorgroei en nogal stukkend.
- 37 Phoenix-skoor: S34 ° 11.388 'E018 ° 26.898'
- Duik in rif en wrak. Toegang tot boot of strand. Maksimum diepte 10 m.
- Die "Phoenix" was 'n Britse skip van 500 ton, gebou in 1810. Dit is op 19 Julie 1829 'n bietjie tot op die see van Phoenix Shoal in Simonsbaai verongeluk. Sommige van die ysterballas kan op die rif gesien word en die stam lê in sand begrawe.
- Noah's Ark and the Ark Rock Wrecks: S34 ° 11.533 'E018 ° 27.232'
- Duik in wrak en rif. Toegang tot boot of strand. Maksimum diepte 14 m.
- Genoem vir die groot gelyknamige rock op die SAN-kaarte. Daar is 'n wrak van 'n aak net suid van die rots, die wrak van 'n klein stoom aangedrewe vaartuig in die weste en 'n groter yster- of staalvat, waarskynlik die "Parana", wat in 1862 verwoes is, in die noordweste. Wrakstowwe in die vorm van geïsoleerde ketels van 'n onbekende stoomboot of stoombote kan suid en oos van die aakwrak gevind word. Daar is ook sketse betonpilare wat oorbly uit 'n onbruikte ontwateringsgebied in die suide en 'n ander klein staalwrak aan die oostekant van die rots.
- 38 Noah's Ark Rock
- 39 Ark Rock Barge wrak
- 40 Ark Rock Boiler wrak # 1
- 41 Ark Rock Boiler wrak # 2
- Ark Rock Boiler wrak # 3a
- 42 Ark Rock Boiler wrak # 3b
- 43 Parana-wrak, hoofafdeling
- 44 Parana wrak, klein gedeelte
- 45 Noah's Ark - Dubbele ry betonpilare
- 46 Noah's Ark - Enkele ry betonpilare
- 47 Noah's Ark - Oostelike wrak
- 48 Noah's Ark - Warmtewisselaar
- 49 Noah's Ark - Tweelingbakke
- 50 Pikkewynpunt (Keie): S34 ° 11.889 'E018 ° 27.254'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte 8 m.
- Genoem vir die pikkewynreservaat. Dit is die punt- en kusrif aan die suidoostelike punt van Boulders Beach by Seaforth.
- Maidstone-rotsriwwe: S34 ° 11.581 'E018 ° 27.466'
- Rifduik. Toegang tot die boot Diepte: 8 tot 27 m.
- Genoem vir die rif wat op die SA Navy-kaarte getoon word. Die webwerwe is Maidstone Rock, Anchor Reef en Ammo Reef
- 51 Maidstone Rock
- 52 Ankerrif
- 53 Ammo-rif
- 54 Fotograaf se rif (JJM Reef): S34 ° 11.839 'E18 ° 27.434'
- Rifduik. Toegang tot boot of strand. Diepte 3 tot 14 m.
- Hierdie rif word op die SAN-kaarte as die fotograafrif gemerk. Dit is ook bekend aan duikers wat dit in die 1980's geduik het as JJM Reef. Die onderste rif in die suide is JJM junior. Daar is verskeie ander geïsoleerde riwwe in die omgewing, meestal klein, redelik laag en nie genoem nie.
- 55 Toortsrif: S34 ° 11.700 'E018 ° 27.960'
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 20 tot 30 m.
- Dit is 'n klein rif oos van die rif van die fotograaf. Op een van die eerste duike wat op hierdie plek aangeteken is, het 'n duiker sy fakkel verloor, en die naam het vasgesit.
- 56 Reef van die buitenste fotograaf: S34 ° 11.778 'E018 ° 27.898'
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot Dieptebereik 20 tot 30 m.
- 'N Groot geïsoleerde graniet-oorkant oos van Photographer's Reef, ongeveer 140 m suid-wes van die fakkelrif. Plat bo-op en blote muur.
- Aflandige riwwe van die windpomp
- Reef duik. Slegs toegang tot die boot Dieptebereik 12 tot 30 m.
- 'N Groot aantal verspreide groepe granietplante. Selde duik, min bekend. Meestal nog nie ondervra nie. Die gedeeltes wat ondersoek is, is:
- 57 Gevaarlike Doug Reef
- 58 Kantrif
- 59 Windmeul in die buiteland
- 60 Buite windpomp
Die Windmill Beach en Froggy Pond webwerwe sluit in:
- 61 Windpompstrand: S34 ° 12.06 'E018 ° 27.40'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 8 m.
- Strandduik met baie beskutte strand- en uitgangsareas. Sandbodem met groot granietplate en rotse, sommige met baie hoë reliëf, wat strek van plat sand tot naby of bo die oppervlak. Strande stadig van planke. Gewilde opleidingswerf.
- 62 Froggy dam: S34 ° 12.22 'E018 ° 27.40'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang Diepte: Vlakker as 10 m.
- Hierdie klein baai word eintlik Froggy Pond genoem op die amptelike kaarte en kaarte van die omgewing. Ten spyte van sy naam is dit 'n seeduik, en daar sal geen paddas wees nie. Sandstrand met klippe in die vlak. Redelik steil op die kuslyn. Rotsagtige riwwe aan beide kante.
- 63 Vissersstrand: S34 ° 12.357 'E018 ° 27.497'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Diepte: Vlakker as 10 m.
- Die volgende inham suid van Froggy Pond. Dit het 'n baie langer strand.
Oatlandspunt
Oatlands Point is die eerste punt suid van die Froggy Pond-gebied. Daar is 'n klein groepie huise aan die seekant van die hoofweg, en nog meer huise in die berghang. Dit word maklik herken aan die groot, plat plat graniet-rotsblok wat net in die buiteland geleë is.
Plaaslike geografie:Oatlands Point is aan die voet van die Swartkop-piek, op 678 m, die hoogste punt van die suidelike skiereiland. Die berghelling is redelik steil en die huise is in 'n taam smal streep langs die kus. Dit is die deel van Valsbaai waar die 30 m isobat op sy naaste punt aan die oewer is, en waar toegang goed is vir 'n strandduik.
Hierdie terreine is almal gebiede van granietkorrelrif, hoewel daar soms sandsteenklippe kan voorkom. Die kleiner rotse langs die oewer is dikwels sandsteen wat deur die jare van die berghang af beweeg het en in die branders afgerond is.
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- 64 A-raam (Oatlands Point): S34 ° 12.484 'E018 ° 27.662'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 10 m
- Genoem vir 'n driepoot baken wat nou vervang is deur 'n eenvoudige pos. Die baken is een van die grensmerke vir 'n mariene heiligdom. Die terrein word ook gekenmerk deur 'n enorme granietplante wat 'n paar meter bo die water strek. In die noorde is sandbodem met lae rif en groot rotse, waarvan sommige die oppervlak breek, en 'n paar deurdringings. Rante van medium hoogte strek verder as die groot rots met 'n toppunt aan die see-punt. In die suide is daar meer uithoeke, en 'n uitgebreide gebied van verspreide klein rotse en uithoeke met sandbodem tussen, wat rotsagtige na die oewer word.
- 65 D-raam (Oatlands Reef, Wave Rock): S34 ° 12.378 'E018 ° 27.996'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Diepte: 15 tot 30 m.
- Dit is die punt aan die westekant van Valsbaai waar die 30 m-kontoer die naaste aan die oewer is. Duikers wat 'n strandduik van 30 m wil doen, kan dit hier doen.
- Die rif bestaan uit 'n groot hoeveelheid graniet met sandbodem tussenin. Daar is een punt wat tot ongeveer 4 m van die oppervlak styg met 'n byna vertikale val tot 14 m aan beide kante. Die meeste dele is nie naastenby so hoog nie. Die suidrif het 'n oorhangende rotswand, bekend as die "Wave Rock".
Rocklands Point
Suid van Oatlands Point word die oewer steiler, en daar is nie baie huise nie. Die pad kronkel langs die kuslyn en word effens hoër in die rigting van Miller's Point. Rocklands Point is herkenbaar deur die Spanjaard Rock. 'n matig groot grootte granietrots ongeveer 100 m in die buiteland, en die grootste sigbare rots in die omgewing.
Die oewer is taamlik steil by Rocklands Point, en daar is geen huise in die onmiddellike omgewing nie. Daar is 'n uitgebreide gebied van vlak, rotsagtige rif aan die Rocklands-blinder en die Spanjaard. Suid van Spanjaard, en strek tot 'n blinder in die suide, bekend as Stern Reef, is 'n gebied met verspreide granietrif, meestal laag, maar met 'n paar redelike hoë uitlopers. Hierdie area is ingewikkeld en is nog nie gekarteer nie.
Net soos die gebiede in die noorde en suide, is dit 'n gebied van granietkernsteenstene op 'n sandbodem, alhoewel sandsteenrotse gereeld aan die waterrand voorkom.
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- 66 Insanity Reef: S34 ° 12.817 'E018 ° 28.044'
- Rifduik. Toegang tot die boot. Diepte: 2 tot 14 m.
- Groot granietkorrelstene en rotse op 'n redelike gelyk sandbodem. Die rif is redelik klein en stukkend, maar kompak, en al die rotse is naby mekaar. Daar is 'n groot rots aan die noordekant wat op uithoeke gesteun word om 'n klein sandbodem met ongeveer 4 ingange te vorm.
- 67 Rocklands Blinder (Seëlkolonie): S34 ° 12.9 'E018 ° 28.0'
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Diepte: 3 tot 13 m.
- Die hoofrif is groot granietplante wat styg van ongeveer 13 m op die sand na die noordooste, tot ongeveer 3 tot 4 m diep bo-op. Die strandkant skuins geleidelik af na baie klein rotsblokke en lae uitsakings. Die kleiner tweede rif is hoog en op 'n sandbodem.
- 68 Spanjaard Rock: S34 ° 13.03 'E018 ° 28.03'
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte 13 m.
- Spanjaard is 'n hoë hoogtepunt op 'n sandbodem wat 'n paar meter bo die water strek. Aangrensende lae rif lê noord. Aan die westekant is nog 'n hoogtepunt wat bestaan uit 'n groep groot uitstappies en rotsblokke, waarvan die een af en toe breek.
- 69 Alpha rif (Buiten-Spanjaard): S34 ° 12.987 'E018 ° 28.184'
- Rifduik. Toegang tot die boot. Diepte 2 tot 15 m.
- Die webwerf het voorheen bekend gestaan as Outer Spaniard, maar dit lyk asof Alpha-rif nou meer algemeen voorkom. Die rif is 'n uitsnede van granietkernesteentjies in twee hoofafdelings gedeel deur 'n oos-wes-katrol.
- 70 Omega-rif: S34.21426 E018.47412
- Reeduik, toegang tot die boot. Diepte 15 tot 25 m.
- 'N Granietkorrelrif van ongeveer 220 m lank van NW tot SE, en ongeveer 80 m breed. Nie gereeld geduik nie.
- 71 Stern Reef: S34 ° 13.164 'E018 ° 28.032'
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 14 m.
- 'N Uitgestrekte gebied met hoë tot lae reliëf granietkorrelagtige uittreksels op 'n sandbodem, gekenmerk deur 'n rots wat die oppervlak in sommige toestande van die gety breek.
Miller's Point
Plaaslike geografie:This part of the peninsula coastline is a steep mountainside below the Swartkopberge. The mountainside is quite steep close to the shore, but on reaching the sea, the slope flattens out dramatically. The small rocky peninsula of Miller’s Point juts out rather abruptly into the bay and provides a sheltered site for the slipway from which most of the boat launches in this area are made. There is sufficient reasonably level ground for extensive parking areas off the main road, including boat trailer parking.
This area is characterised by large areas of granite corestone reef interspersed with sandy patches, and relatively flat sand bottom further out. There are also sandstone boulders along the shoreline. Many of the reefs are fairly large areas of massive outcrops with ridges, gullies and boulders on top, some of which are very large.
The sites include:
- 1 SAS Pietermaritzburg: S34°13.303’ E018°28.465’
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth 22 m.
- This 1330 tonne minesweeper was launched in 1943 as HMS Pelorus, and was sold in 1947 to the South African Navy and renamed HMSAS Pietermaritzburg. It was scuttled by explosive charges on 12 November 1994 to form an artificial reef. The wreck lies upright on the sand and is slowly collapsing.
- Karavaanrif including PMB Pinnacles, North Caravan, Central Caravan, South Caavan, Inner Caravan.
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: 3 to 22 m
- This site is offshore of the caravan park at Miller’s Point, which may be the origin of its name. Extensive granite reefs on sand bottom. The reef may extend continuously to Miller's Point.
- 2 Caravan Reef - PMB Pinnacles
- 3 Karavaanrif - Noordkaravaan
- Caravan Reef - Karavaan Sentraal
- 4 Caravan Reef - Suid-karavaan
- 5 Caravan Reef - Binnekaravaan
- Miller's Point: S34°13.822’ E018°28.411’ (Slipway)
- Reef dive. Shore access. Depth: Shallow inshore.
- Fairly shallow rocky reef of granite outcrops and boulders, some smallish swimthroughs and quite a few overhangs and holes under boulders.
- 6 Miller's Point-skuifweg
- 7 Miller's Point getypoel
- 8 Miller's Point - Rumbly Bay
- 9 Murphy s'n: S34°13.958' E018°28.988'
- Reef dive. Boat access. Depth: 14 to about 20 m.
- Small pinnacle with medium profile adjacent reef of boulders and outcrops over a fairly large area.
- 10 Boot Rock (Bakoven Rock): S34°14.05’ E18°29.05’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth 22 m.
- Grof, skurwe sandbodem op ongeveer 14 m met groot granietrotse en rif. The rock that gives the site its name extends a few metres above sea level. High relief and a lot of small holes under rocks, mostly too small to swim through.
Castle Rocks
This has been a marine sanctuary area for many years and as a result is one of the best sites for fish. There are several excellent dive sites accessible from a very limited amount of roadside parking, or by a short boat ride from Miller's Point.
Local geography:This part of the peninsula coastline is a steep mountainside below the Swartkopberge. There is very little ground along this strip which is not steep, but on reaching the sea, the slope flattens out and the small rocky peninsula of Castle Rocks juts out into the bay. There is sufficient reasonably sloped ground for a few houses above and below the main road.
This area is characterised by granite corestone reefs with sandy patches between them, and almost flat sand bottom further out. There will occasionally be the odd sandstone boulder which has made its way a short distance offshore with the assistance of wave action and gravity, and a lot of the smaller shoreline boulders are sandstone. Many of the reefs are fairly large areas of massive ridges, gullies with occasional loose boulders on top, and some of these boulders are huge.
The sites include:
- 11 Waaierrif: S34°14.165 E18°29.260
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: 25 to 30 m.
- A low granite outcrop at about 30 m maximum depth, with a large number of sea fans.
- 12 Shark Alley: S34°14.21’ E018°28.60’ Estimated
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth about 12 m.
- Named for the Cowsharks often seen at the site. Big granite boulders and outcrops with sand patches. Shark Alley is between the kelp forests on near-shore reef and the reef surrounding Pyramid rock.
- Pyramid reef
- Reef dive. Shore or boat access. Maximum depth about 12 m.
- Named for the pointed rock that marks the site. It projects above the water at all tides and is easily identified. Large granite boulders and outcrops with sand around them in deep areas and at the bottom of some gullies. Several small tunnels, caves and overhangs. Lots of fish.
- 13 Piramide-rots: S34°14.225’ E018°28.698’
- 14 Castle Pinnacles: S34°14.356’ E018°28.826’ — A group of fairly tall pinnacles along the edge of the sand. One of them has a large swimthrough under it.
- Sansui Reef An area of picturesque small ridges and boulders on a rippled white sand bottom near the Castle Pinnacles.
- Castle Rocks and Parson’s Nose:
- Reef dive. Shore access. Maximum depth about 18 m.
- Castle Rocks applies to the point as a whole and the offshore rocks to the south east. The point is a small rocky peninsula that can be an island at high tide.
- The small headland just to the south of Castle Rocks is known as Parson’s Nose. Castle Pinnacles is actually part of the Pyramid Rock reef, though if dived from the shore, the Castle Rocks north entry is likely to be used,
- 15 Castle Rocks NoordkantS34°14.322’ E018°28.65’
- 16 Castle Rocks Point Reefs (Outside Castle) S34°14.4’ E018°28.8’
- 17 Binnekasteel (South Castle) S34°14.46’ E018°28.674’
- 18 Telefoonrif: S34°14.225’ E018°29.202’
- Reef dive. Boat access. Depth 15 to about 24 m.
- A small patch of granite reef east of Outer Castle and north of Giant's Castle. There is a compact group of tall outcrops to the east of the reef, with the top of the pinnacle at about 15 m depth, The reef is surrounded by sand bottom. There is some unsurveyed reef to the south.
- 19 Reuse-kasteel: S34°14.362’ E018°29.225’
- Reef dive. Boat access. Depth 17 to about 30 m.
- A small patch of granite reef east of Outer Castle. The main feature is a compact group of tall outcrops with the top of the pinnacle at about 17 m depth, Below 24 m and the reef extends mainly to the east, and it is surrounded by sand bottom. There is a small low outlier to the north and Zigzag Reef reef is a short distance to the east.
- 20 Zigzag Reef: S34°14.362’ E018°29.275’
- Reef dive. Boat access. Depth 20 to about 33 m.
- A small patch of granite reef east of Giant's Castle. The main feature is a tall and massive but compact outcrop with the top of the pinnacle at about 20 m depth, Below 24 m the low reef extends mainly to the north-east, and it is surrounded by sand bottom.
- Pie Rock reefs:
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: 5 to 25 m.
- Large granite corestone outcrops and boulders. There is a pinnacle to the east of the site, where it is generally deepest. Spectacular site in good visibility, and there are usually lots of fish.
- 21 Buite-kasteel (Blindevals): S34°14.320’ E018°29.002’ — Depth: about 3 to 33 m. A blinder off Castle Rocks, which breaks if there is much swell. It is marked on the SAN charts as “blindevals”. The main feature of the site is a huge granite boulder on a rock base standing on four points with a swimthrough gap underneath and a small air trap overhang. Part of the Pie Reef area.
- 22 North Pie Rock Reef: S34°14.375' E018°29.090' — Two adjacent groups of pointy pinnacles rising to about 9 m
- 23 South Pie Rock Pinnacles: S34°14.445' E018°28.985' — A group of pinnacles on a lobe of reef extending southwards between two sand tongues.
- 24 West Pie Rock Reef: S34°14.396' E018°28.943' — A lobe of reef extending in a southwesterly direction.
Finlay se punt na patrys punt
The stretch of coastline south of Castle Rocks to Smitswinkel Bay is not really accessible from the road, partly due to the higher altitude of the road in this area and partly due to the rather steep mountainside, so these dive sites, though mostly close to the shore, are almost always dived from a boat.
The stretch of coastline south of Castle Rocks to Smitswinkel Bay is not really accessible from the road, partly due to the higher altitude of the road in this area and partly due to the rather steep mountainside, so these dive sites, though mostly close to the shore, are almost always dived from a boat.
Local geography:There are two small points along this relatively straight coastline at Finlay’s Point and Partridge Point, where some very large granite corestones form reefs which extend some distance into the bay. A few of these project quite high above the water and are easy landmarks for the dive sites.
The shoreline is consistently rocky in this section, and is made up of granite corestones with sandstone boulders which have found their way down the mountainside over the years. Above the waterline, the lower mountainside is granitic saprolith with dense vegetation cover.
The Finlay's Point area sites include:
- 25 Finlay’s Point (Jenga Reef): S34°14.959' E018°28.611'
- Reef dive. Boat access. Shore access is possible but rather athletic. Maximum depth about 15 m.
- The last big boulders north of Partridge Point. Bottom is mostly low to moderate rocky reef of outcrops and boulders of assorted sizes, some pretty big, in chaotic arrangement. Directly off the big corestones of the point is an area of big boulders and rugged reef, with small patches of sand.
- Graeme's Spot and The Jambles
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 9 to 24 m.
- Large granite outcrop and huge boulders on an extensive area of granite corestone reef bordered by sandy areas to the west, north and east, and Carnaby Street Pinnacle tom the south. Good biodiversity and reef cover and spectacular topography.
- 26 The Jambles: S34°14.885' E018°28.890' —
- 27 Graeme's Spot: S34°14.9029' E018°28.9170' —
- 28 Finlay's Pinnacle: S34°14.970' E018°28.780'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 9 to 18 m.
- Large granite outcrop and boulders on an extensive area of granite corestone reef bordered by a sandy strip to the south. Contiguous reef extends to The Jambles to the north and Carnaby Street Pinnacle to the east.
- 29 Carnaby Street Pinnacle: S34°14.980' E018°28.920'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 9 to 24 m.
- Large granite outcrop and large boulders on an extensive area of granite corestone reef bordered by sandy areas to the south and east, Graeme's Spot to the north, and Finlay's Pinnacle to the west.
- 30 Finlay's Deep (Mont Blanc): S34°15.005' E018°29.194'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth: 20 to 30 m.
- This is a small granite outcrop reef on a sand bottom directly offshore from Finlay's Point on the 30 m depth contour. Rich in Gorgonian sea fans.
- 31 Atlantis Reef: S34°15' E018°29'
- Reef dive. Boat access only Depth 4 to 27 m.
- A pair of huge granite pinnacles (The Pillars of Hercules), on an extensive area of high and low profile reef. Excellent diversity of reef cover, shoals of fish and some exceptionally dense groups of gorgonian sea fans.
The Partridge Point area sites include
- 32 Sherwood Forest: S34°15.190' E18°29.010' (Pinnacle) between Atlantis and Partridge Point.
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 30 m.
- Reported on Underwater Cape Town as newly discovered site on 3 May 2012. Lots of sea fans.
- 33 Fish Tank: S34°15.229’ E018°28.930’ (Pinnacle)
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 21 m.
- Compact granite reef, Lots of sea fans.
- Partridge Point
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth 26 m.
- The site known as Partridge Point includes the Big Rock group of rocks to the south, while Seal Rock (or Deep Partridge) is the reef offshore of the low rock to the east of the point. Peter's Pinnacle is the reef inshore and slightly south of the Big Rock. Very large granite boulders and outcrops, some extending above the surface by several metres.
- 34 Seal Rock: S34°15.3370' E018°28.8920' — A fairly large flattish rock used as a haulout rock by seals with fairly shallow reef around it.
- 35 Deep Partridge: S34°15.3500' E018°29.0000' — A lobe of high profile reef sloping down to a sandy bottom at about 27 m.
- 36 Dave's Caves: S34°15.3780' E018°28.7040' — An exposed rock with a little cave under it in a kelp forest
- 37 Partridge Point - Big Rock: S34°15.4650' E018°28.7880' — A large exposed rock marking a moderate depth area of high profile reef with a large swimthrough and a small air-trap overhang. Maximum depth about 21 m on the sand to the south and east.
- 38 Peter's Pinnacles: S34°15.5150' E018°28.6870' — A group of shallow pinnacles with a swimthrough cave. Sand depth about 15 m
Smitswinkelbaai
The wrecks of Smitswinkel bay are among the best known and most popular boat dives of the Cape Town area. The water is deep enough to reduce surge significantly and shallow enough for recreational divers. The wrecks are easy to find, large and sufficiently intact to be recognisable, and have also developed a thriving ecology which includes a few relatively rare organisms.
Local geography:Smitswinkel Bay is a moderately large bay on the east side of the Cape Peninsula. The coast road gains altitude as it winds along the mountainside south of Simon’s Town and turns inland at Smitswinkel Bay.
To the north of the bay, the exposed rock at sea level is Skiereiland granite, but on the south side the Graafwater sandstone extends below sea level. The bottom of the bay is flat sand.
The sites include:
- 39 SAS Transvaal: S34°15.956’ E018°28.778’ (Bow)
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Depth 27 to 34 m.
- Loch class frigate "HMSAS Transvaal" F602 was launched at Belfast on 2 August 1944. The ship was sold for scrap and scuttled by explosive charges in Smitswinkel Bay to form an artificial reef on 3 August 1978. The wreck lies upright on a sand bottom and has partly collapsed.
- 40 MFV Orotava: S34°16.023’ E018°28.796’ (bow)
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Depth 23 to 34 m.
- The "MFV Orotava" was built in 1958. The trawler was donated to the False Bay Conservation Society along with the Princess Elizabeth by Irvin and Johnson. In August 1983 the vessels were towed out to Smitswinkel Bay and scuttled. Die Orotava is the larger of the two trawlers and lies on the sand heeled to port about 20°.
- 41 Goeie hoop rif: S34°16.049’ E018°28.899’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 30 to 35 m.
- A small granite reef with lots of gorgonian sea fans.
- 42 MFV Prinses Elizabeth:S34°16.060’ E018°28.816’(bow) S34°16.068’ E018°28.839’ (stern)
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Depth 22 to 36 m. Die Princess Elizabeth was built in 1961. The trawler was badly damaged by a fire and was donated to the False Bay Conservation Society along with the Orotava by Irvin and Johnson. In August 1983 the vessels were towed out to Smitswinkel Bay and scuttled. Die Princess Elizabeth is the smaller of the two trawlers and lies on the sand with a slight list to starboard.
- 43 SAS Goeie Hoop: S34°16.80’ E018°28.851’ (midships)
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Depth 27 to 36 m.
- The Loch class frigate "HMSAS Good Hope" was launched in 1944. The vessel saw service as a convoy escort during the closing stages of World War II and was for many years the flagship of the SA Navy. The ship was sold for scrap and scuttled by explosive charges in Smitswinkel Bay to form an artificial reef on 18 June 1978.
- 44 MV Rockeater: S34°16.135’ E018°28.855’ (Bow)
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth 34 m
- The 65 m "MV Rockeater" was built in New Orleans in 1945 as a coastal freighter for the United States Navy. The ship was bought by Ocean Science and Engineering (South Africa) in 1964 to be used for marine prospecting. The Rockeater was towed to Smitswinkel Bay on 15 December 1972 and scuttled.
- Smits Swim
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Depth 22 m to maximum of 36 m
- It is possible to visit all five wrecks on a single no-decompression dive. This is occasionally organised for people who want to have been there and done that.
Batsata area
A small group of dive sites just to the south of Smitswinkel Bay. They are inaccessible by land due to the steep cliffs along the shore and lack of nearby roads.
Local geography:These sites are at the foot of Judas Peak, the mountain peak on the south headland of Smitswinkel Bay. Their position at the base of the steep cliffs gives them protection from south westerly winds and swell, but they will catch some of the north westerly wind which comes through the gap above Smitswinkel Bay. They are exposed to south easterly winds and waves.
The shoreline and shallow reef at Smits Cliff is Tafelberg Sandstone, probably Graafwater series, while the offshore reefs at Smits Reef and Batsata Rock are Skiereiland Granite. The unconformity is near sea level in this area.
The sites include:
- Smits Reef
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 6 to 27 m.
- This is a very large area of granite reef extending north from near the Batsata Rock into the mouth of Smitswinkel Bay. It is a huge outcrop rising from coarse shelly sand bottom at about 27 m at the east side to 5 m on top. The reef has gradually sloping low areas and vertical walls, narrow deep gullies and ledges along jointing lines. Kreef Reef is a fairly large, relatively low profile outlying reef to the north.
- 45 Kreef Reef: S34°16.360’ E018°28.780’ — A fairly large, relatively low profile outlying reef to the north.
- 46 Horseshoe Reef: S34°16.410’ E018°28.940’ — The pinnacle on the northeastern ridge.
- 47 Smits Reef: S34°16.4860’ E018°28.9290’ — The top of the main reef at about 5 m depth.
- 48 Smits Reef - Batsata Maze: S34°16.5170’ E018°29.0170’ — A group of huge boulders clustered together on the bedrock forming several small caves, gullies and swimthroughs.
- 49 Smits Reef - West Pinnacle: S34°16.495’ E018°28.863’ — A group of pinnacles rising to about 6 m at the south end of a large but relatively low outcrop to the west of the main reefs.
- 50 Smits Cliff (Hell’s Gate): S34°16.48’ E018°28.41’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Maximum depth about 16 m.
- The cliffs at the south side of Smitswinkel Bay are marked on the charts as Hell’s Gate. The site is not dived very often as there are more popular sites which are more accessible. As a result it is mostly unexplored and has not been mapped. The reef appears to be mostly sandstone.
- Batsata Rock Reefs
- Reef dives. Boat access only. A large area of mostly granite reef.
- 51 Batsata Blinder: S34°16.553' E018°28.840' — The half-tide rock north of the exposed rock.
- 52 Batsata-rots: S34°16.602’ E018°28.830’ — Sandstone reef with granite substrate at greater depth. Fairly shallow around the exposed rocks, maximum depth not known.
- 53 Knal Rocks Reef: S34°16.775’ E018°28.830’ — Granite corestone reef, depth 6 m on top of the pinnacle, 19 m on sand patch a few metres to the east. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 24 m.
Buffelsbaai
This site is inside the Cape Point National Park area. Access is controlled by the Parks Board and various fees are charged. A slipway at Buffels Bay is also controlled by Parks Board, and the facilities are usually in good condition, It would probably be more popular if access was allowed after 6 pm.
Local geography:Buffels Bay is the closest place to Cape Point where there is road access to a place sufficiently sheltered for a slipway to be viable.
The shoreline is sandstone in this area.
The sites include:
- 54 Bordjiesrif: S34°18.99’ E018°27.83’
- Reef dive. Shore access. Depth: Fairly shallow.
- Shallow sandstone reef in the Cape Point National Park area.
- 55 Buffelsbaai: S34°19.217' E018°27.73'
- Reef dive. Shore access. Depth: Fairly shallow, less than 10 m.
- Shallow sandstone reef in the Cape Point National Park area.
Valsbaai in die buiteland
Introduction and some tips on diving the Central False Bay sites.
All the sites in this area are fairly far offshore, and can only be done as boat dives. They are also relatively deep and because of the long boat trip and exposed positions, generally only dived when conditions are expected to be good.
This area is exposed to the same south westerly swells as the Atlantic coast, but they must travel over a much wider continental shelf, much of which is less than 100 m deep, so there is a significant dissipation of wave energy before it reaches the shoreline.
During summer the strong south easterly winds have sufficient fetch to produce sea states which are unpleasant and though the wave action may not produce a great deal of surge at the bottom, the surface conditions may be unsuitable for diving, and in winter the north-wester can have a similar effect.
As the area is affected by the winds and wave systems of both winter and summer, there is less seasonal correlation to suitable conditions, and it is simply dived when conditions are good, which is not very often, but may be more often than previously thought, and at some reefs the visibility may be better than inshore.
It is quite common for the surface visibility offshore to be poor, with better visibility at depth, but the reverse effect can also occur. These effects are often associated with a thermocline, which is associated with midsummer to autumn.
Water temperature can differ with depth in summer from 20°C on the surface to 9°C at the bottom at 28 m, sometimes with a distinct thermocline, though usually there is less of a change, and in winter the temperature may be nearly constant at all depths. A dry suit is recommended for any of these dives, but they are also often done in wetsuits.
There is often a surface current associated with wind at the offshore sites, which generally sets to the right of the wind direction.
Riwwe
These sites are not dived as frequently as the inshore reefs, as they are further from the launch sites and therefore take considerably longer to get to. They are also more exposed to the weather from all directions, so the trip is often bumpy. However, as they are relatively deep, and far offshore, the visibility can be very good, and may well be better than inshore areas at any given time, particularly with an onshore wind and swell. Unfortunately this is not reliably predictable.
Local geography:The topography of the reefs differs according to the geology of the area. As a result the character varies enormously.
Seal Island, Whittle Rock, Anvil Rock and Bellows Rock are granite outcrops, probably all part of the Kaapse Skiereiland pluton. Steenbras Reef is sedimentary rock, thought to be Tygerberg formation of the Malmesbury series, but looks more like sandstone than shale, and Rocky Bank is sandstone, probably of the Tafelberg group.
The sites include:
- 1 Choirboys Reef: S34°08.005' E18°45.270'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 20 to about 26 m
- Hard sedimentary rock reef, in moderate to low profile ridges and gullies.
- 2 Seal Island: S34°08.25’ E018°34.95’
- Cage dive. Boat access only. Depth shallow — the cages are only about 2 m deep.
- These dives are for one purpose only: to see sharks. Other fish may be attracted to the bait, but that is not what you do this dive to see. Cage dives must be done through a licensed Shark Cage Diving charter.
- 3 East Shoal: S34°08'54" E18°38'47"
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth probably about 2 to 25 m.
- The reef is said to be Tafelberg sandstone. A seldom dived site due to distance from launch sites, with an astonishing density of echinoderms.
- 4 Drop Zone: S34°08.561' E18°45.829'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth probably from about 12 to 25 m.
- The moderate profile but extensive reef is sedimentary rock, either Malmesbury series or Tafelberg sandstone. It was only dived by charter boats beginning in 2014. Colourful invertebrates, including large numbers of gorgonian sea fans.
- 5 Moddergat: S34°09.150' E18°49.650'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth probably from about 13 to 16 m.
- The moderate to low profile but extensive reef is sedimentary rock, either Malmesbury series or Tafelberg sandstone. It was only dived by charter boats beginning in 2014. Colourful invertebrates, including quite large numbers of nudibranchs. Also known as a fishing spot, but not many fish seen of a size worth catching.
- 6 Sterretjies Reef: S34°09.364' E18°45.039'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 16 to about 30 m
- Hard sedimentary rock reef, in moderate to low profile ridges and gullies.
- 7 York Shoal: S34°09.367', E018°35.583'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth is between 4 and about 28 m.
- The reef is a hard sedimentary rock. It is near Seal Island where Great White sharks are a tourist attraction.
- Steenbras Deep Reef
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 17 to 30 m.
- This site is at the southern end of a long ridge towards the east side of False Bay. The southern pinnacle is irregular in shape, with a large number of cracks, grooves and indentations, mostly not very deep. Sand is coarse and shelly with lots of bryozoan detritus at the edge of the reef. There is also a northern pinnacle, though both are relatively flat.
- 8 Steenbras Deep - North Pinnacles: S34°12.15’ E018°45.57’
- 9 Steenbras Deep - South Pinnacles: S34°12.642’ E018°45.498’
- 10 Off-Whittle Ridge: S34°14.364' E18°34.847'
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 19 m to more than 30 m.
- An area of granite corestone reef nearly 2 km to the west-northwest of Whittle Rock. The pinnacle is in the form of a ridge running roughly north-south with a cluster of large boulders to the northeast, and is quite small. The topography is rugged in the ridge area, with a wall down to about 25 m on the west side.
- Whittle Rock
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 4 m to more than 36 m.
- This is a large area of granite corestone reefs surrounded by sand. The topography varies considerably as it is such a large area. The top of the shallowest pinnacle is at about 4 m depth, and the surrounding sand is around 30 to 40 m.
- 11 Kelly's Anchor: S34°14.668' E18°33.646'
- 12 Riaan and Sven's anchor: S34°14.735' E18°33.590'
- 13 North-west corner pinnacles: S34°14.750' E18°33.482'
- 14 JJ's anchor: S34°14.756' E18°33.720'
- 15 September anchor: S34°14.762' E18°33.575'
- 16 Whittle Rock North-west Pinnacle: S34°14.765’ E018°33.622’
- 17 Euphrates anchors: S34°14.776' E18°33.801' and S34°14.783' E18°33.795'
- 18 Little anchor: S34°14.785' E18°33.666'
- 19 Whittle Rock West Pinnacle: S34°14.844’ E018°33.682’
- 20 Whittle Rock: S34°14.846’ E018°33.714’ — (Shallowest pinnacle)
- 21 Whaleback Pinnacles: S34°14.850' E18°33.508'
- 22 Whittle Rock Western Reef Pinnacle: S34°14.856' E18°33.269' (inside the MPA)
- 23 Whittle Rock South-east Pinnacle: S34°14.887’ E018°33.775’
- 24 Whaleback Rock: S34°14.900' E18°33.635'
- 25 South-east pinnacle chain (Neptune's bath plug): S34°14.917’ E018°33.753’
- 26 Flash pinnacle: S34°14.931' E18°33.718'
- 27 Georgina's anchor: S34°14.935' E18°33.784'
- 28 M&M Tower (the Spark plug): S34°14.043’ E018°33.549’
- 29 Whittle Cave Complex: S34°14.943’ E018°33.616’
- 30 Bus Stop (the Gnarly wall): S34°14.945' E18°33.573'
- 31 Wreckless Rock and the Little Labyrinth: S34°14.949' E18°33.707'
- 32 Table Top pinnacle: S34°14.968' E18°33.668'
- 33 Grant's Spike: S34°14.991' E18°33.450' (South-western pinnacles)
- 34 Labyrinth: S34°15.004’ E018°33.580’
- Anvil Rock
- 35 Anvil Rock 3 m pinnacle: S34°22.218' E18°31.090'
- 36 Anvil Rock caves: S36°22.244' E18°31.068' — Approx 20 m deep, area of nice caves/swim-throughs:
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 3 m to more than 20 m.
- The reef is Peninsula granite corestone.
- Rocky Bank
- 37 36 m Pablo's steps drop: S34°25.160’ E018°35.571’
- 38 32 m drop: S34°24.994’ E018°35.463’
- 39 30 m drop: S34°24.957’ E018°35.473’
- 40 25 m drop: S34°24.906’ E018°35.478’
- 41 22 m drop: S34°24.820’ E018°35.473’
- Reef dive. Boat access only. Depth 22 m to more than 50 m on the south side.
- The reef is said to be Tafelberg sandstone. It is a beautiful site with bright colourful reef invertebrates, but is seldom dived due to the distance from the nearest launch site. Visibility is often better than inside the bay.
Wrakke
There are a number of wrecks in central False Bay. Only the ones that are identified and dived are listed here. Exploration of previously undived wrecks occurs sporadically and the list is sure to increase over time. Most of these wrecks are relatively deep, and are all too far offshore to dive from the shore. Some of them are considered among the best dive sites of the Cape Town area, at least partly because of the difficult access and rarity value.
Local geography:The "Lusitania" is on a site where the granite reef is ruggedly spectacular and the boat trip provides a magnificent view of Cape Point. Die General Botha, Bloemfontein en Fleur are on the flat sand bottom of the bay and in these cases, only the wreck is of much interest. Die Godetia is relatively shallow and on a mixed sand and sedimentary rock reef bottom.
The sites include:
- 42 ST Godetia: S34°6’ E018°44’
- Wreck dive. Boat access only. Depth: 15 to 17 m.
- Die SS Godetia was a steam trawler operated by Irvin and Johnson that was sunk for target practice by the SA Air Force. The wreck is very broken up and lies on a bottom of small patches of rocky reef and sand at a maximum depth of about 17 to 18 m. The single scotch boiler and engine block are the most prominent artifacts, and stand on top of a small section of reef, surrounded by fragments of various sizes. The propeller shaft and propeller extend slightly to the west.
- 43 SAS Fleur: S34°10.832’ E018°33.895’
- Wreck dive. Deep dive. Boat access only. Depth: 35 to 41 m.
- The SAS Fleur was a 'Bar' class boom defence vessel, formerly HMS Barbrake. The wreck lies almost level embedded in the bottom as if floating in sand with the weather deck at about 35 m. Hull structure is collapsing.
- 44 SATS General Botha: S34°13.679’ E018°38.290’
- Wreck dive. Deep dive. Boat access only. Depth: 47 to 54 m.
- The River-Class cruiser HMS Thames was built in 1886 and later purchased from the Royal Navy and donated to the South African Government as a training ship for seafarers. The vessel was renamed the "South African Training Ship (SATS)General Botha".
- Die General Botha was scuttled by gunfire from the Scala Battery in Simon’s Town on 13th May 1947. The hull is substantially intact from the ram bow to some metres abaft amidships, approximately level with the aft gun sponsons.
- 45 SAS Bloemfontein: near S34°14.655’ E018°39.952’
- Wreck dive. Deep dive. Boat access only. Depth: 47 to 55 m.
- The SAS Bloemfontein M439 was a sister ship to the SAS Pietermaritzburg and has similar dimensions and layout. This Algerine class Minesweeper was built as HMS Rosamund, and was scuttled on 5 June 1967.
- The ship lies upright on a flat sand bottom and is substantially intact.
- 46 SS Lusitania: S34°23.40’ E018°29.65’
- Wreck dive. Deep dive. Boat access only. Depth: 35 to 40 m.
- Portuguese twin-screw liner of 5557 tons, built in 1906. Wrecked on Bellows Rock off Cape Point on 18 April 1911 in fog while on a voyage from Lourenco Marques (Maputo). The granite reef slopes down from Bellows Rock to the east, and drops off almost vertically from about 15 m to about 33 m, where the broken wreckage lies between the wall and some boulders further east. The wreck is very easy to find, and spread over a fairly large area down to 40 m.
- 47 Bellows Rock
Oos-Valsbaai-kus
Introduction and some tips on diving the Eastern False Bay coast from Gordon’s Bay to Hangklip.
This coast is exposed to the same south westerly swells as the Atlantic coast, but they must travel over a much wider continental shelf, much of which is less than 100 m deep, so there is a significant dissipation of wave energy before it reaches the shoreline. There are other influences, as some of the swells must pass over the shoal area known as Rocky Bank in the mouth of False Bay, and this tends to refract and focus the wave fronts on certain parts of the shore, depending on the exact direction of the wave fronts. As a result there is a tendency for some parts of the coast to be subjected to a type of “freak wave” which appears to be a combination of focused wave front, superposition sets and the effects of the local coastal topography. There are a number of memorial crosses along the coast to attest to the danger of these waves, though the victims are generally anglers, as divers would not attempt to dive in the conditions that produce these waves.
This area, like the Atlantic coast, is a summer diving area, though there will occasionally be conditions suitable for a winter dive.Even in milder conditions there tend to be more noticeable sets than on the Atlantic coast, and it is prudent to study the conditions for several minutes when deciding on an entry or exit point, as the cycle can change significantly over that time. Timing is important at most of these sites, and often when returning to the shore it may seem that the conditions have deteriorated dangerously during the dive. If this happens, do not be in a rush to exit, hang back for at least one cycle of sets, and time your exit to coincide with the low energy part of the cycle, when the waves are lowest and the surge least. When you exit in these conditions, do not linger in the surge zone, get out fast, even if it requires crawling up the rocks on hands and knees, and generally avoid narrow tapering gullies, as they concentrate the wave energy.
The local geology has produced a coastline with much fewer sheltered exit points on this side of the bay, adding to the difficulty, but there are a few deep gullies sufficiently angled to the wave fronts to provide good entry and exit points in moderate conditions. The most notable of these is at Percy’s Hole, where an unusual combination of very sudden decrease in depth from about 14 m to about 4 m, a long, narrow gully with a rocky beach at the end, and a side gully near to the mouth which is shallow, wide, parallel to the shoreline, and full of kelp, results in one of the best protected exits on the local coastline. As a contrast, Coral Garden at Rooi-els, which is about 1.7 km away, has a gully that shelves moderately, with a wide mouth and very small side gullies, which are very tricky unless the swell is quite low.
There is no significant current in False Bay, and this results in relatively warmer water than the Atlantic coast, but also there is less removal of dirty water, so the visibility tends to be poorer. The South-Easter is an offshore wind here too, and will cause upwelling in the same way as on the Atlantic coast, but the bottom water is usually not as clean or as cold, and the upwelled water may carry the fine light silt which tends to deposit in this area when conditions are quiet, so the effects are usually less noticeable. These upwellings are more prevalent in the Rooi-els area, which is deeper than Gordon’s Bay.
As in the Atlantic, a plankton bloom frequently follows an upwelling. This will reduce the visibility, particularly near the surface. It is quite common for the surface visibility offshore to be poor, with better visibility at depth, but the reverse effect can also occur, particularly inshore. These effects are often associated with a thermocline.
Surface water temperature on this side of the bay can range from as high as 22°C to as low as 10°C, and the temperature can differ with depth, sometimes with a distinct thermocline.
Gordonsbaai
This area includes some of the best and most popular shore dive sites in the east side of False Bay. All can also be dived from a boat, and this is of particular importance to divers with restricted mobility on shore, as there is generally a rugged bit of coast to negotiate and in some cases a long climb. There are also sites which are only dived from boats as the shore access is too difficult or dangerous. The dive sites are all close inshore, as sand bottom is quite close to the shore in most cases, There is little or no kelp at these sites.
Local geography:The coastline from Gordon’s Bay to just north of Steenbras River mouth lies approximately north east to south west along the foot of the Hottentot’s Holland mountain range. This is a steeply sloping area with low cliffs along the shoreline and no level ground. The southern part of the Gordon’s Bay urban area is perched along the northern end of this strip above the Faure Marine Drive (R44), which is the access road for all shore dives in this area except Bikini Beach.
The dive sites from Bikini Beach to Lorry Bay are along this part of the coast, and are more sheltered from south westerly swell than sites further to the south as a result of the orientation of the coastline approximately parallel to the swell direction.
Further south the coastline curves to the south east, so the sites are more exposed to the swell. By Rocky Bay the swell approaches the coastline almost perpendicularly, which makes it relatively rough in any south westerly swell.
The shoreline topography of this area is generally low rocky cliffs with occasional wave-cut caves, gullies and overhangs. The underwater profile is usually quite steep with the flat sand bottom quite close to the shoreline. Maximum depth increases from north to south, reaching just over 20 m at Rocky Bay, where the rocky bottom extends much further out than at the more northerly sites.
The coastal formation in this area is mostly light grey to yellow brown quartzitic sandstones of the Graafwater vorming. This directly overlays the greywackes of the Malmesbury group which form the coastline further north from Gordon’s Bay to the Strand. Higher up the mountainside are the rocks of the Skiereiland formation, which are light grey quartzitic sandstone, with thin siltstone, shale and conglomerate beds. The strike is roughly parallel to the coastline, approximately ENE, and the dip is steep SSW, nearly vertical in places.
The sites include:
- 1 Bikini-strand: S34°09.923 E18°51.492
- Reef dive. Shore access. Maximum depth about 3 m.
- 'N Gewilde swemstrand by Gordonsbaai, word gewoonlik nie as 'n duikplek beskou nie, maar geskik vir oefenoefeninge as die golwe nie te groot is nie. Die strand skuif redelik steil in die brandersone, dan plat sandbodem met rif van klein verspreide afgeronde rotse.
- 2 Rante: S34 ° 10.193 'E018 ° 50.726'
- Rifduik. Toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 9 m.
- Genoem na die lysie aan die oewer net bokant hoogwater, wat die baken van die seekant is. Daar is ook 'n hoë rotsblok aan die noordoostelike punt van die lysie, waar entoesiaste van enkele meters af in die water spring. Redelik plat bodem met kleinerige rotse en af en toe sand tussen hulle.
- 3 Vogelsteen: S34 ° 10.302 'E018 ° 50.355'
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 12 m.
- Genoem vir die groot rots wat deur seevoëls bevoordeel word en liggies bedek is in guano. Matige reliëf naby die oewer, maar redelik plat met net klein rotse en uitsak. Opvallend vir die beddings van klippies, slik en skulpe tussen die rotsagtige kusgebied en die plat sandbodem verder in die buiteland, waar groot getalle van die valse baai-anemoon (Cerianthid) gevind kan word.
- 4 Koei en kalf: S34 ° 10.310 'E018 ° 50.263'
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 13 m.
- Genoem vir die tweelingriwwe net buite die see wat die oppervlak nader en soms breek, en wat herinner aan 'n walviskoei en kalf. Ruwe riwwe sandsteen met kwartsietare. Die rante is ongeveer parallel met die kuslyn. Onderkant is rots en medium tot klein rotse met klippies, sand en dop in skeure. Ook:
- 5 Kliphond
- 6 Hoogtepunt: S34 ° 10.468 'E018 ° 49.981'
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 14 m.
- Genoem vir die rotshoogtepunt wat die oppervlakte net in die buiteland breek in die meeste state van die gety.
- 'N Gebied van sandsteenrif, met 'n hoë toppunt, 'n klein spelonk, talle slote en rante en baie rotse. Groot verskeidenheid ongewerweldes vir 'n klein area.
- 7 Tony's Reef: S34 ° 10.565 'E018 ° 49.745'
- Rifduik. Toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 14 m.
- Redelik robuuste rif met medium tot groot rante en uithoeke wat taamlik steil afskuif na 'n rotsagtige klippiesone en uiteindelik sandbodem.
- 8 Troglodyte's Cove (Cave Gully): S34 ° 10.828 'E018 ° 49.509'
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 14 m.
- Die terrein is vernoem na die grot aan die hoof van die inlaat, wat tekens toon van onlangse bewoning in die vorm van vullis en weggooigere. Sandsteenrifriwwe is ongeveer parallel met die kusformasies en kom 9 m baie naby aan die buitekant van die kuslyn, en word dan geleidelik afgerond tot 14 m, teen daardie tyd is dit fyn sand. Daar is 'n paar taamlike groot uithoeke en rotsblokke tot ongeveer 3 m hoog, en 'n paar oorhange naby die kuslyn, veral in die inlaat.
- 9 Lorry Bay: S34 ° 10.955 'E018 ° 49.312'
- Rifduik. Toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 10 m.
- Genoem vir die stukke motorvoertuig wat nog in die inham gevind kan word. Verskeie voertuie het deur die jare bokant die baai van die pad afgegaan en in die water beland. Vlak bodem, sand op ongeveer 10 m. Onderkant golf ronde rotse in die baai. Stewiger en steil nabye sye.
- 10 Phil's Bay: S34 ° 11.199 ’E018 ° 49.133’
- Rifduik. Toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 14 m.
- Skuur die bodem op ongeveer 14 m, dan matige reliëfrif van sandsteenrotse en rante met sanderige gapings wat min of meer parallel met die kuslyn loop. Raak nader aan die oewer, en is diep, baie naby aan die kus.
- Rocky Bay en edelrif: S34 ° 11.585 'E018 ° 49.035'
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte meer as 20 m.
- Dit is eintlik glad nie 'n baai nie. Die kuslyn het 'n konvekse kurwe langs hierdie duikplek. Die oord aan die oewer word Rocky Bay genoem, en die naam van die werf volg daaruit. Edele rif is 'n rif noordwes van die Rocky Bay-gebied.
- Die kuslyn is baie steil en weerspieël eerder as om golwe te breek, dus is die ankerplek baie hobbelig in 'n deining. Verder is die bodem geleidelik skuins, met matige grootte rante en uithoeke. Verder in die buiteland word dit oor die algemeen platter met lae rotsagtige rif en klippies en klein rotse en af en toe 'n hoër nok.
- 11 Rocky Bay: S34 ° 11.585 'E018 ° 49.035'
- 12 Rocky Bay Noble Reef: S34 ° 11.332 'E018 ° 49.123'
Rooi-els
Hierdie gebied bevat van die beste en gewildste duikplekke aan die oostekant van Valsbaai. Almal kan ook vanaf 'n boot geduik word, alhoewel daar beperkte toegang is vir die lansering in die omgewing, en dit is 'n lang rit vanaf Gordonsbaai. Op baie van hierdie terreine is daar 'n ruie kus om te onderhandel en in sommige gevalle 'n lang klim. Die duikplekke is meestal naby die kus, maar in sommige gevalle strek dit 'n aansienlike afstand. Daar is gewoonlik kelp in die vlakker gebiede op hierdie terreine. Bobbejane kan 'n oorlas hê by Rooi-els, al is hulle nie heeltemal so problematies soos suid van Simonstad nie. Moenie voedsel sonder toesig oop laat nie, en moenie die bobbejane voer nie, want dit word aangemoedig om nog meer lastig te raak.
Plaaslike geografie:Die terreine noord van Rooi-elsbaai is aan die voet van Rooielsberg (636 m), wat taamlik steil aan die noordwestekant skuins, maar 'n meer geleidelike helling het net noord van die monding van die Rooi-els, waar daar is 'n sandstrand wat goed beskut is teen die suidwestelike deinings. Die onderwatertopografie is egter hiermee in stryd met die feit dat die terrein by Bloukrans vlakker en geleidelik van planke is as by Percy's Hole, waar die diepte binne 'n baie kort afstand van die oewer tot ongeveer 12 m afneem.
Uittreksels van donker rots van die Tygerberg formasie by Bloukrans, met sandstene van die Tafelberg reeks verder suid. Staking is ongeveer noord-oos by Rooi-els, met duik ongeveer 25 ° suid-oos.
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- 13 Blouklip (Bloukrans): S34 ° 16.439 ’E018 ° 50.163’
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte 17 m.
- Benoem na die donker rotsrif van die Tygerberg vorming by die toegangspunt. Die bergreeks agter die terrein staan bekend as die Blousteenberge, en die piek direk daarbo is Rooielsberg.
- Binnelandse rif is rotse en buitewyke van matige grootte. Verder word hulle laer totdat daar redelik plat gruisbeddens op 10 m is. Verder uit is meer uithoeke, 'n paar plat skalierif, meer gruisbeddens en nog meer uithoeke. Daar is ook 'n paar sandkolletjies tussen die rotse en gruis.
- 14 Blousteen Ridge: S34 ° 16.497 'E018 ° 49.924'
- Rifduik. Slegs toegang tot die boot. Maksimum diepte nie aangeteken nie, waarskynlik ongeveer 18 m.
- Hierdie webwerf is 'n paar honderd meter suid-wes van Blouklip. Dit strek tot by die kuslyn, maar die toegang vanaf die pad is steil en moeilik en daar is nie parkeerplek beskikbaar nie.
- 15 Whirlpool Cove: S34 ° 16.97 'E018 ° 49.55' (ongeveer)
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 24 m.
- Genoem vir die onstuimige gaping tussen die groep gesteentes en die suidekant van die inham wat wonderlike draaikolke produseer in 'n sterk oplewing. Onderste neigings word geleidelik af in 'n reeks parallelle sandsteenrante en slote, van wisselende grootte, maar konsekwente doop en staking.
- 16 Percy se gat: S34 ° 17.350 ’E018 ° 49.377’E.
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 23 m.
- Dit is een van die bekendste en interessantste plekke in die Rooi-els-omgewing. Die ingangsgolf val af tot 14 m tussen die koppe, daar is 'n trappe muur in die suide en uitgebreide hoëprofiel rotsagtige riwwe in die noorde met 'n deurdringende binnekant van die blootgestelde rotshoogtepunt (Seal Rocks). Aan die see van hierdie hoë riwwe hang die bodem af tot 23 m met sandbodem, en in die noorde is 'n klein grot. Dit is 'n webwerf met uiteenlopende topografiese kenmerke en 'n ryk ekologiese diversiteit.
- 17 Kruis (Kruisings): S34 ° 17.431 ’E018 ° 49.304
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 22 m.
- Genoem vir die kruis wat opgerig is ter nagedagtenis aan J.F. Marais, rektor van die Stellenbosch Gimnasium, wat in die omgewing verdrink het. Die inlaat skuif geleidelik af noordwaarts oor 'n uitgebreide gebied van dieper lae profielrif met 'n paar sandvlekke totdat dit die sandbodem bereik. Aan die see van die ingangsgolwe is daar 'n redelike groot, baie vlak rif wat steil val tot by die lae diep rif.
- 18 Rooi-els Point: S34 ° 17.8 'E018 ° 48.8'
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 20 m.
- Die punt by Rooi-els is 'n vanselfsprekende plek vir 'n duikplek. Daar is 'n breek wat noord van die punt strek wat dui op 'n uitgebreide rif. Hierdie riwwe is 'n voortsetting van die riwwe by Coral Gardens in die noorde en is op baie maniere baie dieselfde. Ruwe sandsteenrante en slote, meestal taamlik gebreek, en met wisselende hoogte op 'n redelike konstante diepte van die bodem.
- 19 Koraal tuine (Rooi-els): S34 ° 18.144 ’E018 ° 48.795’
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte meer as 25 m.
- Genoem vir die oorvloedige gorgoniërs, seewaarters en sagte koraal in die omgewing. Klipperige rante loop ongeveer noordoos tot suidwes. Groot uithoeke en rotse bied 'n ruie verligting en bied 'n habitat vir 'n groot verskeidenheid ongewerweldes. Daar is drie groot toppe langs die verste buitekant van die hoë rante. Die suidelikste van hierdie rante het 'n boogkenmerk net suid van die hoogtepunt. Die noordelike rant het 'n grot / swem deur onder 'n groot rotsblok.
- 20 Andre se Gat: S34 ° 18,25 'E018 ° 48,76' (geskat)
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte gerapporteer as 25 m.
- Hierdie webwerf is 'n paar jaar gelede gebruik vir opleiding en as 'n algemene ontspanningsduikplek.
- 21 Balkon: S34 ° 18.454 'E018 ° 48.911'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 10 m.
- Hierdie webwerf word meestal gebruik as 'n opleidingswerf of as omstandighede marginaal is. Dit is nie baie diep nie en die rif is nie baie skouspelagtig nie, maar dit word beter beskerm teen deinings as die meeste plekke in die omgewing. Laag tot matige sandsteenrif skuif redelik steil af na sandbodem.
- 22 Ankers: S34 ° 17.350 'E018 ° 49.377'
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 20 m.
- Dit is vernoem na die oorspronklike huis wat bo die inham gestyg het, wat in 2003 gesloop en herbou is. Dit is 'n perseel met 'n relatief beskutte toegangs- en uitgangsarea.
- 23 Mike's Point: S34 ° 18,75 'E018 ° 48,72' (geskat)
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 20 m.
- Dit is die voortsetting van die riwwe wat suid loop vanaf Ankers, aan die noordekop van Containerbaai. Die webwerf word selde geduik en is nie gekarteer nie.
- 24 Container Bay (Mike's Bay): S34 ° 18.75 'E018 ° 49.05' (ongeveer)
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang. Maksimum diepte ongeveer 14 m.
- Hierdie werf is vernoem na 'n houer wat 'n paar jaar gelede aan wal gespoel is en wat amper heeltemal verroes het. Dit word nie gereeld op duik geduik nie. Die toegang is relatief goed.
Pringlebaai en Hangklip
Hierdie gebiede word meestal deur speervissers geduik, maar dit is bekend dat hulle op duik geduik het. Ongelukkig is daar in hierdie stadium geen inligting beskikbaar nie.
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- Rifduik. Oewer toegang.
- Rifduik. Oewer of boot toegang.
- Hangklip Ridge:
- Rifduik. Toegang tot die boot.
Duikplekke vir vars water
Daar is net een varswaterterrein in die streek wat oop is vir die publiek. Dit is die Blue Rock Quarry aan die onderkant van Sir Lowry's Pass, naby Gordonsbaai,
Die webwerwe sluit in:
- Blue Rock Steengroef: S34 ° 07.536 ’E18 ° 54.066’
- Steengroefduik. Slegs strandtoegang. Maksimum diepte minstens 47 m, moontlik meer. Meestal vlakker as 30 m.
- Dit is vernoem na die boupakket wat vroeër hier ontgin is, en dit was donkerblou-grys. Die steengroef is gesluit en word nou oorstroom en gebruik vir watersport, insluitend duik en waterski met behulp van 'n oorhoofse kabelstelsel.
- 1 Blue Rock Quarry Deep End
- 2 Blue Rock Quarry Floating Jetty
- 3 Blue Rock Steengroef West End
- 4 Blue Rock Quarry Dive and Adventure Corner
Respek
Duik op rotsriwwe
Vermy oor die algemeen kontak met lewende organismes. Dit is uiteraard onmoontlik in kelpwoude, en daarom is dit gelukkig dat seebamboes en kelp met kraai vinnig groei en taai is. In werklikheid word aanbeveel dat u die onderste gedeelte van die kelpstokke as handvatsels moet gebruik, eerder as ander organismes as daar geen duidelike ondergrond is om aan te gryp nie. Hulle is oor die algemeen sterk aan die ondergrond vasgeheg, aangesien dit 'n ernstige slae in storms moet weerstaan, en so 'n duiker wat af en toe vashou, lyk 'n ligte las. In sommige gevalle kan klein kelpplante met 'n sterk oplewing afgeruk word. U sal leer om te herken wanneer dit waarskynlik sal gebeur, en moet dan 'n ander plan maak.
Die skade wat duikers in ons plaaslike mariene ekologie aangerig het, blyk meestal te wees aan relatief brose organismes wat stadig groei onder die brandersone. Dit lyk asof die valse koraal (Bryozoa) onder die broosste is, en alle kontak met die gescrollde, geporeerde en staghorn valse koraal moet vermy word. Harde koraal, sagte koraal, anemone en seewaaiers moet ook baie sensitief behandel word. Sponse is waarskynlik minder gevoelig vir aanraking, maar is gewoonlik nie baie sterk nie en kan redelik maklik skeur en is nie geskik om vas te hou nie.
Rooiaas (die baie algemene en vrugbare groot seespuit) Pyura stolonifera) blyk taai en veerkragtig te wees, en kan as handvatsels gebruik word, want dit lyk asof dit geen merkbare skade berokken nie. Dit is nie van toepassing op alle ascidiërs nie, die meeste is baie fyner. Rooi aas is ook gereeld die substraat vir ander, fyner organismes, en behandel dan met die versigtigheid wat geskik is vir die fyner spesies.
Om die rif te skop en die sandbodem met u vinne op te roer, word beskou as slegte vorm en is die teken van 'n ongeskoolde duiker. Vermy dit deur neutrale dryfkrag te handhaaf en bewus te wees van u posisie ten opsigte van u omgewing, hou die been- en armbewegings matig, sny uself om die liggaam te oriënteer, en vermy bultende toerusting, wat in die rif kan klop of vasgevang kan raak aan dinge en direkte of indirekte skade aanrig. As 'n algemene reël is 'n horisontale oriëntasie met vinne bo die bolyf geskik en kan dit gebruik word deur die vinne te gebruik sonder om die rif te skop of 'n wolk sand op te wek.
Dit lyk asof sommige fotograwe 'n nare gewoonte ontwikkel het om dinge na die gewenste samestelling van die prentjie te skuif. Dit is uiters onverantwoordelik en moet nie gedoen word nie, aangesien die hantering van sommige organismes dodelik kan wees. Dit is ook onwettig in mariene beskermde gebiede, hoewel dit in die praktyk feitlik onmoontlik is om toe te pas.
Versameling van mariene organismes is onwettig sonder die nodige permit. As u die organismes vir 'n wettige doel nodig het, moet u die permit kry. Laat hulle anders ongestoord, en moenie ander naburige organismes onnodig steur as u dit versamel nie.
Daar is kommer oor die impak van sportduik op die rifekologie. Sommige hiervan kan wettig wees, en meer studie is nodig om te toets of dit 'n werklike probleem is. Die aantal duikslae in die streek het oor die jare aansienlik toegeneem, maar daar is geen numeriese data beskikbaar nie. Die aantal webwerwe het ook toegeneem, en daarom sal die duikfrequensie op die meeste plekke nie proporsioneel toegeneem het nie. Ongelukkig het die regeringsdepartement wat voorheen bekend was as mariene en kusbestuur, nou deel van die Departement van Landbou, Bosbou en Visserye, 'n geleentheid gesien om in te meng met sportaktiwiteite en die opnames oor tropiese koraalriwwe gebruik om 'n poging om beheer oor te neem, te ondersteun. van sportduik op die gematigde riwwe rondom die Kaapse Skiereiland. Geen opnames van gematigde riwwe kan gemaak word om hul aansprake te regverdig nie, en dit lyk onwaarskynlik dat hul inmenging tot voordeel van die ekologie of die duikbedryf sal wees.
Mariene beskermde gebiede
Die meeste duikplekke in Kaapstad is in die Tafelberg Nasionale Park Mariene Beskermde Gebied of die Robben Eiland Mariene Beskermde Gebied.
'N Permit is nodig om in enige MPA te duik. Die permitte is 'n jaar geldig en is by sommige takke van die Poskantoor beskikbaar. Tydelike permitte, geldig vir 'n maand, kan by duikwinkels of by duikbootoperateurs beskikbaar wees. Die permitte is geldig vir alle Suid-Afrikaanse MPA's.
Grense van die tafel Mariene beskermde gebied van die bergberg word in die afbeelding getoon, wat ook die beperkte sones toon, waar in die teorie geen visvang- of oesaktiwiteite toegelaat word nie. Dit keer die stropers nie, en as u politieke trekpleister het, blyk dit dat u kommersiële visvangpermitte vir sommige van die beperkte gebiede kan kry.
Die Mariene beskermde gebied op Robbeneiland het ook 'n paar matige gewilde duike, en die Helderberg Mariene beskermde gebied is in Valsbaai, maar daar is geen ontspanningsduikplekke uit die omgewing bekend nie.
Wrakduik rondom die Kaapse Skiereiland en Valsbaai
Duik op wrakke in Suid-Afrika is 'n gewilde aktiwiteit, en historiese wrakke word wetlik beskerm teen vandalisme en ongemagtigde berging en onttrekkende argeologie. 'N Interessante, hoewel nie besonder logiese gevolg van die wetgewing nie, is dat enige wrak outomaties 'n historiese wrak word 60 jaar na die datum van wrak, met die gevolg dat 'n hoop verroeste rommel, wat iemand na willekeur kan verwyder, oornag 'n waardevolle en onvervangbare historiese artefak en deel van die Nasionale Erfenis. Dit lyk asof daar 'n soortgelyke uitwerking op duikers is, wat aanhoudend in 'n wrak sal rondkrabbel in die hoop om 'n artefak te vind wat hulle nie sou buig om op te tel as dit in die straat lê nie.
Desondanks het wrakduik sy aantreklikhede, en die waters van die Kaapse Skiereiland en Valsbaai het 'n groot aantal wrakke. Die redes hiervoor is eerstens dat een van die grootste skeepvaartroetes rondom Kaappunt verbygaan, en tweedens dat die weer en seetoestande in hierdie streek baie moeilik kan wees. Die ankerplek in Tafelbaai bied weinig skuiling as die wind uit die noordweste kom, wat algemeen in die winter voorkom, en baie skepe is in en naby Tafelbaai tydens winterstorms aan wal gedryf as ankers gesleep of kabels misluk, en die skip was nie in staat om die lee-oewer af te slaan nie. Dit vind minder gereeld plaas, aangesien skepe gemotoriseer is, maar elke paar jaar word 'n ander skip in Tafelbaai aan die land geblaas weens onderbrekings of onbevoegdheid.
Die lys wrakke is lank, maar die lys wrakke in gebiede wat gerieflik is om te duik, is baie korter, en 'n beduidende aantal wrakke wat waarskynlik in geskikte gebiede is, is nie gevind nie. - Die aantekening van 'n presiese posisie soos die vaartuig afgegaan het, was nie baie belangrik vir die bemanning nie, selfs nie as dit moontlik sou wees nie. As gevolg hiervan word voortgesette verkenning en deursoekings deur wrakduik-entoesiaste na wrakke gedoen waarvoor benaderde posisies bekend is, en is daar enkele operateurs wat hul kennis van wraklokale jaloers bewaak sodat hulle eksklusiewe toegang het.
Baie skepe het 'n aansienlike afstand gesink buite die punt waarop hulle beskadig is, en baie in die water is te diep om te duik of tot op die oewer, waar hulle daarna deur golfaksie stukkend geslaan is. Ander het verswak tot op die punt dat die gemiddelde ontspanningsduiker hulle skaars as die oorblyfsels van 'n skip sou herken. As gevolg van hierdie faktore is die aantal wrakke wat gewilde duikplekke is, 'n klein subset van die totale aantal bekende, en baie daarvan is oorspronklik afgesit, hetsy as 'n mariene teikenpraktyk, of as kunsmatige riwwe. Hierdie wrakke word redelik gereeld geduik, soos die omstandighede dit toelaat.
Kry hulp
In geval van nood
 | Nota: National Hyperbarics is onbepaald gesluit vanaf Januarie 2011. Daar is geen dekompressiekamer beskikbaar vir ontspanningsduikongelukke in die Kaapstad-omgewing nie. Kontak DAN of Metro Rescue tot verdere kennisgewing. |
In gevalle waar daar lewensondersteuning tydens ontruiming nodig is, kontak een van die paramediese dienste soos Netcare 911. As die duiker 'n DAN-lid is, probeer ten minste om DAN (Diver Alert Network) tydens die ontruiming te kontak. tref verdere reëlings. Vir nie-DAN-lede kontak die paramediese diens of Metro Rescue direk.
As u die slagoffer self moet vervoer, gaan na die Claremont-hospitaal se noodgevalle-eenheid eerstens, waar die personeel weet van duikongelukke en lewensondersteuning en toepaslike behandeling kan bied.
Dit word sterk aanbeveel dat iemand uit die duikgroep die ongevalle in die ambulans moet vergesel, verkieslik met 'n selfoon sodat hulle vrae oor die voorval kan beantwoord. Die duikrekenaar van die ongevalle moet saam met die ongevalle vervoer word, en dit is handig as die persoon wat die ongevalle vergesel, weet hoe om die duikgeskiedenis van die rekenaar te haal.
- DAN Suider-Afrika 24-uur-hotline, ☏ 27 82 810-6010, 27 10 209-8112, tolvry: 0800 020 111.
- Netcare 911, ☏082 911 (binnelandse). Seeredding, helikopter, ambulans, hiperbarekamer, gifstowwe en mediese noodadvieslyn.
- Metro Redding, ☏10177 (binnelandse).
- 1 Claremont-hospitaal se noodeenheid (toegang vanaf Hoofweg), ☏ 27 21 670-4333.
- Nasionale Seereddingsinstituut, ☏ 27 21 449-3500.
- Bergredding, ☏ 27 21 937-1211.
- Vuur, ☏107 (huishoudelik).
- S. A. Polisiediens, ☏10111 (binnelandse).
- In geval van probleme met 'n noodoproep, ☏1022 (binnelandse).
Vind uit
- Suidelike Onderwaternavorsingsgroep (SURG), ✉[email protected]. Vir die identifisering van seelewe en veldgidsboeke. Stuur 'n foto na SURG en hulle sal probeer om die organisme te identifiseer.
- iNaturalist suidelike Afrika. Vir die identifisering van plante en diere. Laai 'n waarnemingsfoto en ligging op na iNaturalist en een van die bydraers kan die organisme identifiseer. U kan ook u kennis deel deur die onderwerp van u en ander se foto's te identifiseer.
- Onderwater-Afrika. “Die KPR van duik”: bewaring, promosie en verteenwoordiging. Onderwater-Afrika poog om sy lede te dien deur sleutelkwessies te identifiseer wat die groei en sukses van ontspanningsduik beïnvloed. Dit is die verenigde stem wat namens die sport praat, en die funksionele funksie daarvan is om gefokusde programme te skep wat sowel ontspanningsduik as die onderwateromgewing positief beïnvloed. Spesifiek, as u sukkel om 'n duikpermit van 'n poskantoor in 'n buitelandse paspoort te kry, of vir persone onder die ouderdom van 16, sal Onderwater Afrika u probleem probeer oplos, aangesien sommige poskantoorpersoneel nie voldoende bewus is van die reëls nie. .
- Die Maritieme Argeoloog by SAHRA, P O Box 4637, Kaapstad, ☏ 27 21 462-4502, faks: 27 21 462-4509, ✉[email protected].
Kry diens
Leer
Sien Dienste gids vir kontakbesonderhede.
Duikskole:
- Alpha duik sentrum
- Kaapstad duiksentrum
- Duikaksie
- Duik en avontuur
- Dive Inn Kaapstad
- Die duikstam
- Indigo Scuba Diving Centre
- In die blou
- Net Africa Scuba
- Leer om vandag te duik
- Maties Onderwaterklub
- Oseaanervarings
- Oceanus Scuba
- Orca Industries
- Visduikers
- Die Scuba School
- Onderwater ontdekkingsreisigers (slegs tegnies)
Koop
Sien Dienste gids vir kontakbesonderhede.
Duikwinkels:
Die kleinhandelaars wat spesialiseer in duiktoerusting word gelys. Ander sportgoedwinkels kan ook 'n beperkte reeks duiktoerusting lewer.
- Kaapstad duiksentrum
- Duikaksie
- Indigo Scuba Diving Centre
- In die blou
- Orca Industries
- Visduikers
Scuba silinder vul:
Die genoteerde handelaars sal silinders vir die algemene publiek vul. Sommige ander diensverskaffers sal slegs vir lede of vir hul eie studente of huurklante vul. Sien die gids vir meer besonderhede.
- Alpha duik sentrum: lug.
- Kaapstad duiksentrum: Air, Nitrox
- Duikaksie: lug, suurstof
- Uitvoerende veiligheidsbenodigdhede (ESS): lug.
- Orca Industries: lug, suurstofversoenbare lug, nitrox (deurlopende en gedeeltelike druk alle persentasies), suurstof.
- Indigo duik sentrum: lug.
- Into the Blue: Air.
- Visduikers: lug, suurstofversoenbare lug, stikstof (alle drukpersentasies), suurstof
- Duikeenheid vir navorsing: lug, suurstofversoenbare lug, nitrox (deurlopende en gedeeltelike druk).
- Die Scuba School: lug tot 300 bar, Nitrox
Huur
Sien Dienste gids vir kontakbesonderhede.
Sommige duikoperateurs huur toerusting vir u as u saam met hulle duik. Kontroleer dit wanneer u bespreek. Die genoteerde operateurs huur volledige duikuitrusting. Die meeste huurbote sal op aanvraag volledige silinders voorsien.
- Kaapstad duiksentrum
- Duikaksie
- Duik en avontuur
- Dive Inn Kaapstad
- In die blou
- Visduik
- Die Scuba School
Doen
Sien Dienste gids vir kontakbesonderhede.
Boot duik charters:
Boot duik vanaf 'n spesialis duikboot. Gewoonlik een duik per reis, soms twee. Bespreking noodsaaklik. Sommige operateurs voorsien 'n afleier, ander huur toerusting, ander lewer slegs vervoer. Duike kan tot op die laaste oomblik gekanselleer word as die toestande sleg word. As die reis gekanselleer word, kan u 'n terugbetaling verwag. Sommige operateurs sal kanselleer as hulle dink dat die duik nie goed sal wees nie, ander sal begin, tensy dit te gevaarlik lyk. Gaan die bepalings na voordat u bespreek.
Hierdie lys is van operateurs wat 'n boot besit en bestuur. Die meeste duikwinkels en skole wat nie hul eie boot bestuur nie, sal op hierdie bote bootduike vir kliënte bespreek. Dit is gewoonlik die manier waarop u toerusting moet huur of vervoer benodig. Direkte bespreking is geskik as u u eie toerusting het. Die meeste duikchartere huur silinders.
- Diere Oseaan
- Blue Flash (tegnies vriendelik)
- Duikaksie (vriendelik vir tegnologie en rebreather)
- Duik en avontuur
- Indigo Scuba Diving Centre
- Leer om vandag te duik
- Oseaanervarings
- Visduikers
- Onderwater ontdekkingsreisigers (tegnies vriendelik)
Begeleide strandduike:
Strandduike gelei deur 'n Divemaster. Gewoonlik een duik per rit. Bespreking is gewoonlik nodig. Die meeste operateurs huur toerusting, sommige vervoer na die terrein vanaf 'n spesifieke byeenkomsarea, gewoonlik 'n duikwinkel. Gaan die voorwaardes na voordat u bespreek
- Alpha duik sentrum
- Kaapse RADD
- Kaapstad duiksentrum
- Duikaksie
- Dive Inn Kaapstad
- Indigo Scuba Diving Centre
- In die blou
- Net Africa Scuba
- Leer om vandag te duik
- Oseaanervarings
- Visduikers
- Die Scuba School
Duikklubs:
Plekke waar duikers bymekaarkom om silinders vol te maak, 'n drankie te drink en duik te bespreek. Klubs bied gewoonlik ook opleiding en huur van toerusting aan lede aan, en lug en soms Nitrox en Trimix vul. Slegs duikklubs wat nie uitsluitlik aan 'n duikskool of duikwinkel verbonde is nie, word hier gelys. Sommige klubs verwelkom besoekers by klubduikuitstappies, maar nie-lede sal gewoonlik hul eie toerusting moet voorsien.
- Aquaholics-klub
- Bellville-onderwaterklub
- Kaapse skubaklub
- Valsbaai Onderwaterklub
- Maties Underwater Club (Stellenbosch Underwater Club)
- Old Mutual Sub Aqua-klub
- Universiteit van Kaapstad se onderwaterklub
Hokduik (haaie)
'N Klein aantal gelisensieerde operateurs bied 'n oopwaterhokduik om naby die groot blankes in hul eie omgewing te kom. April tot September is die hoogste tyd om Groot Blankes in Suid-Afrika te sien. Daar is oggend- en middagritte na Seal Island, waar u die beroemde Groot Withaaie van Valsbaai kan sien, sowel as hokduik, soms alles in een reis. Nie alle hokke duik is op duik nie, maar die meeste geskied op asemhaling. Kontroleer dit wanneer u bespreek.
- African Shark Eco-Charters
- Apex Shark Expeditions
- Shark Adventures
- Haai-ontdekkingsreisigers
Maak reg
Sien Dienste gids vir kontakbesonderhede.
Onderhoud en herstel van duikapparatuur:
- Alpha duik sentrum
- Kaapstad duiksentrum
- Duikaksie
- Indigo Scuba Diving Centre
- Orca Industries.
- Visduikers.
Inspeksie en toetsing van duikersilinder:Die meeste duikwinkels neem silinders in vir diens deur 'n toetsfasiliteit. Diegene wat hier gelys word, doen die regte toets.
- Uitvoerende veiligheidstelsels. Hidrostatiese toetsing en visuele inspeksies
- Orca Industries. "Visuele plus" -toetsing van aluminium-silinders en suurstofdiensreiniging op aanvraag.
Onderhoud en herstel van droë pak:
- Blou flits.
- Stingray.
Herstel van nat pak en pasmaak:
- Koraal wetsuits.
- Reef Wetsuits.
Dienste gids
- 2 African Shark Eco-Charters, Winkel WC13, Simon's Town Boardwalk Centre, St Georges St, Simonstad, ☏ 27 21 785-1941, 27 82 674 9454 (mobiel), ✉[email protected]. Kantoor: 09:00 tot 18:00. Wit haaihok duik. Grootwithaaihok duik R1450-1750.
- Animal Ocean Marine Adventures, Mobiele bedryf - geen kantore nie, ☏ 27 79 488-5053, ✉[email protected]. Te eniger tyd beskikbaar op e-pos of selfoon. Seelsnorkel, seesafari's, bootverhuur, sardientjies en spesialis fotografiese ekspedisies. Plaaslike bootduik R200, uitgesluit toerusting, minimum 2 paks.
- 3 Alpha duik sentrum, 96 Main Rd, Strand (oorkant die treinstasie), ☏ 27 21 854-3150, faks: 27 86 551 0702, ✉[email protected]. M-F 07:30 - 18:00, Sa So 07:30 - 14:00. NAUI-, PADI- en DAN-opleiding; toerustingverkope en huur; lugvullings; reguleerder- en BC-diens; boot- en strandduike (Gordonsbaai).
- 4 Apex Shark Expeditions, Quayside-gebou, winkel no 3, Main Rd, Simonstad, ☏ 27 21 786-5717, 27 79 051-8558 (mobiel), ✉[email protected]. Withaaihokduik.
- 5 Bellville-onderwaterklub, Jack Muller Park, Frans Conradie-rylaan, oorkant die Hoërskool DF Malan, ✉[email protected]. Klubaand Woensdag, 19:00 tot 23:00. CMAS-ISA, en IANTD opleiding; klub duik die meeste Sondae; lug- en nitroxvullings vir lede; sosiale klub vir ontspannings- en tegniese duikers.
- 6 Blou flits, 5 Glenbrae Ave, Tokai, ☏ 27 73 167-6677, ✉[email protected]. Dienspakdiens, herstelwerk en verstellings; nuut (Cape Gear) en gebruikte droëpakverkope; ontspannings- en tegniese duikhandves; hoëspoed-bootreise en toere op die see; verkenning van nuwe wrakke en riwwe (Kaapse Skiereiland). Weeklikse e-pos nuusbriewe kan op die webwerf ingeteken word. Plaaslike bootduik R400, uitgesluit toerusting.
- 7 Kaapstad duiksentrum, Hoofweg 122, Glencairn Simonstad, 7975 Wes-Kaap, ☏ 27 84 290 1157, ✉[email protected]. 09: 00-16: 30 (een of ander tyd langer). PADI-opleiding en ontdek duikervarings. Vir diegene wat reeds gesertifiseer is, is die bootlansering en duik aan die wal. Verkope en verhuring van duikapparatuur, asook diens en herstel van toerusting.
- Kaapse skubaklub, ✉[email protected]. Weeklikse sosiale byeenkomste. Cape Scuba Club is 'n prettige, gesinsgebaseerde duikklub. Lede kry: lugafvullings, afslag op bootverhuur, afslag van ervare duikers, naweek-duik in Kaapstad onder leiding van ervare duikers, insluitend nagduik, wrakduik, bootduik en strandinskrywings, en naweek-duikuitstappies.
- 8 Koraal wetsuits, 60 Hopkins Street, Salt River, ☏ 27 21 447-1985, faks: 27 21 448-8249, ✉[email protected]. Voorraad en pasgemaakte wetsuits. Naaldwerk en herstelwerk aan duikpak.
- 9 Duikaksie, 22 Carlisle St, Paarden Eiland., ☏ 27 21 511-0800, ✉[email protected]. M-F 08:30 - 17:30, Sa 08:30 - 12:00. PADI- en IANTD-opleiding (NAUI op aanvraag); ontspannings- en tegniese duikhandves (Kaapse Skiereiland); toerustingverkope en huur; lug, nitrox, suurstof en trimixvullings; reguleerder- en BC-diens; weer asemhalingsvulsels en sorb. Hoë-spoed bootritte en toere. Plaaslike bootduik R350, uitgesluit toerusting.
- Duik en avontuur, Gordonsbaai, ☏ 27 83 962-8276, ✉[email protected]. CMAS-ISA opleiding; huur van toerusting; boot duik charters (Gordonsbaai); lugvullings; klein boot skipper opleiding.
- 10 DiveInn Kaapstad (Carel van der Colff), ☏ 27 84 448-1601, ✉[email protected]. Privaat PADI & RAID-duikopleiding, Nudibranch-jagterspesialis, Departement van Arbeid het noodhulpkursusse goedgekeur deur middel van DAN, toerustinghuur, privaat toere na Kaapse Wynlande, Kaapstad, Kaapstad, Kaapse skiereiland, bootduike, privaat duik via die wal, Strandduik, insluitend gewigte en lug R380.
- 11 Uitvoerende Veiligheidsdienste (E.S.S.), 4 Dorsetshire St, Paarden Eiland, ☏ 27 21 510-4726, faks: 27 21 510-8758, ✉[email protected]. Maandag 8: 00-16: 00, F 8: 00-15: 00. Visuele inspeksie van die scuba-silinder en hidrostatiese toetsing; Diens van pilaarkleppe; Lug vul tot 300 bar.
- 12 Valsbaai Onderwaterklub, Onder Wetton-padbrug, Wynberg (Toegang is in Belperweg, vanaf Kildare-pad), ✉[email protected]. Klubaand Woensdag, 19:00 tot 23:00. CMAS-ISA, SSI en IANTD opleiding; klub duik die meeste Sondae; lug-, nitrox- en trimixvullings vir lede; sosiale klub vir ontspannings-, tegniese en wetenskaplike duikers, Spearos en Onderwaterhokkie.
- 13 Indigo Scuba Diving Centre, Bluegumlaan 16, Gordonsbaai, ☏ 27 83 268-1851 (Selfoon), ✉[email protected]. M-F 09: 00-17: 00, Sa Son 08: 30-14: 00. SSI opleiding; toerustingverkope en huur; lugvullings, versiening van toerusting. boot- en strandduike. Duikhandves en seesafari's
- 14 In die blou, Hoofweg 88b, Seepunt (Reg oorkant die Pick 'n Pay in Sea Point Main Road), ☏ 27 21 434-3358, 27 71 875-9284 (mobiel), ✉[email protected]. M-Sa 09: 00-18: 00. PADI-opleiding. Huur van toerusting. Oewer duik 7 dae per week as toestande dit toelaat. Bootduike W, Sa en Su. Shark duik besprekings en vervoer. Vervoer vanaf die middestad. Bootduike R280, huur van volledige toerusting R360 / dag.
- 15 Net Africa Scuba, Eenheid 17, The Old Cape Mall, 33 Beach Rd, Gordonsbaai (Hoek van Sir Lowryweg. Winkel is aan die agterkant van die winkelsentrum.), ☏ 27 82 598 1884, ✉[email protected]. M-F 08: 00-18: 00, Sa-So 08: 00-13: 00. PADI-opleiding, strand- en bootduike, Seal-eiland-bootritte Strandduike vanaf R300 ingesluit silinder, bootduike vanaf R450 uitgesonderd silinder.
- 16 Leer om vandag te duik, 5 Corsair Way, Sun Valley, Kaapstad, ☏ 27 76 817-1099, ✉[email protected]. SDI- en PADI-duikopleiding, bootverhuur en begeleide boot- en strandduike. Toerustinghuur vir studente. DAN Sakelid.
- 17 Maties Onderwaterklub (Stellenbosch Onderwaterklub), Universiteit van Stellenbosch se sportgronde, Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch. Oop lidmaatskap ontspanningsduikklub. Scuba, Vissery, Onderwaterhokkie; Huur van toerusting en lugopvullings vir lede.
- 18 Oseaanervarings (OceanX), V&A Waterfront, Shop 8, Quay 5, Kaapstad, ☏ 27 21-418-2870, ✉[email protected]. Daagliks 09:30 - 18:00. PADI 5 * scuba and freedive centre: duik-kursusse van proefduik- en beginnerskursusse tot professionele vlakke, vryduik-kursusse van beginner- tot gevorderde vlakke. Boot- en oewer-duik. Bootduik-charteruitstappies verlaat die Kaapstad V&A Waterfront op 'n RIB van 8,5 m of 'n katamaran van 40 m. Snorkel en duik met Kaapse pelsrobbe, duik op skeepswrakke, riwwe en kelpwoude. Avontuurlike bootritte, avontuur-kombinasiepakkette met Cape Town Helicopters. Stand up paddle boarding lessons and trips in the V&A Waterfront Canals, Granger Bay & Windmill Beach. Surfing and Kitesurfing lessons.
- Oceanus Scuba, Mobile Operation (based in Tokai), ☏ 27795225903, ✉[email protected]. PADI training, guided dives (shore and boat), equipment rental & sales.
- Old Mutual Sub Aqua Club (OMSAC), Old Mutual head office in Pinelands. Thursday nights from 7PM. Air fills and equipment hire for members. Open membership recreational diving club.
- 19 Ollava, 122 Main Road, Glencairn, Simon's Town, 7975, ☏ 27 217861261, ✉[email protected]. PADI recreational and technical diver training, PADI emergency first response training, equipment sales and rental, Air and nitrox fills, equipment service See website.
- 20 Orca Industries, 3 Bowwood Road, Claremont, ☏ 27 21 671-9673, ✉[email protected]. M-F 8:30AM-5:30PM, Sa 8:30AM-1PM. Naui & CMAS-ISA training; equipment sales; air, nitrox and oxygen fills; regulator and BC servicing; scuba cylinder inspection and testing (Visual Plus); oxygen cleaning.
- 21 Pisces Divers, Goods Shed, Main Road Simon's Town, Cape Town, ☏ 27 21 7863799, 27 83 231-0240 (Mobile), faks: 27 21 7862765, ✉[email protected]. Tu-F 8AM-4:30PM, Sa Su 8AM-4PM, M closed. PADI training; dive charters (Cape Peninsula); equipment sales and rental; air and nitrox fills, regulator and BC servicing. Local boat dive R400 excluding equipment.
- 22 Reef Wetsuits, Royal Park, Percy Road, Ottery, ☏ 27 21 703-6662, faks: 27 21 703-6678, ✉[email protected]. M-Th 8AM-4:30PM, F 8AM-2:30PM. Stock and custom wetsuits, Wetsuit tailoring and repairs
- Shark Adventures, 11 Faure Street, Gordons Bay, 7150, ☏ 27 21 856-4055, 27 83 225-7227 (mobiel), faks: 27 86 627-0374, ✉[email protected]. White shark cage dives.
- Shark Explorers, ☏ 27 82 564-1904, ✉[email protected]. Shark, seal and kelp forest diving packages. Cage dives with Great Whites R1300 per person.
- The Scuba School, Western Cape, Independant, faks: 27 86 662-3989, ✉[email protected]. PADI recreational & technical diver training, EFR & DAN First Aid training, Sharklife training, air and nitrox fills, equipment rental, boat and shore dives.
- Underwater Explorers, PO Box 60604, Flamingo Square, 7439, Cape Town, ☏ 27 82 648-7261, ✉[email protected]. Rebreather diving and rebreather courses; Technical diver training; recreational and technical dive charters. DAN Diving Safety Partner. Local boat dive from R330 excluding equipment.
- 23 University of Cape Town Underwater Club (UCTUC), Lower Campus Sports Complex, off Woolsack Road, Rondebosch. Training, equipment rental and air fills to members.
Kry rond
Transportation to shore dive sites or boat launching sites is best done by road. In most cases there is no other option. The public transport in the region is not diver-friendly. Trains do not stop near most of the sites, Buses are infrequent, and also usually do not pass near the sites, and Mini-bus taxis are geared to maximising the number of passengers. If you are visiting for a short period and do not wish to rent a vehicle, it may be possible to arrange transport through a local divemaster or charter organisation. Ask if they have facilities for fetching you from your accommodation when you arrange a dive. Not all will offer this service, but it can be a great convenience if available. Some will even fetch you from the airport.
If travelling in your own or a rented vehicle, bear in mind that many dive sites, particularly on the Cape Peninsula, are notorious for theft from parked vehicles. Do not leave any items that may attract unwanted interest in the front of the vehicle, and ensure that the luggage compartment is secure. Dive clubs will sometimes arrange for an attendant to watch over parked vehicles during club dives.
Die Street Guide to Cape Town, published by MapStudio and available at most book shops in Cape Town, is recommended for finding your way around to any of the sites north of Miller’s Point on the peninsula, and north of Steenbras river mouth on the east side of False Bay. This is adequate for most divers.
The map shows the most useful main road routes for getting around the dive sites. Road signs for these routes are as good as any in the region. The National roads are indicated with white numbers on blue signs and the prefix N. Regional routes are white on green signs prefixed with R. Main routes in the greater metropolitan area are prefixed with an M and are usually black on white signs.
Map links to Geocoded sites — Most of the dive sites, harbours and slipways featured in this guide are Geocoded . Look in the left hand sidebar 'toolbox' for a "Map" link. If you click on this a choice of on-line zoomable street maps will become available. The Google maps have the advantage that a photo-overlay is available as an option.
Bootduike
Daguitstappies
Most of the dive charter boats of Cape Town are large rigid hulled inflatable boats powered by twin outboard engines. These boats are usually launched from a slipway for the day’s dives and are transported to the slipway on trailers. The boats are usually from 6 to 7.5 m in length and are licenced to carry from 8 to 12 divers.
Bookings are made by phone, e-mail or in the shop. If you are not known to the operator you will be asked to present certification, and usually to sign a disclaimer.
Many of the dive charter boats in this area are purely transport facilities, leaving the responsibility for safety during the dive to the divers. If you want a guided tour, or need a buddy, check whether this is provided before booking.
Equipment is usually loaded onto the boats before launching or at a jetty near the slip. Diving suits are generally put on before boarding and worn during the ride, though occasionally jackets may be carried and put on at the site if the weather and sea conditions are suitable. Ask your skipper.
If you dive with unusual or specialised equipment such as large twin cylinders, side mounts, rebreather or bulky video equipment it is recommended that you clear this with the operator before booking. Similarly if you wish to dive solo or do scheduled decompression this should be cleared before booking, as some charter boats do not cater for these procedures.
Liveaboards
There are no liveaboard dive boats based in Cape Town. However there are a number of large motor and sailing yachts that may be chartered, and there is no fundamental reason why they could not be chartered for a dive trip. Enquire about diving equipment and compressor rental when booking, as these will generally not be included.
Hawens en glyplase
Atlantic seaboard:
There is a beach launching area behind the point reefs at Melkbosstrand which is sometimes used for dives to the Treasure. Adequate parking, Restaurants nearby, Security dubious but probably better than on the southern Peninsula.
- 1 Melkbosstrand launch site: S33°43.705' E018°26.330'
Most launches for the Table Bay and north Peninsula sites are from the Oceana Power Boat Club slipway at Granger Bay, just west of the V&A Waterfront.
- 2 Oceana Power Boat Club slipway: S33° 54.074' E018° 24.926'
The V&A Marina slipway near the Cape Grace hotel in the V&A Waterfront has also been used, but access is limited and parking can be a problem.
- 3 V&A Marina slipway: S33°54.570' E18°25.244'
The southern part of the Atlantic seaboard is served by the Hout Bay harbour and slipway
- 4 Houtbaai hawe glybaan: S34°03'01.76" E018°20'42.97"
The launching area at Kommetjie is only for vessels less than 5.8 m long. This is a beach launch into a protected gully. Parking is usually adequate except in Rock lobster season. Security unknown. There is a public toilet about 200 m back along the road you come in on.
- 5 Kommetjie launch gully: S34°8.406' E018°19.314'
- 6 Kommetjie parking: S34°8.496' E018°19.455'
The Peninsula south of Noordhoek is also served by the Witsand slipway at the Crayfish factory near Scarborough.
- 7 Witsand slipway: S34°10.692' E018°20.684'
False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula:
Western False Bay launches are from the slipway at Miller's Point or the slipway at the False Bay Yacht Club in Simon's Town.
- 8 False Bay Yacht Club slipway: S34°11'32.54" E018°26'0.22"
- 9 Miller's Point-skuifweg: S34°13'49.63" E018°28'25.12"
The municipal jetty of Simon's Town is also used for diver pickups, but it has no launching facilities and parking is limited. Long Beach is also sometimes used for diver pickup and drop-off, as it has fairly extensive parking, but no slipway. Boats can be launched at the False Bay Yacht Club by members or prior arrangement, or at Miller's Point slipway.
- 10 Municipal jetty parking: S34°11'33.56" E018°25'56.49"
- 11 Municipal jetty: S34°11'31.49" E018°25'58.06"
There is a slipway at Buffelsbaai, but that is seldom used by divers.
- 12 Buffels Bay slipway S34°19'15.24" E018°27'40.29"
Gordon's Bay:
On the east side of False Bay, there are two good slipways in Gordon's Bay: at the Ou hawe and at Harbour Island.
- 13 Old Harbour slipway: S34°09'53.48" E018°51'33.90"
- 14 Harbour Island slipway: S34°09.132' E018°51.470'
Rooi-els:
There is a small and very shallow slipway at Rooi-els which can only be used by local residents who have permits, and is too small for the charter boats.
- 15 Rooi-els slipway: S34°17'56.27" E18°49'2.67"
Hangklip:
Lastly there is a slipway at Masbaai just east of Hangklip, which is open to the public, but is very shallow at low tide.
- 16 Masbaai slipway: S34°22'49.62" E18°49'51.70"
Bly veilig
The regional and local hazards are of the following main types:
Topografiese kenmerke
Many of the local dive sites require some level of fitness and agility to access as shore dives. Research the site, ask the locals, but the final responsibility is with the diver to assess each site personally. Beware of loose rocks and slippery slopes.
Sea and weather conditions
These are variable, and even the experts get them wrong occasionally from forecasts and reports. You just have to estimate which area looks most promising, and go there to take a look. Be aware that a strong offshore wind can develop in a relatively short time, and plan accordingly. This is particularly prevalent in summer, when a strong South-easter can spring up from a quiet morning, and make a long surface return swim hard work.
Many of the shore dive sites have limited access areas, which may vary in suitability with changes in tide or weather conditions.
The air and water temperatures can also be considered as hazards, particularly in summer on the Atlantic coast, where on an extreme day it is possible for the air temperature to be over 30°C and the water below 10°C. Both hyperthermia and hypothermia are possible on the same dive outing.
Boats and shipping
Some areas are more heavily used by seaborne traffic than others. In this respect, shore dives are not generally a problem, except for a few of the deeper shore dives on the west side of False Bay, in the vicinity of Miller’s Point. It is recommended to tow a brightly coloured SMB with an Alpha flag if you dive Boat Rock, Outer Castle, Oatlands outer reefs, or Photographer’s Reef as a shore dive.
Bakoven is a launching site for the National Sea Rescue Institute, and divers are required to tow a SMB when diving there.
The Law requires all powerboats to be in the charge of a licensed skipper who is theoretically aware of the international regulations regarding divers in the water and keeping clear, but in reality there are a number of skippers who are either ignorant or don’t care. Look out for yourself and do not fasten the SMB to your equipment in an area of boat traffic, in case it gets hooked up on a boat and you get dragged up. Report incidences of dangerous boat-handling to Table Mountain National Park offices if in their jurisdiction, or to the nearest harbour master.
Incidences of dangerous or illegal boat handling can be reported to the SA Police Services Water Wing in Simon's Town, but it appears that they only work alternating weekends, so there is a 50% chance there will be no-one there, and the regular police charge office does not know how to deal with this class of offense. More action is likely if you report the problem to SAMSA, (South African Marine Safety Authority). Try to provide as much information as possible to identify the offenders. Ideally the registration number of the vessel should be included, and a photograph can be helpful.
Marine life forms
Die Great White Shark is found in False Bay and is considered by some to be a danger to divers. This may be true, and it would be prudent to avoid them when possible. There are areas and seasons when they are more common. The west side of False Bay from Muizenberg to Simon’s Town seems to be the most popular inshore cruising ground, particularly in spring and summer, and Whittle Rock has also been reported to be a popular site for the sharks. Seal island is known as their main feeding area, and there are known cases of attacks on divers and close encounters of the terrifying kind from that area. If you want to see the sharks, do a cage dive with a licensed operator. If you do encounter one during a dive, try to avoid looking like a seal. Some divers suggest keeping close to the bottom, most recommend getting out quickly. Hanging around in mid-water or on the surface is not recommended by anyone. If there are Great Whites around, a safety stop may not be safe. On the other hand, if you do a cage dive, some cage operators will tell you that the noise of open circuit scuba keeps the sharks away, but this may be to save them money by not providing air and space on the boat for scuba equipment. Cow sharks are not kept away by scuba noise.
An analysis of sightings by shark spotter personnel has shown that some conditions are correlated to shark sightings:
- More sharks are seen in summer than in winter. This trend has been known for a long time, and is confirmed by the data.
- Sea surface temperatures of 16-20 °C increase the probability of a sighting — the probability of a shark sighting at Muizenberg is significantly higher when the water is warmer. This is thought to relate to the preferred temperature range of many of the shark’s prey species.
- There is a greater probability of shark sightings from 3 quarter (waning) to new moon than at full moon.
Bluebottles of Portuguese Man o’ War are often seen in the bay, and can give an unpleasant sting, which may be dangerous to sensitive people. A wet suit is good protection. Avoid contact with your face; hands can be used to cover the exposed parts, or dive below the trailing tentacles, which can be quite long. Box jellyfish are also reputed to sting. The stinging cells of bluebottles and jellyfish may become attached to your gloves or other equipment by contact during a dive, and may later sting you if they come into contact with unprotected skin. The triangular shaped leafed succulent beach groundcover creeper the 'Sour Fig' provides excellent treatment. Rub some of the leaf`s juice on the sting. Ammonia also works well as does Meat Tenderiser.
Cape Fur Seals are not considered a hazard, though they make some people nervous. If they are relaxed, there are probably no Great Whites hunting nearby. If you ignore them they will typically get bored eventually and go away. They are big, strong, fast and have large teeth with strong jaws, so don't molest them.
Stingrays are theoretically a hazard. If you walk on one it may swipe you with its tail barb. This does not happen here, as we don’t walk on them. If you don’t try to grab hold or harass them they will not sting you.
Electric or Torpedo rays may shock you if you touch them. This is unlikely to happen as they are shy and usually avoid divers, but it could happen that you might touch one inadvertently when it is buried under the sand. This is highly unlikely, and will probably not do any lasting harm. Don’t worry about it, and don’t touch any yellowish brown disc-shaped ray that your buddy suggests you handle.
Sea urchin spines are a real but minor hazard. Surge or inattention may result in you getting spiked by these. If they bother you, get medical attention, but usually they will dissolve or if large may work their way out in time. A few spines is not usually considered a reason to abort a dive. There are so many sea urchins that it is only a matter of time before you get spiked by one. It is no big deal, the local urchins have fairly short and non-venomous spines, but they will go right through most suits and gloves.
There are various polychaete worms with bristles that may be an irritant. Avoid touching them. Gloves which are recommended as thermal protection will also protect against these bristles.
Rooi getye have occasionally produced irritant aerosols which can affect the respiratory passages. More often they do not and merely cause poor visibility, but bear this in mind. If by some chance you find yourself diving in waters where the air on the surface seems to be an irritant, breathe off your scuba gear until clear of the water. Associated toxins in the water may also produce a skin rash in these conditions, so get out as soon as possible.
Terrestrial life forms
Most of the terrestrial life forms in the Western Cape are not ordinarily considered a hazard to divers, though theft from parked vehicles at dive sites puts people at the top of the list.
Baboons in the southern peninsula and Rooi-els areas have become an occasional nuisance as they have learned to steal food from tourists, and as they are quick and strong and are armed with large teeth, they should be taken seriously. Some have learned how to open car doors and break into houses. Do not feed them, do not let them see that you are carrying food, and do not leave food where they can get to it. If you do you may be prosecuted, and will certainly be contributing to a problem that may result in serious injury to people and the necessity to kill the offending baboons.
There are a few species of venomous snake in the area, but mostly they are shy and keep away from people.
At some sites it is necessary to walk through bush with overgrown paths. Some of the bushes may have thorns. They will not usually penetrate a wet-suit, but be careful.
Microbiological hazards
These are not generally considered a problem in the region. There are no endemic parasite-transmitted diseases. The area is free of Malaria, Bilharzia, Sleeping sickness and other tropical diseases. Aids can be avoided by the usual precautions, and municipal water supplies are safe to drink. Sewage is treated before discharge to the sea, and the greatest hazard is probably storm water runoff from the Cape Flats after heavy rains. Most of the dive sites are in areas well clear of major storm drainage, and if the water looks clear it should be fine.
Marine filter feeders should not be eaten after Red tides, but anything served in a restaurant should be safe.
Artificial hazards
Unfortunately some of our citizens and visitors are complete slobs and dispose of their garbage illegally, and broken bottles and similar hazards may be encountered. This can happen almost anywhere, but is most common at the roadside within throwing distance and along the paths where you need to walk. Some places are worse than others, and you will just have to be careful. Wet-suit boots are not always sufficient protection. Areas controlled by SAN Parks Board are usually better than those theoretically maintained by the City Council. Areas outside the municipal and Table Mountain National Park area appear not to be maintained at all.
Hanteer
Most divers will drive to the meeting point by car. Public transport is very limited and does not usually get you where you need to go. Uber and other taxi services will get you there, but at a price. It may be cheaper to rent a car. Minibus taxis are cheaper, but crowded, and are restricted to a route. Some dive operators will collect visitors from their accommodation by arrangement, but this should be negotiated as early as possible during the booking process. Make sure you know exactly where the meeting point is when making a booking. For shore dives, it is sometimes possible to just drive along the coast until you find a suitable parking place and find yourself a path to the shore and a suitable entry and exit point, but a lot of effort can be avoided by consulting local knowledge through a dive shop, a local diver, or a website. There are several websites provided by local dive shops, but they tend to tell you almost nothing about doing your own thing, as they would prefer you to pay them to take you diving, which is fair enough - that is their business. The sites that are more likely to provide practical information are those of dive clubs and Wikivoyage, which is particularly detailed for the sites around Cape Town.
Hazards of the parking lot
Security at parking areas in South Africa is unfortunately a big problem, and some of the worst places are harbours nominally under the control of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, who pay no apparent attention to security, since the local fishermen and poachers are too much for them to handle. If they do show themselves, it is usually to be officious and harass someone unlikely to fight back, like tourists and divers. Sad, but that’s how it goes.
Parking attendants may improve security. They are a mild equivalent to a protection racket, but not organised. They are usually unemployed and what they get in way of tips is their income. However if a couple of Rand can reduce the risk of having your car broken into and the contents stolen it is a bargain. Car guards who have some form of a uniform are usually semi-official at least, and are less likely to turn a blind eye on vandals and thieves as their income depends on satisfied customers, and they could lose their spot. Don’t leave your car unlocked unless you are watching it. Some dive charters employ a person specifically to guard the customers' cars.
Parks Board controlled parking areas are usually acceptably secure, and most areas where you pay to get through the gate are not too bad (Hout Bay harbour excepted).Some south peninsula parking areas have an added hazard: Baboons are intelligent and have learned how to open unlocked car doors, and will do so on the chance there may be food inside. They will not intentionally steal anything else, but may damage and befoul anything that happens to be in the wrong place at the time. They are very strong, and have large teeth. Do not attempt to get between them and the only escape route. They will go right over you.
Oewer duik
Getting to the water for shore dives
Most Cape Town shore dives are from rocky shores, or from beaches with some surf. These entries can be more physically challenging than the actual dive. In some places the parking area is about 50 m above sea level, with a scramble over boulders to get to the water, and occasionally a further scramble over boulders in the water. In other places there may be a surf line to cross.
Entry and exit
When you plan a shore dive there are a few complications that must be considered.
One is that you need to find your way back to a suitable exit point. Often this is the same place as the entry point, but not always. There are places where it is easy and convenient to get in, but not to get out. Be sure you can recognise the exit point from the sea, and find your way to it after the dive.Ideally you should be able to find the exit point while underwater, but at an unfamiliar site this is seldom possible, so make sure you know the landmarks which will be visible from where you are likely to surface. They will look different from the sea. Check them out before you descend, and take a bearing. Keep track of your movements underwater if you swim a long way, and try to keep a picture in your mind of where you are in relation to where you will need to be later.Another complication is that the conditions may change at the exit point while you are underwater, and it may not be so suitable when you get there. Have an alternative planned where this can happen.
Notification
When you do a shore dive it is a good idea to let someone on shore know your dive plan, so that they can start things happening if you are not back on schedule. This can be a hassle, but if you end up drifting out to sea in the wind at the end of a dive, you will have some idea of when the search party is likely to be notified.The other side of this is that if you don’t report in at the expected time, you may be sitting in the pub looking out to sea and wondering what all the fuss is about. This will not be appreciated by the rescue teams.
Bootduike
The joys of rubber ducks (not the bath-time version)
In South Africa, the standard dive boat is a large (6 to nearly 9 m) Rigid Inflatable Boat These are known as rubber ducks. Power is generally twin outboard motors, which may be two-stroke and smoky, but are increasingly often either four stroke, or the improved two-strokes which are cleaner and quieter.
These boats are generally powerful and fast, but speed is usually limited by sea state. They have a wet ride in a bumpy sea or if there is a crosswind. You travel in your dive suit, quite often with your hood on, and sometimes with your mask on to keep the spray out of your eyes. It has been known for the occasional diver to also use a snorkel to keep out heavy spray in rough conditions. If you wear a hat to protect your head from UV, make sure the hat is a tight fit, and preferably with a lanyard. The combination of cool sea air, wind, spray and high levels of UV can grill you in quite a short time, even in winter. Wear a good blockout or other method of keeping the sun from your skin. Unfortunately some blockouts wash off easily, and others sting your eyes if water gets into your mask and sloshes around a bit. A ski-mask is considered slightly eccentric, but it does the job.
Preparing for the dive.
If using all your own equipment, pack it as you find convenient, and check that everything is in good working order before leaving home. It will be wet on the way home, a waterproof bag or bin will keep the water off the upholstery. If using rental gear, get to the shop early to make sure it fits and works properly. If you are an unusual shape or size you may have difficulty finding a suit which fits well.At some places you will kit up at the side of the road or in a parking lot, and at others there will be changing rooms provided by the dive operator. If this is an issue, find out before the dive, You might want to take along a small mat or towel to stand on while putting on your suit, particularly if the ground is sandy or muddy.Some operators provide facilities at the dive shop for the customers to change into their dive suits and assemble equipment and load the boat before leaving for the launch site. In these cases the heavy equipment is usually loaded by staff, and the divers carry their light equipment to the boat. Where the boat collects divers from a jetty, the divers are expected to get their own kit to the boat. Actual loading will usually be done or supervised by the skipper.You will almost always be expected to wear your dive suit on the boat trip. There is no space to put it on during the ride, which may be wet.
What to take
- A small bag is useful to carry items like sunglasses, sunblock, hat, etc. Cell phones and car keys are usually kept in a waterproof bag or box by the skipper, and stored in the console. Large boxes for underwater cameras or video equipment should be negotiated before the dive, as there may or may not be space for them on board. In summer sunblock is advised for most skin types. UV factor is generally high and reflection from the water grills you from below. A peaked or brimmed hat may help if securely strapped on against the wind generated by boat speed.
- Kit bags for dive gear are not usually carried, but a medium sized soft bag to hold fins and mask, and other dive accessories like DSMB, reel, computer, dive light etc. is OK.
- On a long boat trip a small bottle of water or other suitable rehydration drink is nice to have, specially for after a deep or long dive. Similarly a small amount of high energy food may be welcome after a cold dive. In Cape Town, many dive boats supply a small chocolate bar or other sweet (candy) to each diver after the dive.
- A light waterproof windbreaker jacket is useful if the wind is strong, the weather or water is cold, or the trip is long. This can reduce wind-chill, particularly after the dive if you wear a wetsuit.
- A small emergency supplies (dive saver) kit of spare O-rings, fin strap, etc is acceptable.
What not to take
- Don’t take anything that you do not intend to use on the trip. (emergency equipment excepted).
- Don’t bring anything that must not get wet unless you have a watertight bag or box for it. A towel is usually a waste of time, as it will probably get wet. The same goes for dry clothing.
- Space is limited and must be shared by all. Do not annoy everyone by bringing a huge bin for your kit and fighting with the skipper at boarding time. No-one will have sympathy when you are evicted.
Loading kit and getting into the boat
The boat may loaded before launching, except where the water at the slipway is too shallow, when the boat is not taken out between dives, or when the slipway is not at the same place where the divers will be boarding.Loading of the boat is usually done by the skipper and divemaster. You are usually expected to transport your own equipment to the boat and hand it over to the person who will stow it for the trip. The standard arrangement is to stack scuba sets along a centreline rack, and tie them in place. You will usually sit at your scuba set, so if you want to do pre-dive buddy checks, ask for your gear and your buddy’s to be stowed together.Weight belts and pockets may be stacked on deck or in a box at the front or back of the rack. They are handed out when the boat gets to the site, so be sure you can identify your weights.
Fins and masks are usually stowed by the diver. There are often no special places reserved for this purpose, and fins are generally stowed either behind a handrope along the inner side of the pontoons, or between scuba sets along the rack. Be careful how you do this, as simply stacking them on top of the scuba sets can sometimes result in a fin or two being blown overboard by wind. This can ruin your dive, and is usually expensive. Masks are commonly stored in the foot pocket of a fin. The deck is not a good place for fragile items.Large cameras with strobe arms should be carried in the smallest plastic bin or crate that will hold them. There will often be several divers with camera boxes contending for the same limited storage space. Do not expect special treatment unless you have specifically organised it with the charterer.Some crews will carry your scuba set to the boat, but don’t count on it. If you need help, say so. If you are renting gear from the same organisation that runs the boat, they will usually load it for you. Make sure you can identify your rented gear and that it has all been loaded.
Slipway launches
Slipway launches are standard in the Western Cape
Where launching is from a slipway the procedure is fairly relaxed, and much depends on how far the slipway is from the parking area, and whether there is a convenient jetty.In some cases, usually at low tide, the water may be too shallow to launch the boat loaded with kit, but more often the boat is loaded with most of the dive gear, but not the divers, before launching. The boat is then launched with usually just the skipper on board, and the divers either get in from shallow water or from a jetty, as described above.Sometimes there may be commercial ski-boat fishermen launching at the same slipway. There are exceptions, but the lasting impression is of a mob of hooligans with no respect for anyone. They are generally a law unto themselves, and you will not gain brownie points by pointing out the error of their ways, and are likely to be given a brief introductory course in local invective at no charge.
Getting into the boat will depend on the launch site. In most cases the boat will be launched with only a skipper on board. Divers will board from the jetty or from the water.
Boarding from a jetty
Boarding from a jetty is usually easy, unless the step down to the boat is high. The crew will help where necessary and direct boarding. Follow their instructions. Do not leap down onto the deck, as it may not be designed to take this kind of shock load, and the sound of cracking glass fibre will not bring a smile to the skipper’s face. Also don’t leap down onto the pontoon, as this is likely to be followed by an inelegant face-plant onto the rack of scuba gear. The owners may be more concerned with damage to their equipment than your injuries.
The roll bar at the stern is a good place to hold if you can reach it. The radio antenna, plastic windscreen and engine control levers are not.Try to avoid getting parts of yourself between the boat and the jetty. The pontoons are fairly soft, but the jetty usually isn't, and may be decorated by barnacles and other abrasive material.
Boarding from shallow water
If boarding from standing in the water, try to get in where the water is not too deep, as most divers do not have the agility and upper body strength to boost themselves in without fins or a jump. Ask for help if you need it, but your fellow divers are more likely to be enthusiastic than skillful at pulling you in, Say goodbye to dignity, and hope for a reasonably comfortable landing.
The stern of the boat (blunt end) is usually lower and therefore easier to get into. This is often combined with it being in the shallowest water, so get in and out of the way of the people who have to hold the boat while the rest are getting in.
If you are a gymnast or acrobat you may safely ignore this advice.
Seating
Seating is almost exclusively on the pontoons, with your back to the water. This puts you in a position where losing your balance backwards will result in falling into the water, a manoeuvre most divers prefer to restrict to times when the boat is stationary at the dive site. To prevent unscheduled backward rolls, use the foot-straps and hand-ropes provided. As a general rule, sit opposite your scuba set, so you don’t have to move around when kitting up on site.
Occasionally there may be a seat across the stern in front of the motors. This will be the most comfortable place on the boat but may catch more spray in your face. The boat will bounce up and down as it hits waves. Bigger boats less so than small ones, and the part that bounces the least is the stern, so the most comfortable seating is as far back as you can get. This puts you close to the motors, and if they are two-stroke, closest to the exhaust smoke when the boat is not moving. You may not have much choice where you get to sit, but if you have a bad back or other disability which makes a rough ride a problem, mention this to your dive-master or the skipper as soon as possible. You will not be popular if the boat has to stop to re-arrange passengers. With practice it is possible to sit with one foot in a foot-strap (preferably the foot nearer the bow (pointy end)) and ride the bumps with very little effort. It is much like riding a horse, don’t fight the motion, absorb the bumps by relaxing a bit, and you will bounce less. A death-grip on the hand ropes will be exhausting if the ride is long.
Some boats have no footstraps. You will have to find something else to hold onto, or lean into the boat to keep more weight on your feet. Some divers may be seen comfortably sitting on the tubes, riding the waves with no obvious concern as the boat bounces along. They may not even need to hold on. They have done this before.
Moving around in the boat
If possible, don’t move around while the boat is moving, unless asked to trim the boat. You will be expected to sit where directed by the skipper, and unless there is a good reason not to, do as requested. Standing up when the boat is moving and there is nothing to hold onto can result in a fall and possible injury if the boat hits a wave or moves in an unexpected direction. If equipment comes loose under way, shout to the skipper, who will stop if it is safe, so that the equipment can be re-stowed.There may be cables and pipes in places on the deck. These are usually routed through areas where they are reasonably protected, but as a rule don’t stand on them or use them to hold on to. Batteries are often stored in plastic boxes near the transom, to keep the wires short. The lids are not usually load bearing structures, do not use them as steps.
Getting out of the boat
Getting into the water is usually done by a synchronised backward roll – falling into the water alongside your neighbour, neither on top nor underneath. Generally all the divers or a nominated group will roll off together, on a countdown from the skipper or divemaster. It is important to all roll together, as if you do not, the later divers may fall on top of the earlier ones, possibly casing injury or equipment damage. If you are not ready, or are not happy with this procedure, wait until the others are in and the boat is clear of them. The skipper will then let you roll in clear of the others, but you may have to fin a bit to get to them. This can be a problem if diving in a current. Some divers may not wish to backward roll with a large camera setup. Hulle kan die skipper vra om die kamera aan hulle deur te gee as hy in die water is. In hierdie geval moet hulle naby die boot bly en verkieslik vashou totdat die kamera verby is.
Die skutlyn en merkerboei
Die meeste duik in Kaapstad is by 'n rif of wrak. Dit is gewoonlik om die posisie voor die duik met 'n streepstreep te merk sodat die duikers na die regte plek kan afdaal. As daar 'n effense stroom aan die oppervlak is, sal die skietlyn windaf dryf om die slap op te neem. In hierdie geval is dit gewoonlik 'n kort stroomopwaartse stroom van die boei in die water in en begin die afdraai sodra die lyn deur die water sigbaar is, om die swemwerk teen die stroom te verminder. As u tot by die boei dryf, sal u teen die stroom moet terugswem. Die streeplyn is nie 'n anker nie. As u uself van die boei-lyn af trek, kan dit die skoot sleep, en dan sal u die stroom-af van die werf beland, net soos alle ander agter u. As die skootlyn te kort is, kan die skoot deur die boei gelig word en van die werf af wegdryf, dus dit moet verslap. Die stroom mag dalk nie direk wind af loop nie. Selfs wanneer dit 'n windgeïnduceerde stroom is, sal Coriolis-kragte dit teen die klok in teen die windrigting in die Suidelike Halfrond verreken, met die naam Ekman-vervoer. Die effek is ongeveer 45 ° op die oppervlak, meer as u dieper gaan, maar met minder spoed.
U kan kies om op die streeplyn of daarvan weg te kom. As u nie die webwerf ken nie, kan dit moeilik wees om terug te vind. Dit is gewoonlik nie 'n probleem nie, en die meeste Kaapse duikers sal aan die einde van die duik optrek waar hulle ook al kom, maar in hierdie geval word dit sterk aanbeveel om 'n DSMB en oppervlak op u eie boei, of u maat se boei, te gebruik. Die DSMB sal die aanwesigheid van 'n duiker aandui, sodat bote in die omgewing skoon kan bly, en sodat u duikbootskipper kan tred hou met waar sy klante waarskynlik sal opduik.
As daar 'n beduidende kans is om weg te kom van die streep af in 'n gebied met baie bootverkeer, word duikers aangemoedig om 'n DSMB te dra of dit nodig te wees voordat hulle opduik. Ander terreine waar daar van duikers verwag kan word om 'n DSMB te vervoer, is ver buite die buiteland, of op enige tydstip wat die skipper van mening is dat dit moeilik kan wees om 'n duiker te vind vanweë die see. Die duiker bepaal die keuse van kleur en grootte vir 'n persoonlike DSMB vir ontspanningsduik. Geel, oranje en rooi kom die meeste voor, maar helderpienk word ook soms gesien, en tensy u die kaptein eksplisiet in kennis stel van 'n spesiale betekenis vir 'n kleur, sal daar aanvaar word dat daar geen spesiale betekenis anders is as om u posisie te merk nie. Niemand sal omgee hoe groot dit is nie, solank dit op 'n redelike afstand gesien kan word. Weerkaatsstroke, flikkerligte en u naam is ook opsioneel.
Divemasters
Daar is dalk een op die boot, of nie. Die bote wat vir plaaslike inwoners voorsiening maak, is minder geneig om 'n afleier te bied as bote wat met skole verbind is, of wat gewoonlik voorsiening maak vir verbygangers en besoekers. As u nie selfversekerd is om te duik sonder dat iemand u wys nie, noem dit as u bespreek en vra na die opsies.
Kelpduik
In gebiede waar daar swaar kelp is, sleep duikers gewoonlik nie MKB's tydens die duik nie. Gelukkig is dit gewoonlik ook plekke waar daar geen beduidende strome is nie, alhoewel die oplewing sterk kan wees. Baie van die kus- en strandgebiede in Kaapstad het swaar kelp, veral aan die Atlantiese kus. In hierdie gebiede word duikers aangemoedig om DSMB's te dra, en dit te gebruik wanneer hulle weg van die kuslyn opduik, sodat die skipper kan tred hou met waar almal opduik, en sodat verbygaande bote die kans kan kry om te verhoed dat u afval as iemand die moeite doen. om uitkyk te hou. DSMB's is ook baie effektief om na die boot te sein as u op die oppervlak is - veel meer as 'n arm in 'n swart wetsuit. Dit kan veral waardevol wees as die wind tydens die duik opkom en die oppervlak met wit water wankel.
Om weer in die boot te klim na 'n duik
Reël 1: Moenie u vinne in die water afhaal tensy daar 'n leer is nie. U het hulle nodig om u te versterk. Die meeste rubber eende bied nie 'n instap leer nie. Dit is nog belangriker as u aan boord van die boot klim, want die boot sal byna altyd vinniger as 'n duiker afwaarts dryf. Nader die boot en gryp die buitekant van die boot. Probeer om die greep op die boot te alle tye te hou, en laat dit net so lank as wat dit nodig is om die kit te verwyder, los, want die boot kan wegdryf terwyl u nie vashou nie.
'N Paar bote kan 'n kort gryplyn hê met 'n lus waardeur u 'n arm kan glip, maar om die een of ander rede is dit uiters skaars. Nog minder algemeen is 'n lyn met 'n clip wat u aan toerusting kan heg voordat u dit opstyg. Daar is vermoedelik geen klantevraag na hierdie artikels nie ... U toerusting word deur die bemanning of ander duikers aan boord gelig.
Die aanbevole prosedure is om eers enige kameras of ander los toerusting op te gee, en neem dan u gewigte op. Dit verseker dat u sal dryf nadat u u BC verwyder het. Moenie laat gaan voordat u seker is dat die ander persoon 'n goeie greep het nie, en die gewigsbande baie vinnig sink. Verwyder die duikstel en gee dit aan die bemanning. U kan help deur onder die stel op te skuif wanneer dit oplig, en te kyk of DV's en meters nie aan die handtoue haak nie. Masker en snorkel kan op enige tydstip oorhandig word indien dit gerieflik is. Neem 'n goeie greep op die handvatsels wat voorsien word, of 'n handtou so hoog as moontlik aan die kant van die pontons. Dompel jouself so ver as moontlik af om 'n lewendige hysbak te kry, vink dan sterk na bo en gebruik jou arms om jouself so hoog as moontlik op te trek, druk dan die tou of handvatsels af terwyl jy jou bolyf op die pont rol. Verander die greep na 'n handvatsel of handlyn en swaai 'n been in die boot. Dit kan handig wees om hier te stop terwyl iemand u vinne verwyder, dan regop sit en die ander been in die boot swaai. Met goeie vinne, goeie tegniek en redelike krag is dit moontlik om gemaklik en waardig op hierdie manier te klim. Hierdie metode is baie moeiliker as dit aan die windkant is in 'n sterk wind.
As u nie die krag het nie, is die prosedure soortgelyk, maar met die hulp van bemanning of duikers wat reeds in die boot is, wat u sal sleep deur die hoofmag en wat hulle ook al kan kry. Voordat u iemand beskuldig van onsedelike aanranding, moet u oorweeg of daar 'n redelike alternatiewe plek is om te gryp wat sou gewerk het. Elegansie is omgekeerd eweredig aan u grootte en massa. As u dysakke voor u pak het, moet u nie met enige brose of lywige toerusting in die sakke aan boord gaan nie. Sysakke is gewoonlik nie 'n probleem nie.
Daar is 'n nuwe neiging by sommige bote om 'n leer vir instap aan te bied. Die styl "Kersboom" is relatief gewild, want dit is maklik om met vinne op jou voete te klim. Op rubber-eende word dit gewoonlik aan die kant gehang, en op stywe romp-katamarans word die spieël verkies.
Uit die boot klim na duik
Om by 'n kaai uit te klim, is gewoonlik eenvoudig, maar dit kan deur 'n hoë kaai en laagwater ingewikkeld wees. As dit 'n probleem is, sal die bemanning help en instruksies gee. As u u eie ding doen, geld dieselfde waarskuwings as om vanaf 'n kaai in te gaan. Veral om nie tussen die boot en die kaai te kom nie.
Om in Kaapstad uit te kom, is ongewoon in Kaapstad, maar relatief eenvoudig. Dit is gewoonlik veiliger en geriefliker om aan die lae kant af te klim as die boot kantel as jy op die strand hardloop. As u aan die hoë kant is, moet u wag totdat daar ruimte is en na die lae kant beweeg, of in sommige gevalle sal die hoë kant die lae kant word as die boot terugswaai as die vrag verwyder word. Moenie kit oor die hoë kant probeer aflaai nie, as u op die verkeerde plek is en die boot bo-op u afrol. Dit is veral waarskynlik as die boot nie heeltemal vry is van die golwe nie.
Sien
Die waters van die Kaapse Skiereiland en Valsbaai ondersteun 'n bloeiende ekologie van koel gematigde mariene organismes, waarvan baie endemies is aan Suid-Afrika, of selfs kleiner streke, en hoewel die visse nie so skouspelagtig gekleur is soos in tropiese waters nie, is baie taamlik kleurvol om hulself te kamoefleer onder die uiters lewendige ongewerweldes wat die riwwe bedek.
Mariene diere
Daar is 'n wye verskeidenheid seediere wat u kan sien as u hierdie streek duik, en dit bevat 'n paar wonderlike en skouspelagtige ontmoetings vir 'n duiker.
Walvisse en dolfyne
Valsbaai is 'n bestemming wat bekend is vir walviskyk. Groot hoeveelhede Suid-regte walvisse besoek die baai elke jaar, maar dit is ongewoon om een tydens 'n duik te sien. Ander walvisspesies wat soms in Valsbaai gesien word, is bultrugwalvisse, Bryde-walvisse en Orca, en dit is selfs minder geneig om tydens duik te sien. As u die geluk het om tydens 'n duik 'n walvis teë te kom, wees versigtig, want die groot grootte maak dit vir 'n duiker maklik om onbedoeld beseer te word.
Dolfyne word ook gesien in Valsbaai en aan die Atlantiese kus. Gewone dolfyne besoek af en toe skole wat honderde tot duisende tel, maar word nie gereeld deur duikers gesien nie. Duistere dolfyne is geneig om in kleiner groepe te reis, maar is geneig om 'n duiker by die veiligheidsstop te ondersoek. Ander soorte besoek af en toe, maar is meer bekend vir strandingsvoorvalle wat deur duikers onder die water gesien word.
Haaie
Valsbaai is een van die betroubaarste plekke om grootwithaaie te sien, hoewel dit selde as duiker is, en verskeie ander haaisoorte word ook gereeld gesien. Die Sevengill of Cowshark kan gereeld op 'n paar plekke gesien word, terwyl Gully haaie en kattehaaie meer wydverspreid is. Daar is vier algemene kathaai-spesies plaaslik, van die kleurvolle puffadder-shishark tot die veel groter pajama-haai. Ander pelagiese haaie word gewoonlik slegs gesien by 'n "blouwater" -duik van die suidelike skiereiland op die buiteland, en verskeie groot pelagiese visspesies kan op soortgelyke toere gesien word.
Pelagics
By sommige duikplekke word daar soms groot geelstertvorms gesien, en by onvoorspelbare geleenthede kan duikers gelukkig wees om oseaniese sonvisse, suidwalvisse, bultrugwalvisse, gewone, bottelnose of duistere dolfyne te sien.
Die gewone Snoek, wat die hoeksteen van 'n plaaslike lynvisbedryf is, is baie skaam en word byna nooit deur duikers gesien nie, ondanks sy gewoonte om in groot getalle te skuur.
Pikkewyne en robbe
Daar is kolonies Afrika-pikkewyne in Valsbaai, maar dit is uiters ongewoon om hulle tydens 'n duik te sien. Aan die ander kant is die Kaapse pelsrobbe nuuskierig en nie bang vir duikers nie, en word baie gereeld gesien, beide in Valsbaai en aan die Atlantiese kus. Daar is verskeie plekke waar dit amper gesien kan word.
Reefvis
Rifvisse in hierdie streek is die mees uiteenlopende in Valsbaai, en kom die meeste voor in die beperkte gebiede van die Mariene Beskermde Gebiede, waar hulle al dekades lank deur die wet beskerm word, hoewel stropery nog steeds voorkom, en handhawing redelik onbetroubaar is. Die meeste rifvisse word in 'n sekere mate gekamoefleer. Baie is silwergrys en in die skaduwee, soos die alomteenwoordige Hottentot-seebrasem, die silwerige Fransmadam en die Steentjie. Ander het vertikale tralies of donker kolle wat kan help om hul profiel in kelp op te breek, soos wit stompneus, sebra en wit steenbras, terwyl baie van die kleiner soorte kripties gekleur is en baie goed in hul omgewing inskakel. Dit is gewoonlik visse wat die meeste van hul tyd aan die rif of baie naby hulle spandeer, en die kleur daarvan is gewoonlik 'n aanduiding van die tipiese kleure van hul habitat. Dit sluit in verskillende endemiese klipvisse, en 'n paar blennies en gobies, die vingervinne, Kaapse triplefin, Smoothskin scorpionfish, twee soorte perdvis, 'n pypvis en die Rocksucker. Daar is ook 'n paar rooi visse, wat redelik sigbaar is, soos die baie algemene Romeinse, en die minder algemene Rooi stompneus en Rooi steenbras. Die meeste van die genoemde visse is eensaam of kom in klein skale voor, maar daar is ook Strepies en Maasbanker wat in taamlike groot getalle geneig is om te skuur, en matig groot skote Hottentot word gereeld gesien. Galjoen is redelik skaars en word gewoonlik in klein groepies bo-op die rif gesien waar daar baie golfbewegings is, en die soortgelyke Kaapse mesjaag verkies dieper en hoë profielrif tussen die rotse. Seekatvisse is skaam en is geneig om die dag in skeure en gate deur te bring.
Sanderige gebiede
Die sanderige gebiede het ook hul kenmerkende visse, wat 'n paar soorte straal, voetsole, gurnards, 'n pufferfish en die Beaked sandfish insluit, wat bedags skaars en skaam is, maar snags op sommige plekke in groot getalle gesien kan word. dit kom uit die sand waarin dit wegkruip en swem vrylik rond. 'N Paar soorte klipvisse woon ook in die sand, en die verskillende soorte verkies verskillende sanddigthede, terwyl diegene wat fyn sand verkies, 'n slangagtige liggaam het, terwyl diegene in growwe sand robuuster is. Hul liggaamspatroon is geneig om ook by die tipe sand te pas.
Rif ongewerweldes
Bentiese ongewerweldes bied die meeste helder kleure op die riwwe van hierdie streek, en die verspreiding van spesies is net so kenmerkend van die verskillende substreke as die diepte en watertemperatuur. Die verskeidenheid is groot, en daar is 'n groot variasie in die oorheersende rifbedekking met diepte en geografiese ligging. Die kenmerkende riflewe wissel aansienlik tussen die oostekant en die westekant van die Kaapse Skiereiland, en dit word erken as die grens tussen die Suidwes-Kaap en Agulhas-binnelandse biostreek. Die vertikale sonering is ook kenmerkend van die verskillende biostreke, dus kan daar baie opvallende verskille wees in wat op die verskillende terreine gesien kan word.
Daar is 'n algemene neiging dat 'n bepaalde rifgebied oorheers word deur 'n bepaalde spesie organisme, byvoorbeeld gewone veersterre, rooiborskomkommers, mauwe seekomkommers, rooiaas of seekoeie, in die mate dat 'n gedeelte van die oppervlak word deur die dominante organisme bedek. Dit beteken nie dat daar geen variëteit is nie, want daar is 'n groot verskeidenheid habitatte op die meeste riwwe, afhangend van oriëntasie en ruheid, en tot 'n groot mate woon sittende organismes waar hulle kan, en dit hang grootliks af van die planktonlarwes vastrapplek vind.
Middewater
Pelagiese ongewerweldes is volgens hul meestal planktoniese aard onvoorspelbaar oor wanneer en waar hulle gesien kan word. Dit bevat verskeie soorte jellievisse, 'n paar soorte kamjellie, 'n paar sporadiese sifonofore, salpe en pteropode, en baie dinge wat te klein is om maklik raak te sien. Daar is ook inkvis, maar hulle is baie skaam en word selde deur die dag gesien.
Die sponse, cnidarians, kamjellies, platwurms, gesegmenteerde wurms, geleedpotiges, weekdiere, bryozoans, echinoderms, ascidians, visse, seevoëls en seesoogdiere wat in hierdie streek aangeteken is, word in die Wikipedia: Lys van seediere van die Kaapse Skiereiland en Valsbaai. Baie hiervan kan deur 'n ontspanningsduiker gesien word.
Seewier
Kelpwoude
Kelpwoude is die duidelikste seewier van Kaapstad. Daar is drie geslagte wat plaaslik voorkom, soms naby. Die mees voor die hand liggende is die Sea bamboes, wat die oppervlak bereik wanneer dit volwasse is, en 'n dik steel het met 'n gasvul holte aan die bokant, en wat die front naby die oppervlak hou vir maksimum blootstelling aan die lig. Hierdie kelp kom baie voor aan die Atlantiese kus en kom ook aan weerskante van Valsbaai voor, maar meer algemeen na die suidelike deel van die baai.
Die kleiner kelp met splitwaaiers groei op dieper riwwe en bereik nie die oppervlak nie. Die snitte is korter en daar is geen gasgevulde holte nie, dus bly die fronds in die donker water onder. Hierdie kelp kom in dieper water voor as die Sea-bamboes, met 'n soortgelyke geografiese omvang.
Die derde is die Blaas-kelp, wat trosse lang dun pypies bevat, met lang fronds en 'n groot aantal klein gasvul blase wat die kelp regop hou en die fronds op die oppervlak. Hierdie kelp kom nie in Valsbaai voor nie, en word meestal naby Robbeneiland gesien.
Algore en ondergrondse kelpwoude.
Onder die kelpblare kan die rif in vlakker gebiede waar daar genoeg lig is, bedek word deur 'n onderlaag van verskillende seewiere, en die spesifieke spesie sal afhang van 'n verskeidenheid faktore, insluitend die hoeveelheid lig wat beskikbaar is en die hoeveelheid water beweging. Groen en bruin seewier sal gewoonlik in vlakker gebiede voorkom, en rooies sal dieper wees, aangesien dit met minder lig kan oorleef. Die diepste is dikwels die rooi koralliene, wat 'n digte gras op die boonste oppervlaktes van die rotse kan vorm.
Omhul korallines.
Waar die branders te kragtig is of die lig te dof is vir ander seewiere, kan die korstermiese alge nog steeds vastrapplek kry en floreer. Hierdie rooi alge vorm 'n taamlike harde en sterk aanhangende kors op die rif, en staan ook bekend as 'pienk verf', wat 'n billike beskrywing van hul voorkoms is - hulle lyk glad nie soos seewier nie. Hul reeks is amper oral in die streek waar genoeg lig binnedring en daar geen ander insittende op die rif is nie.
Daar is ongeveer 57 groen seewier, 49 bruin seewier en 240 rooi seewier aangeteken in hierdie streek in die Wikipedia: Lys van seewier van die Kaapse Skiereiland en Valsbaai.
Skeepswrakke
Die Kaap van Storms en die Kaap die Goeie Hoop is beide tradisionele appèlle vir hierdie streek en om goeie rede. Die weer kan soms baie sleg wees, en die kus is baie blootgestel met min beskutte hawens, maar dit is ook 'n belangrike punt op een van die grootste maritieme handelsroetes ter wêreld. As gevolg hiervan is daar 'n skrikwekkende aantal skeepswrakke wat langs die plaaslike kuslyn aangeteken is.
Baie van hierdie wrakke is nog nooit gevind nie, en baie ander is onherkenbaar opgebreek, of in sand bedek, of in die geval van Tafelbaai, begrawe onder grondherwinningsprojekte, maar verskeie is op deelbare plekke en kan besoek word deur duikers indien toestande geskik is.
Die diepte van die skeibare wrakke wissel van 3 of 4 meter tot meer as 65 meter, en die toestand wissel van halfbegrawe stukke hout of staal, tot skepe wat die meeste van hul oorspronklike struktuur en voorkoms behou, en uit die dieptes dreig asof vaar deur die sandbodem.
Die meeste is sterk omring met riforganismes, wat wissel van seewier in die vlak water tot 'n groot verskeidenheid kleurvolle ongewerweldes in dieper water. Hulle skuil ook 'n verskeidenheid rifvisse en kan deur onvoorspelbare geleenthede deur pelagiese visse besoek word. In werklikheid dien dit as kunsmatige riwwe, en is gevolglik oor die algemeen ook van belang vir duikers wat as artefakte nie juis daarin belangstel nie.
Topografiese kenmerke
Baie van die terreine word gekenmerk deur interessante topografiese kenmerke, insluitend hakies, slote, grotte, deurdringings en oorhange. Hierdie kenmerke is nie net opmerklik vir hul bydrae tot die see-landskap nie, maar bied ook groot variasies in beskikbare habitatte op die terrein, en die resultaat is 'n sterk verband tussen hoë biodiversiteit en interessante topografie. Die algemene topografiese karakter van 'n terrein hang af van die geologie, en die granietterreine kan onmiddellik van die sedimentêre sandsteen- en skalie-terreine onderskei word. Die granietgesteentes word gewoonlik afgerond en gestapel as rotsblokkies op uithoeke van dieselfde rots, dikwels met wit kwartsand tussen hulle, of as 'n geleidelik skuins basis. Hierdie stapels verskillende rotse vorm dikwels 'n toppunt en slote in redelike willekeurige rigtings, en die oorhange en gate tussen hulle is in sommige gevalle groot genoeg vir duikers om deur te swem en bied 'n skitterende rifstruktuur.
Die sandsteenlae is geneig om formasies te produseer wat deur die plaaslike dip en staking oorheers word, en dit is meer voorspelbaar. Die detail op kleiner skaal is egter geneig om meer klein gaatjies, skeure, rante en rante te produseer as die granietareas, en dit is gewoonlik minder skouspelagtig. Daar is uitsonderings, waar die sandsteenriwwe baie krakerig is, gewoonlik waar die duik redelik steil is, maar nie vertikaal nie, en die kuslyn nogal steil is, maar in 'n ander vlak as die duik.
Gelukkig geld die ou dictum "soos hierbo, so onder" redelik goed, en die karakter van die riwwe kan redelik betroubaar voorspel word deur die aangrensende kuslandskap te aanskou. Die belangrikste uitsondering op hierdie reël is suid van Smitswinkelbaai, waar daar sandstene bokant die water en graniet is.
Die geologiese struktuur en geskiedenis van hierdie streek word kortliks beskryf in Wikipedia: Mariene geologie van die Kaapse Skiereiland en Valsbaai
Lees
Naslaanboeke oor die ekologie van Kaapstad se waters:
Van SURG, spesifiek vir duikers in hierdie streek: Beskikbaar by geselekteerde duikwinkels en boekwinkels in Kaapstad, en direk vanaf SURG.
- Jones, Georgina. 2008. 'N Veldgids vir die seediere van die Kaapse Skiereiland, SURG, Kaapstad. ISBN 9780620416399
- Zsilavecz, Guido. 2005. Kusvisse van die Kaapse Skiereiland en Valsbaai, SURG, Kaapstad. ISBN 0620342307
- Zsilavecz, Guido. 2007. Naaktakke van die Kaapse Skiereiland en Valsbaai, SURG, Kaapstad. ISBN 0620380543
Van ander uitgewers en van meer algemene toepassing:
- Branch, G. en Branch, M. 1981, The Living Shores of Southern Africa, Struik, Kaapstad. ISBN 0869771159
- Tak, G.M. Griffiths, C.L. Branch, M.L en Beckley, L.E. 2010, Twee oseane - 'n gids vir die mariene lewe in Suider-Afrika, David Philip, Kaapstad. ISBN 9781770077720
- Gosliner, T. 1987. Naaktakke van Suidelike Arica, Sea Challengers & Jeff Hamann, Monterey. ISBN 0930118138
- Heemstra, P. en Heemstra E. 2004, Kusvisse van Suider-Afrika, NISC / SAIAB, Grahamstad.
- Red. Smith, M.M. en Heemstra, P. 2003 Smith’s Sea Fishes. Struik, Kaapstad
- Stegenga, H. Bolton, J.J. en Anderson, R.J. 1997, Seewier van die Suid-Afrikaanse Weskus. Bolus Herbarium, Kaapstad. ISBN 079921793X (taamlik tegnies)
Naslaanboeke oor die Geologie van die Kaapse Skiereiland:
- Compton, John S. 2004, Die rotse en berge van Kaapstad. Dubbelverdieping, Kaapstad. ISBN 1919930701
