Monday: boat dives from Simon’s Town, conditions permitting
We had a small gremlin interfere with our newsletter timing yesterday and for this we apologise.
We had decent conditions on Wednesday with dives in the vicinity of Roman Rock. There was a dirty layer on the surface, but underneath there was clear water with visibility of about 12 metres. Today we are taking visitors from Port Elizabeth to explore some local dive sites.
Roman Rock lighthouse on Wednesday
It is the Cape Town Dive Festival this weekend, held at False Bay Yacht Club, so the slipway will be quite busy. I plan for student pool training on Saturday, shore dives at Long Beachon Sunday (working the students hard) and boat launches on Monday (a glorious public holiday).
If you are keen for a shore dive on Sunday or want to be kept in the loop about boat dives on Monday, let me know.
Text me or reply to this mail if you want to dive.
We did not manage any diving last weekend as the boat was scheduled to launch in Gordon’s Bay for the Aqualung Fun Day on Saturday but we were cancelled on Friday evening because of bad visibility on that side. Sunday was a howling south easter day so no diving was done.
This weekend has a forecast similar to last weekend but with a few differences. The 3 metre swell that is in every forecast does not appear to be around as the Atlantic wave buoy registers 2 metre swell at the moment and False Bay was relatively flat today. The wind is another matter… There is however less wind on Saturday, so an early launch in Hout Bay is on the cards. We will dive the BOS 400and Tafelberg Reef. Sunday will be too windy for my kind of diving.
Thanks very much to Jerrel for this week’s photo – taken two weekends ago on a dive to Roman Rock.
Silvertip nudibranch at Roman Rock, by Jerrel van Beek
Mozambique trip
There is still space on the Mozambique trip (28 June – 4 July). Remember to book your flights if you’ve decided to join us – get more info from Clare. That is how you will confirm your spot.
Sunday: Boat or shore dives in False Bay, to be confirmed
Simon’s Town harbour looking pristine last Sunday
We dived last weekend in False Bay. The conditions were great for being out and about on the boat, but the visibility was a little mediocre. In fact we should have just dived under the jetty in Simon’s Town, as the viz was not too bad there. The good thing is that the ocean always has a surprise ready and we were treated to the sight of a lesser spotted, light blue, teeth-chattering frozen Andre and his henchman Jesse as we brought the boat in after the first dive.
Jesse and Andre under the jetty
This weekend sees the first Aqualung Fun Day in Gordon’s Bay on Saturday. Our boat will be there and we are hoping for good conditions. Here’s how to get there. On Sunday we will dive from Simon’s Town but at this point it is difficult to be sure whether we will shore dive or boat dive. It is a spring tide, and low tide will be close to midday plus the wind forecast is a little hectic. If you’d like to be on standby to dive, reply to this mail or send me a text message.
For some time now it has been difficult to write a NEWSletter as we have done so little diving. The harsh conditions have been relentless and decent weekday diving has also been dramatically curtailed. Whilst we wait for great diving conditions many, many people struggle to relax and feel safe while the raging fires have either cost them dearly or continue to pose a risk.
The number of hard working, dedicated people out there fighting these fires (including volunteer fire fighter slash Divemaster Gary, who many of you will know) makes you realise that being disappointed in another weekend of no diving is hardly worth a mention. I became anxious when the fire was still more than a kilometre away from our home, whilst other people were hosing their houses down in a hail of embers in an effort to save them.
The fire over Boyes drive on Tuesday
So be grateful you have a home to hide from the wind and avoid the ocean this weekend. A 4 metre swell and 30 km/h winds are on the cards so it is once again a no diving weekend. If you’re doing the Cycle Tour on Sunday, good luck! We’re sorry you won’t be passing through our neck of the woods any more, but be safe and have fun anyway.
Fun stuff
There is an Aqualung dive festival happening in Gordon’s Bay in two weeks’ time on 21 March, with great prizes on offer for participating divers. There are still tickets available so contact Indigo Scuba or Underwater Explorers to book.
Those of you who expressed an interest in Mozambique in June-July can expect an email from Clare by the end of the weekend… Plans for last weekend’s email blitz were derailed by some smoke and flames! If you don’t know about the trip and want more info, let me know.
Saturday: Two shallow (maximum depth 18 metres) dives from Hout Bay
Sunday: Two launches if conditions warrant it, from Hout Bay or OPBC
The week’s diving
It has not been a great week of diving as there has been quite a lot of south easterly wind. We launched last Friday and had to hunt around for clean water, ending up at Roman Rock and the Brunswick. There was a huge amount of fish activity close inshore and the phase of the moon wasn’t favourable, so we canned our planned night dive for last Friday evening. We’ll watch the conditions and try again soon. Please enjoy this picture of submarine activity in False Bay, taken on Friday.
Naval activity around the submarine
False Bay is currently a pale shade of green whilst the Atlantic is a mixture of clean and green patches. Friday’s wind, surprise surprise, will be south easterly, so it may help to improve the Atlantic viz. Tomorrow’s divers have requested a False Bay launch, hence our planned expedition there.
The Atlantic is the only option for the weekend as the Navy Festival in Simon’s Town will draw a crowd, and this will lunch up all the parking, especially around the yacht club, where we would launch. Miller’s Point is just so far down on my list of nice (and safe and clean) places to launch…
I do think first choice will be out of Hout Bay for Saturday and possibly Sunday, but OPBC will be our second option, depending on how much wind there is tomorrow. On Saturday the boat is primarily students, so both launches will be to sites with a maximum depth of 18 metres. Sunday is wide open and if you have a special request, let me know. As usual, text or email if you’d like to dive this weekend!
Launching on Sunday from Hout Bay to dive the Katsu Maru and the BOS 400. Text or email me if you’re interested.
Happy divers on the boat on Sunday
The week’s diving
We have had an exceptional week of great diving, light winds and adequate sunshine, warm 20+ degree water and around 3-4 metre viz. Sadly we cant always get what we we want, and it is seldom that warm water and good viz arrive together. We are busy with a nice range of training courses so every day has been interesting and fun.
Andrew doing his navigation swim
The weekend diving is really easy to call for a change. The wind blows very hard today and tomorrow and a bit less on Saturday with light winds on Sunday. A 4 metre swell for Friday lingers on Saturday, though Long Beach could work. But on Sunday False Bay will be a no-go as most of the Main Road will be closed for the Cape Peninsula Marathon, which finishes in Simon’s Town.
The good news is that the temperature of the Atlantic has dropped from 23 degrees to 13 degrees in the last 6-8 hours and I think Sunday will deliver some clean water. We are scheduled to launch in False Bay tomorrow but I think we may change to Hout Bay instead. Sunday we will most likely launch from Hout Bay and will dive the Katsu Maru and the BOS 400.
Divers surfacing in front of Roman Rock lighthouse
Special events
We are all set for our trip to Coral Divers in Sodwana from 26-30 April. If you’re still keen to join us, let me know and I’ll see what we can do!
The Cape Town DAN Day takes place on Saturday 17 May. These are educational days filled with talks on diving topics, as well as a tour of the facility where they are held. If you want more information on this event, let me know – space is limited so you need to reserve a place (free of charge) in advance.
Don’t forget to book for the Cape Town Dive Festival, taking place in May – more information on the CTDF website.
The weekend forecast is for rain on Saturday and partly cloudy weather on Sunday. I am sensitive to water and would prefer not to dive in the rain so our plan is to launch on Sunday, heading to Outer Photographer’s Reef and Phoenix Shoal, launching from False Bay Yacht Club 10 am and 12 am.
Summer is coming but we are not quite there yet so a jacket was still required on the boat today. Despite the south easter that has blown the past week, False Bay is surprisingly clean. I took a trip out today and the further out in the Bay I went the cleaner it got. Estimates at Seal Island from the cage divers was 12 metre visibility.
View of Fish Hoek from Contour Road
Upcoming events
November 7th is Diversnight International, sign up here. It is an international event with the aim of having as many divers in the water as possible at 8.13pm. We will confirm the dive site once I’ve checked tides and got permission if necessary. There will be cake.
Our long planned Red Sea trip is going ahead next week; we leave on Thursday next week. There will most likely not be a newsletter for a week or two. While we’re away (or technically on our way back), the ScubaPro Day takes place at False Bay Yacht Club. Discounted boat dives and the chance to try some dive gear (tips on that here) – the participating dive charters will take bookings directly.
Hi divers We had really good conditions last weekend with Saturday being the best. We dived Photographer’s Reef and Roman Rock. Sunday was good at Photographer’s Reef and the Brunswick, but you could see signs of red tide coming and by Monday it was all over False Bay. On Tuesday the swell and the red tide messed up the diving. There are still patches of red tide about but it is not widespread, so odds are good for a diving weekend.
Christo at Photographer’s Reef
Long weekend plans
This weekend, Friday and Saturday are the days I believe will be best for diving. Sunday will be too windy. There is not much swell about but there is currently a south easterly wind which comes straight into False Bay. My guess is that we will be better off launching from Hout Bay. The sea temperature in False Bay is around 14 degrees, as is the Atlantic, but the weather buoy off Kommetjie shows a temperature drop which usually indicates improving viz. Either way, the plan is to launch at 10.00am and 12.30pm. Neither days will be dives deeper than 18 metres as I have Open Water students on the boat. If you want to get wet, text me and I’ll put you on the list.
Fiery nudibranchs at Photographer’s Reef
Free dives for ladies on Friday
Being Women’s Day on Friday, our lady divers will be given a free boat dive to say thanks for never understanding that men don’t need veggies! Cake, yes, any time. But no veggies. One free dive per lady, and kit rental is not included. First come first served! All of you, ladies and gentlemen, must have an up to date MPA permit please. Go to the post office and get one, and bring it with you on the boat.
Craig at Roman Rock
Planning ahead
I will be out of action on the weekend of 24-25 August. Luckily for you, if you want to dive, OMSAC are holding a Treasure Hunt, and you can join one of the boats going out on that day. We went two years ago and it was great fun. The event details are here. If you need a heart to heart and some encouragement to be adventurous, let me know!
The second day of the dive festival dawned grey and cloudy, with a north westerly wind blowing. This flattens the sea in False Bay, but it was quite strong and made for some slightly choppy surface conditions.
The dives in the middle of the day were almost blown (and rained) out by a squall that swept down False Bay like a banshee. Several boatloads of intrepid divers ventured out, and were rewarded with good visibility and even some rays of sun breaking through the clouds. One of the divers who went down to Batsata Maze around 1130 told me he know knows how the seamen on Deadliest Catch feel! At the dive control desk, I was receiving the skippers’ lists of who had been on their boat. Some of them were returned pristine and dry, while others looked worthy of conservation in a museum.
Dive and Adventure setting off to launch
By the third dive session, beginning around lunchtime, things had cleared up considerably.
The prize giving was held at 5pm, and was very well attended. An impressive array of prizes were offered, and there were some very happy divers after the event! The efforts of the photo competition have been published on the CTDF facebook page, as well as the names of the other prize winners. The sponsors donated very generously, making this aspect of the festival very rewarding to the participants. One or two lucky individuals won more than one prize… Lucky is probably not the right word – in order to win prizes, you have to make the effort of entering the competitions, and these folk certainly did that!
Boats queuing to load up with divers and gear
After prizegiving, Bellville Underwater Club served chicken potjie, and many divers lingered over the hot meal. I went home and slept like the dead.
Shooting the breeze on the grass
Now that this event has passed, I am enjoying having free time to spend as I wish, sleeping a lot, and trying to rid my body of the excess of cortisol that has built up steadily since March. Also, unpacking the boxes at home (we moved house a week before the festival). The festival will be a bi-annual event, with the next one in 2014. I hope to do a dive or two at the next one, and enter some competitions!
The Cape Town Dive Festival was held on the weekend of 8 and 9 September, at the Cape Boat and Ski Boat Club at Miller’s Point. My role was mostly to take bookings, which in most cases was a pleasant experience. By the time the festival rolled around I felt as though I had a whole bunch of new diving acquaintances, and it was a pleasure to meet them at registration where they collected a t shirt and lanyard with a lucky draw number on it.
Loading the BlueFlash boat onto its trailer after a dive
The format of the festival was similar to the Port Elizabeth dive festival. Eight dive boats, two hundred and something divers, 45 boat launches and four shore dives to Shark Alley in total over the two days… The festival sponsors donated a range of fabulous prizes, and with a variety of competitions and lucky draws everyone stood a chance to win something. The participating dive operators, clubs and sponsors all had gazebos on the lawn around the clubhouse, and a festive atmosphere was ensured by Matt and Monty, who handled the music and announcements throughout the day. OMSAC provided catering from the club kitchen, keeping us all well fed on boerewors rolls and other treats.
Dive briefing
The weather on the Saturday was picture-perfect, and visibility was excellent (but, strangely, not at the deeper sites). After the boats returned from their third launch, a cannon race was held just off the slipway, which provided much entertainment. The race, arranged by False Bay Underwater Club, required teams of five participants (two on scuba) to lift a concrete “cannon” using a lift bag, and swim it around a buoy and back to its starting position. An element of gruesomeness was added to proceedings by some snoek fishermen who washed their boat on the slipway, sending clouds of fish guts and blood into the water.
Sponsor and participant gazebos
Throughout the day SURG ran a species identification competition, in which participants had to photograph as wide a range of marine animals as possible. Peter Southwood and Georgina Jones headed up a small but diligent team of fish-ID experts who combed through the photographs and reference books to judge the entries.
Here are some more of the photos I took on the day…
Cloudy start to the day!
Divers walk up the slipway to the hot shower on the grass
Grant brings the boat to the slipway as the divers climb off
A hot shower after the dive
The mobile compressor, operated by Orca Industries
Snoek fishermen being charming
The BlueFlash boat leaves for the first dive of the day
The Animal Ocean boat at the loading area
Beautiful day to go diving
Trailering
Divers climb off the Indigo Scuba boat at the slip
Boats in line around the clubhouse
Peter Gordon brings the Pisces boat back to the slipway
Shark Alley looking peaceful
Underwater Explorers at the unloading area
Peter and Georgina of SURG, deliberating
The Species Shootout judges hard at work
Adriaan (right) supervises the fires for the bring and braai
Parking area was full!
The kit and camera rinsing area, and drying rack
Waiting to start the cannon race
Justin resting in front of the loading area after a long day’s work
The Down South Scuba boat was the safety boat for the cannon race
