Category: Ocean

Newsletter: A touch of winter

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

No dives planned

Wallpaper at the Two Oceans Aquarium

Student dives over the last week have been reasonably good, with 5-6 metre visibility inshore. The visibility remains good, and in fact has improved with the unseasonal north westerly wind. The downside is a 5 metre, 16 second period swell. We won’t plan dives in this as the surge is often  harsh.

Keep an eye out for weekday dives during the next week or two – we’ll publicise in this newsletter, on facebook, and via whatsapp. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and safe holiday season. 

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

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Newsletter: That summer wind

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

No diving

It has been a windy week and neither False Bay or Hout Bay look particularly appealing. There is a chance the Atlantic will clean up a little more, but the wind forecast for Saturday and Sunday is a little more than our boat enjoys. We have no diving planned.

Table Mountain seen from Sunset Beach
Table Mountain seen from Sunset Beach

Diarise

The year is winding down, but there are still good things happening for ocean lovers. Next weekend (14-15 December) features an exhibition of photos and paintings, and two morning talks, one by False Bay’s pre-eminent shark scientist, and another by the lead author of a recent multi-disciplinary study of the bay. All the information you need is here.

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: The right time

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

Sunday: 8.30 am False Bay dives from Simons Town jetty

Kelp crab under the microscope at the aquarium
Kelp crab under the microscope at the aquarium

The weather over False Bay has changed for the better today. The seemingly endless south easter is taking a break and some wind from the west or northwest will pretty up False Bay over the next day or two.

By Sunday I am sure the conditions will be great. Meet on the Simons Town jetty at 8.15 am to load up and leave by 8.30 am. Site choice will be made on the move. I am keen to do a double tanker but am open to suggestions.

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Hold onto your hats

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

No diving

The forecast for 30-40 km/h winds persists into the weekend. It’s very likely that the Atlantic will be clean – it looks clean already – but the amount of wind is just too much. Sorry (for you and me)!

St James tidal pool
St James tidal pool

Keeping sane in the wind

You could go to some of the Wavescape Festival events, attend a beach clean up (the Beach Co-Op is hosting an awesome-looking one at Strandfontein on Saturday), or visit one of our wonderful tidal pools for a low-stakes swim or a snorkel.

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

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Newsletter: Wheel-less

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

No diving

The back end of our boat Seahorse
The back end of our boat Seahorse

The conditions for the weekend do not really look that great. Because of the strong south easter, if anything the Atlantic is most likely to be a better choice, but probably rough.

The boat is currently wheel-less and is hanging on a set of slings while the trailer is in for a revamp. All things being equal it should be back and ready by next weekend, and we’ll hold thumbs for obliging conditions.

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

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Newsletter: Atlantic

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

Sunday: Boat dives from OPBC

There is not much doubt that the best option for weekend diving activities will need to be from Oceana Powerboat Club in Granger Bay. The next two days of southeasterly wind should clean things up there after the really insane (almost 9 metre) swell that passed through last night.

The swell, if it lingers at 3 metres won’t be great so I will decide late on Saturday whether we launch or not. The water temperature is currently around 16 degrees so some cleaning by the wind is still required.

Octopus at the Two Oceans Aquarium
Octopus at the Two Oceans Aquarium

Diversnight

One more reminder to put Saturday 2 November in your diaries. The dive clubs are hosting this year, and it’s going to be a great event with lucky draw prizes, the works. Here’s the facebook event. Not sure what Diversnight is? Read this.

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Rolling on

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

Sunday: Boat or shore dives in False Bay

The weather has certainly started warming up a little as we roll towards summer. A few days of north west winds will have helped improve the visibility this side of False Bay, however there is some swell heading our way. The swell doesn’t always arrive as big as it is forecast, so I am going to plan dives for Sunday (the better day swell-wise at this point). Depending on what False Bay looks like late on Saturday, I will then decide whether we launch the boat or do shore dives. Let me know if you want to join.

See through fish at the Dubai Aquarium
See through fish at the Dubai Aquarium

Dates to diarise

  • Don’t forget about Shark Night at the aquarium this coming Tuesday – details here.
  • Diversnight this year is on Saturday 2 November, and the dive clubs are hosting. It’s a super fun evening of night diving, and I suggest you put it in your planner. Facebook event details here.

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Back in Town

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

No diving The weekend is too windy for good diving, with strong south easterly winds starting on Friday evening. We won’t be diving, but I’ve got a boat launch tomorrow and I’ll share the conditions on facebook.

Jellies at the aquarium in Dubai Mall
Jellies at the aquarium in Dubai Mall

Worth your time

New Moon beach clean

This Saturday at 9am is the monthly new moon beach cleanup at Surfers Corner, run by The Beach Co-Op. Event details (facebook) here.

Shark Night

As part of this year’s Shark and Ray Symposium, there’s a public event on Tuesday 8 October  at the Two Oceans Aquarium that’s ALL ABOUT SHARKS. Looks awesome. Get more info and tickets here.

Talking Trash

As part of First Thursdays, on the evening of 3 October there will be a series of short talks about how waste is managed in Cape Town, the social, environmental and economic impacts of waste, and some strategies Capetonians can implement to better assist the City of Cape Town in its sustainability and resilience journey. The event is in central town, and is just one hour long. Find details here.

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Electric sea

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

No diving

We won’t be diving this weekend, and there won’t be a newsletter (or diving) next week, but we’ll be back in business after the public holiday on Heritage Day (24 September). This weekend, Saturday looks good, and Sunday ok for diving.

I launched for divers on Tuesday, and they had fairly good conditions (5-6 metre visibility at Sherwood Forest and Castle Pinnacles) but the surface conditions deteriorated as the day progressed and the wind picked up.

Bioluminescence at Fish Hoek beach
Bioluminescence at Fish Hoek beach

This past weekend, helped by the south easter and then the heat, a thick red tide got caught in Fish Hoek bay and as a result we were treated to some incredible bioluminescence (caused by a type of plankton that fluoresces when disturbed by wave action) on Saturday evening.

This occurs at least a couple of times a year, usually in spring and autumn, on this side of False Bay (and it often makes its way around to the Kogel Bay area on the eastern shore). It is an incredible sight to see. There’s a little video here (pardon the screaming – the beach was packed and the people were excited).

Anyway – see you in 10 days.

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Frothy

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

No diving

Table Mountain seen from Lagoon Beach
Table Mountain seen from Lagoon Beach

False Bay is currently a frothy mess from very strong south easterly winds today. The wind dies down for the next two days but I very much doubt the visibility will get better than a metre or two, so we have no dives planned. On the plus side, there are several days next week that look like decent diving days.

regards

Tony Lindeque
076 817 1099
www.learntodivetoday.co.za
www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blog/

Diving is addictive!

To subscribe to receive this newsletter by email, use the form on this page!