DAN – Learn to Dive Today Blog

Newsletter: Chin up

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

No diving

This is a strange time to be alive, and we are all (hopefully) adjusting to being confined to our homes for the next 21 and perhaps more days. This is a challenge, as I don’t need to tell you. Thankfully there are ways to pass the time, whilst not forgetting about the ocean and scuba diving, and I thought I’d share a few of them with you.

Interesting gaps between the rocks and in the kelp are fun for divers!

Free online first aid courses from DAN

DAN Southern Africa has generously made their catalogue of online first aid courses free of charge for the next one month. Pick from the list below:

(Rocking back and forth on your couch contemplating existence and eating popcorn is also ok – don’t feel obliged to try to transform yourself into an intellectual and physical hulk during lockdown.)

Marine Life Identification with Georgina Jones

The City iNaturalist Challenge is rolling around again at the end of April. Georgina’s planned fish ID workshops probably aren’t going to happen in the originally planned face to face format, so she’s preparing daily online posts with information (and photos) on common marine life around Cape Town. You can find these in the Underwater Cape Town facebook group, which you should join if you’re not already a member. Georgina knows what she’s talking about.

The Sea-Change book

We reviewed the incredible Sea Change book a while ago. During the lockdown period, the Sea Change team is making the e-book available free of charge to South Africans. All you need to do is send an email to get a special download code for the Sea Change website. Details here (facebook – may be slow to load thanks to a broken undersea cable).

This is a beautiful offer; you’ll be able to explore the kelp forests from the comfort of your couch, as long as this goes on.

For the kids

Audible is allowing free streaming of a large catalogue of kids’, teens’ and classic books read by awesome narrators: check out stories.audible.com.

Local illustrator Patrick Latimer has created Halfsies, a free print-it-yourself pdf of pictures for kids (or you) to complete, and then colour. Find it here.

Virus information

Much less wonderfully, we’re sure you already know about several of these, but here’s a list of reputable sources for coronavirus updates:

The SA Government’s coronavirus website
The Financial Times has free coronavirus coverage, including this incredible graphical global tracker
Africa Check and Snopes, for myth busting

Finally, to all of you and your families, please do your utmost to stay well, stay at home, and see you on the other side. To the healthcare workers – we cannot thank you enough.

regards

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

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Weaker weather

Hi divers

Weekend dive plans

Shore and boat dives on Saturday and Sunday

Last Friday while diving out of Hout Bay we were visited by what felt like an overwhelming number – but was approximately fifty – whales. Most of them seemed intent on staying close to the boat and in fact a few rubbed themselves on the boat’s keel strip, which was slightly alarming. I stood dead still, wearing my life jacket, with the engines off and the boat stopped right next to the divers, hoping that they wouldn’t get too rowdy (the whales, not the divers). The divers had the amazing experience of whales at the safety stop.

We have been experimenting with early (6.00 am) and late (3.00 pm) launches for quick double tank dives to slot in as part of a well-planned work day. We’ve had lovely conditions and we’ve enjoyed seeing familiar places in a different light!

Dive conditions

We are starting to have fewer days of howling south easterly winds and it is a sign of good things to come, especially for those who prefer diving in False Bay. There is nothing spectacular in the weekend forecast: no howling wind, no huge swell and maybe a spot of rain. I think False Bay will be the place as the temperature of the Atlantic hit 19 degrees celsius today.

I have a backlog of students currently so we will try to shore dive and boat dive on both days. Once I have confirmed numbers I will text those on the “ready to dive” list. You know what to do!

DAN Divers Day

If you aren’t diving this coming Saturday afternoon (13 February), consider the DAN Divers Day at False Bay Underwater Club in Wynberg. It’ll be an afternoon of talks about dive safety and research, with local and international speakers. Register here – if you want to see the full program drop me an email and I’ll forward it to you.

regards

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

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Wind-windows

Hi divers

Weekend diving

Saturday: Early launching (meet at 7.30 am) from Hout Bay

The sad face of diving has still been in evidence and the howling winds have kept us dry for way too long. Saturday morning has a window of light winds, and we had better use it. It will by no means be epic diving as there is some swell, but I reckon it will be way better than anything we have had in the past few weeks (months!). We will launch from Hout Bay at 8.00 so please be there by 7.30 if you are on course. The winds are forecast to climb from late on Saturday afternoon so Sunday we will not be diving.

Simon's Town boating on a windless day — Simon’s Town boating on a windless day

Can you remember what days like this are like?

DAN Day

The next DAN day is at False Bay Underwater Club this Saturday, 28 February, from 2-5 pm. This afternoon timeslot means that you can dive in the morning and still attend! There is some more information here. I am sure if you email the folk at DAN tomorrow morning they will be able to accommodate you! These events are always extremely informative and highly recommended.

Mozambique trip

Please be in touch with me or Clare if you would like more information or if you’d like to join us from 29 June-4 July in Ponta do Ouro. Clare will start bugging those of you who expressed an interest for a firm commitment in the next few days.

regards

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

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Newsletter: In the zone

Hi divers

Weekend diving

Saturday and/or Sunday: Boat dives in the ocean, probably… For an explanation of why so vague, read on!

We seem to be in a zone of poor weekend diving conditions. The weekdays offer some options but most local divers need weekends condition because of inconveniences like their jobs! This week has offered several decent days midweek and a gloomy weekend outlook. Saturday has more wind than Sunday but Sunday has more swell than Saturday… What to do?

There is currently a 4 metre swell in the Atlantic that will have some effect on Hout Bay. I have a backlog of Open Water and Advanced students needing boat dives, not to mention a bunch of regular divers all chomping at the bit so I am going to plan for both days but sadly it will again be a matter of making a decision on the morning. This involves a quick drive down to Smitswinkel Bay or alternatively a trip up Chapmans peak to take a look before deciding. For students, we would like good surface conditions and good visibility, for purposes of safety and enjoyment. There is no room for compromise here. If you can handle a short notice YES or NO to a dive as yet unplanned, then text me to book.

Mozambique trip

Clare has been in touch with those of you who have expressed an interest in joining us from 28 June to 4 July for five days of diving in Ponta do Ouro. Please let me know if you haven’t heard from her and we’ll get some information to you as soon as possible. For more about the diving in Southern Mozambique, check here and here.

DAN Day

The next DAN day is at False Bay Underwater Club on Saturday 28 February, from 2-5pm. DAN is an organisation that provides top up medical and evacuation cover to divers, as well as medical information, and a host of other services. They host sessions of lectures and slideshows by industry specialists, on all sorts of diving topics (often safety and medically-related), two or three times a year. The afternoon time slot of the one on 28 February means that you can dive in the morning and still attend! There is some more information here. These events are always extremely informative and highly recommended.

regards

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

Diving is addictive!

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Oh buoy

Our cats (of which we have many, many) find our cars irresistibly appealing, and at the first opportunity will climb inside for an investigation. Tony once got out the gate and into the road with a car full of cylinders for filling, and a very wide-eyed Mini cat, who had climbed into the back of the vehicle while Tony was loading the tins.

Here’s Blue, still a little kitten, checking out (something next to) the buoy that the Divemaster (on our boat and shore dives) takes along with him on a reel and line, floating on the surface to mark the divers’ presence to boaters. She’s in the back of the divemobile. Everything gets a bit salty, and this seems to fascinate the cats – perhaps it’s one step away from bringing an actual fish home for them.

Newsletter: Staying out of trouble

Hi divers

Weekend diving

No diving this weekend!

Conditions forecast

The conditions forecast for this weekend is not very different from the weather we had last weekend and as the weather experts say,we are in a seven day cycle. This has been very evident as we have had some really stunning midweek diving days with great conditions and good visibility. My guess is that Saturday will be lousy and although the weather clears on Sunday, it does so in the late afternoon only. Not to mention there are a few drastic swell direction changes starting tomorrow… So I reckon its a stay home weekend.

Things to do

There are a lot of things to keep you out of trouble if you aren’t diving:

Word is that the whales have arrived in False Bay…
Friday 1 August: Coelacanth talk in aid of the NSRI, happening at Kirstenbosch at 6.00 pm
Saturday 2 August: Cape Town DAN Day at Unique Hydra, 9.00 am
Saturday 16 August: OMSAC Finathon – contact them for more information!
Thursday 4 September: Physiology at the Extremes one-day conference organised by UCT

regards

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

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Over the rainbow

Hi divers

Weekend diving

Sunday: Boat dives to Maidstone Rock at 9.30 and Spaniard Rock at 12.00

Conditions report

False Bay has really delivered over the last few weeks. I have been fortunate to launch on 4 days this week and we have been rewarded with 15-16 degree water and really good visibility. The temperature dropped a degree today but we still had great viz, not much wind and very little swell.

Last Sunday morning we took an extremely wet (not in the forecast!) trip out to Seal Island, where we saw a couple of white shark breaches and a beautiful rainbow. On the way there and back we did feel like we were part of the Deadliest Catch reality show, though! Andre took this picture on the boat.

Dive planning

These conditions look set to hold for the weekend. There is no doubt that both days will be great but I am going to pick Sunday and launch 9.30 from the jetty in Simon’s Town and we will go to Maidstone Rock for the first dive and Spaniard Rock at 12.00. Text me to book.

DAN Day

DAN is holding another day of talks focused on diver health and safety on Saturday 2 August, at Unique Hydra (the same venue as last time). You can see more information about the event and the program here. These events are highly recommended and I encourage you to attend.

regards

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

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Swelly winter

Hi divers

Weekend diving: No dives planned. Pool on Saturday!

Checking out some saturation diving equipment at the DAN Day

Last weekend we attended the DAN Day at Unique Hydra (a company that makes and markets commercial diving equipment) and as always the speakers and the topics were exceptionally good. DAN stands for Divers’ Alert Network, and they provide medical insurance for divers over and above what your medical aid will cover, as well as incredibly useful advice and guidance via their hotline, staffed by diving doctors. Twice a year they arrange a day of diving and health related talks and a tour of an interesting facility – the next one is on 2 August and I highly recommend you attend. We’ll remind you closer to the time.

The photo above is from the DAN South Africa instagram feed! We are standing in front of a huge structure that will be built into a ship, enabling saturation divers to live and work in a pressurised environment for weeks on end.

Conditions

No launches are planned this weekend. Saturday starts off really windy and the wind picks up dramatically during the day. On Sunday, it blows even harder and a 5 metre swell arrives. I have pool training so will be spared the grumpy sea. Its a pity as the visibility is currently really good. We’ll hold thumbs for next week!

regards

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

Diving is addictive!

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Newsletter: Diving in a glass of water

Hi divers

Weekend diving

Sunday: Possible boat or shore dives, if the weather forecast moderates. Text me to be notified.

Conditions report and forecast

We had exceptional conditions in False Bay last weekend, with 20 metre visibility and a comfortable 18 degrees on the surface. It’s been a long time since False Bay has been so clean. There are some photos on facebook that will show you just how stunning the conditions were. We dived Photographer’s Reef and the wreck of the Brunswick.

The viz has dropped somewhat this week but it is still pretty good. Sadly we are unlikely to have good conditions this weekend: just as well, because on Saturday is the all day long DAN day that you should attend if at all possible, with very informative talks about diving safety and a tour of a great facility in Cape Town. If you want me to forward the details then send me an email, but be quick as you need to book in advance (i.e. tomorrow) if there’s still space.

Alex at Photographer's Reef — Alex at Photographer’s Reef

On Sunday I don’t think the conditions will be all that great. There is a 2-3 metre swell, which is not too bad, but the wind is forecast to blow more easterly than south easterly and this tends to cause a larger than is pleasant wind chop that makes for unpleasant surface conditions. I am hoping the forecast changes as we get closer to Sunday and the wind drops off, and that way we can get some diving done. I will make that call late Saturday afternoon. Text me if you want to be on the list to dive if we do go out.

Training and permits

Winter is a good time to further your dive training – the water is cleaner in False Bay, and we have some really beautiful conditions to work with. If you’ve been thinking about a Specialty course, Advanced, or Rescue (for example), let me know and I can tell you a bit more about what’s involved. You’ll build up your confidence in the water and be a better buddy!

Please make sure you have an up to date MPA permit when you come diving… For visitors, I have a temporary (one month validity) permit book, but if you live here it’s definitely better to get a one year permit from the post office.

regards

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

Diving is addictive!

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