Boat diving – Page 61 – Learn to Dive Today Blog

Newsletter: Winter diving is here!

Hi divers

Finally the conditions that bring exceptional diving have arrived. The lack of any strong south easterly winds and the occasional days of northerly winds have started to clean up False Bay and we have had reasonably good conditions. It only gets better from here on.

Saturday and Sunday were spent doing Open Water dive course training and we dived 5 DSD students. The conditions were great with good visibility and everyone had a good time. Wednesday we spent on the boat doing three dives one after the other. There were 15 of our divers for Grant to deal with during the day (and at least 15 mini chocolates eaten) and we covered the Deep Specialty, Open Water qualifying dives and fun dives. Clearly it was a heavy day because when I saw Grant this afternoon he was leaning on a walking stick!

A diver over the stern of the Princess Elizabeth

Clare has also achieved Master Scuba Diver status (Advanced plus Rescue Diver plus five Specialties plus 50 logged dives) not to mention she is our master photographer. We have a pile of CDs of photos at home for many of the people that dive with us full of your pictures and I will give them to you next time I see you.

We did the first dive on the wreck of the SAS Good Hope and spent a brief time on the MFV Princess Elizabeth. Grant dropped the shot right between to two wrecks and the visibility was great so we could see both wrecks at the same time. We found a horsefish and then a bunch of pyjama sharks all curled up together.

Lindsay, Kate, Tinus and me descending onto Pie Rock

The second dive was to Pie Rock where Lindsay and Tinus qualified as Open Water divers (congratulations!), and the third dive was to Outer Photographer’s Reef where we saw a few boxes of ammunition as well as a few scattered shells, walls of brittle stars, doublesash butterflyfish and had seals follow us around for the last half of the dive. Kate was continuing with her Deep Specialty course on this dive.

The sea was flat, the visibility was great and all three dives were great fun. The conditions look set to repeat themselves this weekend so the boat is calling.

A wall of brittlestars on coraline algae at Outer Photographer's Reef

We are planning a full weekend of diving to suit everyone, to some of the less dived sites, and there are a few people that we haven’t seen in a while: Bernita, Gerard, Maurice, Danelene and André, Richard and Belinda, Dirk, Marinus, Dean, Alina, Hilton, Sarah F and Sarah H, to name but a few… No excuses!!! This weekend is going to be a weekend of fun dives with good conditions and Saturday we will do a day of boat dives:

First launch: DEEP to the SAS Fleur at 40 metres (for the Deep Specialty course and those already qualified)
Second Launch: a mysterious wreck for Advanced divers (20 metres)
Third launch: a dive for Open Water divers to the wreck of the Glencairn Ammunition Barges (12 metres)

A pipefish among ammunition at Outer Photographer's Reef

Grant picks us up and drops us off at Long Beach with the boat so it is really easy. Any of the courses such as Advanced, Deep, Wreck and Photography can be started on these dives.

On Sunday we will dive the sevengill cowsharks (max depth 12 metres) and or the Clan Stuart wreck (max depth 10 metres). The boat fills quickly on a weekend with such great conditions so text me as soon as possible if you are joining!

Best regards

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

Diving is addictive!

Excuse me very much

I may have mentioned my great fondness for warty pleurobranchs before. I probably have. They’re not overtly attractive creatures, but have – to my mind – quite a lot of character. They are frequently a source of great amusement on dives because they have little regard for what they walk over and are voracious predators. Here are some recent warty pleurobranch moments that caused me to partially flood my mask laughing…

Because whelks and other molluscs can’t feel things on their hard shells, they seem to be a favourite stepping stone or even a food source. The warty pleurobranch is quite a fierce predator and possibly enjoys feeding on the algae that often encrusts whelk shells. They are also very mobile, and able to barrel over almost any surface. The next photo provides proof!

We observed the next little interaction while exploring one of the Ark Rock boiler wrecks. I think the warty pleurobranch was after the ornate amphipods that you can see on the brittle star – little black, yellow and white critters. At one point he was actually half on top of the brittle star’s body, only to be rebuffed by a whip-like arm pushing him out of the way.

Warty pleurobranch doesn't care about brittle stars!

Exploring: Ark Rock Boiler Wreck #3

We did two short exploration dives around Ark Rock on 21 March. The first was to a small wreck roughly east of the rock itself, and the second one was to check out a pair of boilers lying on the sand s short distance apart. There’s nothing else around except for some rocky reef, which Tony and I explored for a while after we were done with the boiler.

The boiler looks quite imposing – for the technicalities on fire boxes and things visit the Wikivoyage page for Ark Rock, but it’s solitary and impressive. There are no other bits of wreckage lying around. Most of the boiler is very overgrown, and we found a huge roman hiding in one of the holes in the boiler.

Front of the boiler with holes at the bottom

The rocky reef close to the boiler is covered with sea cucumbers, Stephens codium, brittle stars and feather stars.

Tony and I were fascinated with the sea pens sticking out of the sand, and I spent quite a while watching a warty pleurobranch trying to walk over a brittle star (who fought back).

Warty pleurobranch walking over a brittle star

We took a slow swim around the reef and back to the boiler and the shot line, which was on the sand nearby. The water was very green, but the visibility was fairly respectable!

Dive date: 21 March 2011

Air temperature: 25 degrees

Water temperature: degrees

Maximum depth: 16.4 metres

Visibility: 6 metres

Dive duration: 21 minutes

Exploring: Ark Rock Eastern Wreck

Ark Rock is a roughly rectangular flat topped rock (surprise!) off Seaforth beach. On the navy charts it’s marked as Noah’s Ark – its distinctive shape gave rise to the name – and divers typically refer to it as Ark Rock. There is an assortment of small wrecks and other interesting underwater features surrounding it.

Tony and I were fortunate enough to join a small group of divers who planned to explore two undived features that had been spotted on the sidescan sonar attached to the dive boat. Two short dives were planned, so that we could explore more than one site in the area. It was the first weekend since summer started departing that allowed for good False Bay diving – until then, we’d been flailing around in pea soup.

The first site we were to visit is about 85 metres from Ark Rock, roughly to the east – hence the name “Eastern Wreck”. It’s a smallish iron or steel vessel that has been down there for some time. Its actual identity is not known. As we descended through a murky surface layer, we could see almost the entire ship before us.

It’s probably about 15 metres long, only a hull, with some gaps and holes large enough to admit a diver. Even though there were only six of us in the group, it felt pretty crowded on the wreck at times because it’s so small. It might be a fishing boat or similar vessel.

Tony swimming through a hole in the stern of the vessel

The wreck is lying on the sand and is heavily grown over with lovely sea life. There’s no interior structure and no deck or other bits and pieces lying around. I found it really pretty and of an appealingly manageable size to explore in one dive. We only spent 20 minutes on the wreck, which was long enough to survey the structure, but I could have stayed longer and checked out more of the life encrusting the metal remains!

All that remains of the interior structure of the wreck

My photos from this dive aren’t great. I was a bit enamoured of the shape of the wreck – so easily identifiable as a ship – and the good (comparatively!) visibility, so I took too few macro shots and too many green water pictures of indistinct shapes!

Dive date: 21 March 2011

Air temperature: 25 degrees

Water temperature: 8 degrees

Maximum depth: 10.1 metres

Visibility: 6 metres

Dive duration: 21 minutes

Diving in an MPA

A couple of weekends ago I picked up a hard copy of this brochure (PDF) at the Paddlers shop in Simons Town. It’s the Marine Recreational Activity Information Brochure published by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. I wish that more poachers would read it! It has information pertaining to the regulations governing scuba divers, anglers, jet skiers, aquarium keepers, rock lobster, and abalone.

The map at left is from this brochure (PDF), which details all the MPAs along our coastline. Certain areas are restricted zones, which means that NO fishing is allowed there at all. I am always totally delighted when the skipper slows the dive boat to a crawl to inform a clueless (or willfully criminal) kayaker or fishing boat that they’re fishing in a no take zone! This usually happens on the way to Smitswinkel Bay in the Castle Rock restricted zone. Research has shown that restricted zones have dramatically positive impacts on fish populations – the difference between fish and marine life populations just inside and just outside these areas is very dramatic.

I can assure you, from diving in these areas, that even though the policing of restricted zones leaves MUCH to be desired, the experience of diving in one is an absolute pleasure for the most part. Rich dive sites like Partridge Point are testimony to this.

Reading the regulations pertaining to the recreational scuba diving permits that we are required to hold when we dive around the Cape Peninsula (and along much of the South African coast) was enlightening. Most of these are common sense, but it was news to me (for example) that no diving is permitted between 11pm and 4am, anywhere in an MPA! It also put paid to any personal chumming activities… What a pity – I would have loved to have had a great white shark all to myself!

By the way, Bird Island – mentioned below – is near Port Elizabeth. There’s a magnificent lighthouse there.

RECREATIONAL SCUBA DIVING PERMIT CONDITIONS

The holder of a recreational SCUBA diving permit shall:

not remove, unduly disturb or harass any marine organism or habitat, including shells or substrate, marine mammals, seabirds and fish.
not feed fish, practice chumming, or dump any material, or discharge any biological attractants in the MPA.
dive in the Table Mountain, Pondoland, Aliwal Shoal and Stilbaai MPA during daylight hours only (from half an hour before local sunrise to the time of local sunset), unless as part of a group being taken out by an DEA-authorised business operator. A representative of a registered Diving Club or individuals must notify the managing authority of the MPA to their satisfaction if they intend night diving. (Table Mountain (SANParks) – 021-786 5656, Pondoland (Eastern Cape Parks) – 047-387 0451/043-742 4450, Aliwal Shoal (Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife – 0825592848). Stilbaai (CapeNature – 028-754 2234).
not scuba dive in the Bird Island MPA at all.
not dive in any MPA where a scuba diving permit is required between 23:00 and 04:00 at all.
abide by the Diver Code of Conduct (www.environment.gov.za).
note that these conditions will be applicable to any new MPAs that may be declared, regazetted or required to have a permit in the future.
adhere to the condition that boats taking persons diving in an MPA where a permit is required shall only launch from an authorized launching site, and shall not launch earlier than an hour before local sunrise or return later than an hour after local sunset unless night diving in compliance with condition 3.

To obtain your MPA permit, take R100 and your identity document or passport to your nearest post office, and ask for a scuba diving permit form at the counter. It’s a blue and white form, the same one as is used for angling, crayfishing, and some other consumptive marine usage activities.

Sodwana 2011 trip report

We have recently returned from another successful dive trip to Sodwana Bay. For those that have not been there, it is a sheltered bay just south of the Mozambique border and is home to one of the top dive sites in the world. The coastline consists of approx. 12-15 kilometres of pristine reef with much of it at a depth of between 12 and 20 metres. There are deeper sites there too but for the vast majority of recreational divers, Two Mile, Five Mile and Nine Mile reef are diving destinations unparalleled in South Africa.

Swimming pool and dining area (on the right) at Coral Divers

Sodwana Bay has a selection of 10-15 dive operators and they all have something special to offer. We chose Coral Divers on both the trips we have done for a host of reasons. The camp runs perfectly, the food is excellent, the dive planning and beach control is exceptional and they are very accommodating when it comes to divers chopping and changing sites and dives. The boats are in good condition and we had not a single reason to complain about anything. They transport you to and from the beach by means of a covered trailer with benches towed slowly by a tractor, they have gear crates, showers and baths for gear rinsing and adequate place to hang your gear to dry. Their camp is the closest to the beach of all the dive operators which makes things very quick and easy when you head out for your day’s dives.

The tractor (left) and gear rinsing and drying area

They run a tight ship and everything runs on schedule. There seems to be adequate staff to ensure all this happens. The skipper we had (JERRY!) and the Divemaster (Darryl) allocated to our boat were superb, experienced and flexible. The group was a mixture of qualified divers and Open Water students and they ensured we dived safe sites that were suitable for all levels. You may find better service elsewhere in Sodwana but Coral Divers have ensured that both our trips were exceptional events so I can’t imagine trying someone else.

Naughty monkeys outside one of the cabins

Accommodation options range from safari tents erected on wooden decking with corrugated roofing overhead (on special at the moment for R50 per person per night) to wooden cabins with no bathroom (you use the communal ablutions, which are spotless), a bathroom attached to the cabin but that must be accessed from outside, or a full en suite arrangement. Bedding and mosquito nets are provided in the cabins and everything is in good repair.

There is a large kitchen with self-catering facilities and tons of secure fridge space, or you can order from the restaurant. The food is hearty and there’s something to please everyone. A buffet is also available at breakfast and dinner. If you want a cheap holiday you can do it very comfortably here, but it’s also possible to have a fully luxurious stay where all your requirements are met.

The shady dive camp is home to large troupes of monkeys, mongooses, some cats and their kittens, squirrels, and even some small deer. Further away from the main building are camping and caravan sites. We’ve gone out of season both times we’ve visited because we prefer not to have to queue to get to the beach! It can get very busy over public holidays and at peak times.

As far as the dives went, Clare will write some posts about them. Suffice it to say that while it was slightly surgy, the visibility ranged from 10 to 25 metres, water temperatures were never lower than 23 degrees, and we saw fish, coral, turtles, rays, dolphins, and tropical marine life in abundance!

Newsletter: Wreck diving

Hey there

The wind just won’t settle so diving is still a little unpredictable. We did however have really good diving last weekend and again yesterday. We dived one the Smitswinkel Bay wrecks, the MV Rockeater on Monday and had around 10m visibility with coolish 11 degree water. It is amazing to see how a once majestic ocean-going vessel rusts away whilst creating an incredible amount of protection for a host of ocean creatures. A torch or video light reveals the mass of colour that adorns everything in the ocean despite the depth.

The next launch took us to Wonder Reef in the Castor Rock reef complex, and the visibility was not quite as good as it was a shallower dive but still acceptable. Cecil and Gerard recovered an anchor (the second one for Cecil) with a lot of chain and surfaced it with the help of an SMB. It is always good to have an SMB – primarily for the boat to find you – but it is a valuable piece of equipment for treasure recovery… Who needs a lift bag?

We also dived on Wednesday, when Kate and I dived with Andrew to do a search and recovery dive for his Advanced course and used a lift bag to move a crate full of rocks around at Long Beach.

This weekend all the dive charters are staying indoors as the southeaster hits tomorrow and blows until Sunday evening. We will be in the pool on Saturday so the wind will not affect us but Sunday seems like a stay home day…

Courses

We are busy with Open Water, Advanced, Deep Specialty, Rescue and Divemaster at the moment but these are almost done. With the visibility improving as we go into the winter months I want to run Digital Underwater Photography and Night diving Specialties. Night diving has a special appeal for me as there is so much to see at night that just hides all day long.

Remember I dive all week long so when the office gets you down take as day off and come diving. I call it aquatic therapy.

best regards

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

Diving is addictive!

Roman Rock lighthouse

A recent dive to Castor Rock gave us the opportunity to see the beautiful Roman Rock lighthouse at the entrance to Simon’s Town harbour from the sea. The lighthouse was erected in 1861, and a lighthouse keeper used to live there, but it’s now fully automated. Roman Rock itself is submerged at high tide but sticks out of the sea at low water.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwpKMPDaZxg&w=540]

There are incredible pictures of this lighthouse in Gerald Hoberman’s book Lighthouses of South Africa. I was thrilled to be able to capture it from several different angles while we waited for the other divers to finish their dive.

Newsletter: Back from Sodwana

Hello divers and others

We are back from Sodwana. When we arrived the folks that had dived the day before said the conditions were not that great… “The water is only 26 degrees and the visibility was only about 15-20 metres.” Well… being tough and from Cape Town we just had to endure the hardship and had 8 amazing dives. It was partly cloudy most days so nobody came back toasted like we did on the last trip. To the 12 people that joined me, BIG THANK YOU. It was good!!! Clare has put together a disc of photos for everyone and we will make a plan to get them to you.

Below are a few photos from some of the dives.

I have a fair amount of diving to do in the coming weeks as we were able to sign up 28 people for a Discover Scuba experience. Kate is also back from the UK and needs to do forty dives before June when she will attend an Instructor course.

Descending at Pinnacles with Adam, Ollie and Goot

We also have an Advanced course running and this coming weekend I will start a Nitrox/Deep speciality combo, six deeper dives to some of Cape Town’s stunning wrecks, on Nitrox (enriched air) After the deep dives we will continue the Open Water student training.

The winter months bring cold but very clean water into False Bay, with northerly winds we have exceptional visibility and this winter we will focus on running the Deep, Wreck and Night specialties every month. The wrecks in Smitswinkel Bay are almost all in 35 metres of water and these wrecks are a sight for sore eyes when the water is clean. Night diving has so much to offer as the ambient light, moonlight and bright torches turn the ocean into a pool of light filled with some amazing creatures.

I have also bought more gear and have a few warmer wetsuits for the cooler months coming to a ocean near you.

I would like to make either a Saturday or a Sunday morning boat dive every weekend, weather permitting, so give me some idea of what days are best for whom so we can try and schedule something.

We have also added a few videos to youtube, quite a few new posts to the blog and the website has had a facelift. The blog is an amazing source of information for anything ocean and diving related with many book reviews and a host of other information on sea life. There are hundreds of photos and many of you appear in them! Take a look sometime.

I also have many of your dive cards and will try and drop them off but if you are in the southern suburbs at some point call me and we can meet somewhere. Sending them by post is often a problem as they are mistaken for credit cards and they often just vanish.

best regards

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

Diving is addictive!