Favorite dive sites around Cape Town

We all have our favourite dive sites. There are many factors that can influence your affinity towards a specific dive site. Some of us like diving on shipwrecks. Some of us enjoy entering an underwater almost out-of-body experience as we descend into the peace that is a reef… or maybe, it is the magic of the sunlight filtering down through the leaves of a kelp forest that keeps drawing you back to your dive site. 

Some scuba divers prefer sites that have an easy entry and exit, while others are willing to climb down a cliff side to reach their favourite dive spots.

I have three favourite dive sites.

The first would be the Aster shipwreck, lying just outside Houtbay. It  has a maximum depth of 28 meters, and is a fishing vessel that was especially prepared for divers before she was shuttled. She sits upright, and can be penetrated. My favourite feature on this wreck is the fact that the mast is still intact – which means that you can do a large portion of your ascent along the mast.

My second favourite is Vulcan Rock, a bit further out of Houtbay. This site is a reef, and my favourite part of this site is the cave/swim-through, of which the entrance is at a depth of about 15 meters. Is has four entry points, and is probably about 20-30 meters long. While diving inside the cave, there is often a deep rumbling sound, as what sounds like a huge boulder that is being moved around by the ocean.

My third site is the wreck of the SAS Pietermaritzburg. Formerly known as the HMS Pelorus, she has been scuttled in 1994. The thing that attracts me most on this ship is her history – she was one of the leading ships in the D-day invasions, deployed as a mine sweeper. When I dive around her, I like to imagine that day… canons booming, sailors shouting and running around on her, the sky filled with planes and smoke… quite spooky! 

What about you ? What are your favourite dive spots ? Why do you like them ?