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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Long Beach Simon's Town

The dive site Long Beach (Simon's Town) is a shoreline sand bottomed site with scattered wreckage and reef areas in the Simon's Bay area on the False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula, part of Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

At first glance the site seems bland, but careful investigation will reveal interesting and varied life. A surprising variety of fish not commonly found in the region has been sighted here on odd occasions. There are several small wrecks and old mooring tackle to liven up the scene and provide artificial reef. This is the place to go when conditions are bad elsewhere, a popular training site, and great for getting new equipment configurations sorted out. This is one of the most protected sites on the Cape Peninsula. It gets almost no swell from the south-west, and is also protected from much of the South easterly wind waves. The entry is very easy and there are changing rooms and toilet facilities close at hand. It is one of the most popular training sites for Cape Town, and can be considered confined water for many training purposes. Although there is very little reef or substantial wreckage to provide a permanent substrate, there are often interesting things to see, but this is often a matter of luck, as fish and invertebrates from the east and south coasts are sometimes brought into False Bay by the gyres of the Agulhas current.

There is an underwater trail for compass navigation training.

The site may occasionally be closed for diving when foreign warships are in Simon's Town.

Position

 * S34°11.239’ E018°25.574’ — (at the "Slipway" shown on the SAN chart).
 * S34°11.239' E018°25.715'
 * S34°11.172' E018°25.652’

Behind the Simon's Town railway station.

This site is in the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area since 2004. A permit is required.

Name
The name "Long Beach" is derived from the stretch of sandy beach at the site.

Depth
The bottom shelves gradually down from the shore to a depth of 18 m at the Simon's Town Harbour mouth, 5 m is reasonably close inshore, and about 9 m at the maximum distance that the average diver is likely to swim.

Visibility
Visibility may vary considerably with the season and recent weather conditions, but is usually between 2 and 8 m. If it is less then it will usually not be worth diving. When it is more, it is usual to dive at one of the other sites, but occasionally there have been reports of visibility exceeding 15 m. Visibility in winter is on average better than in summer, but exceptions do occur.

Topography
Flat sand bottom with occasional lumps of growth on loose rocks, wreckage and other artifacts. There is a pipeline perpendicular to the shoreline near the wall at the south end of the beach, which is visible in the aerial photo, and a wreck of a small steel barge just north of this pipeline.

In 2009 a sportsfisherman sank at moorings in the bay during a storm and drifted alongside the barge wreck, where it broke up and came to rest between the south end of the barge and the offshore end of the inshore section of pipeline. Only the bottom structure with engines, gearboxes and shafts and various smaller pieces of loose wreckage remain.

Further out along the pipeline are pieces of wreckage of a small sailing yacht, including the ballast keel and the lower portion of the hull.

Further south is an obstruction shown on the chart, which is the wreckage of a tubular steel structure and some large concrete footings, possibly the remains of a jetty.

Assorted artifacts are strewn randomly around the bay, as a result of centuries of mooring and occasional wreckings. Most are junk, but there will be objects of archaeological value which should not be disturbed.

There is the bottom of a wooden yacht hull 220 m north east of the barge bearing 057°magnetic. The bottom appears to be copper sheathed and most of the timber has rotted away. The wreck is about 11 m long, 2 m wide and 1 m high, and the bow points towards 160° magnetic.

Another wreck at S34°11.172' E018°25.652’ is the remains of twin screw wooden launch, Some bottom structure remains including keel bolts and stern tubes, There are also assorted mooring blocks and chains, some of them probably quite old, and usually heavily encrusted.

To the east is the wreck of a ferroconcrete yacht at S34°11.239' E018°25.715', which is about 74 m bearing 140° magnetic from the seaward end of the pipeline. The hull lies on the sand, but new orientation has not yet been surveyed.

Length approximately 12 m, beam about 3 m, depth about 2.5 m rough estimate. Side decks, quarterdeck and foredeck also ferroconcrete, but superstructure is gone and the hull is open from above. Mast support pillars look like steel tube. The yacht was probably ketch rigged, or maybe schooner. A bumkin or stern platform is partly present on the starboard side of the transom. The hull has a long keel, small vertical transom, and spoon bow. The hull is quite fair, and largely intact. Frames are mostly intact but angle iron floors have mostly rusted away. The hull seems to be sheathed on the outside with fabric, which could be glass woven rovings or cloth.

Geology: The bottom is fine sand and mud, with small patches of coarse shelly sand

Conditions
The site is very well sheltered from westerly winds and swell, and fairly well sheltered from south easterly wind and waves. The site is almost always diveable, soit is very popular as a training site and for night dives. This is the place to go when everywhere else is a mess and you really want to dive, but it is usually at its best in winter when the wind is not often from the east.

Conditions will probably be unsuitable during strong south easterly winds, which mostly occur in summer. These will reduce visibility, and in extreme cases, produce high enough waves to be a hazard.

Facilities
The parking lot is tarred and generally adequate. There are public toilets and changing rooms of variable condition (frequently vandalised, sporadically maintained, sometimes closed) and fresh water showers which have on occasion been disabled by sawing the handles off the taps.

Get in

Easy shore access in most conditions. Beach entry to gently shelving sand bottom. Park at parking lot between Simon’s Town railway station and the beach. Turn east off the M4 into (road name) just to the south of the station.

Entry and exit can be at any point on the beach to the north of the fence at the southern end, which is the border to naval territory. The beach is uniformly shallow shelving fine sand without reef or other obstacles, and the surf will be trivial in all conditions when it is worth diving.

Marine life
There can be quite a lot to see on the barge wreck, which provides a base for seaweeds and shelter for fish. Little clumps of sessile growth are based on the pipeline, red bait, other wreckage and debris, and loose rocks, mostly less than 0.5 m diameter.

There are extensive areas of sand with weed in the deeper water, some of it attached to the bottom, but a lot apparently loose. In some places there are beds of strap caulerpa, and where red-bait has rooted itself in the sand, little clumps of other organisms gather, including large numbers of Common feather stars.

Large numbers of Warty pleurobranch and Sand slug wander around, and at times there are quite a lot of sea hares.

A wide variety of fish have been seen at this site, including several not normally found in the Western Cape, which are carried down the east coast by the currents, and the eddies bring them into False Bay, and for some unknown reason, they often end up at Long Beach. Seals are fairly common, and Southern Right whales also occasionally come into the bay and have been seen during dives at Long Beach.

Stingrays are occsionally seen, some of them quite large, and the very shy and elusive White steenbras is caught nearby, but never seen by divers on open circuit Scuba

Features
Assorted debris and detritus has accumulated over the centuries, including: There are also a few purpose made artificial reef structures made by local divers, both for entertainment and for experimental observation on the rate of colonisation by reef animals and seaweeds. These include:
 * The wreckage of a small steel barge,
 * The wreck of a ferroconcrete yacht.
 * The wreck of a wooden yacht
 * The wreck of a wooden twin screw motor launch
 * Large lengths of large link mooring chain, some with old engine blocks attached.
 * Concrete mooring blocks.
 * A nearly cubic steel box structure, about 3 m on the side, with a few access holes and a ladder inside, known as Jeff's Box
 * A large anchor, which has been found by several people, but no-one has recorded its position.
 * The wreckage of a wooden hulled twin engine sportsfisherman.
 * Lady Long Beach — A retired garden statue, placed near the cusp of the chain
 * Assorted concrete garden ornaments laid near the cusp of the chain as artificial reef
 * A small artificial reef of concrete building blocks, laid in the form of a small curved wall

Photography
The side produces occasional surprises. If you have a camera with you, you get to take the photos.

Wide angle or macro lenses are most likely to produce good results. Natural light is usually sufficient as it is shallow, but flash will bring back the true colours. External flash is essential for anything further than about 300 mm as there is usually significant suspended matter which will cause backscatter with internal flash.

Routes
Most dives at this site include the barge, and many are more or less at random, or a circuit of some kind based on a compass course, as the landmarks are fairly far apart.

1. Compass navigation trail: If you fancy your navigation skills, try this route (see also photo above):
 * 1) Find the inshore section of pipeline that starts about 10 m north of the fence at the south end of the beach. The first signs will be rectangular concrete blocks in a row parallel to the fence The pipeline starts fairly shallow and runs out approximately parallel to the fence.
 * 2) Swim about 70m at 089° magnetic out to the east end of the inner pipeline. This is at the end of a section of pipe and there are no blocks beyond this point until the outer section.
 * 3) Swim 11m at 015° magnetic to the south end of the wreckage of a small steel barge. (22 m x 4 m x 2 m high)
 * 4) Swim about 22 m to the north end of the barge
 * 5) Swim 18 m at 075° magnetic to an encrusted lump. (about 1 m diameter)
 * 6) Swim 22 m at 024° magnetic to a mooring block (200 litre barrel full of concrete).
 * 7) Swim 27 m at 071° magnetic to the north end of a piece of heavy encrusted mooring chain with an encrusted lump at the end. (lump 1 m high, chain about 25 m long)
 * 8) Swim 42 m at 039° magnetic to the wreckage of a small wooden twin-screw launch. (10 m x 4 m)
 * 9) Swim 30 m at 033° magnetic to a cast iron winch drum (0.6 m high and wide). This object is not easily recognised as it is heavily encrusted, but it is the only object of this sort of size in this vicinity.
 * 10) Swim 96 m at 079° magnetic to the wreckage of a small wooden yacht (about 10 m x 2 m x 1 m). It is lying upside down on the sand, with the copper sheathing on the bottom uppermost.
 * 11) (optional visit to Jeff’s Box or skip to waypoint 13) Swim 72 m at 043° magnetic to a large rectangular steel box with a couple of holes in it. It is about 3.5 m high, about 4 m long and 2.5 m wide and is unmistakable.
 * 12) Return to the wooden yacht wreck 72 m at 223° magnetic.
 * 13) Swim 168 m at 224° magnetic to the kink near the middle of a long chunk of very heavy mooring chain (about 44 m long). The chain lies roughly east-west and is hard to miss. The kink points to the south, and at the western end there is a large object which may be an engine block.
 * 14) Swim 24 m at 200° magnetic to the east end of the outer section of pipeline
 * 15) Swim 41m at 210° magnetic to the east end of a collapsed concrete and steel pipe structure (about 6 m x 2 m x 2 m).
 * 16) Swim 9 m at 268° magnetic to a large stepped square  concrete foundation block (2 m x 2 m x 1 m). Magnetic influence of the steel structure is significant, but by swimming anticlockwise around the structure you should see the block off to your right.
 * 17) Swim 43 m at 328° magnetic to the west end of the outer pipeline section.
 * 18) Swim 11 m at 275° magnetic to east end of inner pipeline section
 * 19) Swim 71 m along the pipeline to west end of the inner section  and surface. This section has gaps and parts may be buried under the sand.
 * Total distance 705&bsp;m point to point excluding the excursion to Jeff’s Box. (563 m from east end of inner pipeline back to east end of the inner pipeline – Time yourself on this circuit)
 * Maximum depth is about 9 m at the yacht wreck (10 m at Jeff’s box). Average depth of water on the route is probably about 6 m.
 * The positions of the landmarks have been surveyed by GPS. Accuracy should be within a few metres.

2. A somewhat shorter route for the less experienced or those with less air available:
 * Legs 1 to 8 as for the long route will take you to the launch wreck.
 * 9. Swim 77 m at 184° magnetic to the kink near the middle of a long chunk of very heavy mooring chain (about 44 m long). This is the same chain as in point 13 above.
 * 10. Swim 24 m at 200° magnetic to the east end of the outer section of pipeline
 * 11. Swim 52 m at 271° magnetic to the west end of outer pipeline section
 * 12. Swim 11 m at 275° magnetic to east end of inner pipeline section
 * 13. Swim 71 m at 269° magnetic along pipeline to west end of inner section and surface
 * Total distance 447 m point to point

3. Ferro concrete yacht wreck. Swim to the seaward end of the outer section of pipeline, then 74 m bearing 141° magnetic. Return on bearing 295° magnetic, which will take you all the way to the beach (200 m). The wreck has moved to S34°11.239' E018°25.715'

Calibration leg for distance: To calibrate kick counts swim along the outer pipeline which is 52 m long and record the number of kicks required. Swim back and record the number of kicks for the return leg. This should be the same or very similar. Add the two and divide by total distance of 104m to get your distance per kick count. This will vary depending on your speed, trim, posture, equipment, and style of finning, so try to be consistent and fin at a reasonable speed that you will be able to maintain for the longest leg which is about 170 m. If in doubt, or for your own information, try swimming the calibration leg at different speeds to see what difference it makes. Do not expect great precision, but you should be able to get consistency within 10% with a little practice. To find the outer pipeline section, start as for the navigation route and find the inner pipeline section and follow it to the west end. Swim about 11 m at 095° magnetic to the start of the outer section of pipeline. If you have no idea of your kick distance, work on about one kick count of both feet to the metre and at the end of 11 counts the outer pipeline should be visible. If not, continue for another 5 counts and look again.

Hazards
The bay is home to the False Bay Yacht Club, so not all boats will give audible warning of their approach. Being hit by the keel of a sailing yacht is to be avoided. Bluebottles (Portuguese man o' war) may be driven into the bay by south easterly winds.

Skills
No special skills are required. The site is popular for training exercises and night dives, and is recommended as a site to test out new equipment configurations. It may be classed as confined water for some purposes.

Equipment
There are few landmarks, and though it is difficult to actually get lost, a compass is a convenience for keeping some idea of where you are, as the bottom shelves very slowly. If you plan to go far from the beach it may be advisable to tow an SMB to let boats know where you are, or at least carry a DSMB in case you need to surface far offshore.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Simon's Town area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches,
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast

 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches
 * Dive sites of False Bay east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Lorry Bay

The dive site Lorry Bay is a shoreline rocky reef in the Gordon's Bay area on the east side of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

The site is partly enclosed and often used for training and night dives. There is quite diverse life on the reefs just outside the cove.

Position
This site is NOT in a Marine Protected Area. A permit is not required.
 * S34°10.955’ E018°49.312’

Name
The site name "Lorry Bay" is a reference to a truck that fell into the bay some years ago. Several vehicles have gone off the road above the bay over the years and ended in the water. There are bits still to be found in the cove.

Depth
Average depth is about 8 m

Depth at the edge of the sand bottom is about 12 m.

Topography
There is a flattish bottom covered with smallish rounded boulders and occasional bits of metal in the cove, sloping down to sand at about 10 m some distance outside. The sides of the bay are bedrock with moderate size outcrops and are quite rugged and steep. The reef has a relatively low profile in the deeper parts. The bottom boulders inshore are clean and probably roll around a lot in bad weather.

Geology: Light grey to yellow-brown quartzitic Ordovician sandstones, possibly of the Graafwater formation of the Table Mountain group. Strike is roughly parallel to the shore, and dip is steep, in the order of 70° to the south east

Conditions
The site is partly exposed to south westerly swell, but well protected from South easterly winds. The site is usually at it's best in summer but there are also occasional opportunities in autumn and early winter.

This is an area which sometimes has red tides (summer), and poor visibility due to rain run-off (winter).

Keep a lookout for times when the south westerly component of the swell is low, and short period (10 seconds or less), and the wind is calm or from the south east, for a high probability of good conditions.

A long period swell from the south west will produce strong surge and usually poor visibility.

Get in
Boat dive from Gordon's Bay harbour or Harbour Island. The site can probably be dived from shore access from the sloping rocks at the south point, but it would be a long walk from the nearest parking area and a fairly long climb down from the road. In an emergency a shore exit could be made at this point.

Marine life
There is more reef life outside the cove to the north than in it, and the bottom is relatively bare as the boulders move around in bad weather.

Features
Odd bits of motor vehicle may be scattered around among the boulders.

Photography
(photographic equipment suggestions)

Suggested Routes
If anchoring, check the anchor first, as some parts of the bottom are not good holding ground. The sand is more reliable than the rock at the south point. After that, make a tour of the cove and if time allows explore the area to the north of the bay.

Hazards
No site specific hazards have been reported.

Skills
Suitable for night dives and for novice divers and trainees.

Equipment
No special equipment required.

Nearby
Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Gordon's Bay area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches,
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula east coast
 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches

 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Maidstone Rock

The dive sites Maidstone Rock, Maidstone Reef and Ammo Reef are offshore rocky reefs in the Seaforth area of Simon's Town on the False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Position

 * S34°11.577' E018°27.474'. The high pinnacles, and nominal position for the area. These reefs are to the east of Noah's Ark

This area is entirely inside the Boulders Restricted Zone of the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area, proclaimed in 2004. A permit is required.

Name
"Maidstone Rock"is the name given the to the group of high pinnacles of the reef on the SA Navy charts. The deeper but more extensive reef to the east is known as Maidstone Reef or Anchor Reef, and the scattered outcrops around the two are generally referred to as the Maidstone Rocks. Ammo Reef is the compact reef further to the east. Several large naval gun shells have been seen on this reef.

Depth
The sand bottom slopes gradually down to the east. Maximum depth is about 21 m on the sand at Maidstone Rock, and the top of the highest pinnacle is about 7 m deep at low tide. Anchor Reef is about 24 m on the sand, and the highest point is about 14 m deep. Ammo Reef is about 17 m on top, and the surrounding sand is about 27 to 28, possibly 30 m deep.

Topography
The reefs include a cluster of granite pinnacles of various heights on a flat fine sand bottom, and a large contiguous section of reef of about 226 m east to west by 113 m north to south, rising about 15 m from the sand at the highest point, but mostly somewhat lower. About 100 m further east across the sand bottom, a substantial outcrop known as Ammo reef rises from 27 m on the sand to 17 m on top, with several parallel cracks running roughly east-west.

Geology: Late Pre-Cambrian granite from the Peninsula pluton. Some of the pinnacles of the Maidstone Rock group have the characteristic rounded edges and corners of corestones, and the rounded undercuts in the tall pinnacles suggest that they were originally weathered underground. The Anchor Reef and Ammo Reef outcrops have the typical rounded shape of corestones, and there is a large amount of relatively small boulder-rubble along the southern perimeter of Maidstone reef.

Conditions
The site is exposed to wind and waves from the south east, so should be dived in westerly winds or a calm. The fetch is long enough for a north-westerly wind to develop a lumpy chop, but not long enough for this chop to reach down to the reef, though the ride may be wet and bumpy.

The site is reasonably protected from south westerly swells, but long period swells from the south west will cause strong surge, and may reduce visibility

The site should usually be at its best in winter but there may also be occasional opportunities at other times of the year.

Get in
Access to this site is by boat, It is about 4.4 km from the Miller's Point slipway to Maidstone Rock, and much the same to Anchor and Ammo Reefs.

Alternative boat access from the Simon's Town jetty is closer, at about 3.4 km to Maidstone Rock and 3.8 km to Ammo Reef.

Do
Dive at one of the listed drop points and explore the vicinity.

 * S34°11.577' E018°27.474'. This is the highest of a cluster of very precipitous granite pinnacles on fairly flat sand bottom. The site is spectacular in good visibility. The main cluster is quite closely spaced, with the pinnacle ridges running more or less north east to south west, and gaps of a few metres wide between them. There are probably more pinnacles to the east and to the north west that have not yet been surveyed. A couple of the pinnacles have deep rounded undercuts part way up the sides, but not quite enough to trap air. No particular routes are known. Work your way along the line of pinnacles as suits you best. The high pinnacles are clustered together and this is the most spectacular part of the reef, both for topography and diversity of life. Maximum depth is about 21 m on the sand, and the top of the highest pinnacle is about 7 m deep at low tide.

 * S34°11.575' E018°27.600', or Maidstone Reef, is a large, fairly flat topped area of bedrock that extends a few metres above the sand. Sand bottom at the edge of reef ranges from about 21 m to 24 m near the rock, but to the north the sand slopes down visibly past a few outliers and reaches 26 m quite nearby, at which stage it has flattened out. The central north side seems to have more rugged topography, with a steep drop-off from above 18 m to the sand. The profile is steep and high along the north side, but flatter in most places, and there are a large number of small boulders scattered along the slopes to the south. There is a large anchor lying on the reef just below 18 m to the south, and this section of reef is named for the anchor. There are two areas of interest: The old anchor, and the north face. The anchor is relatively small and difficult to find, so start there. When you have seen enough, swim roughly northeast and you will get to the highest point. Further north the reef drops down to the sand quite rapidly, and there are a few scattered outcrops on the sand slope. The wall of the north face is steep and quite complex, so it will have the highest biodiversity. To the east of the 21 m contour there is a pair of curved steel beams which could be the remains of a boat davit. Maximum depth is about 24 m on the sand, and the highest point is about 14 m deep.

 * S34°11.564' E018°27.754', to the east of Maidstone reef, is a fairly monolithic outcrop with a marked groove along the length of top, and parallel jointing to the north east. The top of reef is about 17 m deep, and the sand bottom at about 27 m to the east. The topography is not particularly rugged, and most of the reef edge slopes fairly gently down to the sand. A few fairly large bore naval shells have been seen on the reef top. They appear to be about 125 mm diameter, but are quite heavily encrusted. This is a compact reef, and you can visit most of it on a single dive. There is not a lot of variation in topography in different directions, so go where it pleases you. The shells are quite small and not particularly interesting, so not worth a search. Start deep and work your way up is as good a plan as any.

Marine life
Maidstone Rock

Typical of the outer reefs in this area, but not many sea fans. Different rocks have different characters with different dominant invertebrates. Mauve sea cucumbers, striped anemones, strawberry anemones, black brittle stars and common feather stars are abundant. Large numbers of large whelks with egg masses have been seen. Fish may include Roman and small shoals of Hottentot.

Features
There is a large iron Royal Navy style anchor about 6 m long, 4 m wide on top of Maidstone Reef just below the 18 m contour to the south. The anchor has lost its stock and one fluke is broken, but still with the anchor. The crown is a slightly pointed curve, the flukes large and triangular, each about a metre long. The shank is about 6 m long, lying roughly horizontal about half a metre above the reef. The ring is large, about 600 mm diameter, suitable for use with thick natural fibre cable. There is no sign of a hole in the shank for an iron stock, so it may have had a wooden stock, as was common on older anchors of this type.

Photography
Macro or wide angle lenses are most suited to the site and the visibility to be expected.

Hazards
No site specific hazards are known.

Skills
No special skills required. Ability to deploy a DSMB recommended.

The depth is a bit much for entry level divers restricted to 18 m, and although much of the Maidstone Rocks pinnacles is above 18 m, the walls are near vertical, and the bottom is consistently deeper than 18 m, so good buoyancy control is needed to stay above 18 m, and good buoyancy control is not common in entry level divers.

Equipment
No special equipment required. A DSMB is recommended to inform the boat of where you will be surfacing.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Seaforth to Froggy Pond area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches,
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast

 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches
 * Dive sites of False Bay east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/MFV Orotava

The dive site MFV Orotava is a recent wreck in the Smitswinkel Bay area on the Cape Peninsula side of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

Like the other wrecks of Smitswinkel Bay, the MV Orotava is reasonably accessible and a popular dive site for both local and visiting divers. The dive is moderately deep, but within the comfort range for many recreational divers, and the area is fairly well protected from the prevailing swell. The depth also protects the wrecks from the worst of the storm surge which would otherwise have broken them up much sooner. The Orotava is one of the better preserved wrecks of the Cape Peninsula, and is small enough to be fairly comprehensively visited on a single dive.

Position

 * S34°16.023’ E018°28.796’
 * S34°15.998’ E018°28.774’

The MFV Orotava is the second from northernmost of the 5 wrecks in Smitswinkel bay.

This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2004). A permit is required.

Name
The "MFV Orotava" was built in 1958 by Cook, Welton and Gemmel Ltd, of Beverly, East Yorkshire. The steel trawler was donated to the False Bay Conservation Society along with the MFV Princess Elizabeth by Irvin and Johnson. In August 1983 the vessels were towed out to Smitwinkel Bay and were scuttled.

Depth
Sand bottom is at about 32 m near the stern, Gunwales 25 m to starboard on the quarterdeck, to 27 m forward of the wheelhouse to port. Highest point on the wreck about 23 m at the top of the funnel.

Visibility
The visibility on the wrecks in Smitswinkel Bay is often better than at sites closer inshore and shallower. This may be due to less water movement at depth. Visibility on a good day may be more than 10 m, and on exceptional occasions has been more than 20 m, but do not be too disappointed if it is no more than 6 to 8 m.

Topography
The Orotava is the larger of the two trawlers and lies on the sand at about 34 m. The highest part of the wreck is the top of the funnel at about 23 m (2005). The vessel has an asymmetrical superstructure with the enclosed part offset to port and a covered walkway on the starboard side. The wreck lies heeled to port at an angle of about 20°, and is (2012) still in almost intact condition, with very little wastage of shell plating. There is a long raised quarterdeck, with a smaller wheelhouse structure and funnel forward, with the wheelhouse roughly amidships. A small rectangular structure towards the stern of the quarterdeck was present until late 2023, but had gone by May 2024, leaving a rectangular hole through the deck.

The front and top of the wheelhouse are gone, leaving the upper superstructure open all the way to the back, where there is a hole below the funnel into the space above the engine room, which is also accessible via the engine room skylight. The top of the funnel now functions as a skylight for this part of the superstructure, but the frames are too close for use as an access point.

There is a large winch on the waist deck just forward of the superstructure, and a pair of hatches ahead of this give reasonable access to the hold space, which is clear, but cluttered by pillars, which were used to support washboards to control the cargo. There are several holes in the sides and upper deck where plating has rusted away leaving only the frames, which are probably too tight for most divers to exit. The base of the mast is roughly in line with the shelter deck on the port side, just aft of the forecastle, and on the starboard side is a trawl gallows, supported by struts.

The forecastle is accessible at main deck level trough a spacious opening at the break, and inside there is a hatch down into a hold, which appears to be accessible, though a perhaps little tight for back mount. This hold contains little of interest, it is virtually empty. The forecastle space is quite open and reasonably clear except for a large number of pillars. There is a small manhole to a cofferdam which is too small for diver access, and in any case you can see the whole compartment from outside. There is an anchor winch on top of the forecastle.

There is a fairly large skylight on the quarterdeck just abaft the funnel, which has lost the cover on the starboard side, and the hole is big enough to provide comfortable access for most divers. This opens into a space above the engine room, and there is a hole directly below which takes you the rest of the way down directly above the engine block. A shaft tunnel is visible behind the engine, which looks fairly tight. The engine room is fairly cluttered, but reasonably clear above the engine.

Geology: The bottom of the bay is flat white sand. There is no reef in the immediate vicinity.

Conditions
The site is exposed to swell from the south east, and to a certain extent, from the south west. Longer period swell will make conditions on the wrecks uncomfortable or hazardous due to strong surge, but short period waves will just make it uncomfortable on the boat. Visibility is less predictable, and at this time is largely a matter of luck and reports from divers who were in the area recently.

The site is usually at its best in winter but there are also occasional opportunities at other times of the year, though least often in summer, when the south east wind tends to blow much of the time.

Get in
This site is only accessible by boat. It is about 5.1 km from the slipway at Miller's Point and 12.4 km from Simon's Town jetty.

Marine life
The wreck is too deep for much seaweed, but it is heavily encrusted with invertebrates, some of which are seldom seen anywhere else but the Smits wrecks. There are large numbers of multicolour and other sea fans, large clusters of sea cucumbers and areas covered with strawberry anemones. The Frilled nudibranch and the Gas flame nudibranch are common. Barred fingerfin are possibly the most common fish, but others, including scorpion fish, white seacatfish, panga, two-toned fingerfin, klipfish and horsefish may be seen.

Features
Fairly intact wreck of steel side-trawler. The low funnel and stub mast on the superstructure are the highest points on the wreck. There is a large and easily recognisable winch on the foredeck just forward of the superstructure. The front of the wheelhouse is missing and you can swim into the superstructure from the forward end above the winch. The engine room is accessible for the appropriately skilled and equipped diver, and some of the machinery is in place.

Photography
There are plenty of macro subjects, but in good visibility a wide angle or fisheye lens will give some interesting views

Routes
No particular route recommended. Penetrations are tight and limited due to the size of the vessel.

Hazards
Scorpion fish have been seen on the wrecks, and are well camouflaged. Their spines carry a dangerous venom. The interior of the wreckage has deposits of fine silt, and visibility may be drastically reduced if this is kicked up, making it difficult to orientate within the wreck and this may hinder a diver from finding the way out.

Skills
Certification appropriate to the depth is expected. Some level of training or experience in wreck diving is recommended, and penetration should only be attempted by suitably competent divers after reconnaissance and appropriate planning.

Equipment
Equipment appropriate for the depth should be used. Nitrox is recommended for those competent to use it. A light is strongly recommended, and penetration should not be attempted without the appropriate equipment and planning. If you are not entirely certain what this would be, you are not competent to do the penetration.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Smitswinkel Bay area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches,
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast

 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches
 * Dive sites of False Bay east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/MFV Princess Elizabeth

The dive site MFV Princess Elizabeth is a recent wreck in the Smitswinkel Bay area on the Cape Peninsula side of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

This is one of the best preserved of the Cape Town wrecks. It is at a depth where a reasonable bottom time is possible, particularly on nitrox, and the position is sheltered from the prevailing swell, so surge is not usually strong. Visibility varies, and may be good for the area. The wreck is small and the whole site may be visited on a single dive excluding penetrations. Various penetrations are possible to the competent and properly equipped diver.

Position

 * S34°16.060’ E018°28.816’
 * S34°16.068’ E018°28.839’

The MFV Princess Elizabeth is the central of the five wrecks in Smitswinkel bay.

This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2004). A permit is required.

Name
The "MFV Princess Elizabeth" was built in 1961 by Cook, Welton and Gemmel Ltd, of Beverly, East Yorkshire. The trawler was badly damaged by a fire and was donated to the False Bay Conservation Society along with the Orotava by Irvin and Johnson. In August 1983 the vessels were towed out to Smitwinkel Bay and were scuttled.

The Princess Elizabeth is the smaller of the two trawlers and lies on the sand at 36 metres with a slight list to starboard. The depth at the top of the wreck is about 28 m.

Depth
Sand bottom is at about 36 m and the top of the wreck is a bit shallower than 28 m at the top of the wheelhouse.

Visibility
Visibility is subject to the same conditions as the other Smits wrecks. It varies from a few metres to over 20 m on a very good day. Visibility also may vary with depth, and it is not unusual for a surface layer of poor visibility to overlay much better visibility on the wreck. In such conditions the water at the bottom will usually be relatively clear, but may also be very dark. In these conditions a dive light is particularly useful, though visibility is unlikely to be too poor to see anything without illumination.

Topography
The wreck of the Princess Elizabeth is more or less upright on a flat sand bottom, listing about 5° to starboard. The gap from the Princess Elizabeth to SAS Good Hope about 10 m directly astern. The vessel has a raised forecastle and quarterdeck with tumble-home on the quarterdeck and a slightly raked bow and moderate flare forward. The stern is rounded, with a conventional rudder and single propeller aperture (no propeller). The superstructure is basically a wheelhouse deck which slightly overhangs the deck below on both sides, and to a lesser extent, forward.

The wreck is in fairly good condition. Hull plating is almost intact, but decks are wasted in places, with a few big holes between frames on the forecastle and on the quarterdeck. Interior under quarterdeck looks accessible from the sides of the main deck.

There is a large winch on the waist deck just forward of wheelhouse, and three hatches with fairly high coamings in line forward of the winch. Forward of this on the port side is a shelter continuous with the forecastle, and a hatch on the centreline smaller than the three closer to the winch. There is also a much smaller hatch offset slightly to port and slightly forward of the other, wider hatches. On the starboard side just behind the forecastle there is a heavy davit which was part of the trawl net handling gear.

The bipod mast has been cut down and is lying on the waist deck with its top just forward of the winch and the topmast over the starboard winch drum. The bases of the mast tubes are still fixed to the deck near the bottom ends of the cut off part. The mast partially obscures the aftmost of the three main hatch openings on the waist deck. The tube forestays are also on the deck.

The funnel appears to be reduced from its original height as it only projects about half a metre above wheelhouse deckhead. Funnel top is about 3 m wide, maybe 4 m long. The deckhead of the forward part of wheelhouse and the forward bulkhead are missing, but the side bulkheads still stand.

There is an anchor winch on the forecastle forward of a wavebreak.

Interior: The forecastle is easily accessed by a clear doorway on the aft bulkhead to the waist deck. Interior of the forecastle fairly tight, due to pillars and cables. There is a hole through to a small forpeak which is open to the deck above and admits light. Just forward of the entry doorway is a hatch through the main deck to a lower compartment. The opening is of moderate size and should be accessible with sidemount. The cargo hold below the waist deck is easily accessible through two large, clear hatches in the deck and illuminated further by smaller hatches. The interior is fairly clear of obstructions and moderately silted. The aft bulkhead has a wide opening to a machinery space which is dark and more heavily silted.

The superstructure extends forward from a short quarterdeck with partially covered walkways on each side. The wheelhouse has lost its desckhead and forward bulkhead, so is very open. and the side plating is also extensively wasted to the extent that one can swim through in places. The stack is directly behind the wheelhouse and you can see into it and the exhaust mufflers and ducting are visible.

The aft accommodation in the superstructure is aceessible through a fair sized doorway on the port side. The interior is even more tight than the forecastle as the passages and compartments are very small. It is well lit by holes in deck and bulkheads. The engine room is easily accessible from the aft accommodation but it is heavily silted, dark, and tight below the top of the engine. Geology: Flat fine white sand bottom all around the wreck.

Conditions
The site is exposed to swell from the south east, and to a certain extent, from the south west. Longer period swell will make conditions on the wrecks uncomfortable or hazardous due to strong surge, but short period waves will just make it uncomfortable on the boat. Visibility is less predictable, and at this time is largely a matter of luck and reports from divers who were in the area recently.

The site is usually at its best in winter but there are also occasional opportunities at other times of the year, though least often in summer, when the south east wind tends to blow much of the time.

Get in
This site is only accessible by boat. It is about 5.2 km from the slipway at Miller's Point and 12.5 km from Simon's Town jetty.

Marine life
The wreck is too deep for much seaweed, but it is heavily encrusted with invertebrates, some of which are seldom seen anywhere else but the Smits wrecks. Fish seen here include Hottentot, Redfingers, Barred fingerfin, Bank steenbras. Mauve sea cucumbers, red starfish, spiny starfish and basket stars can usually be found. Multicolour sea fans, Cauliflower soft corals and purple soft corals are scattered around the wreck.

Features
Fairly intact wreck of a steel side trawler. The fishing gear winch is still on deck and easily identifiable, as is the anchor winch.

Photography
In good visibility a wide angle or fisheye lens can get good scenic shots, but if you want to use flash, quite powerful strobes will be needed, and well offset to minimise backscatter. There will always be something of interest for the macro photographer.

Routes
No particular route recommended. Penetrations are tight and limited by the small size of the vessel. The site is small and can be extensively visited on a single dive, but has sufficient interest to visit on several occasions. If you want to see something else, the wreck of the SAS Good Hope is about 10 m aft of the Princess Elizabeth, and can be seen from the stern if visibility is good. It is very easy to find the Good Hope from the Princess Elizabeth, but in poor visibility it may be difficult to find your way back without a marker or guideline to indicate where to leave the Good Hope (starboard side, just aft of the break of quarterdeck). If you have this problem, swim to the stern of the Good Hope and then swim at a 45° angle between back along the starboard side and away to starboard.

Compartments accessible in March 2013:
 * Aft part of forecastle is fairly open and clear of snags, tight further forward. Access through large door on break of forecastle.
 * Forecastle hold is pretty empty and free of major snags. It is dark and accessible through a moderate sized hatch just inside the forecastle on the main deck. Not much to see.
 * Main fish hold under the waist deck is easily accessible through at least three fairly large hatches on the waist deck centreline. The aft hatch is obstructed by the mast which lies on the deck over the hatch. Not much to see and fairly dark.
 * Wheelhouse is easily accessible, well illuminated by natural light and accessible through the front, which is completely open.
 * Quarterdeck accommodations are tight. Several small compartments with occasional snags. Accessible through doors on the sides and holes on the deck. Lighting depends on the holes, doors, and windows in the area.
 * Machinery compartment is accessible through a hatch on the quarterdeck just aft of the funnel, and indirectly through the other quarterdeck compartments. The engine room is central but more accessible on the port side, where it is possible to go down about two decks and still see daylight directly. there are tight spaces leading into darkness fore and aft.

Hazards
Scorpion fish have been seen on the wrecks, and are well camouflaged. Their spines carry a dangerous venom. Some of the penetrations in the quarterdeck and engine room area are quite tight, and there are lots of snags and sharp edges of rusty plate.

Skills
Certification appropriate to the depth is expected. Some level of training or experience in wreck diving is recommended, and penetration should only be attempted by suitably competent divers after reconnaissance and appropriate planning.

Sidemount skills are useful for the tighter penetrations.

Equipment
Equipment appropriate for the depth should be used. Nitrox is recommended for those competent to use it. A light is strongly recommended, and penetration should not be attempted without the appropriate equipment and planning. If you are not entirely certain what this would be, you are not competent to do the penetration.

Sidemount is useful for the tighter penetrations, Cylinders should be fairly neutral for ease of maneuvering with cylinders unclipped and held forward. Most of the interior is to some degree illuminated by natural light, but many of the openings are too small to get out, so either stay close to the entry or use a guideline.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Smitswinkel Bay area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches,
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast

 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches
 * Dive sites of False Bay east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Mike's Point

The dive site Mike's Point is an inshore rocky reef in the Rooi-els area on the east side of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Position

 * S34°18.75’ E018°48.72’. (estimated from chart)

Slightly to the west of the north headland of Container Bay.

This site is not in a Marine Protected Area. A permit is not required.

Name
The name "Mike's Point" is derived from the name of one of the divers who lived nearby and explored this area.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 20 m.

Topography
Rugged ridges and gullies of sandstone.

Facilities
None.

Get in
Easiest as a boat dive, though it is possible to do it as a shore dive from Container Bay. The site is about (distance)km from the slipway at Rooi-els, or (distance)km from Gordon's Bay

Marine life
No records available. Probably similar to outer areas of Ankers and Coral gardens.

Routes
No particular route recommended.

Hazards
No site specific hazards known.

Skills
No special skills required.

Equipment
No special equipment recommended.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Rooi-els area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches,
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula east coast
 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches

 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Miller's Point slipway

Miller's Point slipway is the most popular launch site for boat dive charters on the west side of False Bay. It is also extensively used by commercial and recreational small boat fishermen. There are two slipways at Miller's Point: The Hymie Steyn Ramp, and the Rumbly Bay slipway. Both may be used for dive charters.

Understand
The Miller's Point public slipway is mostly used by divers during winter when diving in False Bay is at its peak, due to the prevalence of heavy south westerly swell on the west facing coastlines and the absence of strong south easterly winds.

The “Hymie Steyn Ramp” was built with funds contributed jointly by Cape Boat and Ski-Boat Club and the Department of Sport and Recreation. There is public access for boats with seaworthiness certificates and licensed skippers. This is a popular facility and is much used by commercial fishermen, sport fishermen, dive charter boats and private dive boats as it is convenient for most of the dive sites on the west side of False Bay. There are occasionally problems when the snoek are running or a fishing competition is held and dive boats are unofficially denied access. There are also occasions when running or cycling races are held on the M4 and the road is effectively closed for the day. This happens about twice a year and the dates are known long in advance. Dive the east side of the bay or stay at home on these occasions.

In theory, controlled by MCM, but they are never there when the fishing boats need controlling. Responsible person is probably the Kalk Bay harbourmaster.

There is a more exposed slipway at Rumbly Bay on the south side of Miller's Point, at the Cape Boat Club, which is available to members. This slipway is less protected from southerly winds and waves and the bottom is rocky, so it is not usable at very low tides. However it is convenient when the main slip is overwhelmed by fishing ski-boats and several of the local charter boats have membership so they can launch there when it suits them better. The club facilities are available to a limited extent to customers of member charter boats, and security is considerably better than at Miller's Point main parking area on a busy day. The same baboons frequent the club parking area and it is necessary to keep unattended car doors locked, but at least the baboons will not steal your dive gear or wallet, unless it smells edible.

Position
S34°13'58.58" E018°28'26.46" (Main gates) S34°13'49.63" E018°28'25.12" (Slipway ramp)

About 7.7 km south of central Simon's Town, and 48 km from central Cape Town by road.

Conditions
The position of the slipway and a short breakwater provide good protection from waves from most directions. Launching and recovery are possible in most weather conditions, but can be a little tricky in a strong north-wester. The water at the slipway is shallow at low tide, with a sand bottom at the slip but there are some submerged rocks near the end of the breakwater. Tricky at low tide for large boats.

The concrete jetty to the side of the slipway is suitable for loading, unloading and boarding the boats, and has a few small cleats where the boat can be tied off for a short period

Diving charters seldom operate from this slip if a strong South-easter is forecast, as diving conditions will usually be poor and the ride uncomfortable.

The Rumbly Bay slip has no breakwater, but is partly protected from southerly swells by a rocky reef and some huge boulders to the south. The slipway has dense kelp and shallow rocks on both sides, and some local knowledge is useful to avoid hitting them by accident. This slipway does not extend very deep, and larger boats can not use it at low tide. The end of the concrete ramp is damaged in places and there is a bit of a step, so occasionally trailers get stuck when taken in past the end of the ramp. There is no jetty for loading and unloading: either you are in the boat for launch and recovery, or you jump out and wade.

Facilities
Open 7 days a week 24 hours a day (in theory). There is a boom at the gate to the trailer parking area, but it is probably not locked. Parking for trailers is extensive, but occasionally filled. The trailer parking area is gravel and there are no marked bays. Trailers are normally parked attached to the tow vehicle. There is a loading zone at the side of the tarred road opposite the gate and steps leading to the lower parking area. This is where dive boats are usually loaded before launching, and unloaded after the dive.

The slipway is a concrete ramp 9m wide, 6° slope, in good condition with a tarred access road in good condition, and a turning area above the ramp. There is a 12m long concrete jetty to the side of the slipway where boats can tie up to load and unload passengers and drop off the driver to fetch the trailer. Rubbish bins are provided at several places.

A separate parking area is provided for vehicles without boat trailers which has been adequate most of the time. It is paved (tarred) but there is loose dirt on the surface and it can be muddy in winter when most dive trips from this ramp are made.

There are public toilets at the turning bay at the top of the ramp, but they are behind a fence. You have to go around the end of the fence nearest the ramp.

No public telephone, and cellphone reception is poor. You may have to walk around until you find a spot where reception is workable. If all else fails, the lawn in front of the Boat Club usually has workable reception.

Fees
A launching fee of R70 (September 2010) is charged for boats.

A parking fee may or may not be charged for parking. It is a fairly small and arbitrary amount, and it is not predictable on which occasions the gate guard will charge the fee. If he or she does, pay it and get the receipt. The receipt may or may not have the correct amount marked on it. This is also not predictable.

Get in
How to get there from the Cape Town Railway station:

Strand Street (R102) 0.87 km. Continue on New Market Street (R102) 0.05 km. Continue on Eastern Boulevard (N2) 4.51 km. Continue on Rhodes drive(M3) 2,54 km. Continue on Union Avenue (M3) 1.87 km. Continue on Paradise Road (M3) 0.87 km. Continue on Edinburgh Drive (M3) 1.73 km. Continue on Simon van der Stel Highway (M3), 9.62 km. Left into Steenberg Road (M42) 1.00 km. Right into Main Road (M4) 0.46 km. Right into Boyes Drive 6.90 km. Continue on Loch Road 0.27 km. Left into Clairvaux Road 0.28 km. Right into Main Road (M4) 2.88 km. Continue on Simonstown Road (M4) 2.73 km. Continue on Main Road (M4) 2.43 km. Continue on St George's Street (M4) 3.33 km. Continue on Queens Road (M4) 0.33 km. Continue on McFarlane Road (M4) 0.61 km. Continue on Main Road (M4) 4.71 km. Left into service road for Miller's Point slipway and Cape Boat and Ski-Boat Club.

At the north end of the service road is a boom to the boat and trailer parking area and slipway. To the right is the gate to the public parking area for other vehicles, and just south of this is the gate to the Cape Boat and Ski-Boat Club parking area and clubhouse. The old Rumbly Bay slipway at the boat club is less often used, as it is shallow and relatively exposed. The Miller's Point slipway is not visible from the road or parking areas.

Hazards
Security of parked vehicles is unreliable. Your valuables should be locked in a place where they can not be seen. When there are divers in the parking area, it is unlikely that your vehicle will be molested by humans, but baboons may invade your vehicle if they smell food. They have learned to open car doors, so it is necessary to lock if there is food inside. Sometimes the dive clubs or charter boats will hire a security guard to look after the parked vehicles, but don't rely on this. The gate attendants do not appear to be required to provide security.

The slipway is not the place to learn to reverse with a trailer. On a busy day drivers who are unable to get their trailer into the water quickly may be heckled by boat owners waiting to use the slipway. Also try to make sure your motors will start, so you do not block the jetty facility unnecessarily.

Connect
Cellphone connectivity is poor from this area. There are some places where you may get a signal, and others where you will not, and they may change with the weather and for other less obvious reasons.

The grassy patch in front of the fishing club has a relatively good spot, right up close to the flagpole, and the road to the main slipway has a place at the top of the hill where reception is said to usually be workable. Most times the lower parking lot is not too bad, but the upper one is not good. Walk around a bit to find a workable place for the call.

Return to Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Miller's Point

The dive sites Miller's Point and Rumbly Bay are shoreline rocky reef areas in the Miller's Point area on the False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Position
This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2004). A permit is required.
 * S34°13.829’ E018°28.434’
 * S34°14.059’ E018°28.495’
 * S34°13.879’ E018°28.559’

Name
The name "Miller's Point" is shown on maps of the area and refers to the point as a whole. "Rumbly Bay" is the little cove to the south of the point, where the original slipways were built. The name may refer to the noise made by the rounded boulders in the surf zone.

Depth
Shallow in the vicinity of the point. Maximum depth is probably between 6 and 8 m along the shoreline reefs to the north and south of the point. The eastern reefs off the tip of the point extend a long way out, and get down to at least 15 m a couple of hundred metres out.

Topography
Fairly shallow rocky reef with granite corestone outcrops and boulders, some smallish swim-throughs and quite a few overhangs and holes under boulders.

About 150 to 200 m to the south west of the point in the direction of Boat Rock is a group large boulders rising from about 15 m bottom to about 10 m. This group of rocks has rugged profile and some small caves and overhangs, and a relatively large variety of fish have been seen there. Exact position is not known.

Geology: Late Pre-Cambrian granite of the Peninsula pluton. There are examples of contact between coarse porphyritic granite and medium to fine grained aplogranite. Also wave-rounded boulders of the overlying Table Mountain sandstones in the shallows.

Conditions
The slipway is well protected and usable in any conditions where diving would be possible.

Diving round the point is best on an offshore wind or calm. Avoid south easterly winds.

Facilities
Large paved off-road parking areas open to the public. S34°13.920’ E018°28.441’. Parking fees may be charged on an apparently random schedule. Ensure that you get a receipt from the gate attendant. Public toilets are at the turning bay above the slipway behind a fence, but can be accessed via a gap at the end of the fence nearest the sea.

The public slipway is to the north, at the top left of the photo, and has a small breakwater and jetty. Boat and trailer parking to the west, cars to the east. The tidal pool and lagoon can be seen in the centre of the photo. Rumbly Bay is to the lower left of the photograph.

Get in
Usually a shore dive.

There is a small beach and a small protected inlet at the tip of the point at S34°13.934’ E018°28.577’. Access to open water is through gaps between the big boulders around it, which may be a strenuous swim in rough conditions. There are extensive kelp beds beyond the enclosure.

This small beach is on the South side of Miller’s Point, facing Rumbly Bay, and with Castle Rocks in the background. This can be used as access to the kelp beds shown here and to the rocks off the point.

Turn towards the sea into a tarred road just south of the point. The ski-boat club will be directly in front and the road splits and goes to the left. About a hundred metres along the two roads meet again at the gates to three parking areas.

To the south, through a steel sliding gate is the tarred parking area of the Ski-boat club.

To the north, at a slightly higher level, is the boat and trailer parking area, which is accessed through a boomed gate, which may be manned. This area is exclusively for vehicles with boat trailers, and parking for general motor vehicles is not permitted.

The third parking area is for ordinary members of the public, and is on the seaward side of the boat and trailer parking area. The gate to this area may be attended. If so, a fee will be required. It is not expensive, and you should be issued a receipt, or the attendant will pocket the money.

This parking area is usually adequate in size. If you are there for a boat dive, park as close to the steps that connect the upper and lower parking areas as possible, as the boats are loaded at the top of the steps. If you plan a shore dive, park closer to your planned entry area. This usually means as far east as possible, just opposite the gate.

Foot access to the slipway is by a path through a gate at the north end of the parking area, or by the road to the slipway, which is longer.

Access to the Rumbly Bay entry area is obvious, as it is just to the south of the east side of the parking area.

The path to the sheltered area at the point is also from the east side of the parking lot, as shown in the photo.

Marine life
Dense kelp forests surround the point wherever there is a rocky substrate. There is a reasonable variety of invertebrates, but mostly those which flourish in relatively shallow water.

Routes
You can dive almost anywhere around the point, but be aware that there is a lot of boat traffic and keep clear of the affected areas.
 * 1) Entry at little sandy inlet at end of Miller's point south of the tidal pool. Swim out through the kelp forest in a gap between boulders to the east. Dive and swim out along the bottom to south of the big rocks beyond the end of the point, then come back on the reciprocal route.
 * 2) Entry in the sandy inlet, swim out through the gaps to the North, and dive around the edge of rocks and sand
 * 3) Entry at the Rumbly Bay slipway, Dive among the inshore rocks to the right of the slip and in front of the clubhouse. This area has a lot of seaweeds. This is also an entry and exit area for Shark Alley and the Pyramid Rock reefs.

Hazards
Boat traffic to the north and east of the point may be heavy. Great White sharks have been seen in this area and there is a recorded case of an attack on a spear-fisherman.

Skills
No special skills required. The protected cove at the end of the point is suitable for training entry level divers, but is seldom used for this purpose because of the long walk to get there from the parking lot. The area is suitable for night dives and for snorkelling.

Equipment
No special equipment recommended.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Miller's Point area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches,
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast

 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches
 * Dive sites of False Bay east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Mushroom Pinnacle

The Dive site Mushroom Pinnacle is a small part of the inshore rocky reef in the north Oudekraal area on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

The pinnacle is a submerged granite tor (stacked group of large corestones) between Geldkis and Justin’s Caves. Access is relatively easy, and this is a good site for macro photography.

Position

 * S33°58.781’ E018°21.521’ — (Top of the pinnacle)

Bearings:
 * 74° magnetic to Geldkis near end
 * 155° magnetic to NW edge of Sandy Cove point rocks
 * 246° magnetic to the offshore edge of Justin’s group
 * 216° magnetic to the inshore edge of Justin’s group

This site is in the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area since 2004. A permit is required.

Name
The name "Mushroom Pinnacle" was given by one of the first divers to popularise the site, and refers to the spreading overhangs reminiscent of fungal growths (admittedly requiring a bit of imagination, or not very good visibility.)

Depth
Maximum on the adjacent reef about 16 m, top of pinnacle about 3 m, 17 m at sand patch nearby.

Topography
Granite corestone boulders and outcrops. Spectacular pinnacle rising to within 3m of surface, with fairly flat top. The main rock is probably more than 10 m high and about the same in other dimensions. The pinnacle rock rock lies on a lowish outcrop and a higher one, with a low and fairly cramped swim-through between. There are a number of smaller boulders and outcrops around the pinnacle group, which would be an amazing sight on a really clear day. There is a big overhang near the top and even bigger overhang about 5 m by 3 m with an air trap below it at about 9 m which shelters a vertical face with a rich encrustation of sponges, corals and other invertebrates, both on north side. There is a fairly big cave/tunnel with 5 openings under the top rock from south to north, but lots of fragile organisms live in it, so do not go through as openings on the north side are quite low and you are likely to damage the corals, sponges and bryozoans. The pinnacle is surrounded by other granite reef of lower profile, which extends to Justin's caves to the south west.

Geology: The reef is granite of the late Pre-Cambrian Peninsula pluton, and is surrounded by fine white quartz sand.

Conditions
Usually at its best after south easterly winds in summer but there are also occasional opportunities in autumn and early winter on windless days when the swell is low and short. Strong south easterly winds (offshore) can make it difficult to swim back to shore on the surface.

The site is exposed to westerly swells, which may produce strong surge and poor visibility

This is an area which sometimes has upwellings following a strong south east wind, which can produce clear but cold water

Facilities
There are no facilities provided. Security of parked vehicles is no better than at other roadside sites.

Get in
Generally a shore dive. Park at side of road on outside of bend on City side of Twelve Apostles Hotel. An entry and exit point which is protected from the South West swell is at Sandy Cove. Alternatively the entry point for Justin’s Caves can be used – the distance to swim is shorter, but there may be more kelp to negotiate, particularly at low tide, and the path to the entry point for Justins is more rocky and slippery.

If done as a boat dive, the distance is slightly less from Oceana Power Boat Club slipway than from Hout Bay.

Marine life
Very colourful growth of invertebrates under the lower overhang, on vertical sides and in swimthroughs. These house a good variety of nudibranchs and a few species of cryptic klipfish, including the blue-spotted and speckled klipfish. A small kelp forest on top of the pinnacle helps with finding it, as the kelp is visible from the surface. Bobtails (a variety of tiny squid-like cephalopod) are sometimes seen over the sandy patches between the point and the pinnacle. There is usually a large school of hottentot on the northern corner of the pinnacle, near the two overhangs.

Features
Huge rock standing almost alone among lower outctops, with cavern under it and two ledge overhangs on one side.

Photography
A good site for macro photography.

Routes
Use the entry at Sandy Cove. Swim out between Geldkis and Justin’s to top of the pinnacle. Find it by using GPS or bearings from Geldkis, Justins and shore rocks. Confirm that you are over a large rock at about 2 to 3 m depth with kelp on top, and dive. Do note that closer inshore there are a few other pinnacles with which this one may be confused. These pinnacles have more kelp growing on them, and are far less spectacular than the mushroom pinnacle. The site is compact, and it is not important in what order you visit the features, as it is not particularly deep, and most of the interesting areas are at much the same depth anyway. Be sure to visit the deep overhang and the cave, which are on opposite sides of the pinnacle.

Return to Sandy Cove on bearing 155° magnetic, and when you reach the point rocks, keep them to your right on the way back to the cove.

If you have a lot of time over, you can continue the dive at Justins Caves, on bearing between 216° and 246° magnetic.

Hazards
Cold water, Sea urchins, Strong offshore winds may develop over a short time.

Skills
No special skills are required, other than the ability to find a position using compass bearings. For a shore dive a fair level of fitness is required as there is a long swim to and from the site. Ability to navigate back by compass is recommended, particularly if there is offshore wind forecast

Equipment
A light is recommended for looking into caves and overhangs, and because of the loss of colour at depth. A compass is strongly recommended for shore dives and the return should be done underwater if the wind picks up during the dive.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Oudekraal area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches

 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula east coast
 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches
 * Dive sites of False Bay east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/MV Antipolis

The dive site Antipolis is a recent wreck on a shoreline to inshore rocky reef in the central Oudekraal area on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Position

 * S33°59.06’ E018°21.37’ — (Bow section)

Just south of the Twelve Apostles Hotel

This site is in the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area since 2004. A permit is required. It is inside the Karbonkelberg restricted area.

Name
The tankers Romelia and Antipolis were under tow from Greece to scrap merchants in the Far East by the tug Kiyo Maru no.2. On July 28th 1977 during a North Westerly gale the tow cable to the Antipolis snagged on the sea bed. In the ensuing confusion the cables broke and the two ships were driven aground by the wind. The Romelia ran aground at Sunset Rocks, Llandudno, and the Antipolis at Oudekraal despite efforts by the salvage tug Wolraad Woltemade to tow her off. The wreck was later cut down to water level. Parts of the plating still project above the water at low tide.

Depth
Maximum about 10 m towards the stern. Average about 7 m.

Topography
Wreck of a large steel ship on granite corestone reef. The reef is assorted large and small granite outcrops and boulders with some smaller sandstone boulders. The wreck has been cut down to sea level and has broken up further. Lots of bent bits of plate are scattered around the main wreckage. There are some valves and pipe components and other small stuff, but mostly it is hull plating with framing. Most debris is encrusted with algae and other organisms, including a lot of kelp. Sometimes it is hard to tell wreck from rock without feeling the edge.

The bow section is the lower part of a bow void space or ballast tank. There are quite a lot of structural longitudinals and floors, with large cut-outs. The stern section is part of the port side of the hull, fairly far aft, and low down, possibly just aft of cargo spaces. This section contains a lot of large bore piping, large gate valves, catwalks, control rods and a through hull discharge port, so was probably a pump room for ballast water. There is a section of pipework that projects above sea level in most conditions which marks the position of this part of the wreck.

The debris field is about 200 m long and up to 50 m wide. The longitudinal axis is approximately 031° magnetic. On 19 January 2022 the Cape Peninsula was hit by severe waves from an offshore storm, which lifted the bow section of the wreck onto the rocky beach, where it now lies with the bow pointing out to sea.

Geology: The bigger boulders and the bedrock in this area are granite of the late Pre-Cambrian Peninsula pluton, but many of the smaller boulders, particularly in the shallows, are wave rounded Ordovician sandstone from the Table Mountain group.

Conditions
Best in conditions of limited surge, particularly if penetration is intended, as the wreck is fairly shallow. The area is slightly more protected from the south westerly swells than most of the dive sites nearby, but as it is quite shallow this does not help much.

Keep a lookout for times when the south west swell is particularly low and short period. Visibility is not often very good.

Facilities
None. Security is no better than at other roadside parking in the area.

Get in
This site is almost always dived from the shore. Park at the side of the road above the wreck (approximately S33°59.057’ E018°21.479’). There is a parking area a bit to the south which may be safer than the side of the road as it is a blind corner due to some bush. Entry is over a boulder beach, which is probably the most difficult part of the dive.

Marine life
Kelp forest. The site is not dived to see marine life, but to look at the wreck. The dense kelp between the wreck and the shore can be quite hard going in areas due to the closeness of the kelp and the fine green algae growing on it. Unlike most dive sites in the area, it is often not possible to find an easier path through the kelp underwater as the water is fairly shallow

Features
Wreckage of an oil tanker. The hull plating was cut down to the waterline soon after the ship ran aground, and only the bottom structure remains close inshore. Further out is a compartment with large pipe fittings which may have been a ballast or cargo pump-room.

Photography
It is unlikely to be worth the effort to take a large camera with external strobes on a dive at this site, due to the dense kelp and surge.

Routes
The machinery spaces marked by the piece of pipe that projects above the water level is worth a visit. From there work your way along the wreckage towards the shore.

Hazards
Cold water, Bent and twisted steel plating with ragged and sometimes quite sharp edges. Strong offshore winds may develop over a short time, making the return swim tiring. Very dense kelp forest inshore. Tricky entry and exit from boulder beach.

Skills
No special skills required. Reasonable fitness and agility are recommended due to the clamber over round, sometimes unstable, and slippery rocks at the entry and the swim through the kelp out to the site and back. The site has been used for training and snorkelling.

Equipment
A light is recommended for looking into dark places. A surface marker buoy is not recommended due to the kelp and other obstructions.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Oudekraal area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches

 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula east coast
 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches
 * Dive sites of False Bay east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/MV Aster

The dive site M.V. Aster is a recent wreck in the Hout Bay area on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is easily accessible by a short boat trip, and the ship was prepared for diving before it was sunk.

Understand
The wreck's position is well protected from the south easterly wind, and the depth is conveniently suitable for advanced divers. It used to support a large variety of marine life, and is structurally still fairly intact.

During the preparation of the ship for scuttling, the interior was stripped of most snags and contaminants, and some access holes were cut in bulkheads and topsides, and as a consequence, the wreck is relatively safe for penetration by suitably skilled and equipped divers. Most of the compartments have some opening to the outside, through which light can enter, and only a few compartments are truly dark. This makes it a very suitable site for wreck penetration training. but it may be necessary to clear the edges of the openings of the heavy growth of mussels to make access possible.

Position

 * S34°03.901’ E018°20.967’
 * S34°03.891’ E018°20.955’

In the middle of the mouth of Hout Bay, near the wreck of the Katsu Maru, about 700 m offshore, and just beyond the main boat traffic lane from the harbour.

This site is in the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area since 2004. A permit is required.

Name
The 340 ton "MFV Aster" was a South African registered lobster fishing vessel which was prepared as a diver-friendly artificial reef by cleaning and cutting openings into the structure before scuttling. The Aster was scuttled in Hout Bay near the wreck of the Katzu Maru on 9 August 1997. It has been used as a training site for wreck penetration, and a general dive site for advanced divers.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 28 m in the scour at the bow and stern at low tide. This may reach 30 m at high spring tides. Average depth of the wreck is over 20 m. The gunwale of the main deck is at about 24 m at low tide, and the top of the mast is at about 9 m depth.

In October 2021, spot depths at high tide included 26.9 m on the sand amidships to starboard, 26 m on deck at the hatch to the min hold, 28.5m inside the hold on the silt – the hull is well imbedded in the sand, 23.5 m at the forecastle deck at the break, 23.1 m at the bow on deck, 29.7 m in the scour pit at the bow. The stern scour pit was relatively shallow, it is no longer possible to get to the rudder, 26.9 m amidships port, and 27.5 m a few metres away from the wreck - the sand appears to have built up around the wreck compared to the depth of the sand nearby. The quarterdeck in front of the wheelhouse was at 23.2 m, and 21.7 m at the transom. The top of the wheelhouse was at 20.8 m and the top of the funnel at 18.5 m The starboard side of the main deck at the accommodation entrance was 24.7 m deep.

Visibility
Visibility will vary from poor to about as good as you will get in Cape Town. 20 m is possible, but 10 m is more likely on a fairly good day, and less than 5 m is entirely possible. The wreck is on fine sand and the visibility is significantly affected by swell. Large or long period swell will keep particles in suspension near the bottom. There is virtually no silting on the exterior of the wreck, but the interior is heavily silted in quiet corners. Interior visibility will also depend on diver skill and equipment, and not only will clumsy finning stir up the bottom, but bubbles may disturb material from the deckhead, which will then sink and reduce visibility. This is unavoidable unless diving on a rebreather, so only the first diver of the day will get clean water, and then only on a good day. The deckhead particulates are not as bad as the silt though, so it is still important to maintain precise buoyancy control, avoid bumping into things, and keep a level trim.

Topography

The ship stands almost level, embedded in the flat bottom as if floating in sand. The bow points towards approximately 330° magnetic (northwest). There is deep scouring of the sand at the bow and stern, usually to about 28 m maximum at low tide, but has been known to reach 30 m on a high tide. As of January 2017 the scour pits have filled in a lot and the rudder is almost completely under the sand. The vessel is essentially intact and still looks much like when it was afloat. The hull has a few holes cut in it, and the superstructure is intact except for the wheelhouse, which has lost its forward bulkhead and roof. The tripod mast at the break of the forecastle and the forecastle deck are also intact. There is a fairly large rectangular hatch just forward of the superstructure, leading to a hold, and a winch with drums at each side on the main deck under the wheelhouse, open forward and to starboard and accessible also through a hole cut in the port topsides. Mussels grow preferentially at the side of the openings, where there is more water movement, and tend to close the access gaps. Divers do occasionally clear them away to improve access, but do not rely on this. These are probably the alien invasive Mediterranean mussels.

The vessel is about 36 m long and the beam is about 8 m.

The Aster is marked on the charts at the same position as the Katsu Maru and both wrecks can be visited on the same dive. The layout shown on the map is reasonably accurate, as it is based on the GPS tracks round both wrecks on the same dive.

The interior is generally very open, with almost no clutter of wreckage, but there are deep piles of silt in places. The engine room is quite crowded, but is the most interesting compartment as it is full of engine and exhaust ducting. There is also a ladder and a small catwalk. There is a bit of light in most compartments except the after accommodation below the main deck, and a few small compartments in the forward and aft accommodation areas. Most doors are very narrow, about 600mm, which is rather tight for a large person. Some access holes and hatches are even slightly smaller, so it can be rather tight for a large diver or if you are carrying large cylinders. There has been a lot of growth of Mediterranean mussels on the wreck around the edges of the openings, making them a bit smaller. some may be too small for the larger diver with back-mount cylinder, but the mussels can be removed without too much difficulty. There are also very large numbers of Cape sea urchins on the outside surfaces that aren't too steep for them.

Most compartments are not more than two compartments away from outside access, and most have a window or porthole admitting light from outside. As a result there are several 'through routes' possible where you can go in at one point and come out at another. Obviously someone will have to go back to recover the line, and if several divers have passed through the visibility will be poor.

General arrangement of the interior: (see the drawing, it is not altogether accurate, but is a useful guide)
 * The wheelhouse has lost its forward bulkhead and deckhead (roof), and is also now open to the captain's cabin behind it. These are totally open and accessible from outside, and do not constitute a penetration.
 * The forward hold (fish hold) has two rows of pillars supporting the deck. There is a large rectangular opening and a large more square hatchway with a raised coaming in the main deck providing direct access to the outside, and large access holes both forward and aft into other compartments at this level. The bulkhead between the fish hold and the offal room appears to have been removed and it is now a single large compartment. There is also a small square hatch to the main deck forward, but this is obstructed by invertebrate growth. Forward is the store, and aft is the engine room. Silt has built up on both sides of the hold.
 * The store under the forecastle is accessible from the fish hold aft through a big cutout on both sides of the mast, through a compartment which has some machinery in the middle. There is also an adequately sized hatch through the main deck just forward of the base of the mast.
 * The forecastle is accessible through a wide doorway in the aft bulkhead on the port side. The crew washroom door is just to the right as you go in. The crew washroom is very small, but the accommodation space is quite roomy. There is a small square hatch down into the chain locker that is too small for a diver wearing a cylinder.
 * The engine room is accessible from the aft end of the Fish hold/Offal room space below the main deck and extends up through the superstructure where there are doors to other superstructure areas on both sides, and up behind the funnel where there was probably a set of skylights or ventilation hatches, where a fairly large access hole has been provided. The engine room is quite large, but relatively cramped due to the fuel oil wing tanks to port and starboard forward, the engine in the middle, the stack ducting above the engine, and the ladder and catwalk aft. The ladder is to port of the engine and leads up to a catwalk at main deck level, with a door to port leading to the aft accommodation spaces, which are all interlinked and have several access routes.
 * on the starboard side there is access via very tight catwalks to the forward compartment on the starboard side below the wheelhouse.
 * There is a fairly large compartment in the superstructure on the starboard side just aft of the winch area. This has a door to the main deck and has access to the engine room.
 * The aft accommodation spaces in the superstructure can be reached from the engine room at the upper deck level by a doorway on the port side, through two doorways on the upper deck on the starboard side, through a hatchway from the bridgedeck, and through a cutout in the upper part of the transom. The hatch from the bridgedeck is fairly tight, and it may be too small for some divers. Light comes in through various portholes and rusted areas in the plating.
 * The wide opening on the starboard side of the superstructure next to a ladder to the quarterdeck leads to a small compartment, with another door inboard. This leads into what was probably the crew's messroom. There are a number of small compartments leading off this space. On the port side forward is what may have been an office or the engineer's cabin. It is close to a door to the engine room, and there is an opening in the deckhead into the wheelhouse above. Aft of this is a small compartment without windows, which may have been a store or very small office.
 * Aft of the entry on the starboard side there is another small compartment, containing a hatchway down to the sleeping quarters, and with a skylight above. The hatchway down is fairly big (big enough for a 1.8 m, 90 kg diver with a single 15 litre cylinder on a backplate and a small bailout cylinder, but a close fit), but the space below is very dark, and a light is absolutely necessary. The accommodation space is virtually empty, but there is a lot of silt on the deck. There is a second access hatch central on the aft bulkhead, which is smaller than the forward hatch, and accessed through a small tight compartment with a narrow door on the main accommodation deck.
 * Behind the wide door on the starboard side there is a small store opening only to the upper deck, and then a door to the upper deck at the extreme aft end of the narrow side deck on main deck level, under the quarterdeck.
 * More or less central at the aft end of the messroom there is a small alleyway leading to a compartment across the transom, where a large opening has been cut for diver access.
 * On the starboard side there is a narrow compartment running fore and aft. Inboard of that is a small toilet compartment (heads), athwartships.
 * On the port side is a small empty compartment, possibly a store.
 * On the port side just forward of this space there is another small compartment, possibly a store, with a small hatch giving access to the steering compartment. The hatch looks too small for a diver wearing a back mounted set, and forward of that, with a door facing forward, another small compartment.
 * Forward and slightly outboard of that is another small compartment with a door facing forward.
 * To starboard of the alleyway, opposite the compartment with the hatch down to the steering compartment, there is a very narrow compartment with a hatchway leading down into the aft accommodation in the lower part of the hull. This hatchway is very small and probably too tight for most divers while wearing a back mount cylinder and buoyancy compensator. Only divers with side-mount equipment and the requisite skills should consider penetrating this compartment, but if you stick your light down the hatch you will be able to take a look inside. This compartment is the same one that is accessed by the larger hatch further forward.

Geology: Flat fine quartz sand bottom.

Conditions
The site is exposed to south westerly swells, which are beam on to the wreck and can cause a strong surge. The site is usually at its best in summer but there are also occasional opportunities in autumn and winter. On rare occasions there may be no surge at all and visibility of over 20 m. The light levels are also highly variable, and not directly related to the visibility, as on some days it can be quite dark due to a dirty upper layer, and still have good visibility, while at other times the visibility gets worse with depth, but can be quite light due to strong sunlight and clear upper water.

This is an area which sometimes has upwellings, caused by strong south easterly winds, resulting in cold clear water, which may develop a plankton bloom over a few days, which will reduce the visibility again.

Keep a lookout for times when the south west swell is low and short period, and there is not too much south easterly wind forecast.

Get in
Access is only reasonably practicable by boat. The site is about a 2.2 km ride from the harbour slipway. The wreck is in the harbour approaches, and there may be significant boat traffic. Dive boats will usually drop a shotline with a large marker buoy. This is the best place to descend and ascend as the boat will remain nearby and this indicates to passing traffic that divers are on site and they will keep clear.

Marine life
The wreck is heavily encrusted with common feather stars and sponges, with good representation by colonial ascidians and hydroids. The mast has urchins, black mussels and barnacles near the top. There is a fair range of other species, and the rarely sighted Tasselled nudibranch Kaloplocamus ramosus has been seen here several times. Large rock lobster lurk in the recesses, and rock crabs scuttle around among the encrustations of invertebrates. A few small kelp plants have established themselves on shallower parts of the wreck. As of 2017 the population of the invasive alien Mediterranean mussels has exploded, and so have the Cape urchins and fragile brittlestars, at the cost of most other invertebrates. The mussels are partly obstructing some of the openings into the wreck.

Features
The Aster is a recent wreck in fairly intact condition. The structure is sound and apertures have been cut to make the wreck more diver-friendly for penetrations. Most of the structure is clearly recognisable, and all of the exterior is easily accessible for the advanced diver.

Much of the interior is accessible to competent wreck divers, depending on skill and equipment, and to some extent physical size. Penetrations of varying levels of difficulty are possible. The structure is fairly sound, and relatively uncomplicated.

Photography
Macro and/or wide angle equipment is recommended. Most of the time macro equipment will give the better results, but on a really good day you may get some fine wide angle shots. Macro will require flash.

Routes
No special route is recommended.
 * Start deep and progress upward. The wreck is small enough to swim around on a single dive if you just want to see the view. Start wherever convenient, and visit the scour pits at the propeller aperture and bow if you want to record maximum depth. Then ascend to the top of the hull on either side and swim around it at the depth of the gunwale, visiting the main deck and break of the forecastle as excursions. Finish the dive on the shallower parts on the superstructure, or work your way up the mast if not using a SMB or shotline.
 * If you wish to visit the Katsu Maru, swim to the southwest from the middle of the port side of the Aster, perpendicular to the length axis of the Aster. It is about 30m away — too far to see even on a good day — but a large enough target to find quite easily if you are moderately skilled at navigation. To return, find the wheelhouse of the Katsu Maru, swim over the hull to the keel, and swim away perpendicular to the line of the keel.
 * Penetration is possible if the surge is not too strong, but should not be attempted by divers without appropriate training and equipment. It is a good idea to scout the proposed route from outside first and check that the exit hole will be big enough for you and your equipment. There are plenty of convenient tie-off points near the access openings.

Hazards
Hazards at this site are due to cold water, occasional fog, and boat traffic. There is also a danger of possible entrapment if the wreck is penetrated. Some of the structure may be unstable, and the superstructure has lost a few components. Strong surge is common if the swell is large or the period long, as the vessel lies directly across the prevailing swell direction and a strong surge will create severe turbulence over the weather side gunwale.

Penetration is relatively easy as the wreck was prepared for divers before sinking. However, not all divers will fit through all of the access openings, and this also depends on your rig. Bulky BCs, dangly hoses, big cylinders and long, hinged or split fins all provide a collection of things to get snagged.

It is quite possible for a group of divers to enter the wreck, and for only the smaller ones to be able to get out the chosen exit hole, so bigger divers may have to backtrack to get out.

Skills
No special skills are required unless penetration is intended. It is necessary to be qualified for 30 m dives, so most "Advanced diver" certifications are appropriate.

Penetration is not recommended unless you are trained in the procedures and have suitable equipment. This being said, the Aster is a good wreck for wreck penetration training, as it is small, compact, and relatively snag-free, with an adequate number of access holes so that it is not likely to be more than three compartments from an exit.

Equipment
A light will restore colour and allow you to look into the wreck. A reel and DSMB are worth carrying in case it is necessary to surface away from the shotline. A dry-suit is recommended as the water is usually quite cold, but many divers have dived the Aster in wet suits. Nitrox is recommended to extend no-decompression time.

Divers competent to plan and execute penetrations will know what additional equipment they will need. If you don't know, then stay out and stay alive, or attend a wreck diving training programme — there are several local schools offering the training.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Hout Bay area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches

 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula east coast
 * Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches
 * Dive sites of False Bay east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area