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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Two Oceans Aquarium

The dive site Two Oceans Aquariumis an inland confined water site in the V&A Waterfront area of the City Bowl, in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

The aquarium provides the opportunity for diving in a controlled environment where you are guaranteed to see a large number of a variety of large fish.

Position

 * S33°54.476’ E018°25.074’

Port Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town harbour.

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

Name
The name "Two Oceans Aquarium" refers to the two oceans on the coast of South Africa, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, which technically meet at Cape Agulhas.

Depth
I&J Ocean Exhibit 6 m, Kelp Forest 6 m, Predator Exhibit 5.2 m

Visibility
Visibility is good. Expect to see across the tank.

Topography
The I&J Ocean Exhibit is an approximately 1,7 million litre tank. It is rectangular, approximately 20m long and 15m wide. The bottom of the exhibit is covered with coarse white sand that does not disturb easily and does not affect visibility near the bottom. The back of the tank is made of artificial rockwork which provides hiding spaces for small fish species. The front of the tank has a large viewing panel that allows aquarium visitors to see into the exhibit, and allows divers to see out. There is also a viewing tunnel that runs across the bottom of the tank that allows divers to interact with people who might be viewing the dive from outside.

The Predator Exhibit is a large oval tank with an oval central partition which is used to isolate fish when required. This part (the “Doughnut”) is not dived by visitors, who stay in the outer ring. There are large windows, almost full height on one side, through which you can observe the visitors if you get bored with the fish. The central partition and part of the bottom is covered by artificial rock face, and the rest of the bottom is covered in small white gravel on one side and coarse dark stone chips on the other side.

The Kelp Forest is roughly square, with a large bay window cutting a diagonal across one corner. It is panelled with artificial rock faces and includes reefs and a cave of similar material. Part of the bottom is covered by fine white gravel, and the rest by small loose rocks and stones, and an assortment of artefacts.

Conditions
A site where conditions can be guaranteed all year round. Visibility is always good, and water temperature is consistent, though it does vary slightly with the seasons. The I&J Ocean Exhibit is kept at 21°C year-round, the Predator Exhibit is likely to be about 21°C in summer, and 19°C in winter, while the Kelp tank will be about 18°C in summer and 15°C in winter. There is a slight clockwise current in the Predator Exhibit, and a surge created by a wave machine in the Kelp Forest. Neither of these is a problem.

Facilities
Parking: The most convenient parking for the Two Oceans Aquarium is in Portswood Square which is opposite the Aquarium in Port Road. An hourly parking fee is charged, which is additional to Aquarium charges. Ablution: The diving area has showers and toilet facilities of good standards, including indoor hot water showers.

Equipment: All needed equipment is provided as part of the diving packages.

Other attractions: The rest of the aquarium is also well worth visiting, and there are kiosks and restaurants within easy walking distance.

Get in
Booking is essential.

From the Airport: Take the N2 South to Cape Town -, stay in the right hand lanes for Eastern Boulevard. and stay on the freeway as far as it goes. Turn right into the V&A Waterfront at the first traffic lights. Take the first left at the first traffic circle (Port road), and straight through at the second circle. The Two Oceans Aquarium is on the right hand side. It is a large red brick building. Park at Portswood Square which is opposite the Aquarium in Port Road. An hourly parking fee is charged.

From Cape Town Railway Station: Take the Waterfront Bus/taxi which leaves from outside Texies Fisheries in Adderley Street to the V&A Waterfront. The bus/taxi will stop outside the Aquarium.

Meet the divemaster as previously arranged. There are stairs to climb for three floors, but if you bring your own equipment there is a goods lift available. Entry to the tanks is from the roof area, as these tanks are open to the sky. There are stairs and ladders provided to the dive platforms just above the water. Climbing out onto the platforms requires reasonable agility as there are no ladders into the water

Marine life
I&J Ocean Exhibit: The Ocean Exhibit has a wide variety of tropical and sub-tropical fish species including giant short-tail stingrays, honeycomb rays, seventy-fours, moonies, brindle bass, eagle rays, giant guitarfish, yellowbelly rockcod, convict surgeonfish and many others. The tank is also inhabited by sea turtles from the aquarium's rehabilitation programme, usually large green turtles and loggerhead turtles.

Predator Exhibit: The Predator Exhibit has ragged-tooth sharks and a range of large predatory fish from local waters such as giant kob, rockcods and Cape yellowtail. Numerous schools of small fish such as mullet and strepie also inhabit this exhibit.

Kelp Forest: Two types of kelp found in Cape Town waters. The local species of fish in this tank are big, abundant, and not shy of divers.

Photography
There is not a great deal of scope for photography other than of fish, but this is compensated by the ease of finding and photographing the fish. The background is not usually interesting or particularly attractive, so lens and strobe combinations which allow you to fill the frame with the subject and minimise the background detail will work well. The lighting is generally good, due to filtering and shallow depth.

Due to the presence of many viewing windows and tunnels, it is also possible to non-diving companions to take photos of the divers from outside the water, or to pose for a photo at the panel with the diver.

Routes
No specific route recommended - each tank is small enough to explore comprehensively during a single dive. You will be expected to follow the divemaster.

Hazards
You are diving with wild animals, which are not domesticated or tamed, despite the setting. Fish and turtles are hand-fed by aquarium staff, and hand gestures towards can be mistaken as an attempt to feed them. For this reason, and to protect the health of the animals, there is a strict "no touch" policy except where permission is granted by the aquarium's dive leader.

The risk in all exhibits, including the Predator Exhibit, is considered low except for the potential rare hand injuries mentioned above. You will be required to sign a waiver and follow the instructions of the dive leader.

Skills
Uncertified visitors can participate in a short Discover Scuba short course taught by an experienced on-site instructor. This course takes a few hours and will allow the visitor to dive in the I&J Ocean Exhibit under the supervision of the instructor.

A diving certification is needed for all other dive offerings at the aquarium. Divers with a commercial qualification can join the Aquarium as a volunteer diver and help with cleaning the windows and other routine maintenance.

Equipment
No special equipment is required (everything needed is supplied as part of the package). If you have a camera, take it along.

Nearby

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

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast
 * 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/Vogelsteen

The dive site Vogelsteen 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

Notable for the beds of pebbles, silt, and shells between the rocky inshore zone and the flat sand bottom further offshore, where large numbers of the False Bay burrowing anemone (Cerianthid) can be found.

Position
S34°10.302’ E018°50.355’ In front of the last group of five houses just beyond the built-up area of Gordon's Bay.

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

Name
The site name "Vogelsteen" is from the early Afrikaans/Dutch meaning "Bird Rock". Named for the large rock favoured by seabirds as a perch and lightly coated in guano.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 12 m quite far out on the sand. Most diving is 9 m and shallower.

Topography
Moderate relief close to shore, but fairly flat with only small boulders and outcrops followed by a band of black mussel shells packed with silt and pebbles, then flat sand at about 11 m. The bed of silted mussel shells is at a depth of generally about 8 to 10 m along the coast about 20 to 50 m from the water’s edge. The width of this zone varies considerably from place to place. There may be a lot of fine silt deposit on the bottom, concentrated at times in patches up to a few centimetres thick, and easily disturbed to reduce visibility. The coastline runs almost exactly magnetic east-west.

Geology: Ordovician sandstone of the Table Mountain group, probably ‘’Peninsula’’ formation. Strike is parallel to the shoreline and dip is steep, about 60° to the southwest

Conditions
The site is exposed to the north west wind. It is slightly protected from south west swell but is shallow and there will be surge, which will reduce visibility as there is a fine light silt in this area. It is very well protected from south easterly winds, and these will generally flatten the sea in this area, so it is usually best during or after south easterly winds. The site is usually at it's best in summer but there are also occasional opportunities at other times of the year.

This is an area which sometimes has plankton blooms (red tides) which will cause poor visibility.

Facilities
Paved roadside parking area with garbage bin. Security is probably no worse than any other roadside parking area.

Get in
Often dived from a boat, but shore access is an option.

Boat dive: From Gordon's Bay harbour (2.3 km) or Harbour Island (2,9 km). The site is off the large rock with guano stains (Vogelsteen) which is just North-East of the small gully behind the ridge of rock in the middle of the photo, and the path leads up behind the crag to the parking bay.

Shore dive: Access includes a bit of a climb. Park at Five Houses on the Faure Marine Drive (R44) from Gordon’s Bay to Rooi-Els. The parking bay is at S34°10.357’ E018°50.278’ on the seaward side of the road directly opposite three palm trees in front of a group of five houses that stand alone above the road outside Gordon’s Bay. The path leads north-east through the bush to the top of a gully, and down the gully to the water. There is a ledge on the seaward side of the gully which gives access to the water beyond the shallow area with boulders, and is convenient if there is a bit of a swell running.

Marine life
This is a very good site for Cerianthids (burrowing anemones). Cerianthids are common here where black mussel shell beds exist. less common in stony rubble/gravel, and even less common in sand. Depth range from about 6 to 11 m, as that is where the shell beds are. (There seem to be far fewer cerianthids as of April 2012. This may be a seasonal variation.) Colour variation from most common with very pale tentacles, to pale with dark inner tentacles, purple or blue outer tentacles, red-brown outer tentacles or base of outer tentacles. They are distributed along the coastline from Cow and Calf to at least a couple of hundred meters north east, and probably further. Generally if the substrate is black mussel shell beds with silt, they are common, and may be as many as about 5 in a square meter, sometimes quite close (within 150 mm). Largest tentacle spread is about 100 mm, largest tube diameter about 25 mm. The amount of tube that extends above the surface varies from about 75 mm to about 30 mm. The tube is made of threads produced by nematocysts on the surface of the animal which form a felt-like material which entraps particles of sand and silt to form a soft, tough leathery tube which extends about 400 mm into the substrate. The species has been described from specimens collected here which were sent to a specialist in Russia for description. This is the type locality for the species Ceriantheopsis austroafricanus Molodtsova, Griffiths and Acuña, 2011. The shallows close inshore and behind the Vogelsteen are worth a visit in very calm conditions as the biodiversity is considerable.

Photography
Macro and close up equipment is recommended as the visibility is often poor.

Routes
Swim out to the shell beds to see the burrowing anemones. If the conditions are suitable the entry gully and area around the Vogelsteen are quite interesting.

Hazards
No site specific hazards have been reported. Shore access is over a boulder slope.

Skills
No special skills required. This area is good for snorkelling.

Moderate fitness and agility is required for shore entry.

Equipment
No special equipment recommended. The cerianthid beds may be a bit dark due to low visibility, so a light is often helpful to see the true colours.

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/Vulcan Rock

The dive site Vulcan Rock is an offshore rocky reef in the outer Hout Bay area on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. .

Understand
Vulcan Rock is the highest point of an extensive area of granite reef which is probably continuous from Klein Tafelberg and Tafelberg Deep to the southeast, to Di's Cracks to the northwest, and breaks the surface at most states of the tide. It is low and flat on top and big enough to park a car. If there are extensive whitecaps it may be difficult to see from a distance, so it can be tricky to find on a day with low swell, high tide, and a strong south easterly wind unless you have GPS. A spectacular dive if the visibility is good.

From the map it is apparent that Di's Cracks, Vulcan Rock, and Rocksucker Ridge are the remaining high areas of a large granite ridge running northwest to southeast.

Position

 * S34°03.945’ E018°18.545’.

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

Name
The exposed rock marking the site is shown on charts of the area as "Vulcan Rock."

Depth
The top of the rock extends above the water. Maximum depth is over 30 m but this is some way from the rock, probably to the south-west. There is a lot to see in the 10 to 20 m range and staying in this depth range will allow an adequately long dive for most divers. The main feature of the site, the big swim-through, is in the 18 to 20 m depth range.

Visibility
Visibility is variable and can range from more than 20 m on a good day to less than 3 m on a bad day. A strong persistent south easterly wind will usually move the surface water offshore and cause an upwelling of cold clear water which will temporarily improve visibility. The visibility in such a case may improve overnight, and may deteriorate almost as quickly if the wind stops and there is a day of bright sunshine, which stimulates a plankton bloom, also locally called a red tide. A red tide can drop surface visibility down to less than 5 m in a day, but in these cases there may well be reasonable visibility below the surface layer, though it will probably be quite dark, and the light very green.

Poor visibility is also associated with north westerly winds. Good visibility occurs less frequently in winter, but may last longer as there is less sunshine to power an algal bloom.

Topography
Vulcan Rock is the exposed rock at the top of a very big granite tor in a cluster of pinnacles running northwest to southeast, on exposedbedrock extending down to at least 28 m. To the northeast of the exposed rock is a long ridge with a central cluster of pinnacles running northwest to southeast, with the shallowest pinnacle rising to within about 3 m of the surface. Southwest of the exposed rock, the topography is very rugged, and slopes down to a fairly large sand patch about 28 to 30 m deep

There is an extensive area of relatively low profile reef to the west of Vulcan Rock and northwest of the sand patch. Much of it is about 24 m deep and there is a 14 m pinnacle on a compact ridge in this area.

To the southeast of the main reef there is another cluster of high pinnacles at Rocksucker Ridge, about 12 m deep on top.

Further to the northwest is the dive site Di's Cracks, traditionally considered a separate site, and separated from the Vulcan Rock reef by a relatively deep gap that has not yet been surveyed.

Geology: Granite of the late Pre-Cambrian Peninsula pluton, with patches of white quartz sand.

Conditions
The site is exposed to south westerly swells, which can cause a strong surge. The site is usually at its best in summer but there are also occasional opportunities in autumn and winter.

This is an area which sometimes has upwellings, caused by strong south easterly winds, resulting in cold clear water, which will usually develop a plankton bloom over a few hours to days, depending on the sunshine, 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. The south easterly wind will usually improve visibility, but if it blows too hard, can make the trip out to the site uncomfortable, and the trip back quite unpleasant. What you want is a few days of low south westerly swell with strong south-easters in the afternoons, and quiet mornings, when there is very little wind chop and there has not been time for a plankton bloom to develop. For this reason, most dives to this area are scheduled for early launches.

Get in
The site is accessible only by boat. It is about 5.5 km from Hout Bay Harbour. Anchoring is possible, but not recommended, as the bottom is very rugged and anchors and even shotlines often foul.

Do
Dive at one of the listed sites, and explore the vicinity, or explore an uncharted area and let us know what you find.

 * S34°03.945’ E018°18.545’. The exposed rock is the top of a very big granite tor. It is made up of large corestones on top of more of the same, down to at least 27 m . There are lots of crevices, overhangs and fairly narrow gaps. Boulders are often several metres high. There is usually a knocking sound as loose boulders are rocked by the swell.

There is a swim-through cavern directly under Vulcan rock. The bottom is at 18 m, the roof about 2 m higher. There are four separate entrances, none of them easy to see from outside unless at the same depth. The cave is probably between 20 and 30 m maximum extent, and maybe 20 m wide at the widest. Two of the entrances are at the edges of the relatively flat floored part, and the other two are across boulder strewn bottom and irregularly shaped. There is also an air trap overhang on the north east side of the main boulder at about 13 m depth with a number of small domed pockets in the ceiling which are bare of all growth, showing that there is often air in the overhang, and that it is most likely accumulated from bubbles in the water caused by breaking swells.

There are big boulders or pinnacles to both sides of one entrance to the northeast. The next entrance anticlockwise is at the bottom of a little gully, and has a small cave to the right of the entrance to the main cave.
 * S34°03.912’ E018°18.545’. To the north of the exposed rock is a long ridge running northwest to southeast, with a cluster of pinnacles a short distance to the northeast, with the shallowest pinnacle rising to within about 3 m of the surface.

 * S34°03.962’ E018°18.447’. A compact row of huge boulders to the west of the exposed rock, rising from the bedrock about 25 m deep to a minimum depth of about 14 m, with a fairly large swim-through at about 23 m depth near the east end on the north side. The ridge is about 60 m long in the northwest–southeast direction, roughly parallel to Vulcan Ridge, and about 20 m wide, with very steep sides and large overhang crevices under some of the boulders that might be accessible with side-mount.

 * S34°04.033’ E018°18.683’. A fairly large cluster of huge boulders about 55 m long from east to west and 30 m wide north to south at 15 m, rising to flattish tops at around 11 to 15 m, riven by huge cracks extending to below 24 m in places. The near vertical walls of the cracks are covered in a diverse encrustation of sponges and soft corals, and the flat tops have small kelp forests. A spectacular site in good visibility, first recorded as a dive site by divers from the Blue Flash boat in January 2023, though the presence of the ridge is shown on the SA Navy charts as a couple of spot depths and vague contours. The north side slopes down quite steeply in places, but more gradually in others. The gap between this ridge and Vulcan Rock south side has sand patches of unknown extent at a depth of about 28 m. and is probably sufficiently separated to consider this a different site. Most divers would not cross between the areas for Vulcan Rock and Rocksucker Ridge during a dive, but it would not be difficult.

 * S34°04.037’ E018°18.676’. The east end of the ridge, and probably the high point. A relatively large flattish area above the 12 m contour, split by some deep narrow gullies. Probably much like the west pinnacle area, but not fully mapped yet. There is more relatively shallow reef between the east and west pinnacle areas.

Marine life
Heavy growth of red bait in shallower parts, Some kelp, probably mostly Split-fan kelp, on top surfaces down to about 15 m. Heavy encrustation of sponges, sea fans, bryozoans and colonial hydroids on steep faces, and particularly under overhangs. Flatter rock surfaces in deep areas are often covered by urchins and grey sea cucumbers.

Vulcan Rock:

Features
There are several caverns and other holes between and under the boulders. The best known is directly under the exposed rock, at a depth of about 15 m. It is large and has several access openings around the sides (about 4) The inner space is about 2 to 3 m high in places and is probably over 10 m wide and long. The entries are not particularly obvious, and are often missed, though they are quite large. From the inside they are very obvious.

There is also a small "balloon cave" overhang, where the roof is domed. It is on the east side of the exposed rock, at a similar depth to the main cavern, between the northeast and southeast openings. The balloon cave will trap air, which if allowed to accumulate, will kill the invertebrate growth on the roof, so try not to breathe inside this cave.

Some time back in the late 20th century, an advertisement was filmed of a car standing on Vulcan Rock. The story goes that it was placed by helicopter, and when they came back to fetch it the next day it was gone. No trace has ever been reported, and a closed motor vehicle with widows rolled up does not sink very fast, so it may have come to rest some way from the pinnacles. Who knows, some day someone may find some part of it.

At Rocksucker Ridge there are a few deep cracks splitting the ridge from north to south The top edges are fairly sharp, though heavily encrusted, and the walls and edges are not heavily weathered as is the norm for corestone landforms. The two main cracks are wide enough to swim through comfortably at 15 m, and possibly also at about 18 m. The one to the east is quite straight and you can see the other end, while the other (to the west) is curved sufficiently that one can only see part of the way. There are also a few overhangs near the bottom of the cracks and under boulders.

Photography
Good site for photography, specially close-up shots of invertebrates. Macro will almost always be useful, and wide angle/fisheye can give some spectacular results on a really good day.

Routes
Choose a route to suit your desired profile. For greater depth go west. There is a large swim-through under the main pinnacle at about 18 m depth, and the area around the group of pinnacles is the most popular part of the site.

Hazards
Cold water, Strong surge in cracks and swim-throughs. Sea urchins. Strong offshore winds may develop over a short time, making it tricky to spot divers on the surface, and a wet trip back.

Skills
No special skills required, though the ability to deploy a DSMB is useful in case you are separated from the group or need to surface away from the shot line, or if no shot line is used.

Equipment
The site is cold and relatively deep, and a dry suit is recommended. This is a dive site where the use of Nitrox can be worthwhile to extend no-stop time. A reel with DSMB, Light and Compass are also recommended.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Outer 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


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Whale Rock

The dive site Whale Rock is an offshore rocky reef in the Robben Island area on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Position

 * S33°50.112’ E018°22.858’ — A shoal area of reef south of Robben Island.

This site is in the Robben Island Marine Protected Area since 2019. A permit is required.

Name
The name "Whale Rock" is the name for the area on SA Navy charts.

Depth
Fairly shallow. Mostly less than 10 m.

Topography
Large area of shallow reef.

Geology: Pre-Cambrian sedimentary rocks, probably of the Tygerberg formation.

Conditions
This reef is exposed to the south west swell. There is often a break in the area and the surge can be very powerful. The water is usually cold. The site should be dived when the sea is fairly flat.

The site is usually at it's best in summer but there are also occasional opportunities in other seasons.

Get in
Only accessible by boat. The site is about 8 km from Oceana Power Boat Club slipway.

Marine life
Large red bait pods abound in this area.

Routes
No particular route recommended.

Hazards
Surge can be very strong.

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 Robben Island area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast
 * 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/Whirlpool cove

The dive site Whirlpool Cove is a shoreline 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
The site is just around the headland to the north east of Percy's Hole.
 * S34°16.97’ E018°49.55’ (approximate)

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

Name
The site is named "Whirlpool Cove" for the turbulent gap between the group of rocks and the south end of the cove which produces some awesome vortices in a strong surge.

Depth
Maximum depth of about 24 m is about 50 m offshore.

Visibility
Similar to Percy's Hole.

Topography
The bottom trends down gradually in series of parallel sandstone ridges and gullies, of varying size but consistent dip and strike. The entry gully is parallel sided and about 3m deep, with a sharp bend near the end to follow the plane of the strata. the rock is mostly fairly hard sandstone of a pale grey-brown colour with pink and brown staining. There is an area of very dark staining and the texture changes and the rock seems harder but not necessarily more resistant to erosion. The whirlpool rocks are darker but this may be because they are almost always wet. The underwater topography does not seem as interesting as the surface suggests, but then it has not been comprehensively explored and there may be much to be found.

Geology: Sandstones, probably of the Peninsula formation. Strike is roughly parallel to the shoreline, Dip is fairly steep to the south east.

Conditions
Best when south westerly component of the swell is low and short period. South easterly winds will not usually be a problem, but westerlies can push up an uncomfortable chop which will make shore entry and exit tricky. Long period south westerly swells may make entry and exit from the shore dangerous. The surge in the gap between the group of rocks to the south of the cove can be impressive in these conditions, with a powerful vortex that looks rather unpleasant. It is quite mild if the swell lacks power.

Facilities
Paved roadside parking area directly above the site.

Get in
Boat dive from Rooi-Els or Gordon's Bay, or a shore entry dive with quite a climb. Not difficult, but high. The scree at the roadside is probably the worst part of the climb. Park at paved parking area on seaward side of road on Faure Marine Drive (R44) above dive site, The path is not clear, so check it out before kitting up. The gully can be a very easy entry and a safe exit on a quiet day. There are ledges just below the photographer which can be used for access if the tide is high enough. The dip of the strata can be clearly seen on the far side.

Enter at the side of the gully after checking conditions. There are various small ledges which form convenient steps. If the tide is high enough they may be useful as an exit. If the swell is mild enough the inner end of the gully can be used as an exit, but if the surge is strong it will not be comfortable, and may be dangerous.

Alternative exits at Percy’s Hole if conditions deteriorate badly during a dive.

The site is about (distance)km from Gordon's Bay, or (distance)km from the Rooi-els slipway

Marine life
A good site, but not as varied as Percy's, and not the same density of reef life.

Photography
A fairly good site for photography.

Routes
No particular route recommended. The site has not been mapped or thoroughly explored. More information is needed.

Hazards
Shore access requires a long walk down steep rocks and a slightly tricky entry and exit. Keep clear of the very strong surge in the gap if there is much swell running.

Skills
No special skills required.

Equipment
No special equipment required. A light may be useful for looking under overhangs.

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/Whittle Rock

Whittle Rock is an extensive offshore rocky reef on the central-west side of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. There are several named dive sites and landmarks on this reef, which has not yet been fully explored or mapped.

Understand

Whittle Rock and the surrounding reefs cover a large area, and are the most significant navigational hazard in False Bay, as they are in the approaches to Simon's Town harbour, but as very little shipping of large displacement enters the bay, it is not at present that much of a problem. The English East-Indiaman Euphrates is reported to have been wrecked on the reef, but its position is not known. Several anchors have been found, of various sizes, mostly of fairly old design. Some are thought to be from the Euphrates, and some of them are mapped. It is also a popular fishing area for reef fish, and a spectacular dive site. Almost the whole reef is within the depth range generally accepted for recreational scuba diving, and a fairly large area is accessible to entry level divers. It would certainly be more popular if it was closer to the launch areas. Visibility is often better than at the inshore sites on either side of False Bay on the same day. The reef extends about from east to west, and about  from north to south, with sand patches in locally deep areas, and sand tongues leading up from the surrounding sand bottom between the lobes of the reef.

Position
Whittle Rock reef is about 8 km offshore, west of Miller's Point, and south of Seal Island. There is officially a navigation buoy marking the navigational hazard, but there have been occasions when it was not there. The current buoy replaces one which sank some years ago. Divers have reported that it lies on the bottom, still attached to its mooring system, and probably simply sank after years of neglect, but this has not been confirmed. The artifact known as "Neptune's Bathplug" and its pile of chain may be the moorings of an earlier buoy, and "Victor's chain" may be the moorings of another.

 * S34°14.876' E18°33.709'. In August 2021 a new navigation buoy appeared at the reef, in a different position to the previous one. The new buoy is a Cardinal East marker with a sound signal and light, moored by heavy chain to two concrete blocks on a small sandy patch at 21 m depth, about 50 m south and a few metres west of the main pinnacle, which rises to an official depth of 3.6 m below sea level at low tide, or an average depth of nearly 5 m.

This reef is partly in a Marine Protected Area since 2004. The eastern border of the Table Mountain National Park MPA passes through the west part of the reef area, leaving more than half of the reef by area, and almost all of the popular drop points, outside the MPA. A permit is required to dive in the MPA.

Name
This area is marked on the SA Navy charts as a navigational hazard and named "Whittle Rock" after a lieutenant Whittle of the Royal Navy, who surveyed parts of False Bay after HMS Indent was damaged off Miller's Point soon after the first British occupation of the Cape in 1795. Names for the specific areas tend to be chosen by the divers who report them, or the person who maps them, and may be descriptive of the topography, or a special feature, or commemorative of the occasion or the people involved in finding the spot. Features are named in the order in which the sites are found and mapped, so the names do not always follow strict geographical logic.

Depth
Depths quoted or shown on the map are approximate, and relative to mean sea level. Tidal variation could increase or decrease any given depth by about a metre either way. Depth on the sand around the reef perimeter varies from about to slightly more than, though there are places where continuous sand tongues connected to the surrounding sand rise up to about , and isolated patches may be shallower  The top of the shallowest pinnacle is at about , and the variation of depth across the reef is large due to the size of the site and the corestone type origin of the topography. There is a large area above in the vicinity of the main pinnacle, which is suitable for entry level divers. Most of the rest of the reef is unsuitable for inexperienced divers as the parts above are small and disconnected from each other. Large parts of the reef are relatively flat, with slopes less than 1 in 5, but there are also places where the depth can change by more than in near vertical walls. Most of the reef is shallower than, and is suitable for reasonably competent recreational divers.

Visibility
Visibility is often better than on the inshore reefs, but as with any False Bay reef, it is not very predictable, and there may be better visibility at the bottom below a dirty surface layer of plankton, which can follow a period of strong sunshine. When it is more than this site is particularly impressive, as the topography of pinnacles, gullies, walls, huge boulders and overhangs, with the occasional swimthroughs can be appreciated. Visibility can exceed on rare and unpredictable occasions. The colour of the surface water is not a reliable indicator of the visibility at depth.

At times the variation in visibility between sites in False Bay can be surprising. There have been days when visibility at the Fleur, about 6.5 km to the north, has been less than 2 m, and very dark below 30 m, while at Whittle, an hour later, visibility was over 15 m at 30 m depth, and the reef brightly illuminated by sunlight.

Topography
The reef is a large granite tor, a landform comprising a large, free-standing rock outcrop that rises abruptly from the surrounding smooth and gentle sandy slopes. The major trend is parallel ridges running northwest to southeast, with cross-jointing gullies disrupting the ridge-lines in many places. There are huge granite corestone outcrops and boulders, including some large boulders which are balanced high on the bedrock or wedged into gullies, sandy bottomed gullies, overhangs and swim-throughs. The topography varies considerably as it is such a large area of reef, but it is all typical granite corestone landforms.

To the east of the shallows of the main reef there is fairly deep water within a short distance, and the topography is steep and craggy, with a few large and high profile outlying areas across a fairly narrow sand gap, while to the northwest it is relatively flat over quite a large area, with occasional high profile features. The main reef slopes down to the southwest, to a long and fairly narrow sand tongue that slopes down to the southeast. Across the sand tongue there is more reef - the southern reef area, which is generally deeper with areas of high profile pinnacle clusters, and is continuous with the main reef in the centre, with some local sand patches in low areas. To the northeast of this sand tongue there is a wide flat area covered with sand, gravel, and pebbles, with occasional low outcrops and boulders, where it can be tricky to distinguish where reef stops and pebble bed begins, as much of the reef edge is low and quite flat. Most of this area is below deep. Similar, slightly deeper, pebble beds border the main reef to the north, where a large area of unexplored reef lies some distance away, known only from sonar images.

The longer, southern part of the reef extends quite a distance to the northwest, with a few relatively shallow areas and isolated sand patches. Further southwest there is a wide sand gap with at least two large disjoint areas of reef, and two large lobes of connected reef at the extreme central south and the extreme southwest. A reasonable idea of the local topography can be deduced from the chart where contours are available, and the topography of each dive site is discussed in its own section.

Geology: The whole reef is a submerged granite corestone tor of the late Pre-Cambrian Peninsula pluton, surrounded by a generally fine sandy bottom, with gravel, pebbles and cobbles in some areas, mostly to the north, and with sandy bottoms in some of the deeper gullies. The granite is jointed in complex patterns, with considerable variation in profile, from flat domes, to long hogsback ridges, to clusters of steep pinnacles separated by deep narrow gullies, to gentle slopes covered by boulders and rubble.

The surveyed areas sufficiently distinctive to be named as dive sites are listed below, and the general topography of each site is briefly described. The descriptions are intended to be read using the map for reference.

Contour mapping by towing a float with a GPS track recorder at depth intervals has been ongoing since May 2014, by SURG, and maps are updated systematically as new data becomes available. A high resolution multibeam sonar survey was done in 2022 by Wreckless Marine as part of a project to map False Bay in detail, but has not been officially published yet as of mid-2024. A few low resolution images have been uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, and can be seen in this article.

Conditions
The sites are exposed to wind and waves from all directions, however the reef is mostly quite deep, so short period waves will not affect conditions on the bottom greatly. Low short swell and light wind is best. The prevailing long period swell is from the southwest, and if long enough can cause surge even on the deep reef. Other waves are generally short period wind waves and chop, but the reef is far enough offshore for a vicious chop to develop in a strong wind, which can be very uncomfortable on the ride back to Simon's Town. The area is protected from northwesterly swell, and to a lesser extent southwesterly swell by the Cape Peninsula, but longer period southwesterly swell will refract round Cape Point, and though attenuated, will reach Whittle Rock.

Surface currents have been measured at up to about per hour, caused by recent wind, and offset in an anticlockwise Ekman spiral by the Coriolis effect (the current is offset more at greater depth, but proportionately weaker). The skipper should drop divers off a bit up-current of the shotline, which is not quite the same as upwind of it, and the drift direction of a boat with significant windage is not quite the same as the drift direction of an almost completely immersed diver. Occasionally the current will extend right down to the deep reef, but usually it is shallow.

Water temperature may vary with depth. A thermocline develops in midsummer, gets deeper in autumn, and dissipates in winter. The visibility may also change significantly below the thermocline. The surface can be 18 or 19°C with 10 or 11°C at the bottom, but the difference is more likely to be 5°C or less. Conditions at depth are not easily predictable, and may be better or worse than near the surface. There can be a plankton bloom in the surface layers and a sudden improvement in visibility from or less to over  in the cold bottom water, or, less often, fairly clean surface water, but dirty at depth. This dirty bottom water is more common at deeper offshore sites in False Bay, such as the wrecks of the Fleur, General Botha , and Bloemfontein , and the deep reefs south of Whittle. The cloudy whitish turbidity is said to be fine calcium carbonate particles from the calcrete formations along the north coast of False Bay, and the orange-brown particles and clots are thought to be agglomerated microscopic plankton of the types which cause red tides. The depth of the thermocline is also not very predictable, but has been known to be between 12 and 20 m in late summer. A thermocline at about 20 m can also occur as early as the end of November, with better visibility below. This may be a consequence of several days of strong winds, as there was a fairly steady eastward setting surface current of about 1kph in the Whittle Rock vicinity at the time, and a weaker but noticeable current over the reef.

In winter the water may be the same temperature from top to bottom, and as there is less sunlight to power the phytoplankton blooms, the visibility and natural illumination at depth can be better even though there is less light at the surface. There is no specific time of year for diving this site, you just have to wait for low swell and light winds, and take your chances with visibility.

A long period swell may produce significant surge at depth, depending on the local topography. In some places the gullies will focus the surge, and in other places the high ridges and steep walls may provide relatively sheltered areas in their lee. The reef is far enough to the west of False Bay to be in the lee of the Cape Peninsula for the prevailing south-westerly swells, and the diffraction of south westerly waves around Cape Point and refraction over Rocky Bank can dissipate a fair amount of the wave energy that would otherwise cross the reef, but the amount is not easily predictable, though the shoreline break on the Strandfontein coast to the north can give some indication. South-easterly winds do not usually have enough fetch or blow for long enough to fully develop waves in False Bay, and they usually dissipate within a day.

In winter it is occasionally foggy on the bay. This makes navigation a bit more risky, but as fog is normally associated with an absence of wind, sound tends to carry well, and it should be possible to locate divers at the surface by listening for sound signals when the boat is quiet. This generally requires the engines to be idling or switched off, and the boat standing still. If you can hear the boat itself, the crew probably can't hear you. Concentrate your efforts for when the boat is quiet, and you can hear voices or a sound signal, as this means they are more likely to be able to hear you.

Get in
The sites are only accessible by boat. It is about 8.5 km from the slipway at Miller's Point, but boats usually leave from Simon's Town jetty. On a good day in a fast boat it is a bit less than a half hour run from Simon's Town Jetty, a distance of about 14.5 km. Occasionally boats will leave from Gordon's Bay Old Harbour or Harbour Island marina, which are both about 29.4 km away.

Anchoring is not recommended. Most of the sites are on unpredictable holding ground, and there is a good chance that the anchor will either drag or foul, possibly both, and a rope rode may chafe through during a dive. This is a site where only the suicidally foolhardy would dive from an unattended boat, as it may not be possible to swim back to the boat on the surface due to current, and besides dragging or fouling, the anchor tackle will do undesirable and unnecessary ecological damage. Leave the boat in the charge of a competent person who will be able to pick up stray divers and call for help in an emergency. If for some reason you really must dive from an anchored boat, a distance line to either the anchor cable or directly to the boat will improve the chances of getting back safely.

There are day charter boats which can take a diver to any of the dive sites in the region, but most operators only work from a limited number of launch sites, which limits the dive sites they visit. Visits to a dive site also depend on the weather and are generally not predictable or bookable more than two to four days in advance. See the listing for Cape Peninsula and False Bay boat dive charters and the associated services directory for contact details.

Do
Dive at some of the known drop points listed here, grouped by sector of the reef, and explore the local reef around each point, or follow one of the routes. Alternatively, dive at an unsurveyed place and let us know what you find.

Main reef
This is the region around the shallowest pinnacle, and was the first part of the reef to be systematically surveyed. The area above the 21 m contour is about 550 m from northwest to southeast on the long axis, and about 250 m from southwest to northeast on the short axis. This constitutes most of the area of reef shallower than 21 m and almost all of the reef above 15 m. The main reef is fundamentally a large ridge running northwest-southeast, with a shallower plateau to the east, and a large, slightly deeper lobe – the Euphrates Rise – extending to the northeast. It is demarcated from the southern reef areas by a relatively steep sided valley which has a sand bottom – the Eastern sand tongue – and large boulders strewn along the northeastern slopes – to the southeast, a wide pebble bed to the northwest, and at least one sandy patch in the middle.

Plateau

The high area of the main reef, nominally bounded by the 15 m contour.

The main reef near the 5 m pinnacle is the shallowest part of the reef, with an extensive area above 15 m, and several parts above 12 m, separated by gaps and gullies of varying depth and width. The main pinnacle, and the feature known specifically as Whittle Rock, is a huge boulder standing on top of the main outcrop, with a gully to the east. A second pinnacle stands a few metres to the southwest, rising to 8 m on top, which is the third shallowest place on the reef. Slightly further to the east of the main pinnacle there is a long, deep and narrow gully running north and then east. To the immediate north and west is a plateau between 10 and 15 m deep. There is a large anchor lying flat on top of the high reef area just south of the main pinnacle (Marc's anchor). To the immediate south there is a small valley with a sand patch at the bottom, where the concrete block moorings for a new navigation buoy have been laid.
 * S34°14.846' E18°33.714'.

About 50 m due west of the main pinnacle, and at 7 m, the second shallowest point of the reef. This area of the main reef includes several steep sided roughly parallel ridges and gullies, mostly running roughly north-south, and a large swim-through at about 18 m depth, where an enormous boulder is wedged into the top of a large gully. The top of this boulder is the western pinnacle. The other ridges and gullies are further west.
 * S34°14.844' E18°33.682'

Northwest Rise The unconsolidated bottom north of the central north of the northwest rise includes large areas of small shingle or large pebbles, embedded in sand, along an often very flat area of reef. In some places it is difficult to tell where reef ends and the pebbled area begin without fairly close examination. In other places it is predominantly sand bottom, with scattered pebbles and small boulders.

The northwest part of the main reef has a cluster of small sheer sided high-profile pinnacles with narrow gaps rising from below 24 m to about 18 m, and about 40 m further northwest, a fairly large flat topped area at about 20 m with a steep drop around the sides to below 27 m, and in some places nearer 30 m. The northern part of this cliff curves round the high reef, and there is a large boulder to the northwest with an overhang, and possibly a swim-through under it. To the west and north the adjacent reef appears to be relatively flat with some small sand patches. To the east there is a smaller ridge running north-south, with a high point at about 22 m depth at the north end. The general area is of moderate depth, with rugged topography around the edge of the plateau area. Some unusually large nudibranchs have been seen and photographed in this area. As of November 2022 it has not been fully explored, or even dived very often, but has been given good report by a few divers who know Whittle Rock Reef relatively well.
 * S34°14.750' E18°33.482'

 * S34°14.723' E18°33.635', 18 m. A large boulder at the end of a small ridge overlooking a small sandy strip with scattered small boulders on the northern slope of the main reef.

There is a small, fairly steep and very localised pinnacle area on a generally lower profile area of massive bedrock. It is between the eastern plateau and the northwestern end of the high main reef, toward the top of the northern slope.
 * S34°14.765' E18°33.622'

Euphrates Rise

This is a large area of fairly high reef from just below 15 m to the north of the plateau area, with several gullies around the east and north sides, bounded by sand bottom to the east and north.

To the northeast of the main pinnacle, there is a massive outcrop which rises to 15 m, with steep sides and flattish top. Just to the north of this are three of the large wrought-iron anchors thought to be from the English East-Indiaman Euphrates which struck the pinnacle and sank in 1810, two of them in a wide, sandy bottomed gully running from southwest to northeast, at about 25 m depth at the west end and sloping downwards to the east. The third is a bit further west on a rocky bottom in the shallower part of the same gully. Another similar anchor is said to be nearby, but its position is not known. It is possible that the fourth anchor is further to the west on top of the rise, where "JJ's anchor" and "Billy's anchor" have been reported, and these names may refer to the same anchor. The eastern side of the Northeastern pinnacle is steep down the sides of the boulders, but stands on a flatter area of rock at about 22 on top, with deep undercuts in places. Between the Northeastern Pinnacle and the northeastern side of the plateau area of the main reef, the relief is relatively low, with low ridges and shallow gullies and a general depth of about 21 m over a fairly large area. Some of these gullies have sandy bottoms over small areas.
 * S34°14.787' E18°33.790'

There is a cluster of huge angular boulders known as "The Shards" at the northeasternmost extent of the main reef, off the Euphrates Rise, projecting beyond the general line of the perimeter into the surrounding sand. Bottom depth on the sand is about 34 m to the southeast, and reported to reach 36 m and the vicinity, probably on the north side. The highest pinnacle reaches about 24 m depth on top. The shards were found on a survey dive in May 2021, with no previous indication of their presence. This is a spectacular site in good visibility. The Shards themselves are scenic and impressive in size and shape, and are covered with more varied and colourful invertebrates than less rugged lower profile areas. Six or seven of the shards extend shallower than 27 m, about four to above 25 m, and there is a swim-through tunnel near the base level, opening to the southeast.
 * S34°14.704' E18°33.763'

Victor's chain is about 60 m of heavy chain lying on top of the slope from the Euphrates Rise down to The Shards. The western end is shackled to a steel structure, about 1.3 m square with a square central recess, which may have been a mooring, and which lies close to a lump of rock about 2 m higher than the local reef. The other end is free. The chain is about 23 m deep at the mooring, at S34°14.757' E18°33.692', and 20 m deep at the free end at S34°14.765' E18°33.734'. It bridges several small gullies and is heavily overgrown, so may not be easily spotted where it lies low on the reef.

Southeastern Pinnacle area

The Southeastern Pinnacle is a massive outcrop at the southeastern end of the main reef, with its top at about 9 m, a steep walled gully on the north eastern side, and a flatter slope down to the south, where there is a long and fairly wide sandy gully at about 30 m depth sloping down to the east, in which there is yet another large iron anchor – "Georgina's anchor" – on the boulder rubble on the north side of the gully. There is a heavy metal disc, somewhat less than a metre in diameter, at the end of a length of heavy chain on the sand on the north side of this gully, known as "Neptune's bathplug". Speculation suggests this may be the remains of a large navigation buoy, or a very stubby mushroom anchor. The gully has a few swim-throughs and small talus caves among the boulders of the rock slope. The eastern side of this pinnacle slopes down quite steeply for several metres to a deeper area of high to moderate relief, which includes some large boulders, with overhangs and swim-throughs, a few smaller gullies and small sand patches, then flattens out further to the east, reaching the sand edge below about 33 m.
 * S34°14.887' E18°33.775'.

Southern reef
The reef to the southwest of the Eastern sand tongue and the northwestern pebble beds.

Whaleback Ridge: The southern reef is made up of several sections. The nearest to the main reef section is roughly parallel to it, and known as Whaleback ridge. It has a few drop points.

 * S34°14.850' E18°33.508' is a group of pinnacles at the northwest end of Whaleback Ridge, with a small sand patch at about depth off the northeast end of the ridge, and another at about  to the southwest.

This is a compact, blunt topped pinnacle rising to about from local reef bottom at between 19 and 22 m. It is northeast of the Cave Complex, across a sandy patch, and northwest of the Table Top area. The reef to the northwest is a moderate relief broken ridge, with boulders and rubble on the northeast slope.
 * S34°14.900' E18°33.635', is at the southeastern end of Whaleback Ridge.

East of the Caves Complex, southwest of Neptune's Bathplug, and forming a southeasterly extension of Whaleback Ridge across the big eastern sand tongue from the main reef, Wreckless Rock is a huge boulder perched on the bedrock of a long flattish northwest-southeast ridge parallel to the main reef outcrop. The highest points are at about depth on the ridge-line of the boulder. The northern end of Wreckless Rock has a large overhang almost reaching a lower ridge to the north. The Little Labyrinth is a tight cluster of pinnacles and narrow ridges and gullies at the southeast end of the long, flattish reef, a few metres from Wreckless Rock, but in sight of it in reasonable visibility. Further east the reef drops rapidly to below and the sand bottom at about  is nearby to the south, east and north of the pinnacles. A single pinnacle rising to lies a short distance north of this area. This is Flash Pinnacle, described below. A bit to the south there is a cluster of smaller pinnacles.
 * S34°14.949' E18°33.707'

A tall tapering granite pinnacle with a triangular section and small flattish top at about. One flattish side, probably to the south. Very steep sided, almost vertical in places. Lower down it splits into several spiky looking shards at the east and south sides, and there are another two large upright parallel slabs to the north, with overhangs to the west, and a nice swim-through under a boulder to the south of the main pinnacle, just below. There is sand bottom at about 30 m to the east and the north, which is the east end of the eastern sand tongue, with more relatively low reef to the south and west, continuous through to the Wreckless Rock area. Named Flash Pinnacle in memory of Grant’s dog Flash.
 * S34°14.931' E18°33.718'.

Caves Complex and Table Top form a broken ridge south of Whaleback Ridge and Wreckless Rock, together they also run roughly northwest–southeast.

This is an area of high profile reef with a couple of ridges extending slightly above northeast of M&M Tower reef across a flattish area about 27 m deep, roughly northeast of the Gnarly Wall and southwest of the Main Pinnacle area. This section of reef is somewhat chaotic in structure, and has several deep overhangs, and at least one fairly large but tight swim-through under a large corestone ridge. The southern extent of this section is demarcated by a sandy strip running roughly northwest-southeast at about 25 to 30 m depth. To the northeast there is another small sandy patch at about depth, and a narrow strip of sand in the bottom of a gully to the southeast extending as far as the south side of Table Top pinnacle. The eastern part of this area is flatter, with a low ridge extending towards the Table Top pinnacle. The northeastern entrance to the big swim-through is near the end of a hogsback ridge running notheast–southwest, at about depth. Gully sharks have been seen in the swim-through on several occasions.
 * S34°14.943' E18°33.616'.

East and a bit south from the Caves Complex. The pinnacle is a massive outcrop with a fairly flat top about 20 m in diameter at about 14.5 to 15 m depth. The sides are quite steep all the way round, and there is a deep crack towards the east side that extends to the base of the pinnacle on the north side. The crevice only goes about a third of the way through the pinnacle from the north, but there is a smaller crevice at the south end of the crack. There is a cluster of smaller boulder pinnacles to the north, and beyond those, a sand patch at 25 m depth. To the east there is a fairly wide gully with a large slab leaning against the main pinnacle forming a swim-through at about 24 m depth. Further east there is a lower profile large outcrop that reaches above 21 m. To the south is a sand patch at about 28 to 30 m, with an area of tall pinnacles with narrow sand-bottomed crevices and swim-throughs a bit further east. To the southwest is the eastern end of a sand strip extending to the south of the Caves Complex area, and off the west side, a narrow and remarkably straight sand bottomed gully extends to the northwest.
 * S34°14.968' E18°33.668'.

Tower Ridge is another ridge running roughly northwest–southeast, a bit further to the southwest from Whaleback Ridge. The high reef is about 100 m long from southeast to northwest, and about 30 m wide, with the M&M Tower roughly in the middle. The eastern section is a massive outcrop with a flattish top and a gnarled cliff face – the Gnarly Wall – on the northeast side, with the Bus-stop overhang to the northwest at about 15 m depth, and indentations along the face of the wall formed by underground weathering of the granite, later exposed by erosion, and now covered by sea. The south side slopes down relatively smoothly to about 27 m, then low reef with boulders extends to sand at about 30 m, which can be considered the boundary of this reef section. The top of this outcrop is flattish and a bit less than 15 m deep, with the shallowest point at about 13 m directly over the overhang. To the northwest it ends at a steep-sided gully running northeast-southwest with a narrow parallel ridge to the northwest, then another parallel gully of similar depth, and the tower ridge and boulder. Further west from the tower there are a few large peaked outcrops separated by gullies of varied depth and direction, in a cluster of similar overall area to the monolithic eastern section of the tower reef, but with a very different character. This can be seen fairly clearly from the map.

 * S34°14.943' E18°33.549' The central pinnacle and shallowest point on Tower Ridge, a section of reef parallel to, and to the southwest of, Whaleback ridge. The tower is also known as the Spark plug for the curved overhang at the top with a boulder just under it. It is a narrow ridge-pinnacle rising from about 24 m to about 11 m on top. It is about 50 m west of the Caves Complex reef area, a group of huge boulders on a bedrock base at about 21 m depth, southwest of the main reef ridge. The M&M Tower is named for the two divers who found it by chance while diving from the Caves Complex reef area on a day of poor visibility. They ended up ascending at the tower and its position was recorded. This area has been quite extensively surveyed, and the local maximum depth is about 27 m on a sandy gully bottom on the northeast side, sloping down to sand to the southeast and southwest at 28 to 30 m. It has become quite popular as it is fairly compact and has a lot of variation of topography.

 * S34°14.945' E18°33.573', is a feature on the Gnarly Wall, which is the north face of the east end of Tower Ridge. The Bus-stop is a large overhang at the top of the rock face, formed by underground weathering of the granite, later exposed by erosion of the saprolith.

Southwestern Pinnacles
Southwest of the M&M Tower reefs, and west of the Labyrinth area, across a sandy gap, this cluster of deeper pinnacles and gullies is quite large and is marked at the southeastern end by a tight cluster of pinnacles rising up to between 18 and 24m, separated by crevices and a number of narrow gullies with sandy-bottoms at between 27 and 30 m. The northwest side has not yet been fully surveyed, but it is known that the sand goes all the way round. This section of reef is about 60 m wide from the southwestern wall to the sand on the northeastern side, and at least 120 m long on the northwest–southeast axis.

 * S34°14.991' E18°33.450' The tallest of these pinnacles has been called Grant's Spike It is at the eastern end of the reef, and is quite narrow near the top, which is at about 18 m depth.

 * S34°15.003' E18°33.445', To the south west, the area is bounded by sand at 32 to 36 m, sloping gradually from the west down to the southeast, where there is a short stretch of wall, dropping nearly vertically from the pinnacle tops at around 19 m to sand at 36 m, along the southern and southeastern edge of the reef.

 * S34°14.972' E18°33.420'. The position of one deep overhang or cave has been marked at S34°14.972' E18°33.420' as Mossie's Cave. It is at the sand at the bottom of a pinnacle which rises to about 19 m. The position suggests that the depth of the cave is about 27 m, and it is likely to be in a gully.

Labyrinth lobe
The southernmost lobe of reef, south of the Tower ridge, across a sand patch, but connected to the contiguous reef to the east.

 * S34°15.004' E18°33.580' A compact cluster of ridge pinnacles of similar height rising from about 28 m on the northern edge of a large lobe of mostly lower reef, to about 15 m at the shallowest points, separated by deep and fairly narrow gullies, weathered from jointing fractures almost all the way down to the base depth in a crossing pattern. There are a few scattered boulders in the gullies, mostly quite small, and a bit of sand in places. The Labyrinth is bordered by a large patch of sand at the northeastern edge, but with more relatively deep, moderately high-profile reef a short distance to the southeast, south, and west. Spectacular in good visibility, and notable for large numbers of fragile scrolled bryozoan colonies. This patch of reef is about 70 m south from the east end of the M&M Tower reefs and is separated from it by a large sand patch at about 30 m depth around the east end of the Gnarly Wall area, which is continuous with the sand patch at the northeast and north of Labyrinth reef, and which continues around the west side of the Sponge Gardens area to the sand bottom surrounding the whole reef.

 * S34°15.048' E18°33.606' South of the Labyrinth there is a large area within the 27 m contour called the Sponge Gardens, for the number and variety of colourful sponges near that depth. There are two small groups of pinnacles rising to about 18 m south of the labyrinth area. Otherwise the area is fairly high profile reef, but also fairly open and quite deep on average. The Sponge Gardens reef connects to the reefs south of Table Top, with an unsurveyed 20 m pinnacle between them.

Further south there is another cluster of deep pinnacles, the Deep South Pinnacles, with a shallow point at about 20 m, and an isolated sand patch nearby to the northeast at 26 m. This appears to be the southernmost part of Whittle Rock reef, though there is a deep outlier ridge some distance further south across the sand.
 * S34°15.103' E18°33.603'

Western reef
The western section of the reef is connected to the central part of the southern reef area through a narrow area west of Whaleback Ridge. Parts of it are inside the Table Mountain National Park MPA. The general trend of northwest to southeast ridges appears to continue here, though the area is not surveyed in detail yet.

Right at the northwestern tip of the Whittle Rock reefs. A fairly substantial outcrop projecting into the surrounding sand. Quite high profile, but mostly quite deep. Maximum depth about 39 m.
 * S34°14.650' E18°33.125'

The far northwest and western side of the reef has a large area of interlocking low reef and sand areas. There are occasional bits of reef in the sand patches and also patches of sand amongst the more broken areas of reef. There is also a significant amount of unsurveyed reef a short distance across the sand from the contiguous reef edge. Most of the deeper sand is relatively fine and white, while shallower areas can be shelly to coarse gravel, pebbles, shingle and small boulders. It can be difficult to identify where unconsolidated sediment ends and boulder slope starts in places, but much of the reef edge is steep and well defined, with steep slopes and moderate to high profile outcrops.
 * S34°14.750' E18°33.200'

S34°14.856' E18°33.269' (inside the MPA) An area of moderate profile reef to the west of the previously surveyed areas, marked by a shallower area at 19 m depth on top, and local bottom at a bit below 27 m on sand to the north and west. This area of reef is contiguous with the other areas of the main reef. Partly surveyed, the top of the reef is split by several fairly narrow cracks, and the reef steps down to below 24 m quite rapidly. It is a pretty area, with large numbers of basket stars, and when visited, there were shoals of hottentot, strepies and panga, several large roman and janbruin, and assorted catsharks. The invertebrate cover is moderately varied. It seems to be a pleasant dive site, deep enough to be relatively unaffected by swell, but lacks any exceptional topography.

S34°14.800' E18°33.160' (inside the MPA) A strip of fairly high reef from 22.5 m on the top of the pinnacle down to about 32 m on the sand at the southeast end, over deep 39 m at the northwest end, separated from the main reef by a sandy area to the south and east, and from another, roughly parallel, ridge by a sandy gully to the north. A narrow low strip of cobbles connects these ridges near the east end. The northern ridge is separated from the main part of the western reef by a short, narrow, sand bottomed gully. Peter's Ridge is reported to be split by a number of deep gullies and cracks, mostly across the width, and most of the perimeter is fairly high profile and steep, with a few moderate to large boulders or outcrops at or near the perimeter. The ridge is 230 m long from northwest to southeast and about 55 m wide. It is rated a spectacular dive in good visibility by Wreckless Divers.

S34°14.832' E18°33.324' (raised area of reef to the west, inside the MPA) About 100 m to the northeast of the Western Reef pinnacles there is an area of reef rising to a few pinnacles about 15 m from the surface, which is mostly moderately high profile in places, with some large low profile areas and a few high profile pinnacles, ridges and gullies to the north. The high point is reported to be 15 m deep. Maximum known depth at the sand edge is about 30 m, to the west. There are quite a number of large gorgonian sea fans, and plenty of the usual sponges. There are two small 19 m pinnacles on opposite sides of a narrow gully cutting across the west end of the rise a short distance northwest of the high point. On the second dive several large stingrays and a number of basket stars were seen. Also another anchor – Mike and Monty's anchor – leaning against a low wall at about 25 m depth. It has been photographed, but the position is not known.

S34°14.872' E18°33.454' (just outside the MPA) A short distance southwest of Whaleback Pinnacles, across am area of sandy patches, Gullies is a group of north-south aligned ridges, the shallowest of which is just above 18 m on top, separated by deep gullies, some with sandy bottoms with a maximum depth of about 31 m, extending to the large sandy indentation on the south side of the reef. The top of the ridges is mainly covered by strawberry anemones and elegant feather stars, with scattered sea fans, sponges and small red seaweeds.

A bit south of the Western Reef Pinnacle. A moderate area above 27 m, with a large flattish topped pinnacle rising to 22 m, and several small sand patches around it at about 30 m. Black mussels along the edges of the top. Martin's swim-through is on the west side of the pinnacle a bit below the 27 m contour.
 * S34°14.881' E18°33.241' (inside the MPA)

East Ridge
The East Ridge at Whittle Rock is a fairly large area of reef to the east of a sandy area 25 to 60 m wide to the east of the main reef. The sand along the east edge of the main reef slopes down to the south from about 30 m near the Euphrates anchors, to about 36 m off the Southeast Pinnacle. East Ridge was first dived in September 2020 by Wreckless Divers and reported as a long north-south ridge found by sonar, which appears to be in the order of 300 m long north to south, and about 100 m east to west. The East Ridge is not directly connected to the main reef above the sand, but is visible across the sand in places.

 * S34°14.742' E18°33.843' is a massive outcrop about 63 m long northwest to southeast, and 45 m wide at 27 m depth. The high point is at about 20 m depth on a flattish top interrupted by parallel gullies breaking it up into four large ridges. The sand at the bottom of the near-vertical northwest wall is at about, dropping to about on the east side.

The Criss-cross cracks area is a high flattish topped area at the south of the East Ridge, with the shallow point at about 21 m split by several relatively narrow and moderately deep cracks. The top of the reef is dominated by elegant feather stars and scattered gorgonian sea fans, with sponges becoming more common at the 27 m contour. Sand bottom in the wider gullies appears to start at about 30 m, but in the smaller gullies can be as shallow as 27 m. The lower profile East Ridge Central area between Criss-cross Cracks and the East Ridge North Pinnacle is deeper, with a high point at 26 m, sloping down to about 40 m at the sand edge to the east. The gap between the southern part of the ridge and the northern part is fairly narrow, averaging around 7 m. East Ridge central area is yet to be surveyed in detail.
 * S34°14.830' E18°33.879'

Routes
Most of the sites are a bit deep for entry level divers, though the area above 18 m on the main reef is large enough for several visits. There are not many established routes, and some of the sites have only been dived a few times. Depending on the service provider there may be a dive guide to follow, but other boats may just let the divers do their own thing, with a time limit to be back at the surface (usually 45 minutes to an hour, ask when you book.}

 * 15 m contour: A swim around the 15 m contour is a good option for a long dive with lots of scenic views if the visibility is good, and some excursions to the pinnacles. Few divers will make it the whole way around the 15 m contour on a single dive. Start at the main pinnacle if conditions allow, visit the anchor to the south, pass the 8 m pinnacle and descend to 15 m, then swim with the reef to your right to find the big gully swimthrough and pinnacle. Continue along the contour until you need to surface.

A route starting at the swimthrough at the Cave Complex then across the sand strip to the Bus Stop, along the Gnarly Wall to the first gully to the south west side, then around the ridge end to the Spark Plug gap at M&M Tower is a pleasant and scenic swim in good conditions. There is a large variation in topography along this route, and the depth is deep enough to be out of the worst of the surge, but shallow enough to get in a good long dive if well insulated and using a large cylinder of nitrox. Most of the dive will be between 18 and 24 m, with the deepest point at about 27 m in the sandy gully, and some reef above 15 m at the end.
 * Bruce's Route: Drop in at the mark for the caves complex. Swim around to the eastern cave entrance and swim through the caves. Look out for gully sharks. They will be less likely to startle and swim away if you avoid shining strong lights at them. Take a right turn inside the cave to the north exit, then swim magnetic west to the sandy strip, and cross it to the Gnarly Wall. Turn right and follow the wall to the Bus Stop overhang, then continue northwest along the wall, past the first two gullies and ridges to the third gully which is wider, and has the Spark Plug pinnacle at the top of the third ridge. If you still have time and gas to spare, explore the reef to the northwest of this area before surfacing.

If there is a lot of surge in the shallows, which is common in a long period swell even when the swell is quite low, the deeper areas will be more comfortable and possibly safer. The reef life also varies with depth and topography, and to get a good idea of what all can be found it is necessary to explore a reasonably large range of depths. Visibility and water temperature are somewhat unpredictable, and can differ from the inshore dive sites. There may be a thermocline, and visibilty at the bottom can differ quite a bit from nearer the surface. Even at 3 to 4 m visibility it can be a good dive.
 * Southwestern pinnacles and Mossie's Cave: This is a spectacularly scenic area at a greater average depth, with a maximum around 36 m, and most of the dive below 21 m. The area has several tall pinnacles with sand-bottomed gullies between them, which are comfortably wide enough to swim along at the depth of your choice, and some deep overhangs and swimthroughs in the northeastern part. Grant's Spike is the highest pinnacle, and a good place to start. Descend across the top of the pinnacles and over the edge to the south, then swim round the wall with the reef to your right until you get to the gullies. The wall at the southwest edge of the reef is the highest near-vertical drop known at Whittle, and drops from about on top to  on the sand over about  horizontal distance. Continue by exploring the gullies at the depth of your choice.
 * Shards to the main pinnacle: Quite a long dive, so expect some decompresion. Start at the Shards to the northeast, then swim southwest up the slope to the plateau. You should cross Victor's Chain and possibly pass near an anchor before reaching the area.

Outliers
There are a few areas of reef that are known to lie a fairly short distance from the contiguous reef, but have either not been surveyed, only been surveyed in a few places, or are only known from fish-finder sonar records.

Unexplored areas of interest
There are still many areas on the list of places to be mapped, and most of the contours at and below 27 m have not been completed. The full extent of the main reef is known from sonar surveys, and most of the contiguous perimeter has been mapped.

There is also more reef in the western parts in the area marked "Fractal zones", some of which is visible across the sand from the main reef perimeter.

See
You could return to Whittle Rock every weekend for a year and not see it all. It is big, with a huge variety of topography and large depth range, and is highly rated by local divers who have actually dived there often enough to develop a reliable opinion.

Marine life
Much depends on which part of the reef you dive. There are a wide variety of invertebrates and quite a variety of fish seen in the vicinity, including occasional shoals of pelagic Yellowtail. This is a popular fishing area and unfortunately there has been noticeable damage to the reef by anchors in the shallower parts.

The ecology of the reef is zonated by depth and by profile. Areas with similar depth, slope, orientation and protection tend to be occupied by a similar group of organisms, but there are a large range of combinations of these factors.

The shallowest parts are dominated by large red-bait pods on the upper surfaces. Deeper areas have more sea fans and scrolled false corals, and below 20 m there are more sponges. Near-vertical walls may be covered by huge numbers of elegant feather stars, and basket stars are relatively common. Some days there are shoals of fish, which may follow divers around, while on other days hardly any can be seen, and those that are seen are skittish and keep well away. This may be a function of water temperature, illumination, and visibility. Spotted gully sharks have often been seen in the swim-throughs at the Caves Complex, and large short-tailed stingrays have been seen cruising the gullies. As is usual, there tends to be more diversity in areas of high rugosity and high profile, and on steeper slopes and under overhangs. Seals may be seen, but are not usually present in large numbers. Large schools of common dolphin have occasionally been recorded.

The fish life tends to vary a bit with the seasons, and at times large numbers of juveniles form shoals over the reef. There is not much kelp compared to inshore reefs.

Features
The main features of the Whittle Rock area are the varied and often spectacular granite formations. but there are a few artifacts worth a look if you pass them: There are several large anchors. The approximate positions are known for fifteen of them, and shown on the map. The positions of some are known with more precision. An asterisk indicates positions with unknown accuracy.

 * A large iron anchor without a stock at about 32 m depth, on boulders and sand, north part of the main reef at S34°14.687' E18°33.612'.
 * on the main reef, said to be about 20 m east of the mark at 18 m depth, at approximately S34°14.736', E18°33.592', described as unusually large.
 * A length of heavy open link mooring chain on the northeastern slope between The Shards and the Euphrates rise at a depth range of approximately 20 to 23 m. The chain lies roughly east–west, bridges several small gullies, and has a large, heavy, square steel plate with a central recess at one end, at S34°14.757' E18°33.692'. Length estimated about 57 m. This may be a mooring form one of the buoys which marked the rock. The chain is heavily encrusted and may not be easily noticed in some places.
 * A large iron anchor at 15 m depth, at approximately S34°14.767', E18°33.575' on the northwestern ridge of the main reef.
 * A large anchor with iron stock at 17 m depth, on the Euphrates Rise at estimated position S34°14.781', E18°33.721'.
 * A large anchor "much like the Euphtrates anchors" on the Euphrates Rise at estimated position S34°14.777', E18°33.734', at 19 m depth. This is quite close to JJ's anchor, so it is possible they are the same anchor, but far enough for doubt. More accurate survey and photos are needed.
 * Three large iron anchors with iron stocks, thought to be from the English East-Indiaman Euphrates which struck the pinnacle and sank in 1810. All three are in the Euphrates Gully, on the Euphrates Rise, just north of the Eastern Pinnacle, as shown on the map. A fourth anchor thought to be from the Euphrates is reported from near this point, but the position is not known. All are between 24 m and 28 m deep. These anchors may not be from the Euphrates if the ship did not actually sink, as has been suggested by further research in 2024, however there are old divers who say they have seen copper sheathing somewhere on the reef, which would be evidence of a wooden ship at least striking the reef at some time.
 * S34°14.783' E18°33.790', at about 24 m depth, on rocky bottom.
 * S34°14.783' E18°33.795' at about 25 m depth, on sand
 * S34°14.776' E18°33.801', at about 25 m depth, on sand
 * A smaller iron anchor on the main reef, at 18 m depth, at S34°14.785', E18°33.666'.
 * A large iron anchor without a stock lying flat at 14.5 m depth on the flat rock of the main reef at about S34°14.856', E18°33.716', near the 5 m pinnacle, and well camouflaged by encrusting growth. It probably does not have an iron or steel stock, or it would not lie flat, and so may be a relatively old anchor which had a wooden stock.
 * : S34°14.884' E18°33.687', a small steel anchor, firmly stuck in a small space between a few large boulders at the north side of the Eastern Sand Tongue at a depth of about 24 m. Not easy to see unless you swim right over it. Quite close to the edge of the sand.
 * : S34°14.917' E18°33.753', a large, slightly dished, metal disc, somewhat less than a metre in diameter, with a central lug shackled to the end of a length of heavy chain, known as Neptune's Bathplug, on the sand on the north side of the big eastern sandy gully. Much of the chain is in a pile near the disc, which suggests that the disc sank at that point when the chain was already leading to the bottom and near vertical. The disc looks too small for the size of chain, and the wrong shape to have been intended as an anchor, but could have been a reinforcing plate under a large navigation marker buoy.
 * A large iron anchor at the base of the south slopes of the southeastern pinnacle, of unknown provenance, at a depth of 29 m, at S34°14.935' E18°33.784'.
 * A small anchor at the base of the Table Top pinnacle on the southwest side, near the sandy strip, at approximately 26 m, at S34°14.971', E18°33.653'

Thwo other anchors have been reported. One is said to be near the three Euphrates anchors recorded as of 2020, between 27 and 30 m deep, and is also thought to be from the Euphrates. The other is somewhere at Stingray HQ, probably at about  depth.

Photography
This is a good site for photography. Macro is a safe bet, as there will always be subjects for close up work. If the visibility is good, and it can be better than 20 m occasionally, wide angle scenic shots are an option. Good visibility and good natural lighting together are relatively uncommon, so wider angle is better as you can get closer to large features. Most of the more topgraphically interesting reef is deep enough to be poorly illuminated most of the time.

Hazards
Cold water is possible. Strong winds may develop over a short time, particularly in summer. Great white sharks have been seen in this area. Poor surface visibility due to fog, rain, or spray, can occur occasionally, and if there is a surface current, a diver could drift quite a long way during ascent, making it difficult for the boat to find them. Fog can make it difficult for the boat to find divers after they surface, however, fog is usually associated with a lack of wind, so sound will generally carry very well. A whistle or an occasional loud sound could help establish direction to the diver, but it may be necessary to stop the engines occasionally to listen. The ride out is quite long and may be bumpy and wet. In winter the ride back seems even longer, particularly in a northwesterly wind, and wind chill can be a problem for a cold diver in a wet suit. On some occasions there may be large numbers of small craft fishing in this area, and some of the skippers do not pay much attention to where they are going.

Skills
Much of the reef is fairly deep and beyond the range of novice divers, but there are also extensive shallower areas. The ability to deploy a DSMB is recommended, as this will help the boat crew to see you after the dive, and will warn fishing boats of your presence while surfacing.

Equipment
A light is helpful both in deep areas to compensate for the loss of colour, and wherever there are deep cracks, overhangs and other dark areas. If there is an algal bloom near the surface, the deeper water will be quite dark even on a bright sunny day. A compass is mostly useful for heading towards a planned point, as when heading towards a shallower area at the end of a dive. An SMB is useful to help the boat keep track of your position, or to find you when you ascend. A DSMB is strongly recommended, and some skippers may require each dive team to carry at least one DSMB, and all divers to ascend on a marker, as it can be embarrassing to run over a surfacing diver on the way to pick up someone else, and being hit by the boat can ruin your entire day. A personal location transmitter beacon which sends a GPS position to all enabled VHF radios in the vicinity would improve the chances of a quick pick up in an emergency. Nitrox is generally useful to extend no-stop dive times as most dives at Whittle are fairly deep. The water temperature may be low, so good thermal insulation is also recommended. Divers using wetsuits in winter are advised to take some sort of windbreaker jacket. Even an unused plastic garbage bag with a head hole can make a big difference to comfort on a wet and windy day. If you want to dive solo, or rebreather, ask before booking, and you will be expected to provide evidence of competence, and have suitable equipment, which will normally include a bailout cylinder.

Read

 * Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay – A list of reference books on the ecology of Cape Town's waters and the geology of the Cape Peninsula.
 * Whittle Rock at Wikipedia

Nearby
Other offshore dive sites of False Bay:

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of reef dive sites in the Whittle Rock and surrounds offshore 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 east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Windmill Beach

The dive site Windmill Beach is an inshore rocky reef in the Froggy Pond area of Simon's Town on the False Bay shore of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

This site has very easy and protected beach entry and a small cove with sandy bottom that is suitable for training exercises, while also having a varied topography, diverse ecology and large area.

Position

 * S34°12.06’ E018°27.40’ — About halfway between the point at Boulders and Oatlands Point.

This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2004). A permit is required. The site is entirely inside the Boulders Restricted Zone.

Name
The origin of the name "Windmill Beach" is not known.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 8 m on the sand bottom near the inshore reefs. The 10 m contour is about 300 m offshore.

Topography
Sand bottom with large granite outcrops and boulders, some with very high relief, extending from flat sand to near or above the surface. Slowly shelving beaches. The north cove is very gradually sloping sand near the beach, but gets rocky near the mouth, where the depth gets down to about 3 to 4 m. In this area there are lots of small boulders which provide shelter for a variety of invertebrates and fish. At the mouth it gets deeper quite suddenly over a rocky ledge, and drops down to sand bottom which continues all the way north to Photographer’s Reef and beyond. There are a number of very steep pinnacles in the area to the east of the north cove, which rise from the sand at about 8 to 9 m depth to between 3 and 5 m of the surface, and a number of smaller outcrops and small boulders. The south cove initially slopes more steeply and remains mostly sand bottom. It flattens out soon and is bordered by rock on both sides.

There are offshore reefs to the east of Windmill Beach. One is at 300 m off the south cove on bearing 115° magnetic. Most of this area is sand bottom with a large population of purple sea pens to the north of this reef at a depth of about 10 to 12 m. This is a suitable place to find the as yet undescribed nudibranch known as Pierre’s armina,(or Striped sand slug) as it feeds on these sea pens. Gilchrist’s armina has also been seen on the sand in this area.

Geology: Granite of the late Pre-Cambrian Peninsula pluton surrounded by flat white sand.

Conditions
The site is exposed to south easterly wind and waves, and these can produce unpleasant conditions outside the coves. It is protected from short period south westerly swell, though long period swell can cause a strong surge between the rocks. Surge at this site can lift the very fine sand particles and cause poor visibility in the shallower areas. The site is usually at it's best in winter when the swell is low and the wind is light or offshore but there are also opportunities at other times of the year.

Facilities
Limited parking at the end of Links Rd. This area has a history of vandalised vehicles and theft, and there is a slight risk of being hit by a golf ball. There are municipal public toilets and changing rooms on the path to the beach, which are usually shabby and not very clean. They may also be locked for no obvious reason, and there is no timetable of open hours. There was a fresh water shower but the tap was removed during the water shortage.

Get in

Generally considered a shore dive. Drive South through Simon’s Town on the M4, turn left into Bellevue Rd, Right into Links Rd, and park at the end. Warning: This is reputed to be a place where cars are frequently broken into and contents stolen. Lock your valuables where they can not be seen. Walk through the gate and down the path past the ablution block, (there is a fresh water shower but it is not always in working order) and under the trees to the beach.

The south entry/exit is directly ahead. Also known as the east cove, it is a gently shelving beach facing east into False Bay with large granite rocks on both sides. It is a very popular entry and exit area as it is often diveable when the rest of the bay is unpleasant. This is a popular training site as it is reasonably deep within the shelter of the cove and the sandy bottom is good for skills exercises. The rocks to both sides are pleasantly overgrown with typical local species and are a relatively safe introduction to the area.

The north entry/exit is to the left and faces north into False Bay. It shelves even more gently and also has large granite rocks to both sides. It is very sheltered from easterly winds, and westerlies do not produce much wave action due to the short fetch. Unfortunately this cove is very shallow. This is an alternative shore entry and exit for Photographer's Reef, which is straight out about 400 m.

There is also an entry from a little beach to the north west of north cove. Turn left at the gate and walk along the path beside the wall to the large flattish granite outcrop, then turn right and follow the path at the side of the rock down to the beach. There is a low flat topped rock sloping gradually down to the water with a pair of low masonry pillars at the end. This is a good entry and exit for the north side.

The entry and exit points at Windmill Beach are safe in all conditions that a reasonable person would consider diving.

Marine life
A wide variety of invertebrate and fish species may be found at this site. Do not discount the shallow waters of the north cove, as a variety of small fish live in this area.

Photography
A good site for photography. Macro equipment is most likely to give good results, but a wide angle lens can also sometimes be useful

Routes
You can dive virtually anywhere and find something interesting if you know where to look. For divers unfamiliar with the site, the following routes are suggested
 * 1) Enter at the east cove, keep the rocks to your left and work your way round the reefs all the way to the north cove. For a shorter dive you can go through a gap between the boulders to the north cove.
 * 2) The reciprocal route to the previous, starting at the north cove and exiting at the east. Try to take in the pinnacles.
 * 3) The more adventurous may try a search for the elusive Striped sand slug. This requires a swim of about 300 m on bearing 115°magnetic to a depth of about 12 m, then a slow sweep north east while searching among the purple sea pens. Save at least 80 bar for the return.

Hazards
No site specific hazards have been reported.

Skills
No special skills required. The site is popular as a training area for entry level divers. The east cove has easy entry and exit, a sandy bottom at suitable depth, reefs to both sides, some kelp and access to more interesting reefs just beyond the cove. The site is also suitable for snorkelling and for night dives.

Equipment
A light is useful for looking into crevices and a compass is useful, particularly on night dives, for keeping track of where you are.

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