Code Monkey
Contributor
My family and I are planning to be in the neighborhood of Protea Banks around 5th through 7th of August next year. We'd like to dive, so that brings me to a few questions I had. I know I can sound kind-of nervous about this dive planning stuff but that's just how I register excitement. At any rate, we're *really* psyched about the chance to get some South African diving under our weight belts!
I've heard Protea Banks is a difficult dive. In what way is it difficult? My family each has between 150 and 170 dives, some of which is high speed, bottemless, drift diving. What skills (and levels of fitness) are especially necessary about Protea Banks?
How cold is it the the Protea Banks area right now (well, during the diving day)? Do you guys rent 7 mil suits or do we need to bring our own? We're only doing 2-3 days of diving out of a 31 day trip so I was thinking that we'd keep our dive luggage small. Maybe take our regulators, masks, and emergency gear but rent our BCs, fins, and such -- is that an okay idea?
How often are the dives, there, called off due to poor vis (you know, with the big sharks and all)?
How far is it to the dive sites at Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks? And while I'm on the subject of getting to the dive sites, are the boats out there typically zodiacs or do some of the dive ops use other kinds of dive boats?
If the sardine run is going when we're there, how easy would it be to get a one-day trip out to do that dive? I've heard that *that* diving is tough -- define tough.
Are there any especially recommended dive ops in the area? Is there anything else I need to know about South African diving?
Thanks so much! I am *really* looking forward to this!
I've heard Protea Banks is a difficult dive. In what way is it difficult? My family each has between 150 and 170 dives, some of which is high speed, bottemless, drift diving. What skills (and levels of fitness) are especially necessary about Protea Banks?
How cold is it the the Protea Banks area right now (well, during the diving day)? Do you guys rent 7 mil suits or do we need to bring our own? We're only doing 2-3 days of diving out of a 31 day trip so I was thinking that we'd keep our dive luggage small. Maybe take our regulators, masks, and emergency gear but rent our BCs, fins, and such -- is that an okay idea?
How often are the dives, there, called off due to poor vis (you know, with the big sharks and all)?
How far is it to the dive sites at Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks? And while I'm on the subject of getting to the dive sites, are the boats out there typically zodiacs or do some of the dive ops use other kinds of dive boats?
If the sardine run is going when we're there, how easy would it be to get a one-day trip out to do that dive? I've heard that *that* diving is tough -- define tough.
Are there any especially recommended dive ops in the area? Is there anything else I need to know about South African diving?
Thanks so much! I am *really* looking forward to this!