Diving in South Africa

[710ths]

Hi Sue

I have read your concerns about safety in South Africa. I have lived in Cape Town for most of my life, and I read that they rate Cape Town the most dangerous City in the world. WHAT NONSENSE !!!!!

I have been out at night, I go to town often and have never enver seen or heard about a crime. There is always a chance but please, name a city in the world where you are 100% safe.

If you take care and keep your wits, South Africa is a wonderfull place. The media always gives bad news because it sells, they make everything worse and take their money and move on to the next sotry. I love South Africa and can honestly tell you that there is nothing to worry about. The diving is great too !!!

Happy travels !

 

[hannesv]

I am so glad that we getting discovered as some of the best diving in the world. Guys- every country has its problems, crime etc. I hear you do not try and go into Harlem? or some places in Chicago with the mafia and all. (Just kidding). Our climate is wonderful. Winter gets to 15- 20deg Celcius (f ??) or in Sodwana 17 - 23/4deg Celcius. But to see other people exciting about waht we have is just great. Let us know if you need any info. I am not a dive charter operator, just very enthusiastic diver. hannesv@tradeworld.net and we can get you info. And like it was mentioned, our poor Rand (local currency) drifts about 11.5 - 1$. A (good) beer will cost you R4 - 6.00 A dive anything from $20 -$30 or cheaper. We even get peed off - there are operators charging in $ and take advantage of tourists. No good, but you check all opportunities before you stick your head under water. Well see ya all soon!!!

 

[kevsimon]

If you want to dive South Africa you must check out www.divenet.co.za - just launched and has some great info.

Also, you can't dive South Africa without diving Mozambique

 

[Seb]

Kev, I think one advertisement per thread is enough.

 

[jamespitt]

hey kev,
do what u like on this thread which i started. all we are doing is sharing info and networking. whether or not i want to visit your site is my decision, i have supreme control over my mouse and can make choices by myself.
wie is hierdie doos wat dit se? hy kan gaan kak in die mielies!

James
BTW - nice site, a bit busy but loads of info

 

[caymaniac]

We were at Sodwanna a few years ago and had a wonderful vacation. First we did ten days in Krugar and then on to Sodwanna for 4 days. Getting there is quite a rough trip and I do recomend that you go with someone you know. The reefs are a bit flat in profile, but the species of fish is mostly like the Red Sea.
My wife and I seen one Raggle Tooth Shark that looked so big we believe he could have swallowed us whole. The vis is not that great 25 to 50 ft. at best We had a wonderful time, we even went fishing for Marlin one day. The rate for fishing all day with lunch included $40.00 U.S., now thats like it should be! To get to Sodwanna we drove through Jozini - that could be culture shock if you've never been out of the U.S.
Dive Safe,
Caymaniac

 

[roguediver]

does anyone know of any caves to dive in Africa?

 

[DuckDive]

I can only suggest a couple of sources of info for Southern Africa.

My first memories of diving were formed here, watching my dad:
http://www.divethedream.com/TheAdventure/Chinhoyi.htm

Sorry, not much help though, as travel to Zim is not a good idea at all.

I am not sure how much of this site is cave, and how much is sinkhole, but...
http://www.poseidon.co.za/articles/nunogomes.htm

This should interest you though:
http://www.underwatervideo.co.za/cave.htm

Mark.

 

[caravias]

Hi All...Great to see people interested in SA diving!

First off....The weather here (Western Cape) this week is crap en will be crap for the next week. The shark boats couldnt go out much, but when tey did, it was AWESOME. Thats the good thing about winter here in South Africa for divers. The crapper the weather, the better the sharks! They feel realy confident when the water is choppy and somehow they know that this steps up THEIR turf. Not good for scuba though There is also always the option of diving the with the raggies in Cape Towns Aquarium or doing the copper suits dives.

Hey roguediver.... dont know about any cave dives here....but here's some amazing wreckdives going on!

All you adventure divers out there, wanna put your name in the record books? "As a warm-up for his exciting Deep Ocean Odyssey project, Jean-Michel Cousteau decided to grab a great white shark's dorsal fin and go with it - as one does." That day Cousteau became the 16th person in the world to freedive with Great White Shark. I was fortunate enough to meet Cousteau when he came out here. Truly a great man. So down to earth that you wont believe. He dived with Andre Hartman from Marine Dynamics. (www.westerncape.u-k.org) I'm not sure how many people has freedived with White Sharks up to date. You have to be extremely experienced and qualified though. About 2 years ago a real cocky guy came to Gansbaai thinking that he knows everything there is to know. Lets just say he got out of the water with one finn bitten in half! It realy aint childsplay in there! Few weeks ago the back of a guy's surfski was bitten off in FalseBay, South Africa.

I am thinking of setting up a chatroom where Andre himself can talk live to divers mayby 30min a week or something like that. He gets back from the National Geo film blah blah blah in Paris soon (next week). What you all think. Good idea or bad idea?


The guys that work on Swallow(Marine Dynamic's boat) say that they much rather prefer to scuba along Gansbaai's coast than anywhere else. Apparantly it looks extremely tropical. I'll check it out once the weather is a bit better. Never realy noticed myself. I always just concentrated on what I was looking for when diving. (Chasing crayfish....never managed to ever catch one. To dam fast and to dam clever!)

Something interesting: Jay Kay came to Gansbaai after his Cape Town concert and wants to cage dive with the sharks. Wonder if he'll realy do it! Apparantly planning it for next year.

Anyhow..... enough typing for me today!!!
Hope you all dont get scared off by the whole SA safety thing. Honestly. It's as safe as houses. I'm 20 and never got robbed, mugged, hijacked or what have you. In this little town we dont even lock our front doors when we go to bed!

Happy and safe diving for all!
ut:

 

[roguediver]

Thanks DukeDive and caravias just looking around to see whats down there. I have a friend thats going to be moving down there sometime in the next year or so , he will be doing mission work as a teacher not sure what area he will be in but anyway when I come there to see him I would love to go diving there. thanks for the info.