Sodwana Bay
- Thread starter chrisgp007
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caymaniac
Contributor
Hi Chris, I've been to Sodwanna as well. It is a beautiful area, it looks very much like our fresh water coast here in Michigan with high dunes next to the water, the diving however is much better in Sodwanna.
ScubaSteve
Wow.....what a DB
Looks like you found some neat stuff on your first ocean dive. It took me 300 dives to see my first frogfish and the third of your pictures looks like a frog fish (or something very similar). I envy you for where you can dive. Keep on diving and keep sharing pictures. We love it 
Nice first effort. Congratulations and welcome to the party. Keep practicing. With more dives and better bouyancy come better pictures. The frogfish and eel could have been really nice with a little better focus. That comes with being able to hold still a little longer. Looks like your first dive with the camera was great fun.
OP
chrisgp007
Registered
Thanx ppl , yeah my bouyancy really sux tho hahaha, need to work on it tho very fast if im to carry on with takin photos underwater. Well im just usin a sony w200 with housing and no strobes at the moment , so all im doin is just testin and playin around with it till i feel more comfortable to go to the next level of gettin a strobe.
Maybe u guys can help me on something what is the best settings on the camera tho to take pics under water as im just havin a mission of time playin with the dials on my camera tho? Ur advie will be greatly appreiciated
Maybe u guys can help me on something what is the best settings on the camera tho to take pics under water as im just havin a mission of time playin with the dials on my camera tho? Ur advie will be greatly appreiciated
Hey Chris you have got me all excited. Sodwana is just south of where i will be next month (Thonga). it's a long time since i was in tropical waters and i'm really looking forward to it.
Re bouyancy get a good buddy who will be patient with you and get it just right at about 40bar at 6 meters with your normal diving kit. i say 40 bar because if you outstay your welcome deeper, run into deco & use more air than you bargained for then you will be more comfortable doing the deco.
Re bouyancy get a good buddy who will be patient with you and get it just right at about 40bar at 6 meters with your normal diving kit. i say 40 bar because if you outstay your welcome deeper, run into deco & use more air than you bargained for then you will be more comfortable doing the deco.
Hi Sylpha,
Im thinking of Thonga in July - Thonga Beach Lodge - how did you find your trip? We are looking at some suba around KZN, sort of Sodwana/Thonga region. Any advice you mite be able to give greatly appreciated - vis, temperatures, what kinda things might I see, is it really busy, any activities for a non-diver?
Thanks
Im thinking of Thonga in July - Thonga Beach Lodge - how did you find your trip? We are looking at some suba around KZN, sort of Sodwana/Thonga region. Any advice you mite be able to give greatly appreciated - vis, temperatures, what kinda things might I see, is it really busy, any activities for a non-diver?
Thanks
There's not much for the non-diver at Thonga Beach resort, unless you like lying in the sun doing nothing. There is a 'spa' but i can't comment because they aren't my cup of tea. A trip to the lake is good at sundown to see the crocs & hippos. We chose this time of year specifically to see turtles laying eggs which you do as an evening drive up the beach. they will also take you on a guided walk into the dunes to see the smaller life.
AND the eating, i promise you you will not starve!
i was impressed by the 'instructor' (we didn't get any instruction from him and given our experience and his we didn't expect any). He was a good buddy, interested in the life and after every dive he was looking at the books because he saw something he didn't know and wanted to learn. He's diving for a living & still enthusiastic.
The diving is from an 8m RIB which is launched off the beach so you have to help with that, given 2 guys have just carried your stuff down for you it's the least you can do & not difficult. The boat ride to the reefs is exciting, but i won't spoil it for you.
the diving itself is no more than 23m which given the swell of the ocean makes photography challenging as there is a swell. The reefs are exclusive to Thonga beach (as are the more northerly to Rocktail Bay) and the boat takes 8 people max, day 1 it was us with the instructor after that another guy joined us, that's about as crowded as i like it
vis was between 15 & 20m, water temp 20degrees c. life in abundance, no wrecks. corals, fish forever, hydroids, eels, sharks, the day i didn't take the camera turtles, sharks, sponges, lovely little worms living in the corals, echinoderms.
The resort is about 1.5hours over 4wheel drive only roads from the nearest town, the resort meet you & drive you in. We made the mistake of flying to Durban & getting a transfer to the meeting point, with hindsight i would fly to Richard's Bay as it's a couple of hours closer.
Are you doing anything else in KZN whilst you are there, we had a safari at Hulhulwe a couple of years ago & enjoyed it.
i've gone on a bit now & i'm not sure this is the correct forum, if you want to pm me with any questions please do.
AND the eating, i promise you you will not starve!
i was impressed by the 'instructor' (we didn't get any instruction from him and given our experience and his we didn't expect any). He was a good buddy, interested in the life and after every dive he was looking at the books because he saw something he didn't know and wanted to learn. He's diving for a living & still enthusiastic.
The diving is from an 8m RIB which is launched off the beach so you have to help with that, given 2 guys have just carried your stuff down for you it's the least you can do & not difficult. The boat ride to the reefs is exciting, but i won't spoil it for you.
the diving itself is no more than 23m which given the swell of the ocean makes photography challenging as there is a swell. The reefs are exclusive to Thonga beach (as are the more northerly to Rocktail Bay) and the boat takes 8 people max, day 1 it was us with the instructor after that another guy joined us, that's about as crowded as i like it
vis was between 15 & 20m, water temp 20degrees c. life in abundance, no wrecks. corals, fish forever, hydroids, eels, sharks, the day i didn't take the camera turtles, sharks, sponges, lovely little worms living in the corals, echinoderms.
The resort is about 1.5hours over 4wheel drive only roads from the nearest town, the resort meet you & drive you in. We made the mistake of flying to Durban & getting a transfer to the meeting point, with hindsight i would fly to Richard's Bay as it's a couple of hours closer.
Are you doing anything else in KZN whilst you are there, we had a safari at Hulhulwe a couple of years ago & enjoyed it.
i've gone on a bit now & i'm not sure this is the correct forum, if you want to pm me with any questions please do.
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