Scuba Diving in Cape Town
The ocean has called to many a soul and in days before scuba diving was so readily available, many turned their hand to sailoring the seas to satisfy their love and curiosity for the deep. Now a days, with technology surging ahead in leaps and bounds, exploring the depths and magic of the ocean is much more accessible to everyone interested in unveiling the hidden riches under the surface of the sea.Diving is quite a simple activity to perform. It is undemanding in understanding the steps and processes and easy to perform. Once you have the basics wrapped and under your (weight) belt, applying your knowledge in practice tends to give you great confidence in your ability to take good care of yourself in this new alien world below the waves. It is an exciting an exhilarating pastime as all these wonders open up their lives to you.
Camps Bay, just outside of Cape Town, is an ideally located base from which to explore the fair Cape and participate in all she offers. Cape Town is the centre of the universe with regards to activities! So much is available from restaurants to shopping, theatre and rich, colourful culture to adventure that it is quite a feat if you find yourself bored in the Mother City. Water-based activities are quite important to South Africans because of the wonderful temperate climate and their outdoorsy lifestyle. Having a beautiful and lengthy shoreline also encourages one to explore and investigate the seas.
The waters off the shores of the Cape are particularly chilly, temperatures from 8°C to 12°C. The waters more than make up for their nippiness with their incredible clarity that provides excellent visibility for divers. In summer once the southeaster has blown itself to a breeze, the waters are remarkable. The surface water has been propelled far out to sea and in its place has come the frigid yet transparent Antarctic waters.
The locals like to dive from a spot off Victoria Road where their vehicles can often be seen grouped together on the road. The popular dive sights here are known as Justin's Caves and Het Huis Te Kraaiestein.
If you are in particularly good shape, especially fit and daring, the Geldkis dive may pique your interest. You are required to swim 400m through the chilly ocean to your dive sight and once you have explored the depths, return to shore once again by stretching yourself for that 400m swim through the swells. It is evidently well worth braving the chill and expending the energy to explore Geldkis as not many divers make the trip out there.
Vulcan Rock is a popular dive with the variety of diving charters from which to choose, however it is recommended that only experienced divers visit this site.
If wreck diving is your scene, the Maori may be of interest to you.
And for something a little out of the box, the Two Oceans Aquarium near to the V&A Waterfront offers dives in its aquarium tanks. You have the option of participating in a dive to get your blood fizzing in the predator tank or a gloriously beautiful dive through the kelp forest tank.
If you would like to hear the pop and buzz of the ocean at the bottom of the African continent, Cape Town has the means to make that a reality for you.
Lekker Local Tips
* Non-divers can have a great time exploring the Two Oceans Aquarium while the divers get wet in either of the diving tank options. The Aquarium also boasts a section wherein certain sea creatures can be touched under supervision - great education for children and adults alike!
* Underwater photographs can help you share your experiences with non-divers and friends and family back home.
