Scuba Diving in and around False Bay

Scuba Diving in the False Bay area servicing nearby towns Somerset West, Gordon’s Bay and Strand is  something you just simply have to experience.

The diving sites in the area are varied and has a lot of surprises to offer. Gordon’s Bay is characterized by a stoney bottom of round, large boulders or flattened rock. These rocks will seldom be seen bare because they are carpeted by sea anemones of all colours imaginable.

You can experience spectacular sea fans in beautiful bright colours such as, oranges and reds which sway in the surge.

You might even run into a  friendly Cape Fur Seal, or a  root-mouthed jellyfish.

Let us take you on a tour of some of the local diving sites..

Dive site information and images supplied by Indigo Scuba Diving Center based in Gordon’s Bay.

Steenbras Deep, Gordon’s Bay

Minimum Depth: 17 m

Average Depth: 27m

Maximum Depth: 30m

Entry Type: Boat dive, 11km from Harbour Island

Site Description: This is a fantastic year-round dive site, especially when the sea is flat.

What to look out for: This is an extraordinary dive site with something new and exciting to see around every corner. Huge sea fans, soft corals, noble coral, enormous orange wall sponges, gas flame, black, frilled nudibranchs and rare nudibranchs such as purple lady and white edged nudibranchs not often seen; rare blue sock anemone, fish such as Red Roman, Hottentot, Twotone Fingerfin, White Sea Catfish, Horsefish, Pyjama Shark, Puffadder Shyshark, Leopard Catshark. So much to see, this is a must-do dive for everyone! Because of this depth, we often get fantastic visibility at this dive site.

Steenbras River Mouth, Gordon’s Bay

Average Depth: 10 m

Minimum Depth: 7 m

Maximum Depth: 16 m

Entry Type: Boat dive

Site description: A beautiful dive site consisting of rows of marine-encrusted reefs running parallel to the shoreline. Sandy gullies in between the reef. So much to see and plenty to keep you busy for the entire dive time (approx. 50 minutes).

What to look out for: Colourful soft corals, flagellar, palmate and sinuous sea fans. Orange and grey wall sponges. Tubular Hydroids, colourful sea urchins and sea anemones. Nudibranchs galore – including huge gasflame nudis, coral nudibranchs, medallian silvertip nudibranchs, black nudibranchs. Lots of puffadder shyshark, many playful seals, huge red roman, hottentot, twotone fingerfin, red fingers, cuttlefish – a stunning dive site and one of our favourites.

Pinnacle

Average Depth: 10 m

Minimum Depth: 7 m

Maximum Depth: 16 m

Entry Type: Boat dive

Site description: Due to its relative shallow-ness, this dive site is extremely colourful. Starting off at a pinnacle which is often exposed at low tide, we make our way along the coastline. Topography is rock outrcoppings and boulders, gently sloping down to a sandy sea bed at about 16 metres.

What to look out for: Nudibranchs! This is a great dive site to spot a huge variety of nudibranchs – from orange scribbled nudibranchs, gasflame, silvertip, cape dorid, inkspot, chocolate chip, coral, candy nudibranchs. Beautiful sea fans, orange wall sponges, anemones in colour combinations that you can’t imagine. Cuttlefish, seals, huge octopus and puffadder shyshark.

Cow and Calf, Gordon’s Bay

Average Depth: 6 m

Maximum Depth: 15 m

Entry Type: Boat dive

Site description: This is a nice, relaxing dive and one of the first dive sites we take our students to. Sometimes referred to as a “training site”, Cow and Calf is grossly underrated. It gets its name from the two largest parts of this reef which, when viewed from the road, look like a mother (cow) whale and her calf. The site consists of a small-ish reef surrounded by boulders.

What to look out for: Orange sea fans, seals, cuttlefish, octopus, kolstert fish, red roman and hottentot. Loads of different types of nudibranchs, including the orange and white and blue and yellow gasflame nudibranch, chocolate chip nudibranchs, cape dorid, orange nudibranch, inkspot nudibranch. A beautiful and relaxing dive site.

Balcony, Rooi Els

Average Depth: 6 m

Maximum Depth: 15 m

Entry Type: Shore entry

Site description: This is a great dive to do in summer after the South Easterly winds have been blowing for a few days. It is quite a sheltered spot, so excellent for less-experienced divers but, at the same time very enjoyable for experienced divers as further out there are stunning reefs teeming with life. Watch out for the swells when putting on your mask, fins and gloves and remember – never turn your back to the sea.

What to look out for: Orange wall sponges and red encrusting sponges. Many beautiful strawberry anemones, elegant feather stars and lacy false coral. Further out are orange and pink noble corals, gorgonian twig corals, palmate sea fans and sinuous sea fans. Many gas flame nudibranchs and frilled nudibranchs are spotted on all dives. We often encounter seals on this dive (remember to keep your hands close to your body!), as well as pyjama sharks, gully sharks and even the odd butterfly ray.

For additional information or to book a diving trip, you can contact Deon on 083 268 1851 or email.

Alpha Dive Centre is located in the Strand and also offers dive excursions in the False Bay area. They can be contacted on 082 9009 163 or on email, Website