| Imported post
OK, better late than never. Yvonne Blume asked the question on D-net about holiday destination options for March 2003. So here's what I came back with to give you a flavour (in the abscence of two individual dive reports) of the above sites.
[Yvonne wrote]:
" After a very fluey Xmas, my brain still isn't working properly, so maybe someone else's is....
Where can I go in March that is:
1.)Hot, and I don't mean, luke warm, I mean temp's in the 30s
2.)No monsoons, cyclones or other frequent freak weather occurrances
2.)Less than 10-hours flight time
3.)Ideally I'd like to go on a liveaboard as I'll be travelling alone
4.)NOT Egypt, Sudan, Thailand, Oz (more than 10 hours anyway), or anything in a warzone
5.)and obviously I'd like the diving to be good too.
Any bright ideas much appreciated,
Yvonne
P.S. Anyone have any experiences with Pemba, and/or knows of any Liveaboards in KwaZulu Natal area? Bren? "
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And this is my response:
Hey Yvonne,
A couple of options spring to mind actually. I've not done Pemba or anywhere like Kenya or Lake Malawe type stuff yet, but can recommend the diving off KwaZulu-Natal coast big time!
If you try Punta De Oro in Mozambique, the waters should be in the mid to late 20's 'C - you'll be hitting the late summer there (high summer - even as far down as Cape Town - can be scorching!) and the sea-life is tremendous. Good opportunity of diving with Whale Sharks too. You're a little too early in March for the 'Sardine Run', as that happens between May/June/July most years.
Further down the coast in South Africa, you've got Sodwana Bay (diving within the confines of the National Marine Park) with its 2 mile, 5 mile, 7 mile and 9 mile reefs. There are lots of other reefs dotted in amongst these, so you'll have plenty to go at. Sharks, sponges, swim-throughts, caves, overhangs - the works. Whilst here, you can also take advantage of the 2nd highest natural sand dunes in the world (they form a barrier running the whole length of Sodwana's coastline) and take midnight horse-rides (if that's your thing - we did) along the beach when the moon is on the full. Breath-taking. You've also got a choice of two Game Reserves (one being the outstanding 'Schleschluwe'). Nearest Chamber - just for your info - is in Richards Bay, some 2 to 4 hours away, depending on the roads.
If you're going to travel to SA, then I would highly recommend building in to your trip both Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks in addition to Sodwana Bay.
Aliwal Shoal (Unkomas) has a choice of gorgeous reefs and some top shark dives: Raggie Caves and The Cathedral being just two off the bat. With the exception of Tobago, I've never seen such a proliferation and diversity (and number) of natually occuring sponges of all differing hues.
Here too you have two very good wrecks: the Nebo and the Produce. Both in the 30 metre range and both well worth diving. Inside the bridge of the Nebo, it is a wall of fish (a mixture of silvers, oranges and yellows) which can sometimes block out the light - which is good, even at depth. She is on her starboard side and broken in two - this making for an errie traverse of her holds and quarters. The Produce is much more broken up, but her plates still hold many a surprise in terms of sea-life and looking at the layout of a much older wreck.
Wacth your depth here, as we did both wrecks in the same day and this 'bounce-diving' (surface intervals were kept to a minimum) to 30+ gave us 12 mins deco on 21% on this dive.
And then you've got Protea Banks - Good Lord! Let's just say that no one dives the Banks for the reefs (nice though they are). I have never seen some many sharks (in both number and variety) on one dive in my life. You will regularly (unless you request otherwise) be bounce-diving to over 35 - 45 metres here. Straight off the RIB (or 'Rubber Ducks', as they are known is this part of the world) and a racing descent to an assemblage point just above the reef. Then just wait and hang with current. Our 1st dive was so-so, but on the 2nd, all #### broke loose!!
We had been oggling at families of Ribbon-tail Rays, Guitar Sharks, Angel Sharks, Raggie-tooth Sharks, and a few Grey Reef Sharks when we saw three sites that will live with us for long time. A solitary Ocean-going (or Oceanic) White-tip Shark (not a Great White) hove into view - apparently a rare sight, as they usually stay deep during the day and ascend to lesser depths to feed by night. Then we saw two Bronze Whaler Sharks (a complete bonus) and then IT happened.
At least 100 Hammerhead Sharks (photies to prove it) came sreaming in from our six-o'clock whilst we were on a safety stop at 12 metres. They are quite inquisitive beasts and a goodly number kept darting out of the ever moving mass and popping back to give us a look over before disappearing back in the throng. Awsome. Highly recommended. Apparently, although we didn't see any, it's not uncommon to see the odd Tiger Shark there too.
We went in November and we took our semi-dries with us with a shortie undersuit and were toastie warm. SA and M'bique are withing your 10/11 hour flight window too.
If you want somewhere that's nary a hop-skip-n-jump away (in terms of flying time, say 8 or 9 hours), I can highly recommend Oman. The water in June was a glorious 36 degrees C with air temps of 46 degrees! March should be a lot more manageable.
Virtually virgin (am I allowed to say that here?), the sheer weight of sea-life never ceased to amaze us. Sharks, turtles and my favourite (which I'd never seen before) Devils Rays - herds of them, massive and up close and personal. They are not remotely used to (or scared of) divers and this results in them coming up and swimming with you as it must be a novelty for them to see you. They are massively gently and a pleasure to watch as they conduct their sub-aquatic ballets.
Being in the Arabian Sea, as opposed to the Indian Ocean, the hard coral was completely untouched by El Nino/Nina and there's tons of it, of all shapes, sizes and colours: table coral of unfeasably large proportions, antler coral still sharp and colourful and walls, reefs and swim-throughs in profusion. The only thing the Omani government needs to get its act together on is the lack of wrecks that are open to be dived. There are plenty of them, it's just the 'right permits need to be acquired', for that read the correct palms need to be greased by your dive centre, not always an easy task.
Places to dive here are Bandar Kharan, Al Sawadi, for the Daymaniyat Islands, and Musandam.
Any way, hope this gives you some ideas. If you need any more, please just give me a shout off-line.
Cheers and enjoy.
Bren.
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