Just got back from South Africa!!!

[lizardfish]

<font color='#810541'>Just been diving in southern South Africa in Gaansbaai, only 1 and half hours drive from Cape Town with significantly warmer water than Capetown... (17C, as opposed to 10-11C). Many will tell you that Gaansbaai is a place for doing just cage dives with Great Whites, but if you can brave the waters there without a cage, I would highly reccomend it

We went diving in kelp forest, had a huge sting ray swim past, only a few inches from my nose as I came out of the kelp into a gully.... then was joined by two cape fur seals who were very entertaining and inquisitive. Found a few tiny sharks among the kelp but no great whites thankfully!

The most impressive thing about this nutrient rich water where the two oceans meet, is that it brings a huge diversity of marine life to the area. There was a not a patch of bare rock in sight. Everything was covered in powder pink encrusting algae, flourecent orange sponges, many different colours of anemone and urchin, lobsters and crabs and nudibranchs everywhere. Found octopi and abalone among bright red starfish.... it was all mind blowing and without more than a few soft and hard coral species and a few token fish swimming around. Taking a closer look at just ONE rock we found an entire city of little crustaceans milling about with green transparent shrimp galloping around. All too tiny to photograph but amazing to watch. Turned out every single rock was like this.

Will post some pics soon. If anyone wants to know more you are welcome to PM me. I will also put up the website of the dive operator we used, which is run the by the most fantastic Assistant Instructor who is Afrikans and completely crazy with a brilliantly homemade boat which he puts in the water and takes only you and your buddy out to wherever you want to go, weather permitting.

We explored a unmarked shipwreck from 1850 something whose location is known only by the dude who ran the dive opperation and on this dive we found the anchor chain for the first time so was all quite exciting. Unfortunately I did not discover anything of any value after having a good sift around in the sand and collecting some very shiny and pretty abalone shells.

Some of the best diving I have EVER done with regards to marine life and customer service and for very good value!

Lisa.

[lizardfish]

<font color='#810541'>here is the website

www.gansbaaiscuba.co.za


will put some under water pics in the photogrpahy forum