Best Dive Site - Cape Town

[SeaWych]

I would have to say my most favourite and special dive site would have to be HMS Tantallon Castle - Cape Town - South Africa.

She ran aground on Robben Island in 1901 and was a passenger liner on her way from Australia to England.

When she sank - about 200m offshore (she hit a blind reef), the passengers all jumped into the life boats and went ashore the island and drank alchohol, and the women had tea and scones! Nice story hey - while she sank they sat drinking getting totally slammed! There are even picutures in the museum!

I dived her many a time and she is my holy grail. She opened up many a treasure for me. After about the 15th dive of digging in the reef (that is after surfacing some portholes) I came across a badly broken wooden box and in the box were old fashioned ladies silk gloves - they were tiny - and inbetween the gloves were fob watch chains and fob watches. Man - I had struck gold! What a feeling guys - I almost shat in my pants!

I tried to sell the chains but nobody could afford to buy them! Nice hey!

So, if any of you get a chance to go to SA - try and dive her. Not many dive operators know about her as the Robben Island area is protected by the world heritage act, however, in saying this she is well off the heritage zone and is diveable! But beware, there are major currents and the sea can get very rough when the South Easter blows which may blow you to Oz and back!