South Africa diving - overview?

[billt4sf]

GREAT info on this thread. Great to see some of the well-known Indo buddies familiar with SA diving.

We are most definitely wimps. I could provide enough excuses to make a horse choke, but suffice it to say that we have determined that, at this point on our lives, we do not need to dive everywhere. We don't even dive many places in Indo. Difficult ins and outs -- we're out. Lack of comfort in resorts (or no resort) -- not going. Cold water -- been there, done that, we learned a lot -- all over.

Call me a wimp, a limp, a blimp, a p---y, a fairy, a big baby, .. what else?

We're headed to South Africa in July to see if we like it, in which case we might move there for a few months or years, and we won't be diving this trip. Maybe at some point, likely not. But East Africa -- Zanzibar, Pnemba Atoll - Excellent!

Thanks again for the info!

- Bill & Emily

 

[MelasLithos]

You *ARE* kidding, right?

Well, I do need to keep the family busy while I'm out gallivanting under water
(and my mother is paying for the trip, I need to keep her happy )

 

[jfe]

Did Zanzibar, got the T-shirt, prefer SA diving to that thank you.

 

[Umuntu]

Did Zanzibar, got the T-shirt, prefer SA diving to that thank you.

What's the issue with Zanzibar diving ?

 

[jfe]

Nothing at all, just prefer SA over it. It’s nice but not somewhere I’ll personally spend my money on again.

 

[tomfcrist]

FWIW, there is a pretty serious plague issue in that part of the world currently. May want to bring ample antibiotics.

 

[billt4sf]

FWIW, there is a pretty serious plague issue in that part of the world currently. May want to bring ample antibiotics.

Thanks for the heads-up.

- Bill

 

[Umuntu]

FWIW, there is a pretty serious plague issue in that part of the world currently. May want to bring ample antibiotics.

Madagascar, not South Africa, AFAIK

Africa is a big continent

 

[cephalopod2]

I must say that I wish there were better dive boats in SA....The thought of being dragged onto a rubber duck is not that appealing any more.

And just in case anyone is wondering, Mozambique has spectacular diving but same MO regarding entries/exits.

OK. Please tell me which dive outfit in SA uses custom dive boats and not rubber duckies?

Totally agree re. being hauled in. But Pisces in Cape Town now has a sweet 9.2m semi composite hull (photographed here).

And there are many Tofo ops, but IIRC at least 2 of the RIBs I dove there in 2014 did have ladders. I had to ask to get them to lower them, but much better than being hauled in.

Maybe it's just technique …

What a fantastic video - thanks Umuntu. Wish I had seen it years ago.

 

[billt4sf]

SA is warned to be on alert and take reasonable precautions, as they should.

SA identified by World Health Organisation as priority country for plague