SURG Pinnacles

Understand

This site is a fairly compact group of large pinnacles which is deeper than most of the nearby dive sites, while still shallow enough for recreational divers. The greater depth makes it a bit safer for the boat in relatively strong swells, though the surge can be quite strong.

Position 1 Southern pinnacles: S34°02.375' E018°18.015' — (Shallowest of southern pinnacles) 2 Northern pinnacles: S34°02.348' E018°18.018' — (Centre of northern group) The shallowest of the southern pinnacles is a short distance offshore from the large reef with several shallow pinnacles and an exposed rock, which includes Kanobi's Wall to the north and Star Walls to the south. This site is in the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area since 2004. A permit is required. The site is within the Karbonkelberg restricted area, where abalone and lobster poaching is prevalent. Poachers operate from Hout Bay harbour in broad daylight, and appear to be avoided by the police and government authorities tasked with conservation in this area.

Name The name "SURG Pinnacles" was given in commemoration of the very strong surge on the day the site was first surveyed, and the local organization SURG (Southern Underwater Research Group) which contributed towards the mapping of the site.

Depth Maximum depth is more than 30 m, and the top of the shallowest southern pinnacle is about 9 m. (Average depth of a dive is likely to be about 20 m.)

Visibility Visibility is variable, as with all sites in the region. On a really good day it may exceed 20 m, and will then usually be very cold. These conditions normally occur in summer, when upwellings driven by the strong south easterly winds bring cold, clear, deep water to the surface. The good visibility does not often last long, and is usually followed by a plankton bloom soon after the wind dies down. More often the visibility is less than 10 m, and it is quite commonly around 5 to 8 m in ordinary diving conditions. Of course it can easily be w

Getting there

The site can only be accessed by boat. It is about 6.6 km from the slipway at Hout Bay harbour. The ride will usually take 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the weather. It there is a strong south easterly wind, the ride back will be relatively wet and bumpy. It is usual to fully dress in your wet or dry suit before leaving the harbour, though gloves and hoods may be left until you reach the site. Completion of kitting up and pre-dive checks are done on site. This site may be diveable when the swell is too high for safety at shallower sites nearby, as there is less of a problem with breaking seas over the reef, which may make it difficult to pick up divers at the other sites.

See

Marine life

Typical of the big reefs of the Atlantic coast. Moderate growth of red bait and split-fan kelp on top. Walls, crevices and overhangs are covered with a large variety of sponges, corals, ascidians and other sessile invertebrates, and a host of small mobile critters, many of them well camouflaged. There is a marked difference between the benthic ecology on the more vertical parts of the reef and the flatter areas. The walls and slight overhangs in the 12 to 24 m range probably have the most diverse invertebrate cover, and certainly the most colourful. There are large numbers of small gorgonian sea fans, noble corals, soft corals, hydroids, anemones, sponges, colonial ascidians, and bryozoans, providing shelter and food for more mobile invertebrates, The predominant colours are oranges and browns. A very high population of hairy brittle stars and immature cape urchins was recorded in November 2013

Features This site has very high profile reef, with a large proportion of near vertical to overhanging rock faces, and several deep, narrow gaps between the rocks. There are also some swim-throughs, though the positions are not recorded. The site is spectacular when the visibility is good enough to appreciate the topography.

Photography This is a good site for invertebrate photography. Most of the subjects will be less than 250 mm long, and there may be some much smaller, with a large variety in the 20 to 100 mm size range. If the visibility is good, there may be opportunities for some fairly spectacular scenic shots, with or without divers, and you may be visited by a seal. Macro and wide-angle equipment are most suitable, and super-macro may also be appropriate. The reef is colourful, particularly in the 15 to 25 m depth range, where the most of the red and orange light will already have been absorbed by the water, so good artificial illumination is recommended to get the most out of wide angle shots.

Suggested Routes No routes are known yet. Start